World No 1 makes ‘difficult decision’ to miss slam
Draper still recovering from bone bruise in left arm
Jannik Sinner will miss the US Open with a right knee injury. The world No 1 has not played a match since beating Alexander Zverev last month to successfully defend his Wimbledon title, missing the Masters 1000 events in Canada and Cincinnati. Great Britain’s Jack Draper is also out of the event.
The news comes a day after his great rival Carlos Alcaraz, whom the Italian lost to in the final in New York 12 months ago, revealed he will make his comeback at Flushing Meadows after four months out with a wrist injury.
On this day 61 years ago, Moose Skowron clouted his 200th career home run during a harrowing win in Kansas City.
1901 While they were the most prodigious team entering the major leagues in this year, the White Sox still could not avoid major controversy before the summer was out.
Two Sox players were suspended after attacking umpire Jack Haskell in the fourth inning of a 8-0 loss at Washington. When Senators third baseman Bill Coughlin drew a walk to fill the bases on a disputed ball-four call, White Sox shortstop Frank Shugart punched Haskell, and starting pitcher Jack Katoll beaned Haskell in the leg during the fight. Both players were not only ejected by Haskell, the only umpire on the field, but the Washington, D.C. police intervened and both players were arrested.
Clark Griffith was summoned for emergency relief — in 1901, White Sox starters finished 110 of 137 games, so a bullpen was a nascent concept — and immediately served up a bases-clearing triple to Billy Clingman.
Katoll was suspended for 11 games and Shugart for 23. Katoll returned in September strong, appearing in six games with a 2.49 ERA. Shugart, on the other hand, returned in mid-September, hit just .171 to finish the season, and was blacklisted from MLB after the season.
1915 The White Sox acquired Shoeless Joe Jackson from Cleveland for $31,500 (almost a million today) along with pitcher Ed Klepfer, outfielder Braggo Roth and a player to be named later. This incredible trade for the White Sox was the first they’d ever made with Cleveland.
Klepfer had seen scant time with the White Sox in 1915 but pitched to a 2.84 ERA (109 ERA+) in three games, and would improve in Cleveland (2.09 ERA despite a 1-6 record in eight games). Roth, just 22, had started out fairly well in left field and at third base during his first full season in Chicago (.734 OPS, 117 OPS+) but exploded once he got to Cleveland (.906 OPS, shifting exclusively to center field). Though he clouted just seven home runs, Roth led the AL in round-trippers in 1915. (Yes, Bill Melton in 1971 winning the first-ever White Sox home run title is only partially true.)
Klepfer and Roth were no middling players, combining for 14.4 WAR over their five full seasons (two Kelpfer, three Roth) with Cleveland. (And on Valentine’s Day, 1916, the trade was completed when the White Sox sent little-used left fielder Larry Chappell east.)
However, the prize of the trade was Jackson, who already built the foundation of a Hall of Fame career in just four full seasons in Cleveland (finishing no lower than ninth in MVP voting each year). Though he would similarly play just four full seasons with the White Sox (losing almost all of 1918 to World War I), Shoeless Joe continued his strong play on the South Side, combining for 27.8 WAR while still peaking as a superstar. All his promise was lost, however, when ensnared in the Black Sox scandal, Jackson was banned for life from MLB after the 1920 season. He was just 33 years old.
Jackson, despite the “Black Sox” scandal, is still considered one of the greatest hitters in baseball history. Babe Ruth said he modeled his swing after Jackson’s,and Ty Cobb said Jacksonwas the best hitter he ever saw.Joe hit .356 for his career in the major leagues.
1926 Ted Lyons fired a no-hitter in beating Boston, 6-0, at Fenway Park. The Red Sox only had two baserunners in the game, one on a walk and the other on an error by shortstop Bill Hunnefield, who fumbled a ground ball and then threw high to first base.
Lyons’ no-hitter took just 81 pitches, delivered over 67 minutes.
Lyons, a future Hall-of-Famer, won 260 games in a 21-year career, all with the White Sox. His No. 16 was retired by the club in 1987.
1933 Despite sitting in sixth place in the AL, 25 games out of first, and 16 1⁄2 behind the second-place Yankees, the White Sox battled New York to a 3-3 tie … over 18 innings!
Neither team scored all game, until the top of the ninth when Lou Gehrig put the Bombers ahead with an RBI single. Red Kress answered that scoring tap with a sacrifice fly to tie it in the bottom half.
The game went back to zeroes until the 12th, when the Yankees plated two. Faced with certain defeat, the White Sox again rallied, scoring twice on a one-out Evar Swanson single. But New York wriggled out of the rally with an inning-ending double play, and neither team scored again.
Herb Pennock went 10 innings in relief for New York, in fact blowing the save in the ninth inning for them, while Red Faber went seven innings in relief of Milt Gaston, who threw the first 11 and faced 43 batters.
While the tie game still ranks in a tie for the 10th-longest game in White Sox history, it is NOT the sole, longest tie in team annals — the South Siders tied at Baltimore, 1-1, in 1959 and 6-6 hosting these same Yankees (Highlanders) in 1903.
1959 It was Nellie Fox Night at Comiskey Park, as in the midst of a pennant race, the White Sox honored their second baseman and future Hall-of-Famer. Fox was given a new boat, shotgun and other presents, and teared up when he spoke to the home crowd. He’d go on to become the American League’s MVP in 1959, hitting .306 with 70 RBIs.
On this night he went 0-for-3 with a run scored in a 5-4 win over Washington before almost 37,986 fans.
1965 With a long ball leading off the sixth inning of an eventual 7-6 win at Kansas City, Moose Skowron hit his 200th career home run. The clout but the White Sox up, 4-2, but the game was far from over — even after the White Sox added two runs in the top of the ninth to go up, 6-3, the Athletics fought back for three in the bottom half to tie. K.C. ended up tying the game off of three White Sox pitchers (including the dual relief aces, Eddie Fisher and Hoyt Wilhelm), rallying for their three runs on two hit batsmen, a ground out, two wild pitches, two advances by defensive indifference, a single, a stolen base, a walk and a passed ball.
The White Sox pushed ahead, 7-6, in the 11th by stringing three singles together, the GWRBI coming from Al Weis. Moose went 2-for-3 in the game, with a homer and a triple.
1973 White Sox pitcher Stan Bahnsen took a no-hitter into the ninth inning against Cleveland. After getting the first two outs, former Sox outfielder Walt Williams got a ground-ball single to left, past third baseman Bill Melton. Inexplicably, Melton was playing in, anticipating a possible bunt from Williams — who later said that under no circumstances would he try to break up a no-hitter by bunting late in the game.
Stanthen got the final out, finishing with a one-hitter and striking out four in the 4-0 win.
2005 The White Sox tied their club record by hitting four home runs in a single inning, in this instance the fourth. It happened off of the Yankees’ Randy Johnson in a 6-2 win at U.S. Cellular Field. The four who went deep were Tadahito Iguchi, Aaron Rowand, Paul Konerko and Chris Widger. Iguchi, Rowand and Konerkowent back-to-back-to-back.
SANTA MONICA, CA - APRIL 5: Elisa Stad and Founder of Dragoneer Investment Group Marc Stad attend the 11th Annual Breakthrough Prize Awards and Ceremony at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica of Los Angeles, California, United States on April 5, 2025. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images) | Anadolu via Getty Images
The Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx have a new majority owner after founder and partner of the Dragoneer Investment group, Marc Stad, bought majority shares from Marc Lore to become the controlling owner.
