Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Jack St. Ivany exited the team's Jan. 25 contest against the Vancouver Canucks after suffering an upper-body injury.
St. Ivany was limited to only three shifts during the Penguins' matchup against the Canucks, where he recorded one block in 2:54 of ice time.
Before suffering this injury, St. Ivany was in the middle of a nice hot streak for the Penguins. The right-shot defenseman had back-to-back two-assist games for the Penguins on Jan. 21 against the Calgary Flames and then on Jan. 22 against the Edmonton Oilers. With this, the timing of this injury is certainly tough for St. Ivany.
In 17 games so far this season with the Penguins, St. Ivany has recorded zero goals, seven assists, and a plus-7 rating.
Defenseman Jack St. Ivany (upper body) will not return to tonight's game.
For both Miles McBride and Landry Shamet, 3-point shooting is what most associate them with.
They are shooting 43.7 percent and 43.5 percent from deep, after all. Their ability on the other end of the floor often gets lost in the discourse.
But their defending is crucial, and something the Knicks can hardly replicate.
“Shots fall, sometimes don’t. It’s not as much of a controllable as your effort,” Shamet told The Post after the Knicks’ 112-109 win over the 76ers on Saturday in Philadelphia. “On the defensive end, you gotta find ways to — coaches and good coaches say it all the time — you gotta find ways to win games when the ball’s not going in. I think you just take pride in our principles and just try to guard. It’s a pride thing, a personal thing.”
Miles McBride #2 of the New York Knicks defends VJ Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the Saturday game. NBAE via Getty Images
Coach Mike Brown has long praised and identified McBride and Shamet as the Knicks’ two best point-of-attack defenders — particularly when they were injured and the Knicks defense was shredded without them. It is the biggest weakness on their roster — Mikal Bridges has struggled in the role, allowing ball-handlers to break down their defense, get into the lane and hurt them.
Notably, it was McBride and Shamet — not Bridges — who were on the floor at the end of the game. Yes, Bridges was struggling badly with his shot, going 3-for-16 from the field. But it also became clear that McBride and Shamet were better equipped at guarding Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.
Maxey and Edgecombe torched the Knicks in the first two matchups between the two teams this season — both 76ers wins at Madison Square Garden. McBride missed the first matchup, and Shamet missed both of the first two.
It’s not a coincidence Saturday’s results were much better, with both healthy and in the lineup.
“They’re huge,” Brown said. “Again, you don’t stop those types of guys [Maxey and Edgecombe], but to have a guy like Deuce coming off the bench, have a guy like Landry — both those guys are physical at the point of attack, whether those guys are trying to get over pick-and-rolls or trying to get over [dribble handoffs] or even pindowns. And to have that type of relentless pursuit with athleticism and strength and toughness and the mindset is phenomenal. And obviously, we need those guys.”
Bridges has been miscast in that role since the Knicks traded five first-rounders to acquire him last year. He has good straight-line speed, but is not as quick laterally. McBride and Shamet are both stronger as well, helping them keep ball-handlers in front of them.
It would not be surprising if McBride and Shamet continue to see more late-game minutes at Bridges’ expense.
Philadelphia 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey, left, drives to the basket with New York Knicks’ Landry Shamet, center, defending during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. AP
“They were huge,” Josh Hart said. “I think Sham got two offensive fouls drawn from blowing up handoffs or stuff like that. So he was huge. Dude was great all game. Obviously that’s a tough match over there with Tyrese. So give those guys a lot of credit. He did really well and we need that.”
With better pressure at the point of attack, it better masks Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns’ defensive deficiencies. Without constant penetration into the lane, OG Anunoby can operate where he’s best — acting like a free safety in football where he can be disruptive in passing lanes and create turnovers.
It can be contagious as well.
“I think it’s just coming in — if you’re coming off the bench you’ve got fresh legs,” Shamet said. “You’ve been observing and watching what’s been going on in the game. ‘How can I integrate myself as quickly as possible to what’s going on without any drop-off’ or ‘how can I elevate what’s going on?’ Sometimes it’s just as simple as ball pressure and picking up full court one or two times. Like I said, if you can start the domino the trickle down effect is real.”
Brown had begun to sound a bit like a broken record when he constantly mentioned missing McBride and Shamet in that role. But clearly there was a reason for it.
