Meanwhile there was high drama at Wantage Road, where Calvin Harrison blazed 92 from 100 balls to give Northamptonshire a seven-wicket victory over Gloucestershire with just 13 balls to spare
Mostly positive, with sunny spells, though there are some showers moving north and east. At Wantage Road, they’re starting to mop up.
A huge wicket! Joe Clarke is bowled by Jake Ball, who was substituted in half way through the game because of Gregory’s hamstring. Delight for Somerset, despair for Clarke who was done for pace. Notts 51-4,
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 28: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket against Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the second half at the TD Garden on October 28, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Citi used to have a student loan management operation headquartered here in Sioux Falls.
Some years ago, they announced they were getting out of the student loan business, and that put a big question mark around the people in that department.
Citi hadn’t announced layoffs—in fact they hadn’t announced anything.
At one point, I asked a friend of mine who worked in that department if she’d heard anything.
Her response: “I don’t listen to what people are saying, because the people who know what’s going on aren’t talking.”
But here we are, talking once again about Giannis for Jaylen.
I’d love to put my friend’s advice to work here—and indeed, I suspect that most of the people talking are talking through their hats—but I can’t because these rumors have become the story to cover, and I am, as a fan, caught up in all this.
I have no insight whatsoever into what’s actually going on—an admission that I wish more talking heads would make before they repeat unsourced rumors.
What we’ve got is a situation where once again, we’ve collectively put Jaylen Brown on the trading block.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – JUNE 21: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics reacts during the Boston Celtics Victory Event & Parade following their 2024 NBA Finals win at TD Garden on June 21, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Getty Images) | Getty Images
And, honestly, this is a weird place to be as a fan — at least those of us who are fans of Jaylen Brown. The guy has always been a polarizing figure among Celtics fans, which is probably why these trade rumors catch fire whenever they crop up.
There’s a subset of fans who are positively eager to see him gone. One or two of them might even chip in on the cost of moving van rentals. I’ve never understood these fans.
I like JB. I think that he struggled a bit with maturity on the court early on — he might have benefitted from a couple extra seasons of college ball — but he’s grown up into a valuable member of the team both in terms of what he does for himself, but also in terms of what he does for his teammates.
The C’s seem to have given up on designating team captains, but JB has basically taken up that mantle in all but name.
So it’s uncomfortable for me as a fan to think about trading him to another team in exchange for a superstar who might be on the verge of having his body break down on him (I can’t help but think of Kemba Walker when I look at Giannis’ age and the nagging injuries that he had all last season) — and who can walk at the end of next season if he wants to (shades of Kyrie).
It’s uncomfortable to be a Schrödinger’s fan when it comes to Jaylen — and Giannis. Am I supposed to look forward to JB’s contributions to the C’s next season, or am I supposed to get excited about seeing what Giannis can do?
It’s pretty hard to try to steer a middle ground through this. In fact, I’d say that it’s about as impossible as having an atom simultaneously be in a state of stability and decay. Ambiguity doesn’t work in some cases. Either we want Jaylen on the team next season or we want Giannis. I don’t think we can logically want both.
Adding further to the quandary is the fact that we have zero say in what actually happens. No matter how much we like Jaylen or doubt Giannis’ ability to contribute at a high level for the next few years, if Stevens is going to pull the trigger on this trade, he’s going to do so based on input from people who aren’t us.
All we want is certainty, and certainty is the last thing that’s on offer at the moment.
So here we are… Caught between two possible outcomes and trying to find solid footing on the shifting, slippery, oozy foundation of unsubstantiated rumors.
Frankly, I tend to have my doubts about the rumors that have been swirling for a month now simply because they’ve been swirling for a month now.
Again, I don’t know how Boston’s front office works, and I don’t know that they’ve done anything other than kick the tires on a Giannis deal—which any responsible front office needs to do. But this lingering chatter, these leaks, this doesn’t feel like the way Boston does business.
It doesn’t take that long to hammer out a deal.
It feels like Milwaukee is trying to drive up the return for a player who’s got only one year guaranteed, some nagging injuries, and a growing reputation as a malcontent.
I don’t know that Boston made an offer for Giannis back when these rumors started, but I’d be very surprised if that offer was an open-ended one. I don’t think Boston put an offer out as soon as their season ended with the idea that it would just sit with no expiration date while Milwaukee used it in an attempt to solicit better deals from other teams.
I always ask myself what people who leak rumors like these gain by leaking them. I mean, either these rumors are coming straight from the horse’s mouth or they’re being exaggerated somewhere down the line, by people who are distorting what they’ve heard for their own particular ends, ends that have nothing to do with objective reporting.
But here’s the thing. I may have my suspicions that these rumors are being started in bad faith, but there’s no certainty to these suspicions.
My skepticism has no more firm a foundation than the credulity of someone who believes that this is all smoke, and where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
But this is where I find myself as a fan.
I have an outcome that I would prefer—that Jaylen remains with the Celtics—and I’m constructing a rationale to justify it.
I don’t like living in this space.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – JUNE 13: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks celebrates with the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy after the victory against the San Antonio Spurs in Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center on June 13, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. 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 Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Congrats to the Knicks
When the Knicks came back and beat the Jaylen Brown-less Celtics in game 80 of the regular season, I remember quipping to my brother, “Gee, you’d think they won the Finals.”
Well, whaddya know.
The important thing, as Celtics fans, is that we overreact to the Knicks, put them on a pedestal, and assume that only a major overhaul of the Boston roster will be sufficient to catch up with them.
SECAUCUS, NEW JERSEY - MAY 05: Detailed view of the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery set at the NHL Network Studio on May 5, 2026 in Secaucus, New Jersey. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Assuming the Pittsburgh Penguins stick with their choice at the 22nd overall pick on June 26th (which would be a decent-sized assumption based on Kyle Dubas’ history of trading down in the first round), which players might be around for them? Overall, the 2026 draft is now considered in some circles somewhat weak and disappointing compared to what it looked like it was shaping into earlier in the process.
Here’s a look at draft rankings and how they average out to set a baseline of what could happen, especially when it comes to prospects like Ryan Lin or Wyatt Cullen. This graphic suggests neither will still be on the board at No. 22.
Rankings are updated with a few new additions, and here is the landscape.
The NHL draft, it should be said, is nearly impossible to project. Too many players come from too many different countries and leagues to standardize or predict what 32 teams are thinking when they rank their players. Sometimes players get picked way higher than pre-draft expectations – take Ben Kindel going 11th overall last season which was far higher than almost anyone would have predicted going into the event. Kindel’s 2025-26 performance showed that was more about what the scouting/pre-draft community didn’t know in their analysis of his game.
However, the overall listings can show set some expectations.
With that in mind, we can probably starting zeroing in for the following:
20: Nikita Klepov
21: Ilia Morozov
22: J.P. Hulbert
23: Xavier Villeneuve
24: Juho Piiparinen
25: Maddox Dagenais
Klepov, is “is a highly skilled playmaker who flashed his skill level in the USHL last year and led the OHL in scoring this year with 97 points in 67 games,” per The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler. Puck skills and scoring ability is the name of his game in scouting reports, with exciting upside as a summer birthday to make him a younger prospect than many in the class. Concerns or limitations look like compete level at his size (6’0, 180) and not being the most dynamic skater for a winger.
Morozov seems to be a player sent to the Penguins in many mock drafts. A natural center with good size (6’3, 205), Morozov (no relation to former Penguin Aleksey) is also on the younger side for players in the draft. He’s cited by Wheeler as being a “pro-built center who has a good feel for timing on both sides of the puck and plays off his linemates well”, with some concerns about his offensive ceiling at the pro level.