American business leader Marc Stad has completed a deal to become the controlling owner and largest shareholder of the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves and WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx by buying the majority of co-owner Marc Lore’s stake at a $4.5 billion valuation, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/EUvuf9SGkQ
In a sale that seemingly came out of nowhere in the eyes of the general public, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Marc Stad bought Marc Lore’s shares to become the majority owner of both Minnesota pro basketball franchices. Lore and Alex Rodriguez started their multiple-year purchase of these teams in 2021 in a unique process from long-time owner Glen Taylor in sections. After the drama that ensued with this agreement between the two groups, culminating in full control of the team just over a year ago, Minnesota will undergo another ownership change.
Marc Stad was a part of the initial group as a minority investor with Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez to purchase the team and has been working for the last few months to become the majority owner per Sharania.
According to The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski, Alex Rodriguez is staying on in his same role with the teams and will work in tandem with Marc Stad in a similar capacity to the Lore-Rodriguez pairing. He will remain the “front-facing” member of the ownership group. Another wrinkle, as Krawczynki reported, is that Stad’s wife, Elisa, would be the “designated governor” for the Timberwolves, while Rodriguez remains in that same role with the Lynx.
Marc Lore is expected to stay on as a minority owner.
The franchise valuation was at $4.5 billion dollars which was three times the amount that Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez bought the team for in 2021.
Full joint statement on stunning Timberwolves sale:
“We have been working together for years with a shared goal of building the Timberwolves and Lynx into the best organization in basketball on and off the floor. Our priority is and always will be championships. Our new…
While it is always a bit scary when new owners take over, especially with the recent drama coming from other organizations such as the Portland Trail Blazers and their new owner, or the Los Angeles Lakers Buss Family saga.
Minnesota fans should be encouraged with the continuity of Rodriguez staying on in the same capacity, and the fact that Stad was already a minority owner in the organization. Keeping some semblance of the leadership structure that has been guiding the Timberwolves massive offseason and the Lynx dominant season could be key.
The weekend has almost arrived, and I have my three favorite home run props and predictions for tonight's MLB slate up and ready, with Fernando Tatis Jr. and Griffin Conine as the highlights.
Here are my favorite MLB picks for Friday, Aug. 21.
Grichuk enters Friday as one of the highest-rated hitters on Batters-Box, covering over 91% of Manaea's arsenal. In his last 30 plate appearances against left-handed hitters, he owns a .828 SLG and .380 ISO while generating a 50% hard-hit rate, 12.5% barrel rate, and 29.5% ground-ball rate.
The Mets left-hander has been struggling against right-handed hitters, and the last 60 he's faced are producing a 51.5% hard-hit rate, 15.2% barrel rate, and 24.2% ground-ball rate, in addition to a .360 xBA and .755 xSLG.
Despite the possibility of Grichuk being taken out of the game early, he's still a strong option. Take this down to +400 at the most.
Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: CHSN, WPIX
Home run pick: Fernando Tatis Jr. (+456)
A man we've all been waiting to see turn it up this season is San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr., who enters Friday with the third-highest matchup rating in this game over on Batters-Box. Tatis Jr. has been seeing the ball extremely well over his last 10 outings, owning a .765 SLG and .500 ISO while generating a 54.8% hard-hit rate and 25.8% barrel rate.
The Padres' slugger draws Minnesota Twins left-hander Connor Prielipp, who owns a 7.71 ERA against his last 30 right-handed hitters faced. He's allowing those hitters to produce a 50% hard-hit rate, 11.1% barrel rate, and 61.1% elevation rate during that stretch. Opponents also own a .343 xBA, .636 xSLG, and .231 ISO across that span.
With how well Tatis Jr. has been hitting the ball, this price is simply too great to pass up. Take this down to +420.
Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: MNNT, SDPA
Home run pick: Griffin Conine (+388)
In a slate peppered with aces and hitters in tough spots to go yard, one man on the Miami Marlins has been firing missiles lately, and it's Griffin Conine. He's producing a 65% hard-hit rate, 25% barrel rate, and just a 25% ground-ball rate over his last 10 games, while owning a .767 SLG and .434 ISO.
On top of that, the Marlins' slugger enters today with the highest matchup rating in the current season dataset. Through 13 home games with an elite rating, he's gone deep 23% of the time.
Conine draws Washington Nationals right-hander Brad Lord, who has allowed left-handed hitters to bat .269 with a .444 SLG and .827 OPS this season. Additionally, Conine covers over 88% of Lord's arsenal.
With the way the ball is coming off the outfielder's bat lately, this is a great spot for him to go deep.
Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NATS, MIAM
Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
HR picks: 106-368, +17.3 units
Today’s HR combo
Randal Grichuk
Trade Now +1956
Fernando Tatis Jr.
Griffin Conine
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez had to go to court, fighting former owner Glen Taylor over the sale of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx. Last June, Lore/Rodriguez were finally approved as the new owners and took control of the franchise.
Stad was a minority investor in the Lore/Rodriguez ownership group, now he and Lore are essentially switching places, with Rodriguez taking on a slightly larger stake — this will be the Stad/Rodriguez ownership group now. Marc's wife, Elisa Stad, will take over as team governor, according to Charania. She has a corporate executive background with a focus on consumer branding.
Rodriguez will remain the public face of the ownership group and be heavily involved with both the Timberwolves and Lynx, according to the reports.
Which means there will be little change on the ground for the franchise. For example, the plans to find a location and build a new arena for the Timberwolves in the Twin Cities will remain — this is not an ownership change where the new guy seems to want to move the team, as feels like the case in Portland. There are no planned shakeups on the basketball side of operations. Ultimately, this should feel more like a reorganization of the ownership group than a dramatic sale, as is ongoing with the Los Angeles Lakers.
That said, Lore is flipping his shares for a nice profit, the team had a valuation of $1.5 billion when he and Rodriguez agreed to a purchase price in 2021. Lore reportedly will step back from the basketball teams to focus on taking Wonder, a food delivery and takeout business he is leading through a public IPO process.
Stad is the founder and managing partner of Dragoneer Investment Group, which manages more than $35 billion in capital, according to Forbes.
Lore and Rodriguez agreed to buy the Timberwolves and Lynx from Taylor back in 2021 for a valuation of $1.5 billion, but it was an unusual three-part installment plan. When it came time for the third installment in 2024 and for Lore/Rodriguez to take control of the team, Taylor tried to pull out of the deal, saying Lore/Rodriguez had not lived up to the terms of the sale. That led to a war of words and then a war of lawyers in court, with Lore/Rodriguez ultimately winning and taking full control of the team last June.
Lore made significant changes in how the franchise was run, not the least of which was mending fences with Timberwolves icon Kevin Garnett. KG's No. 21 will finally be retired this season. Lore also paid up to recruit head of basketball operations Tim Connelly from Denver, and he built a roster that reached two consecutive Western Conference Finals. This past offseason, Connelly made a major and aggressive pivot for the organization, bringing in LaMelo Ball via trade to pair with Anthony Edwards. Under the new ownership, Connelly will still have the freedom to be aggressive in pursuit of winning.
While the Board of Governors must approve this sale, with Stad already being vetted as a minority owner of the team, this will be more of a formality.