Late night Nets! NFL Conference Championship games are clearing up in LA nonetheless, which means folks are gearing up for Nets-Clippers. The Nets will be shorthanded yet again in the first of five on the road.
🏀 Nets (12-31) @ Clippers (20-24)
⏰ 9:00 PM ET 📍 Intuit Dome (Inglewood, CA) 📺 YES Network
“As the Nets PR staff noted to ND, the trip west was eventful thanks to the weather in the Northeast… but they are now safely ensconced in L.A. where it’s 62 degrees and partly sunny. Nic Claxton and Day’ron Sharpe are going to be in for a fight on the inside tonight. Ivica Zubac is tied for fifth in the NBA in rebounding at a shade over 11 boards per game. He’s especially tough to deal with on the offensive glass as he captures almost four o-boards a night. To make things more challenging for the Brooklyn duo, Zu is tremendous at the rim.”- Brian
⚠️ INJURY REPORT
Nets
Cam Thomas
Nolan Traore
Noah Clowney
Haywood Highsmith
Chaney Johnson
Tyson Etienne
Clippers
Bradley Beal — OUT (hip fracture)
Bogdan Bogdanovic — OUT (hamstring)
Derrick Jones Jr. — OUT (knee)
Kawhi Leonard — QUESTIONABLE (knee)
💬 DISCUSSION
Share thoughts and react, but please be respectful. NetsDaily prides itself on being a safe space for Nets and basketball fans alike to have healthy conversation. Reach out to Anthony Puccio or Net Income with any issues.
The San Jose Sharks are going to be a very interesting team to watch at the 2026 NHL trade deadline. They have already shown that they are not afraid to be buyers, as they brought in forward Kiefer Sherwood from the Vancouver Canucks earlier this month. Yet, with the team also focused on the future, several of their pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs) have also come up in the rumor mill.
The most notable Sharks pending UFA who has been creating chatter as a trade candidate is defenseman Mario Ferraro. With Ferraro being a steady top-four defenseman who plays a heavy game, there is no question that he has the potential to generate a ton of interest from contenders. But should the Sharks really consider trading him?
With the Sharks being in the Western Conference playoff race, trading a defenseman like Ferraro would come with some clear risk. He is one of the Sharks' best blueliners, and there is no question that moving on from him would create a major hole on their defense.
Given how important a player Ferraro is to the Sharks' roster, it would make a lot of sense for them to try to extend him before potentially dealing him. At 27 years old, he is right in his prime and could continue to be a great fit on a Sharks club that is on the rise if extended.
However, if Ferraro still does not have an extension once we get closer to the deadline, that is where things could get interesting. He may be too valuable an asset for the Sharks to potentially lose for nothing this off-season through free agency.
Nevertheless, it is going to be intriguing to see what happens between the Sharks and Ferraro this season from here.
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Stephen Halliday had two goals and an assist, Dylan Cozens also scored twice and the Ottawa Senators routed the road-weary Vegas Golden Knights 7-1 on Sunday night.
Senators goalie Linus Ullmark returned to to the active roster from a personal leave, backing up Mads Sogaard. Ullmark was the 2022-23 Vezina Trophy winner.
Halliday scored his second and third career goals, and added the assist for a three-point game in his first season in the NHL.
Fabian Zetterlund, Jordan Spence and Nick Jensen also scored, and Brady Tkachuk had three assists. Sogaard stopped 19 shots.
Rasmus Andersson scored in third period for Vegas, making it 7-1. It was the defenseman'sfirst goal in two games with the Golden Knights following a trade with Calgary.
Vegas played for the third time in four nights. The Knights lost 4-3 at Boston on Thursday night to open a four-game trip, then topped Toronto 6-3 on Friday night.
It will surely go down as one of the more shocking results of the NHL season.
Playing their second game in less than 24 hours, the Ottawa Senators called up minor-league goaltender Mads Søgaard to start against the rested Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday evening.
Somehow, the Sens took down the Knights 7–1 at Canadian Tire Centre (17,025).
Sogaard was named the game's first star, making 19 saves, and had a chance to address the crowd afterward in a live post game interview with TSN. The Great Dane, who's dealt with so many injuries, spoke about how appreciative he was to play again for the fans in Ottawa.
"It's been a really long road back here and a lot of hard work a lot of really hard days," Sogaard told the media after the game. "But I have an amazing support system and they're the ones who helped me to get here. So I'm very thankful to get the opportunity and then super thankful for the guys to play as hard as they did."