Per Wheeler, Hulbert was “fourth in the WHL in scoring with 42 goals and 97 points in 68 games and playing both center and the wing effectively. He also finished second in the league in shots on goal with 294. He wasn’t viewed as a first-rounder coming into the season, but he made a ton of plays (though he has regressed a little down the stretch) to put himself in the mid-to-late first range”. He would seem to fit the Dubas profile in a lot of ways for being a WHL player, versatile in center/wing ability, highly productive with well-rounded game and competitiveness to boot. Hulbert also played on Harrison Brunicke’s junior team, so he certainly will be a player that Pittsburgh has kept tabs on throughout the season.
Villeneuve could be a high-risk, high-reward type of prospect. Wheeler says of the left shot defender, “this season, he continued to make plays at a high rate, was playing above a point per game, and led all D in shots on goal before a hip injury shut him down in early January, after his production had regressed a little following a hot start. He returned in time for the playoffs and was up and down for me in recent viewings. He didn’t meet my expectations this season on the whole, even factoring in the time lost”. Villeneuve is slight at 5’10 and 164 pounds, but everyone is looking for that Cole or Lane Hutson type of slick, offensively gifted defenseman. Villeneuve has some dynamic skill but also some questions to answer about projectability and whether or not he will take off.
Piiparinen could be described as the anti-Villeneuve. From Wheeler, “he’s an August birthday who’s already very polished, is a superb athlete, and has shown more offense at Finland’s junior level; he has played a more reserved/vanilla style at the pro level and at times internationally”. The 6’2, 204 pound left shot defender is known for steady, effective play, thinking the game well and making the little choices around the ice when it comes to playing the puck or taking proper positioning, with questions about his skill and just how high his ceiling might be.
Dagenais takes us back to the land of good-sized centers at almost 6’4 and 200 pounds. Wheeler writes, “Dagenais is a pro-sized forward who, at his best, stays around and on the puck and shows confidence holding and shooting it. When he’s engaged, going to the net, winning board battles and stacking positive shifts, he looks like a future middle-sixer NHLer who’s going to score 20 goals. He has good skill.” Concerns on him include a concussion history, possible pace and consistency issues.
—
While meant as a little primer for names that could be in the range for the Pens’ pick, the truth is that without knowing their board it would be impossible to see what direction they might go for making the pick. Some-to-all of these players could be available and a perceived ‘reach’ for a different player happens all the time in the NHL draft. This grouping of players provides a good place to start, even if it still very possibly could not be where the Penguins decide to end up going. This range of candidates is out there as some names to read up on in the event they are who Pittsburgh is picking through when it comes time to making their first pick.
One of the more fun things to do in statistics is what I lovingly call the Player A and B test. It is more of psychological ploy than anything else. Unfortunately, we have feelings that get attached to every player on or off our team. So, comparing two players is next to impossible when their names are attached. That comes with positive and negative bias. For instance, comparing Jose Altuve to any historical second baseman is nearly unfair. We have all kinds of baggage attached that muddies the waters there.
I did not invent the Player A and B test. Standing on the shoulders of giants leaves me cold (bonus to anyone that gets that reference). We simply compare numbers and remove the names. One of the troubles is that some numbers become identifiers by themselves. Like if I say that Player A drove in 191 runs in a season then you automatically know I am referring to Hack Wilson.
In this edition of the test, we are comparing one Astros pitcher to a historical pitcher. We will prorate the numbers to assume a full season for this Astros pitcher. In doing so, hopefully we will muddy the identities just enough to make this a fun exercise. We will include some basic numbers and then another table with some sabermetric numbers. First, let’s start with some basic numbers.
GS
INN
W-L
ERA
HRA
Player A
33
193.1
9-21
5.73
34
Player B
32
178.2
7-19
5.86
42
Unfortunately, this is one of those cases where if you know your baseball history then you already know the two pitchers. Of course, I am going to reveal it at the end, so if you don’t know you can live in suspense. I should point out that Pitcher A surrendered more home runs than any pitcher in the league in that season and Player B did too. Otherwise, these pitchers look extremely similar and that is always the fun part of the Player A and B test.
I should also point out that both pitchers are in very similar stages of their respective careers at this point. Player A is 25 while Player B is 26, so both respective teams could collectively believe that these pitchers could grow and turn into something. However, this is usually where the comparisons break down. The era is different. The home ballparks are different. The teams are different. So, there is a ton that gets in the way of suggesting these two were separated from birth.
There are some numbers I like for quick reference at baseball-reference.com. I should point out that these aren’t the only numbers out there and some of the more analytically minded will point out they may not be the best ones. However, they are fairly easy to interpret, so they make a comparison like this easy. ERA+ measures a pitcher’s ERA against the league average with a ballpark adjustment included. 100 is average with everything under that being below average. Most of you are familiar with bases per out which has become a bit of a signature for me. The lower the better on that front.
Weighted adjusted average percentage calculates what a pitcher’s winning percentage would be with an average team. So, this includes average run support, average bullpen support, and average defense behind the pitcher. This immediately spills us into a neutral record. You simply multiply the adjusted percentage by the total number of decisions. Finally, we get the percentage of quality starts for the pitcher.
ERA+
BPO
waaPCT
NW-NL
QS%
Player A
75
.783
.451
14-16
42
Player B
73
.931
.491
13-13
21
These are two very similar pitchers in most respects. The BPO is radically different but Player B somehow comes out looking better in the subsequent categories. This is because he had bad batted ball luck. Of course, I am being cagey in order to avoid spilling the beans on who we are talking about, but these numbers likely have left enough bread crumbs for you to figure out at least one of the pitchers.
Neither of these are good pitchers, but the adjusted won-loss records show that neither is as bad as they look initially. They pitched in different eras which could account for the quality start percentage. However, the innings totals are not all that different and even when we include the era and ballpark adjustment, we see that these two pitchers are very comparable.
The Big Reveal
Player A is Mike Maroth from 2003 and Player B is Mike Burrows from this season with his numbers prorated to the end of the season. The situations are obviously vastly different which is why this is such a big deal. Those 2003 Tigers lost 119 games. They were never in the hunt, so they were just happy that someone was there to give them some innings. As soon as the Tigers were ready to be competitive then they were ready to move on from Maroth.
Burrows is in a different situation. For one, he was supposed to be a number two starter, That obviously hasn’t worked out, but the adjusted winning percentage shows he hasn’t been as bad as the numbers would suggest. However, the team has designs on getting back in the race, so they have to weigh the benefits of getting five innings every time out with a pitcher giving up runs at a pace that has them on pace to lose most of his starts.
I’m not supposed to make declarative statements in the lab and I really can’t in this case. On the one hand, every important metric points towards positive regression. On the other hand, it is hard to be patient and wait that out when every loss hurts. This is one of those decisions where I can’t damn them either way they go. What do you think? Would you pull Burrows from the rotation when Hunter Brown returns?
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 14: Bryce Elder #55 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the first inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field on June 14, 2026 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was a tough week for the Atlanta Braves, as they finished 1-4 for the week as a whole after losing to the Mets 8-1 on Sunday. While the Braves were the best team in baseball on the road entering the week, every team is bound to have these stretches at least a few times a season.
While better days will happen soon, the Braves starting pitching also will remain a concern going forward. Spencer Strider will be meeting this week with the same doctor who did his elbow surgeries in the past, which is certainly not the best news. Bryce Elder is working through regression and the Braves in general are managing the staff to ensure the bullpen does not get overused. It is not an ideal situation, but hopefully reinforcements will be here soon to make things a bit easier.