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 16: Trae Young #3 of the Washington Wizards drives to the basket during the game against the Golden State Warriors on March 16, 2026 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. 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 Kenny Giarla/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In mid-August, we’re still a little far away from nailing down precisely how the Wizards will set up their rotation. The question remains as to how the Wizards will fill their final roster spot, whether with DeMar DeRozan, Anthony Gill, or somebody else.
But with a new-look roster likely featuring three new starters, there are some interesting questions lingering about how the Wizards will align their rotation. They are now attempting to toe the tricky line of rising up the standings quickly while also empowering a group of young players.
Let’s talk through some of the most interesting questions.
How often do they pair Trae Young and Tre Johnson?
Depending on Johnson’s development, this question could quickly become a defining one for this era of the Wizards. It is harder than ever now in the NBA to put two small guards who are below-average defensively on the court together for heavy minutes.
Young’s defense comes and goes, to be charitable, and Johnson faces an uphill battle to reach a passable level on that end given his slight frame. But Johnson is also likely too good to be shunted off to play only when Young sits, which might only be for around 15 minutes a game.
The most interesting (temporary) solution here is stealing a few minutes each game where Young and Johnson play alongside as many good defenders as the Wizards can muster at a time. This could even mean pulling a Cleveland Cavaliers and pairing the two guards with the two star bigs, though with Johnson coming off the bench, it could be difficult for Brian Keefe to organize the rotation that way.
Still, the idea of Johnson playing alongside a distributor like Young is an intriguing one. Johnson often worked off the ball last season as a movement shooter, coming off pindowns and dragging his defender around. By heavily staggering the two, Johnson would naturally step into a role as the backup point guard, which could orient him away from his strengths as a shooter.
Could Bub Carrington’s role diminish?
There is a crowded group of Wizards that need and deserve minutes off the bench. I wonder if Carrington and his unusual set of strengths and weaknesses could be minimized.
The central question of Bub Carrington is whether it’s possible for an on-ball guard to make a positive impact while treating the paint like lava. (This is very Pelicans-era Lonzo Ball coded.) Carrington shoots 40 percent from three on good volume and managed 4.6 assists last season, but he almost never shot the ball near the rim.
Instead, he often hot-potatoed the ball away or launched a (relatively efficient) pull-up. He shot just 0.8 times per game inside five feet, one of the lowest numbers in the league. Most of the others in that range are low-usage role players or specialty shooters. Carrington, by contrast, was running frequent pick-and-rolls.
The Wizards need more offensive diversity and off-the-dribble creation that empowers the collective. Carrington works hard on defense, but he’s only 6’4 and can have trouble staying attached to the elites of the league. He’ll have to expand his game and settle into a different niche to fit into a Wizards team that wants to play winning basketball.
How does Bilal Coulibaly fit into the new-look set-up?
The status of Coulibaly, whose development has somewhat disappointingly stalled, is now in question as the Wizards plan to start Alex Sarr and Anthony Davis. Coulibaly’s struggles to space the floor make his fit dicey in the Wizards’ best lineups.
Of course, no one is assuming that Davis is going to be healthy all year. Despite the presence of Deandre Ayton, there will be plenty of single-big minutes to go around. Keefe will have decisions to make about how he’ll integrate Coulibaly, but it would make sense to pair him with Sarr and minimize the impacts on spacing.
Kyshawn George and Will Riley, though, are going to get their shares of minutes around AJ Dybantsa. That’s a lot of forwards. Coulibaly is more defense-oriented and a more natural power forward than those guys, but he’ll likely have to show more juice offensively to beat out those guys for minutes.
LEXINGTON, KY - APRIL 07: Infielder Tyler Bell (6) of the Kentucky Wildcats warms up between innings in a game between the Louisville Cardinals and the Kentucky Wildcats on April 7, 2026, at Kentucky Proud Park in Lexington, KY. (Photo by Jeff Moreland/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
We’ve entered the top echelon of the mid-season 2026 Purple Row Prospects (PuRPs) list. Previously we had PuRPs 30-26, 25-21, 20-16, 15-11, and 10-7. As a reminder, in this edition of the PuRPs poll, 29 qualifying ballots were cast, with 30 points granted for a first place vote, 29 for second, etc.
For each player on the PuRPs list, I’ll include a link to individual stats and contract status (via Baseball-Reference), PuRPs voting stats, a note on the 2026 season to date, and a scouting report from a national prospect writer where possible. I’ll also include where I put each player on my personal ballot. All ages are as of the date the article is posted.
A star ceiling was promised when Veen was made the ninth-overall pick in the 2020 draft and signed for a slightly above-slot value $5 million. The 24-year-old lefty-swinging, righty-throwing outfielder certainly has been a Triple-A star this year and has performed well so far at the Major League level since his promotion last week.
The big story this spring, courtesy of Thomas Harding at MLB.com, was the stunning off-season transformation of Veen. Veen explained that his last few years had been affected by substance abuse issues and that he had recommitted himself to the game, packing on 40 pounds vs. last year. It wasn’t just purported substance abuse that kept Veen in upper minors purgatory for the last five seasons (he’s been at Double-A or above since 2022). Veen has suffered a number of injuries, primarily to his left wrist but also to his back, thumb and ankle, which have sapped him of some of the explosiveness at the plate that was his calling card as an amateur.
Veen fought through injuries in Double-A Hartford between 2022 and 2024, but he finally ascended to Triple-A Albuquerque in late 2024. Veen played in 21 games for Albuquerque down the stretch, hitting a slugging-heavy .220/.281/.476 with six homers and three doubles in 92 plate appearances. That was good enough for Veen to be considered a strong candidate for the Opening Day roster in 2025. While that didn’t quite happen (despite a strong spring training), Veen was up with the Rockies on April 8th after a 5-for-5 game with Albuquerque that included a homer and two doubles.
With the Rockies, Veen played consistently in a two week stint but just didn’t hit very well. In 37 plate appearances across 12 games, Veen had only four hits, though one of them was a homer, en route to a .118/.189/.235 line (4 wRC+, -0.3 rWAR) — a humbling experience in his first taste of the big leagues. Veen returned to Albuquerque in late April for a month, until in late May it was revealed that Veen had been nursing a spring training ankle injury that had hampered his performance (he had hit for just a .481 OPS in May).
That led to a three week absence and a stint on the ACL team to rehab the injury and refine his hitting mechanics to improve his ability to hit high fastballs. Upon his return from that assignment, Veen promptly had a 14-game hitting streak that included eight multi-hit and two four-hit games. In total for 2025, including the ankle-impacted beginning of the season, Veen recovered to hit .289/.354/.468 with 11 homers, five triples, and 23 doubles with 15 steals for Albuquerque in 412 plate appearances — a slightly below average 94 wRC+. He cut his strikeouts five points to 20% of plate appearances while walking 9% of the time. On defense, Veen played all three outfield positions, with the plurality of playing time coming in left field.
This year, Veen was back in Triple-A. After a relatively quiet April (.746 OPS), Veen turned into a menace in Albuquerque with 1.117 OPS in May (.358/.500/.617) then an even bigger June, hitting .366/.385/.782 with seven homers among an absurd 24 extra-base-hits in 104 plate appearances in the month (his 79 total bases led the entire minor leagues for the month). That performance earned Veen the Pacific Coast League Player of the Month honors for June. After Veen cooled down to only a .908 OPS in July, He went supernova again in August, earning back-to-back PCL Player of the Week awards for performances like his game on August 8th, in which Veen was 5-for-5 with three homers, a triple, a double, and seven RBI.
