CINCINNATI, OHIO - JULY 04: A commemorative patch is displayed on the jersey of shortstop Gunnar Henderson #2 of the Baltimore Orioles during a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on July 04, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hello, friends.
The Orioles have just passed a grim milestone. They now have a worse record than the team did through the same number of games last year. Even as pessimistic as I was about these jokers, I did not imagine this was a likely outcome. Here they are anyway. Last year’s Orioles were 43-50. The 2026 Orioles are now 42-51. What a disappointment. Check out Alex Church’s recap of last night’s game for more of the not-so-lovely totals on how they finally reached this point.
They made it interesting last night. Whatever else can be said about them, you’ve got to give them that. After Dean Kremer gave up four home runs and then Rico Garcia and Grant Wolfram combined to give up five runs between them to put the Orioles in a 9-3 hole, they didn’t go quietly. It’s just that it was too little, too late.
Perhaps that will be what is said about them for this season overall. Pretty much anything that you could cling to that maybe the O’s aren’t falling out of this thing has been obliterated within the last week or so. In addition to falling below last year’s pace, the third wild card team is now above .500, they are five games out of that picture, and the O’s are in last place in the division.
This thing is all but over. They can’t do it. To be sure, mathematical oblivion is a long way off. Other times this season, they’ve stabilized after bad stretches and they might do so again. It’s just that the Orioles have never managed to come back to where they should be. It’s going to be hard to do that as long as they can’t win more than three games in a row.
The Orioles have too many problems to solve and even if they solve some of them, there’s still the hole they’ve dug for themselves. In addition to just needing to have a good enough record by season’s end, the Orioles also need to have a good enough record to convince Mike Elias not to do any selling ahead of the trade deadline. Perhaps even to get him to buy to help solve some of those problems not only for the remainder of this season but for next year as well.
It is not fun that this is the case. There are not any good immediate solutions and any solutions beyond 2026 will require some pain. That could mean players you like being traded. It could mean more upheaval in the front office or on the coaching staff. I am sticking to my opinion that if the Orioles don’t make the playoffs, Elias should be removed at season’s end. There is no point to making a change sooner, barring truly horrendous behavior coming to light. Overseeing an underachieving roster doesn’t count for that. The cake is baked. It’s a crummy cake. Maybe next year’s will be better, if there is a different baker.
Breaking down the prospects who make the Orioles 2025 draft class its most encouraging in years (The Baltimore Banner) You can certainly lament Caden Bodine being traded for Shane Baz, but even without him, there are plenty of early success stories for last year’s Orioles draft class. It’s much better to have it be like this than what the 2024 high picks were doing this time a year ago!
Each team’s best draft pick in the last ten years (MLB.com) The fact that Gunnar Henderson rates the best here is extremely unsatisfying in the face of how his batting performance has tailed off so hard. After last night’s loss, he’s sitting at a .690 OPS. It’s not the only reason that the Orioles are where they are. It is a big reason.
Phil Regan, manager when Cal broke streak record, dies at 89 (The Baltimore Sun) I think in 1995 I might have asked my dad nearly daily, “What if Phil Regan doesn’t play Cal today?” I don’t know why I was fixated on the idea that he might not do it, but that’s my main Regan memory. Condolences to his loved ones.
Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries
One lone former Oriole has a birthday today: Happy 77th to Steve Luebber, who made seven appearances for the 1981 Orioles.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: sewing machine inventor Elias Howe (1819), composer Ottorino Respighi (1879), actor Tom Hanks (1956), The White Stripes musician Jack White (1975), and Steven Universe creator Rebecca Sugar (1987).
On this day in history…
In 1540, England’s Henry VIII annulled his marriage to Anne of Cleves, the fourth of his six wives. Queen for about six months, Anne survived the longest of Henry’s wives by living for another 17 years.
In 1762, Catherine, later known as Catherine the Great, seized power in Russia following a coup against her husband, Peter III. She went on to reign for 34 years.
In 1868, the 14th amendment to the US Constitution was formally ratified. Its plain text enshrines birthright citizenship for the United States: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”
In 1943, the Allied powers of World War II initiated Operation Husky, an amphibious invasion of the island of Sicily. A bit more than a month later, the island was fully captured, with the Italian mainland set as the next target.