Braves News
The Braves best MLB hitter and minor league hitter, Drake Baldwin and Eric Hartman, both hit home runs on the farm on Saturday. Baldwin was not in action Sunday as his game was postponed, so it will be interesting to see what they means for his return at some point this week.
MLB News
The White Sox are continuing to surprise, and validating they are no fluke, with series wins over the Braves and Dodgers this week.
The Brewers were able to find success against Christopher Sanchez in a win over the Phillies on Sunday.
The Knicks finally won their first title in 53 years behind Finals MVP Jalen Brunson, but with massive contracts looming and the second apron approaching, keeping this core together may be even harder than winning it all.
Let's take a second and actually sit with this. The New York Knicks are NBA champions. The trophy is real, the 53-year drought is over, and the parade is set for Thursday. For a city that spent the better part of three decades being the league's most glamorous punch line, this is the moment that changes everything -- the before and the after, the line in the sand that separates the dark years from whatever comes next.
Now comes the hard part.
Winning a championship is one thing. Staying on top is another conversation entirely, and the Knicks are about to learn that the second part of this story is significantly more complicated than the first. The roster that just won the title is expensive, aging at the margins, and sitting on the edge of a financial cliff that the entire organization has been quietly navigating for two years. The window is real. The question is how long it stays open.
Start where it all started, with Jalen Brunson -- who etched his name into Knicks lore after claiming the Finals MVP by dropping 45 in a closeout game on the road -- and the contract. When Brunson signed his four-year, $156.5 million extension in 2024, he left an estimated $113 million on the table, a decision that at the time felt almost too good to be true for a franchise that had spent years making the wrong moves at the wrong times. Two years later, he's the face of a championship team and the reason the roster around him was good enough to get it done.
The math is simple: no discount, no OG extension, no Bridges trade, no KAT. No title.
But here's where the math gets complicated. Next summer, Brunson will be eligible for a projected four-year, $257 million extension. If he waits until 2028, that number could balloon to five years and $417 million. He already telegraphed his position on this earlier in the year. "Obviously, we'd love for them to do right by me," he toldVanity Fair. "I think anyone would. I feel like I sacrificed." He's not wrong to say it. He earned every penny of whatever comes next. But paying him what he deserves -- and what he's owed -- is going to set off a chain reaction that reshapes everything the Knicks have built.
Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart both have contracts expiring by the summer of 2028, which turns that season into a potential pivot point for the entire roster. The Knicks have essentially been operating on borrowed time, building a championship window while keeping one eye on the second apron threshold established by the new CBA to limit dynasty-building. Sustaining championship-level rosters under the current collective bargaining agreement is harder than ever, and the second apron has fundamentally changed how organizations allocate money. The Knicks have been dancing right on the edge of it. That dance is about to get a lot more complicated.
So what does running it back actually look like? The core is intact for at least one more season. Brunson, KAT, OG, Bridges, and Hart are all under contract for 2026-27. The Knicks have the capability to run back all or most of their team for next season's title defense, and the expectation is that they will. Defending champions with this much continuity and this much to prove don't blow it up after one ring. They come back hungrier. That's the easy part.
Elsa / Getty Images
The trickier question is 2028 and beyond. When Brunson's extension hits and the KAT and Hart contracts expire in the same summer, the Knicks are going to face a roster crossroads that no amount of championship equity can fully solve. Do you pay Brunson the max and build around an aging point guard coming into his mid-30s? Do you let Towns walk and rebuild the frontcourt around Brunson and OG? Do you find a way to keep everyone and absorb the luxury tax bill that would make even Madison Square Garden's ownership wince?
None of those are easy answers. All of them have real consequences.
And then there's the larger question, the one that gets at the soul of what just happened in New York. Will we ever see a run like this again?
The honest answer is probably not exactly like this. What Brunson did in 2024 was singular. His decision to play on a below-market contract could be one that catches on among other NBA superstars, but the realities of the current CBA make it a binary choice -- maximize earning potential or maximize championship equity. You can't fully have both anymore. Brunson chose championships. He got one. The bill is coming.
What the Knicks have going for them is something that can't be manufactured with cap space or trade assets. They have a culture now. They have an identity. They have a city that showed up every single night and made MSG the most hostile building in the league all postseason. That doesn't go away because the roster shifts. It gets built on.
But make no mistake: The window that opened in 2024 when Brunson took less than he was worth is the same window that's going to start closing the moment he gets paid what he deserves. The Knicks bought themselves two extraordinary years with that discount. They used them perfectly.
Now they get to find out if they can do it all over again -- this time, the hard way.
Jun 13, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) hits a single against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images
The Dodgers are back home for their final homestand of June, so let’s look at some news and notes from over the weekend.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto taking a perfect game into the eighth inning was the highlight of the road trip, and the right-hander has allowed only four runs in 35 2/3 innings over his last five starts. Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register talked with pitching coach Mark Prior and others about Yamamoto:
“He can attack the plate on both sides from ball-to-strike better than anybody I’ve ever seen. He has that ability to do that when he’s on,” Prior said. “That makes it tough on hitters. You don’t know if the ball is coming at them, from the right side or the left side, and going in.
“That’s what makes him special. It’s not just the amount of pitches. It’s the ability to throw them in four different quadrants and have pretty good execution and efficiency with it. That’s what makes him special.”
“I haven’t found any way that gives me that tranquility and peace,” he told The Times in Spanish two weeks ago. “Because the way things are there, what’s always on your mind is that it could happen. Anything, anytime. And I have all my family in Cuba. So, you have to live with that worry all the time.”
Betts’ bat-to-ball skills are intact. His whiff rates (96th percentile) and strikeout rate (91st percentile) continue to be among the league’s best, and he is regularly hitting the ball on a line. He is keeping the ball off the ground just as he did in his last truly elite offensive season in 2023.
It just hasn’t always been the right type of contact in the air. His percentage of pulled fly balls (21 percent, entering Sunday) is the lowest he’s had in a season since 2019. Most of that contact is going up the middle …
Oh, Jalen Green. What are we going to do with you?
There are only two years left on your contract, but I feel like we barely know you. You surprised us with that injury. That was pretty sneaky. To be real, I can’t quite figure you out. Some plays, I’m shouting, “MVP.” Some plays, I’m shouting, “Why did you shoot that?” Sometimes I’m shouting, “Man, if only…”
If only Jalen could finish at the rim, he’d be an All-Star. If only Jalen could improve his playmaking, we’d have an open three instead of a turnover. If only, if only, if only. But it was only two seasons ago that Jalen Green was the leading scorer on one of the best young teams in the NBA. He led the Rockets in points, field goal attempts, and three-point attempts. On the Suns, he ranked third in all three categories, and that makes me wonder. Were the Rockets a better fit for Jalen Green?
The pre-KD Rockets were young and athletic, stacked with long, rangy defenders that were developing their offensive games, and they relied on Jalen to do what Jalen Green does best. Get up shots. Create off the dribble. Attack the paint. Jalen Green led the Rockets in FGAs every single season he played for them.
That’s not what the Suns want from Jalen, at least not on that volume. The Suns have too many shooters for Jalen to stop the ball and go to work. The Suns want ball movement and open threes. The Suns want Devin Booker to go to work, and Jalen Green to be able to work off of him. For many of the Suns players, that was a recipe for success. Dillon Brooks took advantage of the spacing by posting a career high in points. Yet Jalen had a bumpier road. Derailed by an injury at the start of the season, Jalen returned to the Suns tentatively, clearly struggling with the mental aspects of returning from the first significant injury in his career, which underscores an important aspect of Jalen Green that needs to be considered. Jalen Green is still a young player.