In total, Veen hit a scalding .327/.402/.635 with 24 homers among his 65 extra-base hits, plus 18/20 steals in 445 plate appearances for Albuquerque, good for a 142 wRC+. Veen’s eight triples and 33 doubles on the season both rank in the top ten of all the minor leagues, while his 249 total bases lead the minors. For as long as he’s been in our prospect consciousness, it’s also important to remember that Veen only faced a younger pitcher than him in 13% of plate appearances. On defense, Veen played all three outfield positions with a slight preference going to the corner outfield, committing three errors while recording nine outfield assists on the year.
The Rockies brought Veen up last week and he hit a homer in his first two games of the year. Veen has now played seven games and has produced a .278/.316/.667 line in his first 19 plate appearances, producing 0.2 rWAR and fWAR. One trend to walk is Veen’s walk to strikeout ratio. In the big leagues this year, Veen is whiffing over a third of the time, but in Triple-A he only struck out in 20% of plate appearances while walking nearly 11% of the time. Veen has murdered the ball against right-handers this year, hitting for a 1.129 OPS against them vs. an .835 OPS left-on-left.
Here are some of Veen’s 2026 highlights, which show off all-fields power:
What do the scouts say?
Veen is ranked as a 45 Future Value player by MLB Pipeline, 11th in the system, including a 60 grade on his arm and a 55 grade on running and fielding:
Now playing at age 24, this is a big year for Veen, who needed to mature as a player and a person. The good news is he showed up for Spring Training with a ton of added strength to his 6-foot-3 frame and what seemed to be more intent in going about his business. There’s still offensive upside in his left-handed swing, and 2023 wrist surgery and a 2024 thumb injury certainly did not help him find consistency. There has been some focus in getting him back to the contact-oriented hitter he was early on, with the hope that he’ll get to his raw power more organically without selling out for it with more loft and the elevated strikeout rates that came with that at the upper levels.
Veen has worked with the Rockies on improving his ability to pick up and track balls defensively, with a chance to be a solid corner outfielder. If he can keep on the muscle, something he’s had trouble doing in the past, and maintains his intent, he could finally live up to the promise of being a former top 10 pick.
Veen had a tough 2025 season. Though he made his major league debut and smacked his first homer, big league pitchers ate him alive and he was just okay at Triple-A. Moreover, he drew attention to himself in a variety of less than flattering ways, from his marijuana-inspired double celebration to a running joke in the scout section about whether or not he could ready himself for the first pitch of an at-bat without needing to burn his timeout. Veen’s feel for contact had regressed in the upper minors, and long-awaited strength and power development hadn’t materialized. A once-promising career appeared on the skids.
Veen was almost unrecognizable in spring training this year. Per Thomas Harding’s story on MLB.com, over the winter, he made a variety of positive lifestyle changes, including getting sober, gained 40 pounds (he played 2025 at an “unhealthy” 202 pounds), and ditched his colorful hair (the blond and purple look didn’t bother me, though one could argue there was a Nuke-Laloosh-shower-shoes dynamic at play). There’s a lot to digest there, and it remains to be seen how his size in particular changes the equation. He somewhat famously mauled a ball nearly 470 feet this spring, so it seems that there’s a real uptick in his power. His swing remains long, though, and that extra pop won’t suffice to address the 41% whiff rate he posted on spin last year, which is arguably the biggest red flag in his game right now. It’s also unclear at this point whether he’s retained his 70-grade speed, which has been an important part of his game both offensively — he didn’t run as much last year as in previous seasons, but still swiped about a bag per week — and defensively, where quick wheels and reckless abandon compensate for his below-average ball tracking skills. My gut tells me that physically and mentally, Veen is broadly in a better place now. On the field, I’m concerned enough about the bat path and pitch recognition to keep Eric’s topline grade from last cycle intact, though the high-end outcomes are perhaps both a little louder and more within reach than before.
Veen was slotted 16th in the system by Keith Law of the Athletic in February:
Veen was Colorado’s first pick in the 2020 draft and was the last player I saw live before everything shut down. In that game, he hit a massive home run, aligning with reports I’d heard for months before about his plus power, but that has not been a part of his game at all in pro ball. He hit 15 homers in Low A in 2021, and that remains his career high. He’s the king of medium-quality contact, and that might work if he were a more disciplined player in the box or on the bases. He chases way too many pitches — nobody in Albuquerque should be swinging at 33 percent of pitches out of the zone — and he tends to swing too uphill, hitting for power he doesn’t have. I thought Veen would have a very different career than this when the Rockies took him, and maybe the new front office can try to get him to be more of a contact-first hitter and give up on the power, but for now, he’s maybe a backup corner outfielder.
When’s he going to get to the Rockies and how good will he be once he’s there?
Veen has seen his prospect stock rise and fall over the last six years, but right now it’s an arrow up profile just in time for his rookie status to likely to be exhausted. Veen is a good corner outfielder and offers a nice power/speed combo on offense. He has All-Star potential and yet has been relegated by some prospect watchers to a reserve outfielder at times due to the shortcomings to his approach and swing. For me, the profile adds up to a 45 FV player who I ranked ninth on my ballot. The good news for Rockies fans is that right now he looks more like a future star than he does a reserve outfielder and that he is finally showing what he can do at the big league level.
Arguelles, a 19-year-old Venezuelan outfielder, is the biggest riser in the system in 2026. He was one of the Rockies’ top international signees in 2024, receiving a $700k bonus, but hadn’t gotten scouting love until this season when he rose onto some mid-season top 100 lists. The 6’0” lefty has a strong hit tool with decent plate discipline and power while he also plays a good center field. Arguelles held his own in the Dominican Summer League after signing (84 wRC+) and was impressive in fall instructs, then proved to be an absolute unit in 2025 while repeating in the DSL.
In 236 plate appearances, Arguelles murdered the ball, hitting .422/.528/.652 with five homers, six triples, and 16 doubles — which is a 201 wRC+! Arguelles was first in the DSL in hits, slugging, OPS, total bases, and doubles. He was second in average, runs, RBI, doubles, and triples, plus he was third in OBP. Arguelles walked in 14% of his PA and struck out in just 11%. He also manned center field, contributing six outfield assists with just two errors in 51 games. That all added up to a DSL MVP award for Arguelles.
This year, Arguelles came stateside and helped lead the Rockies’ ACL team to a championship. He hit over .400 for the second season in a row, producing a .402/.478/.671 line that included nine homers, nine triples, and 14 doubles with ten steals in just 255 plate appearances, which is worth 174 wRC+. Among players with at least 150 plate appearances, Arguelles led the ACL in batting average, total bases, runs, RBI, hits, and triples while placing in the top ten in doubles, homers, OBP, and slugging.
After the ACL season concluded, Arguelles was sent to Low-A Fresno, where he is two years younger than league average. In 96 plate appearances so far, Arguelles has fit right in, hitting .293/.385/.439 with two homers and six doubles with five steals while walking more (12% of PA) than he is striking out (10% of PA), equating to a 110 wRC+ against older pitching. On defense this season, Arguelles has mostly manned center field, committing six errors while recording five outfield assists.
Here’s some video of Arguelles last season in the DSL:
What do the scouts say?
Arguelles began the season as a player of note but outside most Rockies top prospect lists and ended it around the top 100 in MLB.