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And that’s the way it is in Birdland on July 9. Have a safe Thursday. Go O’s!
Jun 5, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Aroldis Chapman (44) delivers a pitch during the ninth inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
In part one of this five-part trade deadline primer, I looked at the Brewers’ roster and determined what their primary needs are. While things could certainly shift over the next 25 days (look no further than yesterday’s Brandon Woodruff news, or the injury to David Hamilton, which put the Brewers’ infield in a bit of flux), I identified relief pitching as the roster’s biggest area of need, and the area that I felt the team was most realistically likely to address.
Today, we’ll start doing the work of looking around the league to see which relief pitchers might be available. Remember, the landscape this year is strange; there are a lot of bad teams, which means that there are a lot of teams that feel they might have a real shot with a hot week or two between now and the deadline. So I’m going to break this into two parts: first, which targets are available on teams that definitely look like they’re out of it? Second, which targets could become available if things don’t go well over the next three-and-a-half weeks?
I also mentioned that the Brewers’ need in this area was for a high-leverage reliever, so I’m going to be aiming high here. Matt Arnold and David Stearns before him have shown a proclivity for acquiring less splashy relievers at the deadline, but I’m specifically looking for players who could push Aaron Ashby for the number-three role in the bullpen behind Trevor Megill and Abner Uribe.
Targets from teams who look out of it
As I mentioned, there are a bunch of teams where it’s hard to say with certainty whether they are or are not out of it at this point. But I’ll do my best to first identify some targets from teams who are far enough back that, at this point, they should probably sell.
The problem is that these teams are bad, so it’s harder to find good players on them. Honestly, I had trouble identifying targets worth acquiring from the six teams that should be declared, with certainty, out of it: the Reds, Mets, Giants, Rockies, Royals, and Angels.
There are a few interesting names, though, and let’s start in New York. Luke Weaver is having an excellent season — at the start of play Wednesday, he has a 1.89 ERA and 2.54 FIP in 38 innings pitched — and has a track record of success in the postseason. The question here is money. While the Brewers could probably afford the prorated bit of his 2026 salary, they probably don’t want to be on the hook for the $12.5 million he’s owed in 2027.
Money is also a barrier to a Devin Williams reunion. Williams has had a rough go since leaving the Brewers, and that reflects in his 4.85 ERA this season. But Williams’ FIP this year is way lower, at 3.25, and he’s striking out 13 batters per nine innings, so there are some reasons for optimism. However, his walks — which were always a bit of an issue, even when he was unhittable — are higher than they’ve ever been, and that’s an issue. But bringing it back around: Williams is owed $12 million in 2027 and 2028, plus there is $15 million in deferred money in his contract. That’s way too much for the Brewers to pay a reliever who might not even be good, and even if the Mets covered some of it, I think it’d still be too much. I’d cross this one off the list.
Sticking with the Mets for a moment, some lower-profile trade candidates include a couple of old guys in 38-year-old Brooks Raley and 36-year-old Huascar Brazobán. I’m skeptical of Raley’s numbers — they seem flukey — and while Brazobán’s feel a little less flukey, he’s not striking a ton of guys out, and he’s walking a lot. I’d stay away from both.
Another high-profile trade target this deadline could be the Kansas City’s Daniel Lynch IV. The Royals’ bullpen has been a major disappointment, but Lynch has been good. He holds a 2.41 ERA and 3.23 FIP, and while he isn’t a big strikeout guy, he’s done a good job keeping the ball in the ballpark, and he hasn’t been giving up many hits. The scary thing here is that Lynch is having a way better season in this, his sixth year, than he ever has before, so I don’t have a lot of confidence.
If you were looking for a reclamation project on the Royals — and the Brewers shouldn’t really be looking for reclamation projects right now, to be clear — you could check in on Lucas Erceg and Matt Strahm. Erceg, who was drafted as a position player by the Brewers in 2016, was really good the past couple of years, throws hard, and gets a lot of ground balls, but this season has been a disaster; he hasn’t been able to strike anyone out, he’s been walking everyone, and he was stripped of the closer job. Strahm has been one of the league’s more reliable relievers over the past three years, but he’s been terrible in 2026, and there’s not a lot in the data to give much confidence that he’ll get better.