There’s room for growth in Jalen Green’s game. The offseason has just started, and Jalen Green is already putting in the work. As is evident from the videos going around on social media, Green is developing that midrange game. And there’s room for improvement there. Last season, he struggled to shoot in traffic, posting his lowest FG% on shots between 3 and 10 feet, and in the workout videos I’ve seen, that’s where he’s shooting it from.
But I can’t help but notice as he puts up shots from the elbow, that’s the same space Booker likes to shoot it. So while improving those shots will make Jalen Green a better scorer. It may not make him a better fit for the Suns.
That doesn’t mean that Jalen Green doesn’t fit in with his teammates. He’s positive and energetic even through his injury. The same was true for the Rockets. Jalen Green is a great guy. It’s not a chemistry issue.
It’s not a buy-in issue either. Jalen Green gives the effort and energy Matt Ishbia has demanded from the Phoenix Suns going forward. Defensively, he’s not locking anyone down, but in the play-in game against the Warriors, he showed just how disruptive he could be, posting three blocks and two steals. He shot it 20 times that game, going 8-of-14 from three and scoring 36 points. His best all-around game of the year. He led the Suns in FGAs that game.
Jalen came to the Suns, tacked onto the deal to make the salaries match. It’s like if you had a pot that you loved to cook with, but the lid broke. So now you gotta buy a whole new pot to replace the lid, but you like your old part. This new one’s just taking up space. What you really need is a pan.
This isn’t a knock on Jalen Green or a call to trade him. I don’t think there’s any question that the injury affected Jalen. On dunks this past season, he recorded a 64.6% field goal percentage. The year before in Houston he dunked it home 82.9% of the time. There’s plenty of reason to think he can put up the type of numbers he did in Houston with a healthy year.
But Houston traded him because he had plateaued. Can he add to the non-scoring related elements of his game, specifically his playmaking? Can Booker and the Suns coaching staff make adjustments to help unlock his scoring and improve his efficiency? As I mentioned earlier, he’s a young player with room for growth. But growth is not the same thing as change. Jalen Green will become a better Jalen Green. What the Suns need him to be is a different Jalen Green. And that might not be in the cards.
I do know the Suns have to decide if they want to re-sign him. Maybe they’ll have a better idea of whether Jalen Green fits what they want to do by the trade deadline. Some early-season success might improve his trade value. There are teams out there that need a primary scorer. The Suns already have one. They picked up Jalen because they had to get a lid for their pot, but if they really want to start cooking again, they don’t need a second pot; they need a new pan.
So Suns fans, do you think Jalen Green will be a part of the Suns’ long-term solution? Let me know in the comments.
PROVO, UT - FEBRUARY 7: AJ Dybantsa #3 of the Brigham Young Cougars calls a play agianst of the Houston Cougars during the half of their game at the Marriott Center on February 7, 2026 in Provo, Utah. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
During Will Dawkins and Michael Winger’s introductory press conference in June 2023, the duo outlined a multi-year plan to resurrect a dormant franchise in need of a major reset.
After years of chasing NBA titles with a play-in roster, Wizards ownership promised a different approach — one built on trust between an owner tired of mediocrity and a front office eager to build a perennial contender in the nation’s capital.
“The eventual expectation is that we’re gonna build a generational contender,” Winger said in 2023. “There’s no excuse for the lone NBA team in D.C. not to be contending for championships. Eventually, we’re gonna hoist a trophy here in D.C.”
Winger said his staff had “full autonomy” to reset the team. And reset it did.
Three 60-loss seasons, four lottery picks and several savvy trades later, only one player — Anthony Gill — remains from the roster Dawkins and Winger inherited.
But the rebuild isn’t complete.
One decision stands between three years of tanking and a potential title contender. It’s a decision the Wizards are lucky to have, yet desperate to get right.
The prospect Washington selects with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft must carry the weight that selection bears and more.
They must want the ball when the game is on the line. They must possess the relentless drive to be great that is often the catalyst for legendary careers.
Most importantly, they must become the star the Wizards need to take them from a mere playoff participant to a feared title contender.
That player is AJ Dybantsa.
Why the Wizards should select Dybantsa at No. 1
There are several important metrics when evaluating NBA prospects, such as height, scoring ability, defensive impact and character.
When it comes to the top pick, however, ceiling trumps all. That’s because when prospects are so closely aligned in the aforementioned categories like Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer are, upside is the greatest tiebreaker.
While Boozer has the most polished game and Peterson is the silkiest scorer, Dybantsa possesses the skills and measurables of a future MVP candidate.
During his lone season at BYU, the 19-year-old forward scored a Division-I best 25.5 points per game while shooting 51% from the field. Dybantsa used his 7-foot wingspan to grab nearly seven rebounds per contest. His 3.7 assists per game showed a willingness to move the basketball into prime scoring positions when defenses loaded up to stop his scoring.
As the modern NBA shifted to a perimeter-oriented game, the college game followed. Most prospects in this year’s class reflect that shift, relying on 3-point shooting as their premier offensive threat.
But not Dybantsa, who owns a smooth mid-range jumper and puts relentless rim pressure on whoever dares stand in his way.
At 6-foot-10 in shoes, Dybantsa can rise and shoot over almost any defender — a rare trait seen in scorers like Kevin Durant and Victor Wembanyama.
It’s why he prefers the mid-range jumper to the more popular 3-pointer. It’s also why he hits that shot at such an efficient clip.
Dybantsa shot 46% on mid-range jumpers as a freshman, which ranked in the 91st percentile among fellow prospects, according to draftballr.com. His eight mid-range shots per 100 possessions ranked in the 94th percentile.
This play against UConn, where Dybantsa gets to his spot, rises over an impeccable contest from 6-foot-7 Jaylin Stewart and sinks a mid-range jumper, encapsulates his talent.
2. Can get to his spots and shoot over almost any defender.
Dybantsa gets the ball in the post, steps to the free-throw line and drills a contested mid-range jumper through contact and over an incredible contest from 6-foot-7 Jaylin Stewart. pic.twitter.com/TBIdQSmjO4
Dybantsa and Peterson both project as offensive engines poised for long careers filled with thousands of buckets. But how they project to score those points differs dramatically.
During his freshman season at Kansas, Peterson primarily operated on the perimeter and in the intermediate scoring areas with 3-balls and floaters. Dybantsa did the opposite, instead relying on layups, dunks and mid-range jumpers for the bulk of his buckets.
The key separator lies in their ability to get downhill and finish at the rim — an area Dybantsa dominated while Peterson faltered.
Dybantsa shot 72.3% at the rim, which ranks first among ESPN’s consensus lottery picks, on more than eight rim attempts per 100 possessions. Of Dybantsa’s 604 shot attempts, 153 (25.3%) came inside of three feet.
4. Can get downhill and finish at the rim.
Dybantsa takes the ball in transition and uses a low pickup to blow past the initial defender before using a euro step for the lay.
Next, he uses a quick first step and another euro to get past two defenders and get to the bucket. pic.twitter.com/sRSH9TYuhD
The offensive-minded forward can draw contact as well. He attempted 13.1 free throws per 100 possessions, narrowly trailing Boozer’s 13.2 and Caleb Wilson’s 14.1, and finished his freshman campaign with a 49% free-throw rate.