Arguelles turned 19 a few weeks ago and is among the Arizona Complex League’s leaders in average, OBP and slugging, with his eight homers also ranking in the top 10. He’s a left-handed hitter with a very rotational swing that is already producing power even though he’s going to get stronger from here, and he shows good instincts on both sides of the ball, including in his pitch selection. He’s not a runner at all and will probably end up bumped from center field by a plus defender. I think he is a really advanced bat and he should get a cup of coffee in the Low-A California League before the season is out.
After a rough debut season in the DSL, Arguelles did what big-bonus guys are supposed to do down there in his second spin, hitting .422/.528/.652 with five homers and more walks than strikeouts. He was young when he signed and is still just 18, so while he isn’t young for the complexes, he’s not a man playing against boys either.
Arguelles puts the ball in play. A short swing facilitates near-elite contact (84% last year), and he adjusts off the fastball as well as any young hitter you’ll find. He’s aggressive and will expand when behind in the count, but he has the hand-eye coordination to project as a hit collector. How much power is coming? Arguelles is projectable but has 30 power right now, and his swing isn’t geared to drive the ball. His speed gives him a shot to develop into a fourth outfielder, with a chance for more if he finds a way to hit the ball harder than I’m projecting.
Arguelles is a pure hitter with a sound lefthanded swing. He produced excellent contact rates in the DSL in 2025, making contact in the zone at a 91.6% rate and missing just 16.5% of the time. While he repeated the level, his 14.4% walk rate also suggests a solid feel for the strike zone. Arguelles can get a bit aggressive chasing pitches and also hasn’t hit for much power, though his impact could tick up if he can pack on more muscle. He’s an average runner with a fringy arm who might end up fitting best in a corner outfield spot.
Arguelles hit so well [in 2025] the Rockies considered flying him stateside last summer, but they’re excited to have him in country now. He already has a very strong feel for hitting, using the whole field. He grinds out at-bats, takes walks and shows excellent balance at the plate. The left-handed hitter is going to keep getting stronger and has mistake-type power with a hard rate of contact, but it’s more gap than over-the-fence kind of pop.
While he’s not a runner, he has solid instincts defensively and his average arm can play up a little when he attacks the ball. He’s played mostly center field thus far, and the Rockies will still give him reps there to maximize his athleticism, but he’ll start getting time at all three spots, with a corner the most likely home for him long term if he develops into a regular.
When’s he going to get to the Rockies and how good will he be once he’s there?
Arguelles doesn’t have big tools in the way that some others in the top ten do, but he seems to have the most important hit tool and has produced very well over the last two years. I ranked Arguelles fifth on my ballot as a 50 FV player on the strength of the hit tool. Arguelles retains some defensive utility and his offensive approach seems refined enough that he won’t suffer the fate of twitchier athletes who have dominated short season ball while wilting against upper minors pitching. Arguelles will get the chance to prove it next year, likely back in Low-A initially but I can foresee a bump to High-A before the season is out.
4. Tyler Bell (759 points, 28 ballots) — Preseason Ranking: NR — High Ballot 1 (2); Mode Ballot 3
How did he enter the organization?
2026 First Round, University of Kentucky
Why did he make the PuRPs list?
Bell was the 10th-overall pick in this season’s draft out of Kentucky as a draft-eligible sophomore, signing for a slightly under-slot bonus of just under $6 million. The 21-year-old switch-hitting shortstop moved straight onto overall top 100 status because of his well-rounded offensive profile and up the middle defense. Bell stayed in the draft’s top ten despite suffering a torn labrum in his non-throwing left shoulder this season that shortened his year by a month and will likely need offseason surgery to repair.
Bell was drafted by the Rays in the second round in 2024 (66th overall) but didn’t sign, so he represented the highest drafted player from that class who was available in the 2026 draft. As a freshman at Kentucky, Bell’s pedigree shone through as he hit .297/.385/.522 with ten homers among his 29 extra-base-hits with 11 steals in 265 plate appearances, good for a 101 wRC+.
This year, Bell’s shoulder injury meant less reps, but he produced at a higher level despite the injury. In 194 plate appearances, Bell hit .343/.510/.608 with nine homers (19 extra-base-hits) while walking in over 15% of PA and striking out in 19% of them, which equates to a 152 wRC+ in the SEC. In his two collegiate seasons, Bell was hit by an astonishing 31 pitches, including 20 this year.
Likely due to the shoulder injury, Bell hasn’t made his professional debut yet. Here’s some highlights from this year at Kentucky, showing off power from both sides of the plate and some good defensive plays:
[Bell is] a very disciplined hitter, with a chase rate of 13.5 percent during the regular season, and still shows above-average power with plenty of hard contact, including a 90th percentile EV of 105.5 mph that puts him in the top 20 percent of batters. He is a true switch-hitter with simple swings from both sides of the plate, taking a small stride and getting a lot of juice from his hip rotation, with slightly better bat speed from the left side. He projects to high OBPs with 15-20 homer upside at his peak. Given that he’s likely to stay at shortstop, he’s a potential All-Star.
A switch-hitter, Bell is proficient from both sides of the plate. He has the bat speed and strength to generate 20 homers per season once he learns to lift balls in the air more consistently. He has a decent approach at the plate but can get too passive at times and has trouble staying back on changeups.
Bell has all of the ingredients to play a solid shortstop. He has average speed but a quick first step, smooth actions, reliable hands and a strong arm capable of making throws from any angle necessary. His defensive instincts and athleticism would allow him to play almost anywhere on the diamond if he ends up in a utility role. He gritted through the shoulder injury to play for the Wildcats, but it was known he would require surgery to repair it before beginning his pro career.
Bell is a competent and dangerous hitter from both sides of the dish, and his pretty left-handed swing is evocative of Jackson Merrill. It almost looks like a golf swing because his barrel takes such a naturally vertical path through the hitting zone and results in a ton of airborne contact. He is a dangerous pull hitter against elevated fastballs and tends to hit softer stuff back through the middle of the field. Though Bell shows some ability to adjust his posture to dip and hit low pitches, too often he is very upright and ends up swinging over the top of a lot of soft stuff, including plenty that finishes in the strike zone. His strikeouts improved (22.3% as a frosh, 18.6% this year), but they’re still higher than you want from a top pick. Some teams might be inclined to project on Bell’s contact skill based on the fact that he is just a sophomore who was dealing with the fallout of a major injury this season, while others might be scared that his strikeouts are going to be a persistent issue.
Though his throwing stroke is a bit atypical and Bell sometimes takes an extra step or two before he gets rid of the baseball, he easily has the range, athleticism and arm strength to man a big league shortstop and just needs technical polish. He has a little more injury and hit tool-related bust risk than the other top-of-the-draft college hitters, but he otherwise projects to be a power-over-hit everyday shortstop.
When’s he going to get to the Rockies and how good will he be once he’s there?
Bell’s injury means Rockies fans will need to wait until 2027 to see how the shortstop takes to pro ball in either Low-A or High-A depending on how shortstop reps will be allocated. The switch-hitter offers excellent defensive utility as a likely shortstop, power from both sides of the plate, and a good hit tool to boot. That’s why I ranked Bell second on my ballot as a 50 FV player who could be a quick mover through the system once he’s healthy.
Check back on Monday to see how the top three shook out!
"Each front office is graded in six categories: roster building, cap management, drafting and development, trading, free agency and vision," started Dom Luszcyszyn.
"This is the 11th annual version of this project, with this year’s edition seeing over 10,000 responses from fans grading their own favorite team and nearly 500 responses grading every team. The contrast between the two is always fascinating."