Lastly, there are a couple of Rockies relievers who are having good seasons. Antonio Senzatela has essentially been a starter for his whole career, but after back-to-back rocky (get it) seasons in 2024 and 2025, he’s been moved to the bullpen. It’s worked out quite well: Senzatela has a 2.93 ERA (169 ERA+) and 3.36 FIP in 46 innings, and with his background as a starter, he’s capable of pitching multiple innings (those 46 innings are across 27 relief appearances). He’s never been a strikeout pitcher whatsoever, but he’s seen a slight uptick in his numbers with the move to the ‘pen.
The other guy is Jimmy Herget, who has put together back-to-back good seasons in the Rockies’ bullpen — not an easy task. Last season, Herget had a 2.48 ERA and 3.32 FIP in 59 appearances, and this season he’s at a 3.52 ERA and 3.34 FIP in 23 outings. Herget isn’t a hard thrower and actually throws way more breaking balls than fastballs; an intriguing type of player, particularly in the thin air of Denver.
There are no targets that I’d advocate a move from any of the Reds, Giants, or Angels. Cincinnati’s Brock Burke and Tejay Antone have gotten pretty good results this season, but there is enough reason to be dubious that I’d avoid them. Los Angeles has a couple of dudes — Ryan Zeferjahn and Chase Silseth — who would intrigue me as long-term projects, but for now both walk way too many batters to be trusted in any sort of leverage situation.
Targets from teams who might sell
Here’s where things get good, for the most part. These are players from teams that sit roughly four or five games back of the Wild Card — they’re not out of it, but they’re all under .500 and could fall out of it with a bad couple of weeks. The big-time, headlining relief options that could be available at the deadline all come from these teams.
We’ll start with the biggest name: Aroldis Chapman. Boston is 41-48, but in the terrible American League, they’re just four games back in the Wild Card. It feels like a good season for Boston to sell, but we’ll see. Chapman, in any case, has still got it; he was the best reliever in baseball last season, and this year he’s pitched to a 2.36 ERA/2.44 FIP and is still striking out nearly 12 batters per nine innings. He doesn’t throw quite as hard as he used to, but even at age 38, he’s still averaging 97.5 mph on his fastball.
The hangups with Chapman: first, there’s the fact that he’s not exactly an easy guy to root for, given his history of domestic violence issues. Second, the money isn’t small. Chapman has a $13 million salary in 2026, and while Milwaukee could probably handle the prorated amount, he’s also got a conditional option for another $13 million in 2027 that reportedly vests if he surpasses 40 innings — which he will do if he is healthy enough to get traded before the deadline.
I’d like to also address two more top-line closers from teams in this category: San Diego’s Mason Miller and Toronto’s Louis Varland. Both teams have been disappointing this year, but both closers have been absolutely lights out. Here’s the issue, though: if San Diego trades Miller, they’ll want to recoup something close to the value they gave up for him last season — which was a top-five overall prospect. Miller still has three years of control, so his value is enormous, but I don’t think the Brewers would trade Jesús Made for him, especially given that they’ve got a good closer. Varland is under control for even longer — he’s not a free agent until 2031 — and the Blue Jays, even if they decide to sell this year, will expect to compete next year, and they’ll want him then. I don’t think either Miller or Varland gets traded.
San Diego and Toronto both have other players who could be available, though. A player who will certainly be moved if San Diego is out of it is lefty Adrián Morejón. By his standards, his 3.52 ERA this season (119 ERA+) isn’t very good. But the underlying numbers are strong: he’s got a 2.47 FIP and a 4.91 K:BB ratio. He’s also coming off a two-year run of being a solid reliever for a good team with postseason experience. The fact that he’s left-handed also would make him a desirable target for the Brewers, whose top two relievers are both right-handed. Morejón is still only 27, but he’s been in the big leagues since he was 19, so he becomes a free agent after the season, which should make him relatively attainable. From a financial perspective and fit perspective, Morejón would be one of the targets that would make the most sense for Milwaukee, but every team wants another good lefty reliever.