Rookie Stephen Halliday led the way offensively with two goals and an assist, though he unfortunately left the game in the third period after being hit into the stanchion near the players’ bench. Halliday's head struck the stanchion and he fell hard to the ice, requiring some help to get up and head for the locker room.
Brady Tkachuk chipped in with three assists, Dylan Cozens scored twice, and Søgaard, appearing in just his second NHL game of the season, lost his shutout bid with less than five minutes left in the third period on a goal by newcomer Rasmus Andersson.
With the Senators playing the second game of a back-to-back, 37-year-old James Reimer was given the night off, while Linus Ullmark returned to Ottawa’s lineup after missing most of the past month while dealing with mental health issues. He served as Søgaard’s backup.
The Senators are back at it on Tuesday, hosting the Colorado Avalanche.
Everything had to go right for the Lakers down the stretch to beat the Mavericks. With Dallas going on a 6-0 run to start the fourth, LA was down by 14 with just under 10 minutes left.
The comeback that followed as the Lakers beat Dallas 116-110 was improbable given the flow of the game. But they didn’t do it by being offensively overwhelming the Mavericks. Instead, they grinded out the win.
Marcus Smart was hustling hard, doing everything he could to help the Lakers, including popping his dislocated finger back in place. Rui Hachimura was hitting clutch baskets to get the scoring going, and Luka Dončić was relying on his defense, not his offense, to help turn the tables on his former team.
JJ Redick said Luka Dončić had six-straight stops as the primary defender in the 4th
After the victory, Lakers head coach JJ Redick talked about how Luka’s defensive commitment was a factor in the game.
“I thought he did a great job containing the basketball, being physical with his first bump outside the bump,” Redick said. “That was part of it and then the back side with our shifts and our low man and our gang rebound mentality down the stretch allowed us to get stops.”
It’s no secret that Luka is considered a poor defender. And with the Lakers being a switch-heavy defense, teams can easily target him and look to exploit his flaws.
In the fourth quarter, the Mavs tried to do just that, but Luka more than held his own. Here is a breakdown of the defensive battles he won in that quarter.
11:07 — Caleb Martin misses a 3-pointer after Luka close out
6:55 — Dončić blocks a Brandon Williams
6:26 — Max Christie misses a runner, contested by Luka
6:01 — Williams attacks the paint, but Luka holds his ground. LeBron James comes in for the steal.
4:44 — Luka forces Cooper Flagg to take a long two, which he misses
1:20 — Flagg tries to penetrate, but Luka denies him
0:41 — Luka sacrifices his body, drawing a charge on Naji Marshall.
Luka might never be an elite defender, but he just needs to use his size and instinct to disrupt and discourage teams from attacking him. In Saturday’s game, he demonstrated that he can do this.
Steph Curry has already proven it can be done. As his career progressed, he took pride in getting stops late. While Curry would still get picked on from time to time, it became less of a concern as he improved his defense.
There’s still a long way to go for Luka to get to the point where teams no longer wish to target him relentlessly in close games. But hopefully, a game like this gives Luka the confidence and desire to reach this level more consistently.
PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix Suns All-Star guard Devin Booker will miss at least a week with a sprained right ankle.
Booker will be re-evaluated in a week, the Suns said before Sunday night's game against Miami.
He and guard Jalen Green both went down with injuries in Phoenix's 110-103 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night.
Booker, a four-time All-Star, went down with five seconds remaining in the third quarter after stepping on the foot of the Hawks’ Onyeka Okongwu. Booker leads the Suns with 25.4 points and 6.2 assists per game.
Green re-injured his right hamstring against the Hawks in his second game since missing 33 games. He was walking without a limp after the game and the Suns hope it won't be a long-term injury.
Sixers coach Greg Shipperd has already appealed to Cricket Australia to amend the schedule, as his side were defeated in the BBL15 final in their second trip west in less than a week.
UPDATE: The Lakers did, in fact, make it out of Dallas, getting through half the battle, at least. The team took off from Dallas-Fort Worth instead of Love Field, allowing them to get out of Dallas when the Mavericks could not.
The Lakers, I'm told, have at last managed to take off and are in the air headed to Chicago for tomorrow night's game against the Bulls.