In last season's edition, the Blues ranked 10th, dropping four spots heading into the 2026-27 season.
The drop-off makes sense, as last year's rankings came after the Blues ended the season as one of the hottest teams in the NHL and nearly upset the Presidents' Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets in the first round of the playoffs.
This time around, the Blues were one of the more disappointing teams in the NHL, missing the playoffs but not poor enough to land a top-five pick in the draft. Despite the disappointment, the Blues made several interesting moves, adding young, established forwards to their lineup.
While the Stanley Cup might not be an attainable goal this year, the Blues will be far more competitive as they continue building towards the future.
The Blues front office received an overall grade of B-, but the fanbase is far more confident in it than the public is. The public gave the Blues a B- grade and is 23 percent less confident than it was last year. The fanbase gave the Blues a B and is only 16 percent less confident.
In the individual rankings, the fanbase agreed on cap management, giving the Blues' front office a B- grade. The only category in which the public was more confident than the fanbase was free agency, where the public gave a B- grade, and the fanbase gave a C+.
The fanbase was higher than the public in roster building: C+ from the public and B- from the fanbase; draft and development: B- from the public and B+ from the fanbase; trading: B- from the public and B from the fanbase; and the team's vision: C+ from the public and B- from the fanbase.
When this exercise is done next year, it'll be very interesting to see where the Blues land. If they bounce back, make the playoffs, and even win a round or two, they'll rocket up the rankings. If they miss the playoffs again, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Blues fall towards the 20s.
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The Boston Red Sox (68-59) open a three-game series against the San Francisco Giants (52-75) tonight at Fenway Park. Boston enters the weekend in control of the second Wild Card position in the American League. The Giants are riding out a disappointing season. Only the Rockies have fewer wins on the campaign than San Francisco’s 52.
The issues for the Giants are on the mound as well as at the plate. The offense has scored the fewest runs in the National League while only the pitching staffs of the Nationals, Reds, and Pirates have allowed more runs. That’s a bad combination. In losing two of three to the Guardians in Cleveland earlier this week, San Francisco scored a total of four runs and allowed a whopping 14. The Red Sox have treaded water of late but did take two of three against the Diamondbacks earlier this week. Boston scored 26 runs over the three games and allowed 12 including seven in a loss in Wednesday’s series finale.
Fans at Fenway will be treated tonight as they get to witness a couple of aces on the mound. San Francisco hands the ball to Logan Webb (8-7, 3.50 ERA) while Sonny Gray (15-3, 2.65 ERA) takes the mound for Boston. Webb comes into tonight having allowed one run or fewer in each of his last three starts. However, there is some uncertainty after he reportedly exited his August 15 start with minor tightness following a comebacker. Gray has been one of the best pitchers in the American League this season. He has been particularly sharp lately, compiling a 2.72 ERA over his last seven starts. His ability to limit walks and miss bats has kept him on the perimeter of the AL Cy Young conversation.
No doubt former Red Sox star Rafael Devers will be a major storyline this weekend as he returns to Fenway Park wearing a Giants uniform after last year's blockbuster trade.
Lets dive further into today’s game and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch: Giants vs. Red Sox
Date: Friday, August 21, 2026
Time: 7:10PM EST
Site: Fenway Park
City: Boston, MA
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, NBC Sports Bay Area, NESN
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The Latest Odds: Giants vs. Red Sox
The latest odds as of Friday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: San Francisco Giants (+163), Boston Red Sox (-176)
Spread: Giants +1.5 (-142), Red Sox -1.5 (+118)
Total: 7.5 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers – Giants vs. Red Sox for August 21
Red Sox: Sonny Gray Season Totals: 132.2 IP, 15-3, 2.65 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 117K, 34 BB
Jarren Duran is 4-6 in his career against Logan Webb
Logan Webb has struck out 4+ hitters in 5 of his last 6 starts
Rafael Devers is 6-21 including 2 HRs in his career against Sonny Gray
Willy Adames is 6-19 including 1 HR against Gray
Sonny Gray has struck out 5+ hitters in 4 of his last 6 starts
Willson Contreras is 6-13 over his last 3GP
Adley Rutschman was 4-10 in the series against the Diamondbacks
Christian Koss did not pick up a hit in the last 2 games against Cleveland after hitting safely at least once in the previous 8GP
Rafael Devers has hit safely in 5 of his last 6 games (6-25)
Top Betting Trends & Insights: Giants vs. Red Sox
The Giants are 63-64 on the Run Line this season
The Red Sox are 62-65 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 58 times in San Francisco’s 127 games this season (58-58-11)
The OVER has cashed 59 times in Boston’s 127 games this season (59-64-4)
Expert picks & predictions: Giants vs. Red Sox for August 21
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s game between the Giants and the Red Sox:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Red Sox on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 7.5
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PHOENIX — Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte will be transferred to the 10-day injured list from the restricted list, three days after he failed to show up for a game in Boston.
General manager Mike Hazen confirmed Marte is headed to the injured list and will return once he’s healthy.
The three-time All-Star traveled back to Phoenix for tests on his left knee. Manager Torey Lovullo said he has struggled to get information from the veteran slugger throughout the process.
Marte’s absence and apparent injury come at a difficult time for the D-backs, who are fighting to make the playoffs for the first time since a run to the World Series in 2023. Arizona has a 67-61 record and is one game behind the San Diego Padres for the final National League wild-card spot.
Marte is hitting .249 with 21 homers and 67 RBIs so far this season.
This wasn’t the first time Marte had a strange disappearance.
Last season, he went on the restricted list when his home in Arizona was broken into during the All-Star break. He missed three games after flying back to his native Dominican Republic and later apologized for his absence.
BALTIMORE — Pete Alonso skipped sideways toward first base while his drive sailed toward the foul pole in left field. Then he tossed the bat aside, seemingly convinced he’d hit a home run.
From that distance and that angle, however, it was hard to be too certain.
Alonso’s deep fly was ruled foul, and the call stood after a review in Baltimore’s 5-3 loss to the New York Yankees. That led to plenty of outcry — and calls for baseball to use technology to evaluate possible home runs near the foul pole.
It doesn’t sound like that is imminent.
If baseball were to start using additional technology on fly balls like these, it would have to be developed, tested and installed by MLB, according to a person with knowledge of the issue. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.
Unlike with the Automated Ball/Strike system, Hawk-Eye data above the foul pole is unlikely to be accurate that far from the field. It’s based on data from the first part of the ball’s flight, with the rest of the path estimated — meaning factors like wind aren’t fully accounted for.
Before the series finale, Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said the front office had communicated with Major League Baseball about the call.
“Just said that there wasn’t enough video evidence to overturn the call on the field,” Albernaz said.
One angle showed the ball on the right side of the pole and another showed it on the left side. Neither provided much clarity on where the ball was at the moment it passed the pole and the wall in left, which was the key question.
If the ball were lower, the camera angles might’ve shown it passing in front of or behind the pole, but when a hit sails higher than the top of the pole, it’s not easy to find a definitive view.
The difference between a home run and a foul ball is substantial, so it’s understandable players would want to feel confident those calls are correct.
“Obviously, this is a big game in division, so obviously this one’s going to be a little bit more amplified. But this happens quite a few times throughout the season, more than you would think,” Alonso said after the game. “I think having a camera or laser shooting straight up, we have all the technology, analytics and whatever and funds. I don’t see why we can’t do it.”