Dybantsa’s 296 free-throw attempts led all Division-I players and more than doubled Peterson’s 132.
Peterson shot just 59.7% at the rim on 5.8 attempts per 100 possessions and finished with a 37.1% free-throw rate — nearly 12 percentage points behind Dybantsa. Furthermore, 41% of his shots came from 21 feet or more away from the basket and just 15% came from three feet or less.
Despite playing off ball at Kansas, Peterson’s camp believes he’s a point guard at the NBA level. But his low assist numbers — he averaged just 1.9 helpers per game compared to Dybantsa’s 3.7 — and subpar 1.o assist-to-turnovers ratio reflect a guard far from traditional NBA point guard standards.
His constant cramping issues and other nagging injuries, which caused him to miss 11 of his team’s 35 games, were certainly a factor. However, those health issues also represent the main concern for several evaluators who question Peterson’s long-term viability.
Peterson has Dybantsa beat in 3-point shooting and most defensive metrics. And at times, the Kansas product made college basketball appear too easy.
But Dybantsa’s long frame, freakish leaping ability and elite athleticism provide hope that his defense could dramatically improve with increased film study and reps next to top defenders like Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly and Kyshawn George.
And his mid-range talent and relentless rim pressure, combined with his availability — he missed zero games at BYU — athleticism and upside as an All-NBA forward who could one day lead the NBA in scoring, give him the edge over Peterson.
Dybantsa vs. Boozer
Draft Express’ Jonathan Givony reported that nearly every NBA team has Boozer atop their draft board. And for good reason.
The Duke forward dominated nearly every matchup with his bruising 6-foot-8, 253-pound frame. His soft touch around the rim, seasoned footwork and smooth outside jumper posed near-impossible tasks for most defenses.
But when games got tight, and Duke needed a bucket, Boozer often reverted to his post game, one heavily reliant on bullying his way into the paint against smaller defenders, trying to force the officials to call a foul if his contested layup didn’t fall.
That approach is less likely to work in the NBA.
There’s no denying Boozer projects as a terrific professional with All-Star potential. He’ll likely average 20 points and 10 rebounds and drive winning in any situation he’s drafted into.
The issue is that he projects as more of a complementary piece than a No. 1 option. And for a Wizards squad filled with complementary pieces, Dybantsa better fits what they’re missing: An offensive engine with elite shot creation tools that can get a bucket when everyone knows who’s getting the ball.
The numbers tell the story.
Dybantsa ranked in the 99th percentile of Draftballr’s age-adjusted offensive box score impact metric despite a 33.5% usage rate, which ranked in the 100th percentile. BYU continued to pile more onto his plate, which only raised his level of play.
When BYU’s second leading scorer, Richie Saunders, tore his ACL on Feb. 14, the Cougars’ reliance on Dybantsa skyrocketed. Defenses gameplanned to stop him at all costs, and even that wasn’t enough.
Dybantsa scored 20 or more points in every game to close the season, including three contests with 35 or more and a 40-point showing in Round 1 of the Big 12 Tournament.
While Washington’s young core has received praise for its two-way impact, outside shooting and tremendous upside, one question has lingered: Who would step up as the team’s go-to scorer in key moments?
Enter Dybantsa, who, despite being the centerpiece of opponents’ game plans, averaged 31.0 points on 52.4% FG in three Big 12 Tournament games and dropped 35 points in BYU’s lone NCAA Tournament contest.
In big games and season-defining moments, Dybantsa doesn’t just want the ball. He demands it. And when he does, he meets the moment.
Just ask Texas coach Sean Miller, who seemingly ran out of adjustments in trying to stop BYU’s offensive engine.
“I don’t think we can [stop Dybantsa],” Miller said during his team’s NCAA Tournament victory over BYU. “There’s just very little you can do.”
Addressing the shooting concerns
The major question mark surrounding Dybantsa is his 33.1% 3-point clip, which ranks third-worst among Draftballer’s top-20 prospects.
But one collegiate season with poor outside shooting numbers doesn’t mean a prospect can never develop a 3-point jumper, nor does it mean that prospect can’t become one of the league’s premier scorers. Especially when that prospect possesses the athleticism, speed, rim pressure and two-point game that Dybantsa does.
Just ask John Wall, the Wizards’ No. 1 pick in 2010 who shot 32.5% from 3-point range at Kentucky before a lengthy NBA career that included five All-Star appearances. Or Derrick Rose, who shot 33% from three at Memphis before winning MVP as a 22-year-old with the Chicago Bulls.
Anthony Edwards was selected with the No. 1 pick despite shooting 29.4% from 3-point range at Georgia. Five years later, he made an NBA-best 320 threes at a 39.5% clip.
Other NBA All-Stars who shot sub-33% from three in college include Russell Westbrook, Jimmy Butler, DeMar DeRozan, Dwayne Wade and Rajon Rondo. What do those players have in common? They relentlessly attacked the rim, and when defenders took away their drive, they relied on an efficient mid-range game.
Dybantsa’s outside shooting numbers fall significantly behind those of Peterson (38.2%) and Boozer (39.1%). But other indicators, like his efficient mid-range jumper and touch in intermediate areas with floaters and push shots, showcase a shooting touch poised to stretch beyond the 3-point line with good coaching and lots of repetition.
The missing piece
Three years of losing have positioned Washington to achieve its ultimate goal: finding a centerpiece to build a perennial contender around.
Washington has done so in the inverse, spending the first three years accumulating talent to surround that centerpiece with.
Sarr is one of the league’s best young rim protectors. George and Coulibaly possess two-way potential as complementary offensive pieces who star on defense. Tre Johnson and Bub Carrington are 40% 3-point shooters who pose a threat from long range the second they cross halfcourt.
Will Riley flashed his shifty scoring ability in the latter months of an impressive rookie campaign. Justin Champagnie simply impacts winning on one of the league’s best contracts. The latest additions, Trae Young and Anthony Davis, add a veteran presence necessary for young teams to thrive.
It appears Washington is just one piece away. Winger said the Wizards aren’t looking for a “savior” with their top selection. But it’s no secret they lack a true No. 1 option.
Peterson has All-Star potential. And Boozer could become one of the league’s most dominant interior forces.
But Dybantsa possesses the greatest potential to become everything this rebuild was started for and more: A prospect with MVP upside, the missing No. 1 option to a puzzle that’s one piece away from its final form.
FREDERICK, MARYLAND - APRIL19, 2026: Victor Figueroa #24 of the Frederick Keys readies for the next pitch during a South Atlantic League game against the Hudson Valley Renegades at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium on April 19, 2026 in Frederick, Maryland. The Renegades beat the Keys, 7-6 in 10 innings. (Photo by Rodger Wood/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
The Tides closed out the first half of the season at Harbor Park with a sloppy 11-7 loss on Sunday. New guy Chris Kachmar, in his third start since being signed on a free agent contract, pitched a stinker, allowing five runs on six hits in four innings for Norfolk. Cameron Weston wasn’t good, either, allowing three runs in one inning. José Espada and Enoli Paredes also caught the run-allowing bug, but Andrew Magno pitched a scoreless ninth. All nine Memphis starters recorded at least one hit in what turned into a 25-hit ballgame.
At least Norfolk managed 11 hits of their own. Christian Encarnacion-Strand blasted his 15th homer of the season and finished 2-for-5. Enrique Bradfield Jr., done with his rehab stint, went 2-for-5 with a stolen base and an RBI. Heston Kjerstad turned in another multi-hit game in the month of June, going 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Johnathan Rodriguez contributed a double and two RBI.