Another Padre, Wandy Peralta, has a lot of experience and a 3.05 ERA over the past seven years. He’s always managed to outperform his FIP, which for his long career is a whole 1.35 runs higher than his ERA, but it’s still somewhat concerning, and Peralta’s strikeout numbers have gone from “not very good” (career 7.3 per nine) to “alarming” (5.8 per nine this year). I’d stay away.
The Toronto reliever who makes sense in a vacuum is Tyler Rogers, who has been awesome this season and has put together an underrated career. But money is a problem here: Rogers signed a three-year, $37 million contract before the season that includes a vesting option for a fourth year at an additional $11 million. If that option vests, Rogers will be 38 in the last year of the contract, and this is the kind of big money deal that the Brewers have taken pains to avoid. Maybe a wealthy team will get desperate, but I’d expect Rogers to stay with Toronto as well.
A lesser but still prime target from Boston is Garrett Whitlock. Whitlock, who is 30, was excellent in 2025 and has been basically just as good in 2026, with a 2.40 ERA, 2.75 FIP, 10.2 K/9, and just 1.8 BB/9 in 30 innings pitched. He doesn’t throw all that hard, but he’s got a ton of extension — a trait the Brewers like. Whitlock is under control for two more seasons, but that’s via not-all-that-cheap $8.25 million and $10.5 million options (in 2027 and 2028, respectively).
Baltimore’s Yennier Cano is another big target. He’s got two more years of control after this season, and aside from a blip in 2025, he’s been quite good for four years running. Cano doesn’t throw as hard as some of these other guys, and his strikeout numbers aren’t great for a reliever, but he’s an extreme groundball pitcher (99th percentile) who keeps walks down and, this year at least, isn’t allowing home runs.
There are two players on the Diamondbacks who I’d be interested in as well: Jonathan Loáisiga and Juan Morillo. Loáisiga is another groundball guy, one who throws harder than Cano and is a free agent after the season, so if Arizona decides to sell, he’d be an obvious one to go. Morillo is much less likely to get traded; he’s by no means a proven quantity, as he just debuted last season, but he has five more years of control and is one of the hardest throwers in the league. Both pitchers have performed well this season.
A few names to keep an eye on who are not as proven as those above but could still conceivably help:
I’m skeptical, but Arizona’s Taylor Clarke (a former minor leaguer in Milwaukee’s system) has put up pretty good numbers for two years in a row, and he’s a free agent after the season.
Sticking with the Diamondbacks, 26-year-old Brandyn Garcia is another hard-throwing groundball pitcher who has been good in a small sample. He’s also got a lot of control, like his teammate Morillo.
Another San Diego pitcher with a solid ERA but who I’d stay away from: Yuki Matsui. Too many walks.
One more intriguing Boston pitcher: Tyron Guerrero is 35 and has almost no MLB track record — before this season, he hadn’t pitched in the big leagues since 2019 — but he’s having a good season and throws as hard as almost anyone in the league. He’s also a big extension guy and a groundball machine, traits that the Brewers tend to value. The samples are tiny, though, and there’s not a lot in his history that makes you trust him.
A former almost-Brewer, Grant Wolfram, has a 4.15 ERA for Baltimore this season. That’s bad, but his FIP in 26 innings is just 1.81, and he’s got 29 strikeouts to only four walks. He’s not really a leverage arm, but he could help bolster things if Milwaukee wanted to go that way.
In a near-opposite case, Kyle Finnegan has just a 2.18 ERA for the Tigers this season, but he’s got just 6.8 K/9 compared to 5.4 BB/9 in 39 games and has a 4.69 FIP. Stay away!
One Tiger that intrigues me but also has red flags: Will Vest. He’s hurt at the moment with what has been described as a “non-ligament-related” elbow injury, so it’s a question whether he’ll even be healthy enough to pitch (and given what happened with Shelby Miller last year, the Brewers might be wary of pitchers with health questions). Vest also has a 6.08 ERA this year… but his FIP is just 3.42, and he’d been quite good every year from 2023-25, which is a long run for a reliever in today’s game.