The ABS system launched in the majors this year, and MLB has been experimenting in the minors with technology allowing challenges to checked swing calls.
Sign up now using our exclusive Polymarket promo code 'COVERS' (on your mobile app only) and get a $50 trading bonus after you deposit $50 to trade on any other event contracts — including MLB expert picks!
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Jon Metler's expert pick: Cubs moneyline
Price: 51¢ (-104) at Polymarket
Matthew Boyd has struggled of late, allowing four home runs and seven earned runs in his last outing. But that poor performance may be exactly why we're getting an opportunity in the market, and I think the matchup at T-Mobile Park sets up well for a bounce-back start.
Boyd is a fly-ball pitcher, which can make him vulnerable depending on the ballpark and weather conditions. T-Mobile Park is an ideal setting for him, as the marine layer can limit the carry on fly balls and help mitigate his biggest weakness.
His overall numbers haven't been great this season, but many of his struggles have come at Wrigley Field. On the road, Boyd has posted a 2.57 ERA while allowing just two home runs, compared to 11 at Wrigley.
The Cubs are trading at 51 cents on Polymarket, but I make them closer to a 54-cent favorite, giving us an edge at the current price.
Time: 10:10 p.m. ET
How to watch: MARQ, Mariners.TV
Dustin Saracini's expert pick: Rays moneyline
Price: 47¢ (+113) at Polymarket
The Rays have lost five of their last seven games, but are in a prime bounce-back spot as underdogs against Trevor Rogers and the Baltimore Orioles on the road.
Yandy Diaz (7-for-13, .591 xSLG), Junior Caminero (3-for-10, .278 xBA), and Ryan Vilade (4-for-4, HR) have all had their way against Rogers, who's coughed up a homer in each of his last three starts.
Going for the Rays is Freddy Peralta, who's striking this Orioles team out at a 26% clip across 53 at-bats, a sample size we can get behind.
With a heavy right-handed hitting lineup expected to be deployed for Tampa, they'll win this one outright. Play up to 50 cents at Polymarket.
Time: 7:05 p.m. ET
How to watch: Apple TV
Joe Osborne's expert pick: Diamondbacks -1.5
Price: 40¢ (+150) at Polymarket
There’s an incredible amount of data pointing toward Arizona winning this game comfortably.
Over the past month, the Diamondbacks rank first in home OPS, while the Reds sit at 27th on the road. Both teams will start left-handers, which creates another massive edge for Arizona. The D-backs rank second in OPS against lefties during that span, compared to 28th for Cincinnati. Eduardo Rodriguez also owns an ERA nearly two runs lower than Nick Lodolo, and the Reds’ bullpen has been one of baseball’s worst in recent weeks. Cincinnati is just 4-10 in Lodolo’s starts.
Add it all up, and Arizona is worthy of a plus-money runline wager.
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Around 11 a.m. on May 29, 1949, veteran scout Tom Greenwade rolled up to a home in Commerce, OK to link up with a teenage ballplayer and his father. After watching the kid play each of the two days prior, Greenwade was intrigued enough to drive from Commerce to Baxter Springs, KS for another showcase. That day in Baxter Springs, he saw something that took him by surprise. Facing a lefty for the first time with Greenwade in attendance, the teenager stepped into the right-hander’s batter’s box. After lacing four line drives, the switch-hitter retreated to Greenwade’s car along with his father. The three hashed out a $1,500 contract for the remainder of the season to start his career in pro ball. Mickey Mantle was a Yankee.
Thomas Edison Greenwade Born: August 21, 1904 (Willard, MO) Died: August 9, 1986 (Willard, MO) Yankees Tenure: 1949-64
Greenwade grew up in Willard, a small town in Missouri that he’d call home throughout his life. He was an early standout as a pitcher and outfielder, playing in both the minor leagues and independent ball from 1923 into the ‘30s. While he had some excellent seasons, he never got the chance to play in the big leagues, moving into coaching and, eventually, scouting.
For a young man with little pedigree, Greenwade’s ascent in the scouting world is astounding. Hired by the Dodgers in 1940, he proved himself to Branch Rickey immediately. By 1943, he was already the Dodgers’ top talent evaluator, leading to a historic assignment that would become integral to his legacy.
Having received approval from Brooklyn ownership to pursue Black players, Rickey had a conundrum. On the one hand, the process of selecting the player to break the color barrier had to be kept completely under wraps. Any awareness on the part of the public — or even the rest of the league — of the Dodgers’ plan could torpedo it at the outset. At the same time, it was imperative Rickey choose a player whose talent and temperament would make the experiment a success, a task that would generally require all hands on deck in his scouting department.
At a one-on-one meeting at Kansas City’s Biltmore Hotel in 1943, Rickey tapped the one and only scout who would be involved in this secret project. “All that secrecy had me buffaloed,” Greenwade later said of the historic discussion. “And I got more curious after he sat and talked to me about things that had happened in his life. He told me one story about the time a hotel refused to allow the catcher of his Ohio Wesleyan team to have a room. The catcher was a Negro, and I began to get the idea.”
Greenwade started the process in Mexico and Cuba, under the guise of recruiting for a hypothetical Black Dodgers Negro League franchise. The first candidate who was strongly considered was Cuban shortstop Silvio Garcia, a talented ballplayer playing in the Mexican League. Accounts differ on why Garcia was not the man to make the leap to the National League. The most titillating account is that Mexican League President Jorge Pasquel put a pistol on the desk during his meeting with Greenwade, implying in no uncertain terms that he would not permit Garcia to jump ship to the States. Another narrative is that Garcia told Greenwade he would fight any player who directed abuse towards him, a deal-breaker given what lay ahead.
Greenwade’s account was less dramatic. “He couldn’t pull the ball,” he said of Garcia. “He was a right-handed hitter – everything went to right field.” Regardless of the reason, the decision to pass on Garcia led Greenwade to Jackie Robinson. Still the only man on the job, Greenwade never spoke to Robinson while scouting him, observing him from a distance, at least in part for the sake of secrecy. The scout saw enough on the field to make his recommendation to Rickey that, despite a suspect arm, Robinson was the right fit for the Dodgers.
In December of 1945, Greenwade jumped across town, accepting an offer from the Yankees that would triple his salary. He would spend many more years in the Bronx than he had in Brooklyn, with Mantle his signature signing. Their relationship went beyond that day in Baxter Springs, with Mantle leaning on Greenwade while struggling as a 19-year-old rookie in 1951 and continuing to leverage him as an informal advisor in the years that followed.
Mickey Mantle with the scout who discovered him, Tom Greenwade, celebrating another Yankee World Series win in '52.
Tom would later head on over to Hooterville to sell Oliver Douglas a new tractor. pic.twitter.com/Pje6mIyvwY
Greenwade went on to sign a cadre of consequential Yankees, including Elston Howard, who would break the Yankees’ color barrier in 1955. In 1950, the year after his meeting with Mantle, Greenwade came out to scout the Negro League’s Kansas City Monarchs. The team’s manager, the legendary Buck O’Neil, encouraged him to take a closer look at Howard. Within a matter of days, the Yankees had acquired his contract. In a rare recommendation involving an established big leaguer, Greenwade was the man who encouraged the Yankees to trade for Kansas City’s Roger Maris, projecting greater production from the young slugger.
Greenwade retired in 1964, returning full-time to Willard, where the local high school’s ballpark still bears his name.