Another rough one in Altoona, until this one got called early for rain. Ben Vespi got blown up with a four-spot in the first inning, allowing five hits, and Joseph Dzierwa was OK but not fabulous, allowing seven hits and three runs in five innings.
The Baysox managed a single run on an Anderson de los Santos home run. The 1B went 2-for-3 today. Aaron Estrada, Willi Vasquez and Adam Retzbach each had a single on a five-hit day for Chesapeake.
High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (NYM)7, Frederick Keys 4
Although the Keys outhit the Cyclones 9 to 8, a five-run inning for Brooklyn off No. 9 prospect Boston Bateman—the May Minor League Pitcher of the Month, who entered at 3-2 with a 3.38 ERA—proved a hole too great to dig out of. Bateman surrendered five runs in 2.2 innings on five hits, including a home run.
For the offensively minded, there were a few high points. Slugging first baseman Victor Figueroa keeps hitting bombs, including his seventeenth on Sunday, and he singled in a second RBI. Elis Cuevas was 3-for-4, stole two bases, and scored two runs, partly manufactured by him. Catcher Ryan Stafford had two hits. Ike Irish and Wehiwa Aloy had 0-fers, unfortunately.
Low-A: Columbia Fireflies (KCR) 8, Delmarva Shorebirds 5
Columbia scored all of its eight runs in the fifth inning or later. That’s to say, starter Esteban Mejía was very good, throwing 4.1 innings and allowing just a run. Dalton Neuschwander had the ugly box score, surrendering six runs (five earned) in 2.2 innings of relief, and Adrian Heredia surrendered a solo home run in the ninth. As for the earned-unearned run gap, it’s not often that you see a catcher make four errors in one game, but Delmarva’s Juan Ortega managed to do it (gulp).
On the offensive side, DJ Layton doubled and walked twice. First baseman Miguel Rodriguez hit a two-run double. Shortstop Jaden Lo Re had a 3-for-4 day and is OPS’ing 1.004.
Jun 9, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies center fielder Cole Carrigg (16) advances in the sixth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — Cole Carrigg (No. 4 PuRP) has made a statement in 2026.
Through 57 games, he was slashing .338/.414/.529 with 26 extra-base hits (15 doubles, five triples, six home runs) and 30 stolen bases in 37 attempts. That was enough for him to get the call, and he made his debut on June 9th.
“I didn’t really expect it,” Carrigg said on Friday. “[Pedro Lopez], our manager, was just kind of giving a speech sometimes, like he does, and then he just kinda dragged on about something that had to do with one of our conversations and I got a pretty good idea.”
He first called his dad, Mike, and then called his mom, Lisa, his brother and a few friends.
“[My dad] was pretty choked up,” Carrigg said. “He’s just super excited for me, and happy.”
When he got to Coors Field, one of his first stops was to meet with manager Warren Schaeffer.
“I just went in and right as I got there, I went into his office,” Carrigg recalled. “He was super pumped and excited to let me get out there and try to win some games.”
So far, Carrigg hasn’t skipped a beat, hitting a triple and two homers in his first five games. And to make things even more special, the triple was his first MLB hit. He’s the second Rockie to ever record a triple as his first MLB hit after Ryan Ritter did it on June 6, 2025.
“The triple was really fun,” Carrigg reflected. “I was glad to get the first hit out of the way in the first game, and it was pretty fitting that I got to run around the bases for a triple, which was pretty nice. And then, honestly, the homer was probably the coolest moment in my life so far. It was an out-of-body experience that I can’t really explain.”
Carrigg had another out-of-body experience in Las Vegas, though, launching a three-run homer on Saturday night to give the Rockies the lead late (which they ultimately lost, and lost the game 7-5).
And, of course, it was “definitely cool” to put on the purple coat.
Before the game on Friday, manager Warren Schaeffer said he was “not surprised” that Carrigg has had early success.
“I mean, I thought that if he came up here and played like himself and his attitude was the same as it’s always been, then he would be just fine,” Schaeffer said. “And that’s exactly what I’ve seen. I’ve seen a fiery guy who hates to get out, who plays good defense. He’s ready to play at all times. He just can make an impact in so many different ways on the baseball field, and that’s what he’s done so far. So [I’m] very, very happy that we have Cole Carrigg here.”
Even though he was more nervous in the batter’s box, Carrigg didn’t show it.
“Definitely stepping into the batter’s box was more nerve wracking than stepping onto the field,” he said. “I feel like playing defense is, I guess, easier than hitting. And obviously, it’s pretty nerve wracking stepping into the box and you’re the only out there on offense.”
But his favorite moment of his first week in the big leagues came off the field.
“[My favorite moment was] probably my cart shower, when the guys threw me in the shower,” he chuckled. “It was just something that I did not expect to happen, and I had no idea what to expect. It was very interesting, but awesome.”
Overall, Carrigg’s biggest takeaway from his debut week is “the difference in the amenities.”
“Clubhouse, stadium, clubbies… everything’s just that much more professional,” he said. “It’s super cool being on a private jet instead of flying Southwest. It’s all the stuff that’s different.”
But going forward, Carrigg is most looking forward to “trying to keep winning series, and see if we can make a push and just keep winning ballgames. But I’m just happy to play with these guys.”
The Rainiers (SEA) came out of the gates with a rally in the first that culminated in a two RBI single from Victor Labrada. The Isotopes countered by scoring in back-to-back innings via a two-out RBI single from Jose Cordova in the second and a leadoff homer from Richie Martin Jr. in the third. The final run was scored in the bottom of the third when Cal Raleigh (who is on a rehab assignment) was sent home thanks to an double from Labrada.
While the offense was largely done early, the pitching staff’s for both teams looked great throughout. For Albuquerque, Keegan Thompson started the game and allowed three runs (all earned) over four innings. Thompson was followed by a string of scoreless one inning outings from Parker Mushinski, Jordan Romano, Sammy Peralta, and John Brebbia.
A fairly uneventful game resulted in the Isotopes falling to 35-34, second in the PCL.
The Yard Goats lineup had success from the top to the bottom and combined for a total of nine hits and seven walks. Of particular note were Zach Kokoska’s first triple of the year, two hits from Andy Perez, and home runs from Roc Riggio (No. 14 PuRP) and Aidan Longwell. It was not, in the end, enough as the Yard Goats could not hold onto the lead they’d had since the second inning.
On the mound, every pitcher Hartford turned to allowed at least a run. Connor Staine started the game and had the best performance with five innings of three-run ball in which he struck out five. Then came an inning from Davison Palermo who allowed a run on a couple of walks and a sacrifice bunt. Next up was an inning from Griffin Herring (No. 10 PuRP) the end result of which was a Carter Cunningham two-run homer. Finally came in Cade Denton who, in the first of his two innings pitched would allow the go ahead run on a wild pitch. Denton was able to record five straight outs following that run, but the damage had already been done.
Spokane bested the Emeralds (SFG) in a quick afternoon match on the back of strong pitching and some well timed hits.
On the hitting side of things, Alan Espinal hit a home run in the fourth to drive in Jack O’Dowd. Following that homer the Indians didn’t record another hit until the seventh inning when back-to-back hits from Kelvin Hidalgo and Juan Castillo resulted in a run due to the Emeralds pitcher Cade Vernon flubbing a pickoff attempt. Then in the ninth, Espinal singled before Hidalgo and Castillo came through again to load the bases with a double and a walk respectively. A ground-out from Jacob Hinderleider was enough to score the Indians fourth and final run of the day.