Conclusions
We’ll have to wait and see on the Padres, Blue Jays, Red Sox, Diamondbacks, and Orioles — a couple of good weeks, and any of them could be right there in the Wild Card hunt. But of all the options that seem like they could be realistically available, here’s how I’d rank them:
Aroldis Chapman, Red Sox
Adrián Morejón, Padres
Luke Weaver, Mets
Yennier Cano, Orioles
Jonathan Loáisiga, Diamondbacks
Garrett Whitlock, Red Sox
Jimmy Herget, Rockies
Antonio Senzatela, Rockies
I think it’s at least reasonable that the guys I’ve listed above will be traded, and while a few (Chapman, Weaver, Whitlock) would require some real financial support from the ownership level, I don’t think any of them are unrealistic from a cost perspective.
Anyone else I’ve mentioned in this article falls into one of three categories:
I don’t think they’d be a meaningful upgrade (Strahm, Raley, Peralta, etc.)
They make too much money (Williams, Rogers)
I don’t think they’ll be traded (Miller, Varland, Morillo, etc.)
DENVER, CO - JULY 11: Shortstop Trey Sweeney takes a call after being selected 20th overall by the New York Yankees in the first round during the 2021 Major League Baseball Draft at Bellco Theater at Colorado Convention Center on Sunday, July 11, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
With the MLB Draft upon us, how about we rewind the clock five years and take a look back at the Yankees’ 2021 draft class? Major League Baseball’s draft is unique among the major professional sports. Many of the players selected never make it to the team that drafted them, whether they choose not to sign, are traded away before reaching the majors, or simply fizzle out somewhere along the development ladder.
For the Yankees, the 2021 class featured several early selections who ultimately had little direct impact on the organization. However, the class also produced two late-round gems who have since become important pieces of the major league roster.
The Yankees made 20 selections in the 2021 MLB Draft and signed all but two of them. Nineteenth-round pick Dominic Keegan honored his commitment to Vanderbilt, while 20th-round selection Sean Hard chose Boston College instead. Of the 18 players who signed, seven are still with the organization.
Among those seven, two names stand well above the rest: eighth-round pick Will Warren and 12th-round selection Ben Rice. Both of those selections came outside the first five rounds, making this class the opposite of top heavy.
Warren has developed into everything the Yankees could have hoped for from a pitcher selected outside the first five rounds. He has already logged 278.1 major league innings, including 33 starts last season and another 18 already this year, establishing himself as a valuable member of New York’s rotation, even if it has come at the back end.
Rice has not only become the Yankees’ best selection from this draft, but arguably one of the biggest steals of the entire 2021 draft. Players selected after the 10th round rarely reach the major leagues, let alone develop into All-Stars in just their second full season. The Yankees selected Rice out of Dartmouth in the 12th round, and just a few years later he has become one of the organization’s biggest success stories. Here’s hoping Rice puts on a show in the Home Run Derby and keeps his breakout campaign rolling.
The other five players from this class still with the organization are second-round pick Brendan Beck (No. 55 overall), third-round selection Brock Selvidge (No. 92), fifth-round pick Tyler Hardman (No. 153), 13th-round selection Zach Messinger (No. 393), and 15th-round pick Danny Watson (No. 453). Beck got his first cup of coffee in the majors earlier this season, though his most recent start was one he’d probably like to forget. Hardman, Messinger, and Watson are all currently with Triple-A Scranton, while Selvidge is on the injured list at Double-A Somerset.
The Yankees have also used seven members of the 2021 draft class as trade chips to acquire major league talent. Those players include first-round pick Trey Sweeney, fourth-round selection Cooper Bowman, sixth-round pick Richard Fitts, seventh-rounder Robert Ahlstrom, ninth-round pick Chandler Champlain, 10th-round selection Benjamin Cowles, and 11th-rounder Jack Neely.