Tom Greenwade Field in Willard where the Lebanon Yellowjackets face the Willard Tigers at 4:30 on KBNN AM 750 pic.twitter.com/ILXJzIeM43
He died in 1986 and has remained an icon in the scouting world ever since, garnering induction into the Professional Scouts Hall of Fame as part of its second class in 2009.
Greenwade’s legacy is tangible; one need look no further than Monument Park at Yankee Stadium to see his impact. The legendary scout is directly responsible for four retired numbers out in Monument Park — those for Mantle, Howard, Maris, and Robinson, whose number is retired across baseball. Greenwade is at once a legend and an everyman, the blue collar scout who drove his Cadillac across America looking for the next great ballplayer and whose hit rate may never be equaled.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 18: Sandro Mamukelashvili #54 of the Toronto Raptors dribbles the ball against Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the first quarter at Crypto.com Arena on January 18, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Toronto Raptors 110-93. 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 Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The constant turmoil of the Buss family feud continues to linger around the Lakers franchise, but as they say, the show, or in this case the basketball, must go on.
Amid the noise, superstar Luka Dončić’s mini camp begins this week. All the participating players were pictured boarding and taking off to Slovenia on Wednesday.
A hopeful key contributor this season on board is Sandro Mamukelashvili, general manager Rob Pelinka’s most out-of-the-box signing of the summer. Listed at 6’9 and 240 pounds, the sharpshooting big man brings an essential stretch-five element with versatility at the forward position the Lakers have been in dire need of.
The heavily offensively-lenient big man comes in immediately as a dream fit around Luka and Austin Reaves. As with any supporting player, it starts with his ability to shoot and spread the floor. In a career year with the Raptors last season, Mamu shot 38.9% from 3-point range on 3.7 attempts per game.
He gives the Lakers a pick-and-pop option they didn’t have. In the clip below, Mamu is the center in a small-ball group for the Raptors, something he did often.
Toronto is spaced five out to maximize driving lanes. Mamu sets a ball screen up high with the opposing big man in drop coverage, sitting back in the paint waiting for the ball handler to engage. It’s an easy drive and kick back pass for a spot-up 3-pointer against a late contest.
He hits 3-pointers from all over the floor in any situation. He has a quick release with solid footwork on relocation and movement shots on off-ball screen actions. Playing with constant downhill forces like Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram, he used their attention to become a release valve.
The shooting opens the door for Mamu to show off his versatility. Modern big men not only must hit shots from the perimeter but handle the ball and make quick dribble-pass-shoot decisions. Mamu fits the bill.
In the Raptors system, he’d have offense run through him as the ball handler, showing comfort in coming up and making decisions in a variety of inverted actions. He collected dribble hand-offs like shown in the clip below, able to put the ball on the floor for drives and attacking closeouts.
Mamu finished 71% of his shots in the restricted area for the Raptors, second best on the team.
He also averaged just under two assists per game last season, exhibiting the ability to read and take advantage of defenses. He found teammates on kick-out passes or nifty back door bounces on overplays like the one below.
LA clearly opted for more youth and athleticism this summer, hoping to play a faster style with their dynamic backcourt. Mamu is an elite finisher in transition and brings an uptempo flair with his push-the-pace game.
He scores 21.7% of his points on the break and is in the 85th percentile in efficiency. He changes ends seamlessly as a fluid athlete and is versatile, able to hit 3-pointers as the trailer or collect posters, as shown on the unsuspecting Derrick White.
Mamu had career numbers across the board for the Raptors last season in 21.9 minutes per game, including 4.9 rebounds a night. At 27, the Lakers hope those numbers scale up with a bigger role and more minutes.
LA signed Mamu to a four-year, $52 million deal, and most, if not all, is tied to his offense.
Defense is where the question marks arise, and it’s the main reason his minutes dropped precipitously in the playoffs. He was targeted in the postseason on switches and ended up earning just under nine minutes in the Game 7 loss to the Cavs.
Toronto finished with a top-10 defense last season and was better on that end overall with Mamu on the court. All the smarts he uses on the offensive end transfer over when he crosses the half-court line. As a team defender, he has good hands, quick feet and fits an overall scheme. However, he can get in trouble when matched up against top-level playmakers on switches and can’t be relied on as a rim protector in high-leverage games.
The vision for LA is the small ball groups do just enough on defense while being an inferno on the other end. In two big lineups, the hope is he’s protected playing next to LA’s biggest addition this summer, Walker Kessler, as the defensive anchor in the middle while he spaces the floor.
Even with the defensive concerns, Mamu is an elite fit next to the star backcourt, and his stretch ability can be a main catalyst in taking a Lakers offense from good to great.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 2: Zachary L'heureux #68 of the Nashville Predators scores against Darcy Kuemper #35 of the Los Angeles Kings during the first period at Crypto.com Arena on April 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Top 25 Under 25 is a collaboration by Mile High Hockey staff members. Seven writers have ranked players under the age of 25 in the Colorado Avalanche organization as of September 1, 2026. Now, we’ll count down each of the 25 players ranked.
Name: Zach L’Heureux
Age: 23
Position: LW
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 197 lbs.
Likely 2026-27 Team: Colorado Avalanche (?)
2025 Rank: N/A
Final Rank: #11
High Rank: #7 (Jackie)
Low Rank: #33 (Brennan)
2025-26 Statistics:
Nashville Predators: 25GP: 4G, 1A, 5P
Milwaukee Admirals (AHL): 30GP: 14G, 14A, 28P
Is there a player with more intrigue for the Colorado Avalanche heading into the 2026-27 season than newly acquired forward Zach L’Heureux? He could either end up spending the majority of the season in the AHL, like he did last year, or he could end up solidifying as one of the missing pieces on the Avalanche roster in a middle-six scoring role. The range in our voting reflects this uncertainty as L’Heureux’s value to the organization is up in the air.
There also isn’t a player in the entire Avalanche organization with a more complicated past than L’Heureux now with Val Nichushkin jettisoned. The 23-year-old has been suspended at every level he’s played including on nine occasions in the QMJHL including once for 10 games, three times in the AHL and one three-game suspension in the NHL for slew-footing Minnesota’s Jared Spurgeon. It’s no secret that the Avalanche lack a little bite in their game and could use someone who toes the line, but is Jared Bednar going to put his trust in that type of player, especially someone who is still trying to establish themselves in the league? The mantra always is it’s better to reign in passion than try to encourage it, but we’ll see how that goes in reality.
L’Heureux brings a reasonable resume and pedigree with him to Colorado as a former first round pick taken at 27th overall in the 2021 draft by the Nashville Predators. After finishing his junior career in the QMJHL, he spent his first pro season in 2023-24 entirely in the AHL with the Milwaukee Admirals. There L’Heureux put up 48 points including 19 goals in a 66 game rookie season. The next year “Happy” as they call him only played four games in the AHL and was with the Predators for 62 games where he scored 15 points. He also led all NHL rookies with 198 hits that season showing the physical bite to his game.
The following year Nashville put L’Heureux back in the AHL for the bulk of the season and did well scoring 28 points in 30 games, but the move called in question his future in the NHL. The left winger played 25 games in Nashville, all at the end of the season, and only put up five points with four goals and an assist. It makes sense why a change of scenery was the move now especially with L’Heureux’s waiver exemption having expired. He is signed for two years, though, one-way for $875K cap hit per year, which gives the Avalanche an incentive to make it work. It will be fascinating to see where the experiment goes from here.