Their flight was shifted to depart from DFW rather than Love Field, where the Mavericks' flight was stalled today for several hours and… https://t.co/R2P5K5nM53
This doesn’t mean the Lakers-Bulls go is definitely on for Monday, but it does improve the chances.
Original story follows.
For now, the Lakers appear set on attempting to fly out of Dallas for Monday’s game against the Bulls in Chicago. However, don’t hold your breath.
As a snowstorm rips across much of the south and Midwest, NBA games are being postponed left and right. As of Sunday afternoon, the Lakers’ game was still on with the team set to attempt to fly out of Dallas on later in the day.
Mavericks at Bucks tonight is now officially postponed.
The Lakers, meanwhile, will be attempting this afternoon to fly to Chicago for tomorrow’s game against the Bulls. They also remain in Dallas for the moment. https://t.co/PoyjXawgJx
For obvious reasons, it’s unlikely to expect the Lakers to be able to fly out if Dallas could not while both teams are in the same city. The city they’re landing in could also factor into this but the Midwest is getting hammered with snow as things stand, so it seems unlikely Chicago would be a viable landing spot.
The NBA has spent Sunday postponing a number of games, including the Mavs-Bucks contest. The Nuggets and Grizzlies game, slated for Sunday, was also postponed. Meanwhile, the Pacers game in Atlanta and the Sixers-Hornets game in Charlotte were both moved to afternoon tips on Monday due to weather as well.
The Lakers are currently scheduled to play the Bulls at 5 p.m. PT. There’s a possibility of them moving the game back, but it seems more likely that the game is postponed. The Lakers play on Wednesday in Cleveland after Monday’s game, so perhaps the game is postponed to Tuesday.
What seems least likeliest right now, though, is the Lakers playing on Monday.
The sky is the limit for Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond, who has not only emerged as one of the club's best players but has also proven to be a blessing in disguise after they inexplicably fell to fourth place in the 2020 Draft Lottery.
Raymond, whom the Red Wings selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, has reached an offensive mark that hasn't been seen since their most recent Conn Smythe Trophy winner in Henrik Zetterberg.
With his assist against the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday night, Raymond reached 40 assists on the season, becoming the first Red Wings skater since Henrik Zetterberg to record three consecutive seasons with at least 40 assists.
FYI: Lucas Raymond is the first #RedWings skater with three consecutive 40-assist seasons since Henrik Zetterberg, who had five from 2007-08 to 2011-12. pic.twitter.com/yAzNXMHajf
Zetterberg reached the 40+ assist mark in five consecutive seasons from their Stanley Cup-winning campaign of 2007-08 to 2011-12, which was the final season in the career of Hall of Fame defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom.
Not only did Raymond pick up an assist against the Jets, but he also tallied his 18th goal of the season and extended his point-streak to five games.
If Raymond continues on his current trajectory, he's on pace to easily establish what would be a new career-high in points.
Following his two-goal performance in Detroit's previous game, a 4-3 overtime setback against the Minnesota Wild, Raymond attested to how seriously he takes his work and constantly strives to improve.
“Every year and offseason, you try to take steps towards being a better player,” he explained. “And for me, it’s no different. It’s about being curious and wanting to work on your craft to hopefully see your results.
I’m just trying to play my game and keep developing.”
The Red Wings, who moved back into first place in the Atlantic Division, continue to reap the benefits of what has proven to be an absolute steal of a selection by GM Steve Yzerman in the 2020 NHL Draft.
The Cleveland Cavaliers could be seeing the return of one of their key bench players. Sam Merrill, who has missed the team’s last five games with a right-hand sprain, is listed as questionable for Monday’s game against the Orlando Magic.
Merrill has been dealing with a hand sprain for much of the season. He injured it originally in a November win against the Milwaukee Bucks. This resulted in him missing just over a month of games. When he did return to the lineup, he wasn’t pain-free, as head coach Kenny Atkinson said at the time that he couldn’t even shake Merrill’s hand after games due to the pain he was in.
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We don’t have any further updates on Garland’s injury beyond what the team released last Sunday. The Cavs said that Garland would be reevaluated in seven to 10 days after suffering a Grade 1 right great toe sprain. That initial timeframe would put the reevaluation happening anytime between now and Wednesday.
Mitchell Robinson dunks the ball during the second half against the Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on January 24, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Mitchell Robinson asked, and his Knicks teammates listened.
It has been noticeable that, in recent games, they are looking to find him more when he’s rolling to the basket after setting a screen. It has mostly resulted in alley-oops.