Starting pitcher Everett Catlett was both efficient and effective. Catlett threw a total of 82 pitches and struck out eight over the course of six innings in which the only runs scored were on the solo home runs (both in the second inning). Covering the final three innings after Catlett departed were Justin Loer and Hunter Mann. They allowed a couple walks apiece but didn’t allow any of the resulting baserunners to come score which ensured Spokane’s 27th victory of the season.
The Grizzlies took an early lead and never looked back against the Rawhide (ARI). In the top of the first Ashly Andujar (No. 20 PuRP) tripled and then scored on a single from Roldy Brito (No. 11 PuRP). Fresno would score another run in the second on a home run from Luis Mendez. By the time the fourth inning came along Visalia had turned to reliever Ricardo Yan, who couldn’t find the strike zone, and both Mendez and Jeremy Ciriaco were able to draw a walk. A pair of wild pitches would then allow Mendez to score before a hit from Yeiker Reyes would drive in Ciriaco as well. They picked this up in the fifth when a Cameron Nelson single would drive in Matt Klein for the Grizzlies fifth and final run.
The real stars of the game were Grizzlies pitchers Ethan Cole and Bryson Van Sickle who combined to pitch all nine innings while striking out 12 and allowing only a single run. Cole took the ball to start the game and threw five and a third innings and allowed one run on five hits, three of which were doubles. Van Sickle relieved Cole in the bottom of the sixth and finished the next three and two thirds innings by striking out seven without allowing a hit.
Kevin Henry caught up with Rockies’ PBO Paul DePodesta, who was in Las Vegas watching his current team play his former team. They talked about the state of both organizations, and especially how the Rockies are fighting despite numerous challenges.
In Patrick Saunders’ weekend journal, he flashed back to when the Rockies traded for Germán Márquez in 2016. It still goes down as one of the best trades in franchise history, but could the new Rockies front office engineer something similar if needed?
Arion Armeniakos chronicles the Rockies young offense and how they’ve started trending in the right direction. On Saturday, TJ Rumfield recorded his 17th multi-hit game and Troy Johnston has 19. Kyle Karros hit his first career triple. Things are clicking, and hopefully they can all click at the same time soon.
Despite not getting the perfect game, Yamamoto retired 45 batters in a row over two games, which ties Mark Buehrle or the second-most in MLB history. I remember who holds the record with 46 straight batters retired, but I would not have remembered his name without the article. I would have just said “Oh, that reliever with the Giants . . .”
Finally, the worlds of the World Cup and Major League Baseball came together in Boston at Fenway Park. Fans of Scotland, known as the Tartan Army, traveled to Boston to see the Scotland National Team play (and win!) their first World Cup game since 1998. Then the Scots descended upon Fenway Park to enjoy the MLB experience. Scott Muller reports.
Unforgettable night with the Tartan Army at Fenway Park in Boston. Spoke to police officers, bar staff, security + merch sellers who said they'd never seen a set of fans like it 🏴
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JUNE 13: Vinnie Pasquantino #9 of the Kansas City Royals reacts as he injuries himself while pop flying out in the fifth inning against the Houston Astros at Kauffman Stadium on June 13, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images
“We’ve lost these games recently, and it’s been really frustrating, but these guys are competing their butts off,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said.
“Every one of these games in this homestand was a tough game one way or the other. … “The way these guys are competing and the attitude they are taking out there, I’m proud of them for that.”
“We’ll know a lot more as he starts the rehab process,” Quatraro said.
“I just told [Pasquantino] I was frustrated for him, especially because he’s got himself going. You never want to lose any of the guys to injury. It stinks because I know how hard he’s worked to get back and be productive. He’s gone through injuries before and it can be a real grind.”
More injury news:
#Royals LHP Cole Ragans will undergo additional testing, per Matt Quatraro.
"Cole woke up yesterday, not feeling as well arm-wise. So, when he came out to play catch yesterday, he had to cut it short. So we're going to get him some more testing in the next couple of days."
— Jaylon T. Thompson (@jaylonthompson) June 13, 2026
“I love it,” Jensen said about his move to the front of the batting order.
“I had to learn how to hit the leadoff spot. I hadn’t done it a ton, but having some experience helped. Talking to Mikey (Massey) and even talking to Bobby (Witt Jr.) and just picking their brains helped.”
“Good things happen when I barrel the ball, like anybody,” Misner said. “Just wanted to barrel the ball more consistently. And just play, have fun, barrel some balls and enjoy the game. … I have a lot of confidence in my play right now.”
Back to the original point, the hitters in the Royals farm system aren’t performing especially well. As an organization, they’re below average in many key categories such as whiff rate, chase rate, and overall contact. The change in hitting development leadership before this season only seems to have compounded the issues plaguing the system’s development. The Royals have essentially doubled down on Alec Zumwalt. This, despite Zumwalt treading hot water to varying degrees over the last calendar year. If the Royals truly needed to change course in the farm system, promoting those who will bring “continuity from the Major Leagues to the Minor Leagues” isn’t the way to do it.
What’s happening in the Major Leagues isn’t working. Translating that to the Minor Leagues is also bound not to work.
JUPITER, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 27: Quinn Mathews #60 of the St. Louis Cardinals looks on during a spring training game against the New York Mets at Roger Dean Stadium on February 27, 2026 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On the heels of a frustrating loss and a frustrating series, let’s look for positivity today. To achieve this, I will look towards the minor leagues. Instead of my usual minor league update – I’ll probably wait for the first half to be over – I will instead share great performances. Any hitter or pitcher who stands out purely from their performance. Their prospect status doesn’t matter, although obviously it’s better if there are some prospects in this article.
Here’s how to get highlighted today: do something exceptional. I am using qualified MLB rankings as my reference point. I will pick out specific stats and if you have a stat that would rank in the top 30 among qualified players, your stats get shared. For hitters, I will be looking towards elite walk rates, elite K rates, elite power, and of course an elite wRC+. For pitchers, it’ll be K%, GB%, FIP, and K-BB%. I am writing this intro before I’ve seen a single stat so I’m really hoping for some good representation.
Hitters – BB%
The 30th ranked hitter on the qualified leaderboard is Spencer Horwitz, with a 13% BB rate. So anybody with a walk rate equal or better to that is on this list. The Cardinals kind of promoted most of the Memphis list away from this list: Nelson Velazquez, Jimmy Crooks, and Bryan Torres would all be here without a promotion.
This is timely. On the podcast, Jake Wood asked Alex Coil who was somebody fans were underrated, and with the caveat that he’s a journeyman type, he mentioned Madris. He’s the leader of the clubhouse in Memphis according to him. He’s 30-years-old and was not very good when he got the chance to play in the big leagues, so don’t expect a call-up, but let’s give a little shout-out to Madris here.
Yeah the Cardinals have a unheralded catching prospect in Springfield who also is managing a .400 OBP on the back of walking a lot. Good luck getting through this group buddy.
Currently injured, I can’t imagine Davis will have to spend a whole lot more time in Springfield. If he had a normal BABIP, he’d probably be in the wRC+ section too and he narrowly misses the ISO section.
In the spirit of using the qualified batters as a reference point, I didn’t want to share anybody with fewer than 100 PAs, but Jeremy Rivas has walked 17% of the time in his 13 games at Memphis. He narrowly misses the cutoff overall with a 12.8% BB rate between Springfield and Memphis combined.
This is a brand new development for the record. Harris didn’t walk at all before this season. He had a 4.4 BB% in his 2024 season across two levels and a 5.5% one at Springfield last year. I guess he watched Moneyball over the offseason, because holy hell is that a huge jump.