Collectively, those prospects helped the Yankees acquire Frankie Montas, Lou Trivino, Alex Verdugo, José Trevino, Andrew Benintendi, Jorbit Vivas, Victor González, and Mark Leiter Jr. I’ll admit, a few of those names made me shiver as I typed them. Most of those trades could probably be called pushes, with neither side clearly winning the deal. The obvious exception is the José Trevino trade. Trevino made an All-Star team, won a Gold Glove in pinstripes, and became a fan favorite, before eventually getting traded for Fernando Cruz. For all that, we thank Ahlstrom for his sacrifice.
That leaves four members of the class who are no longer with the organization through other means. Fourteenth-round pick Sean Hermann was selected by the Mariners in the Minor League Rule 5 Draft. Sixteenth-rounder Cole Ayers was released by the Yankees in March 2026, while 17th-round selection Grant Richardson was released during the 2025 season, and 18th-round pick Bailey Dees was released in April of 2026.
Not every draft class is a home run. Five years later, the Yankees’ 2021 class looks like a slightly above-average group, even if it got there through the unconventional route of developing later-round talent. Any draft that produces a reliable major league starter, an All-Star hitter, and several additional pieces that helped patch holes on the major league roster should ultimately be viewed as a success. Another five years from now the narrative might change, but for now, well done 2021.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - JULY 07: Kyle Schwarber #12 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates with teammate Bryce Harper #3 after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of the baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on July 07, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Is it just me, or is it taking much longer than usual for all of the Home Run Derby participants to be announced? The contest is four days away and we still don’t know all eight players that will take the field Monday night. Maybe it’s because MLB is awaiting word from a pair of hometown sluggers…
LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 6: Kevin Durant smiles during the game between the Seattle Storm against the Los Angeles Sparks on July 6, 2026 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Houston Rockets star forward Kevin Durant is no stranger to a trade request.
Durant has made a few throughout his career, specifically in his last couple of years with the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns. While he said he hoped to finish his career with the Rockets after being traded last summer, Bleacher Report writer Zach Buckley wonders if he has another deal left in him before the end of his career.
“After failing to make it off the launch pad—despite Durant looking every bit the part of his net-shredding best—does Houston just cross its fingers now and hope problems solve themselves? Because it’s been a fairly sleepy summer in Space City, save for Tari Eason’s new contract and the signing of veteran role players Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanović,” Buckley wrote.
“Maybe Durant is confident in what this club has, but his first season as a part of it did not seem remotely fun. And it would hardly be out of his norm to tire of his hoops home and seek out a fresh start elsewhere.”
The Rockets may not have accomplished as much as they had hoped in Durant’s first season, but that doesn’t mean they should move on from him quite yet.
With Fred VanVleet supposed to be healthy and ready to go, and with more familiarity with Ime Udoka’s system, the Rockets have a chance to be better than they were this past season. They will need Durant to fully buy in so that they can make steps forward. As long as he is committed to the Rockets, they are going to ride the wave until he wants to get off.
TDS Community, what do you think about the Rockets’ direction with Durant as their top scorer? Let us know in the comment section below.
Oct 9, 2023; New York, New York, USA; Boston Celtics center Neemias Queta (88) shoots the ball as New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) defends during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
When the Boston Celtics won the 2024 NBA championship, they did so with three centers who thrived on the perimeter. Sure, Kristaps Porzingis was a nightmare on the high post, and Luke Kornet had a knack for coming up with clutch, timely passes out of the short roll, and Al Horford was the connective tissue at both ends.
Yet for the majority of the time, they operated as part of a five-out offense.
Both Horford and Porzingis were capable of (and sometimes did) spending some time at the four, too. That trio of big men was ideal for what Joe Mazzulla’s system needed at the time. They spaced the floor, hit their threes, and even Kornet, who is a non-shooting big, found ways to excel in a five-out offense.
We saw that system continue into the 2024-25 season. Again, everything worked as intended, apart from Porzingis’ struggles with POTS, which unfortunately appears to be an ongoing issue for him.