“I tell them when we’re watching film, ‘Look here, I’m wide open. Throw it to me. I do a little dirty work so reward me,’ ” Robinson said after the Knicks’ 112-109 win over the 76ers on Saturday in Philadelphia. “That’s kinda how that is.”
Mitchell Robinson dunks the ball during the second half against the Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on January 24, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Getty Images
In Year 8, Robinson has yet to develop a polished offensive game. That allows his defender to help off him aggressively when he sets a screen — often for Jalen Brunson.
But if he can be a threat as a roller, it changes that dynamic.
“Whoever’s guarding Mitch is aggressive,” coach Mike Brown said. “So if teams keep stepping up and trying to be aggressive on the ball screens, Mitch has to get out quick and he’s gotta look for it at the rim.”
After a bit of a lull for a few games, Robinson is also back to his best on defense and the offensive glass. He neutralized Joel Embiid — particularly in the third quarter, when he held him scoreless — Saturday and grabbed six offensive rebounds.
“Our defensive player was Mitch,” Brown said. “Mitch was phenomenal on the offensive glass, but he was really, really good for us defensively. Four deflections. Couple of 50-50 balls. Rebounding the ball really well. Couple of blocks. Big, big night from Mitch, especially on the defensive end of the floor.”
Mitchell Robinson dunks the ball against the Brooklyn Nets on January 21, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NBAE via Getty Images
After losing nine of 11 games, the Knicks have won two straight for the first time since late December.
Josh Hart isn’t putting too much stock into it.
“It is good, but also it’s January,” Hart said. “You can’t get too high or too low. I think that’s the biggest thing. I think that’s where y’all can write whatever y’all want to write. Three games ago we were turning into a lottery team, and now you guys are like, ‘Oh, they’re battling the East.’ So that’s for y’all to do. Us, we’re trying to stay levelheaded and not get too high or too low.”
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Wienermobiles are coming back for a bite at the Brickyard in May, giving them another chance to relish the spotlight of racing's biggest weekend.
Oscar Mayer announced Sunday all six of its famed street-ready vehicles will compete for the second straight year on Indianapolis Motor Speedway's historic 2.5-mile oval. The Wienie 500 is scheduled for May 22 during the track's annual Carburation Day festivities.
Last year's race was such a hit, organizers wanted to give fans a second round to savor the flavor of a light-hearted competition just two days before IndyCar's marquis race — the Indianapolis 500.
The presentation will have a familiar look for fans who watched last year's inaugural race.
Each Wienermobile will feature toppings representing an American regional favorite while carrying carry custom decals. Drivers will don Hotdogger racing suits while the iconic “Wiener Song” plays and the champ drives into “wieners circle.”
Slaw Dog, which represents the Southeast, will try to prove it is beefy enough to defend last year's crown. Four other regional favorites also are expected to return — Chi Dog (Midwest), New York Dog (East), Chili Dog (South) and Seattle Dog (Northwest).
But the Sonoran Dog may be replaced after failing to cut the mustard in 2025.
Fans can choose the final entrant from a menu of seven possibilities, including the Sonoran Dog, by visiting Instagram in the first “Pick Your Dog” Wienie 500 bracket. Updates will be provided on the Instagram account or on TikTok.
“The response to the first Wienie 500 was overwhelming, and we heard the fans loud and clear that they were hungry for more,” Kelsey Rice, Oscar Mayer brand communications director said in a statement. “This year, we’re supercharging the experience, delivering an even bigger, bolder and more unforgettable event that puts the fans at the forefront. With amplified engagement, intensified rivalries and more surprises in store, we’re giving the people what they want — an unparalleled live experience that will leave them craving more.”
On Friday, MLB Pipeline released their annual preseason ranking of the league’s top 100 prospects. Five Brewers made the cut, all of whom were also named to Baseball America’s Top 100 prospects just a few days earlier.
Since I already briefly profiled each prospect when the Baseball America list came out, I won’t repeat myself. If you want to read a quick profile on each of the prospects, check out that article.
Now, I’m interested in why the two lists differ; in other words, why did MLB Pipeline rank each prospect lower or higher than Baseball America did?