That is a lot of walks, but his OBP is that high because he also has gotten hit by 14 pitches. He got hit by 7 pitches in 335 PAs last season, so it does not seem like a fluke.
Last year’s 17th round pick, Nickens is probably someone I would never mention in a traditional minor league update, so I think it’s at least cool to highlight him here.
Barring a significant difference in the 2nd half of this season, I suspect Mitchell will probably repeat Low A next year. And that’s when I’m really going to be paying attention.
Last year’s 8th round pick. Really a lot of this post could just be considered an update on the 2025 draftees. This is where their age really shows, just having a better sense of the strike zone than the pitcher.
I’m going to stop at Mejia, because a 13% BB rate is actually not remarkable at all at this level, judging by the amount of players I could list. I think nearly 16% is probably still great though.
Hitters – K%
St. Louis Cardinal Alec Burleson ranks 30th – at least before today’s game is taken into account – with a 15.3% K rate. So anything below that is getting mentioned. Blaze Jordan and Torres would be here if they weren’t promoted.
I guess this is where I list Prieto’s stats, because he qualifies for both power, and overall hitting line. His xwOBA in AAA is just .306 though and of course he went 1 for 23 at the big league so far in his career with yes, zero walks.
You can see why I chose to put him in the strikeout section right? This is a comically low K% and better yet, it’s reliable. His K% hasn’t touched double digits since 2024. I’m honestly curious at how this would translate to the MLB level.
Usually a guy on this list will have a much higher average, but it remains to be seen whether this low average is deserved or unlucky, because that sure is a low BABIP.
Last year’s 9th round pick has certainly gotten off to an interesting start. You get the answer to the question “What if you took a no power hitter, but he never struck out and had a super high BABIP?” It looks like this.
Hitters – ISO
The 30th ranked ISO in baseball right now is a .230 ISO. We already know Prieto is on this list, so hopefully there are some legit power prospects on here. Just to reiterate that these are important stats, both Jordan and Crooks would have been on this list. Velazquez interestingly isn’t that close.
Is it weird that the walks are the thing holding me back from promoting him, not the strikeouts? I mean yes the strikeouts certainly play a part and I want it lower, but in combination with the walks, that’s not ideal. If Crooks had Baez’s walk rate, I don’t think he’d be up right now.
Technically, he wouldn’t be on this list anymore because he is at exactly .230 ISO and he didn’t get an extra base hit yesterday, and technically he should be in the BB% section instead. But I am highlight Cho’s power because he has never had issues walking. He had a significant power issue. He might be in Springfield soon.
He’s definitely too old for the level to treat him like a real prospect, but holy hell. This dude had five professional homers in previous 771 PAs. He has hit 11 in 118 PAs this season. This is insane.
The Midwest League must be going crazy this year, because that batting line should produce much better than a 116 wRC+. Nonetheless, Peete is only 20-years-old doing this in Peoria. He still has strikeout issues, but we’ll worry about that later.
Yeah definitely, the league is going nuts. That should absolutely not be a below average line. Wow. For whatever reason, power is out of control in this league.
Hitters – wRC+
The 30th ranked hitter in baseball – as of yesterday when I’m writing this, not necessarily when you’re reading this – is Dillon Dingler with a 135 wRC+. Prieto is on this list too. Of the MLBers, Crooks, Jordan and Torres both would be on this list. Hey these guys sure got promoted for a reason. They were killing it.
Hernandez has mostly functioned as the backup catcher, so he doesn’t fit under my 100 PAs threshold. But he could go 0 for 15 and still have above a 130 wRC+ after 100 PAs. He has had an unbelievable first half.
After his underwhelming pro debut last year, it’s very encouraging to see Gurevitch build himself into a prospect worth following.
Datallo and Prieto both had a wRC+ greater than 135, but I listed their stats earlier. Tre Richardson also would have been on this list, but I wanted to single out his power. I use stats for combined levels, which is why Raniel Rodriguez is not on any list, if you were wondering.
Pitchers – K%
I’m running a bit long, so I am going to be more selective with my pitchers. For starting pitchers, I want a 30% K rate and for relievers, I want a 35% K rate.
See, this is why I like this feature. It emphasizes just how many strikeouts Mathews is getting. I wasn’t sure how many starting pitchers would be here, since a 25.6 K% is actually the 30th best performance.
He is striking out batters, but he’s not getting many groundballs and his walk rate is a little elevated. Really, the groundballs is just insanely low right now.
Kind of an interesting quirk that both starting pitchers in Springfield with a greater than 30 K% have a very low GB%, which is a tough way to live in the Springfield park.
Odle has had two really bad starts in High A, and one really good start in High A. He has really taken to the extremes in each. In the first, he walked six batters. In the second start, he struck out 8. And in his most recent start, he allowed three homers. He has not heard of a ho hum start.
That is a comically high K% and yeah it’s only been one Low A appearance, but holy cow. This dude wasn’t that good in the DSL last year as a 19-year-old. And now he’s striking out 44% of hitters he faces.
Last year’s 18th round pick, Dreissen was a multi-inning reliever in college who was not particularly good. And that’s why they were able to nab him in last year’s draft in the 18th round. He’s got swing-and-miss, that’s for sure.
It’s hard to promote him with that walk rate, but it does kind of feel like someone who strikes out over a third of batters as a starting pitcher is just not dealing with a high enough quality of hitters for him.
It hasn’t really shown in actual results quite yet, but Winquest is treating AAA like we would hope he would AAA. Tons of strikeouts, not many walks. If he keeps pitching like this, we’ll see him in St. Louis this season.
He could have also gone on the K% list, but especially as a starting pitcher, I find landing on this list much more impressive. Almost as impressive as having a .391 BABIP and a 3.72 ERA, that seems difficult.
Listing Graham breaks the spirit of this, because I think the complex games were essentially rehab for him, but I wanted an excuse to list his stats. Despite a fairly strong K/BB% in Low A, almost everything is hit in the air and he’s allowed 3 homers in his 12.2 IP.
Pitchers – GB%
Alright, we have two standards here. For starting pitchers, anything above a 48.4 GB%, and for relievers, it will be as high as a 55 GB%.
I’ve mentioned this before and I’ll do it again. I don’t know what the MLB version of Dobbins looks like, but the version in Memphis looks a hell of a lot like Andre Pallante. Whether you consider that good or bad is up to you.
It is so weird to look at my identifying stat first, not knowing what his pitching line looks like, going through the list, thinking I’m about to have a good pitching line and then get hit with an 8.59 ERA. He’s not pitching as poorly as that would suggest.
As maybe expected, a guy returning from injury is throwing up some meatballs it appears. He’s allowed 5 homers in 22.2 innings. Which is especially notable, because most everything hit against him is on the ground.
Pitchers – FIP
For starting pitchers, I just need an FIP lower than 3.09. For relievers though, I’m looking for a 2.55 FIP. Some of the run environments in the system make this a little bit of harshly high standard admittedly.
We caught Pete at a good time. I don’t think he has a 3.09 FIP right now. Last night, he gave up a homer, walked one and struck out three. His FIP is so low because of the homers, I’m guessing it’ll see a big jump.
Unfortunately, he’s on this list because he hasn’t allowed a homer. Not that you want someone to allow a homer, just kind of makes their FIP untrustworthy. But he’s doing two things right: not a lot of walks and groundballs aplenty.
And that’s the list. As I suspected the FIP numbers were a little bit unreasonable, but that’s not necessarily the go-to stat for minor league performance anyway.