3. SS Jesus Made (BA No. 4)
Made’s status as one of the best prospects in baseball is pretty universally agreed upon. Pipeline likes Made more than Cardinals infield prospect JJ Wetherholt, who Baseball America ranked above Made, but the difference between Made and Wetherholt (and Kevin McGonigle, Leo DeVries, and even No. 1 overall prospect Konnor Griffin) is pretty minimal. While none of those shortstop prospects are exactly alike, all of them are seen as having superstar potential and have (so far) lived up to their billing in the minors. Any of those guys could end up being the best big leaguer out of the group.
One reason Pipeline may have ranked Made above Wetherholt is that he’s more likely to stick at shortstop, often considered a “premium” position. Wetherholt will probably move over to second or third base (at least early in his career) because he’s not a better defensive shortstop than the Cardinals’ current shortstop, Masyn Winn. Milwaukee does have a stud defensive shortstop prospect in Cooper Pratt, but he’s a prospect; Winn just won a Gold Glove. Brewers shortstop Joey Ortiz is also arguably a top-three defensive shortstop in the league, but his bat has left a lot to be desired early in his career.
26. INF Luis Peña (BA No. 47)
Peña is ranked over 20 positions higher than he was by Baseball America. As detailed in the BA article, Peña’s offensive stats took a dive once he was promoted to High-A. Pipeline holds a more optimistic view of that stretch:
“Peña remained aggressive in search of contact and High-A pitchers exposed him as allergic to non-fastballs, throwing offspeed roughly 60% of the time after his promotion. Peña moved so quickly he needed exposure to that quality of stuff, but now, it’s on him to adjust back.”
The other thing holding Peña back, for now, is his defense. While he’s fast, has good range for his size, and has an above-average arm, he showed a tendency to “let balls slip by or… sail throws.” His eventual home may be at second or third base.
Peña is pretty raw, very young (turned 19 in November), and is still developing, so there’s a lot of projection involved in predicting his potential future outcomes. Still, he has the tools to be a top 10 prospect on this list someday — ostensibly part of the reason he’s ranked so highly.
51. SS/2B/OF Jett Williams (BA No. 71) & 64. SS Cooper Pratt (BA No. 50)
While Pratt (Pipeline No. 64) was ranked higher than Williams (Pipeline No. 51) on BA’s list, their places are reversed here. Pratt is a better defender and might have more overall upside if his bat develops as hoped, but that’s far from a certainty.
Pratt got on base at a solid clip last year (.343), but his batting average (.238) and slugging percentage (.348) still leave something to be desired. Williams (.828 OPS, 17 HRs) had a much better offensive season than Pratt (.691 OPS, 8 HR) did last year. Williams is also fast (clocking sprint speeds above 30 ft/second), a great baserunner, and incredibly versatile. He’s played at least 30 minor league games at three different positions (shortstop, second base, and center field). Pipeline sees Williams as a “good fit in a Milwaukee organization that highly values short, speedy types up the middle.” Since Pipeline tends to weigh current production and proximity to the big leagues a bit more heavily than Baseball America, it makes sense that Williams is ranked higher than Pratt.
For what it’s worth, the “short” thing feels like a strange inclusion to me. Other than Caleb Durbin (who isn’t normally an up-the-middle player for the Brewers), none of the Brewers’ middle infield and center field options are even that short. Joey Ortiz is 5’10”, Brice Turang is 5’11”, Jackson Chourio and Blake Perkins are listed at 6’ even. Garrett Mitchell is 6’2”. Milwaukee didn’t trade for Williams because of his diminutive (5’6”) stature; they traded for him because they value fast, athletic, defensively capable players who can get on base.
100. Brandon Sproat (BA No. 81)
Pipeline’s Mr. Irrelevant is a prime pitching lab candidate. Sproat has great stuff; Pipeline gives him a 60-grade slider and a 55-grade curveball and changeup. He’s ranked this low because he had an underwhelming season in Triple-A last year (4.24 ERA) and didn’t pitch any better in four September appearances with the Mets (4.79 ERA, albeit with 17 Ks in 20 2/3 innings pitched). He’s also 25 and will be 26 by next year’s playoffs.
The acquisition of Sproat gives me Quinn Priester vibes. Both were highly-drafted prospects with great stuff who struggled during their first tastes of the big leagues. Priester put together a great season with Milwaukee last year; hopefully, Sproat can do the same. If any team can get the most out of him, it’s the Brewers.
As I said in the Baseball America article, I have a breakdown of both Williams and Sproat coming soon… stay tuned.