Yet, last summer, as Brad Stevens began to restructure the roster, the role of the big man position began to shift. With the elevation of Neemias Queta, Boston began asking different things of its bigs. Sure, Queta still spent a reasonable amount of time as a screener and dribble hand-off creator on the perimeter, but he also featured prominently as a roll-man (accounting for 24.3% of his offense, to be precise), while also being tasked with battling on the offensive glass.
Luka Garza, on the other hand, spent most of his time either spotting up around the perimeter or snagging offensive boards.
The roles of both bigs were well defined. They were put in positions to succeed based on their skill sets, while also being pushed to expand their game as the season went on. Yet, one core aspect of their role stood out above all others: their primary task was to get offensive boards and help the team maximize its possession game.
Now, it’s not like the Celtics didn’t ask their veteran trio of 2023-24 and 2024-25 to do this; they most certainly did, just not near the same level or frequency. In 23-24, the Celtics ranked 14th in offensive rebounding as a team. In 24-25, they jumped to 10th.
Last season, their climb continued as they finished the regular season ranked 7th in the NBA for offensive rebounding.
This summer, Boston doubled down on its quest to become one of the most possession-maximizing teams in the NBA by adding Mitchell Robinson.
Robinson, 28, is one of the best offensive board-getters in the NBA. For the past five seasons, his rebounding totals have been a near 50/50 split between offensive and defensive boards. Last season, he secured second-chance opportunities on 21.2% of his team’s missed shots while on the floor, placing him in the 100th percentile among bigs.
Suddenly, Boston’s new trio of big men all excel at one very specific thing, and that’s going to be their primary remit throughout the upcoming season, and likely the years to come. Sure, they’re going to go about their jobs in different ways. Garza, when on the court, will still lean into his perimeter shooting; he’s too good not to. Queta is the most mobile screener out of the trio. Robinson is a high-level roller who can space the floor vertically or provide physicality on the low block.
Optionality.
That appears to be the buzzword within the halls of the TD Garden these days, and that’s exactly what this trio will give you — options due to differing skill sets, but with one clear throughline.
However, there appears to be one big caveat to Boston’s plan. Robinson, for all of his floor-raising talents, joins the Celtics with legitimate injury concerns. He’s missed sizeable chunks of play in recent years. So much so that he spent last season on a sort of minutes management program.
“There was never a specific minutes limit, so to speak,” Jonathan Macri of Knicks Film School told me during a recent episode of the ’Celtics Chronicle’ podcast. “I think there were some games this year where he played in the high 20s, over 25. (But) You can probably count them on one hand…They basically treated him like a sub-20-minute-a-game player in the league…So your starting line is not 82 games, assuming the Celtics also continue with the plan, and they may not.
“If they don’t, that would actually worry me more as a Celtics fan if the Celtics were like, ‘You know what? We’re gonna run Mitchell Robinson out there on the second night back-to-backs. We’re gonna be fine with it.‘ If they continue treating him with kid gloves, your ceiling is probably 20 to 25 minutes per night over 65 games, and that’s not even factoring in other injuries.”
The Celtics are no strangers to dealing with players who require minutes management. They did so with Robert Williams and had great success while managing Malcolm Brogdon’s playing time during his Sixth Man of the Year tenure with the franchise.
Therefore, there’s no reason to believe Robinson won’t be a success or won’t be put in a position to succeed. However, what we should probably expect is a return to the ‘big man by committee’ approach that became commonplace during Brad Stevens’ tenure as head coach.
To me, the whole point of acquiring three high-level offensive rebounders is to ensure that when someone is out due to injury, rest, or management, the crux of the bigs’ offensive role remains intact. No Robinson? Cool, Queta and Garza can get the job done. No Queta? Well, you get the idea…
Regardless of whether Robinson starts games or comes off the bench, it’s likely he’s going to sit in the 18-minute to 22-minute per night range. That leaves 26 minutes to 30 minutes of playing time for Queta and/or Garza to fill.
The most likely outcome is that Mazzulla and his coaching staff will spend the opening weeks, or months, of the season figuring out how to best utilize the trio of bigs at their disposal. Could Garza slide to the four and provide spacing in a similar role to what we previously envisioned for Danilo Gallinari? Or will the coaching staff go for straight minutes splits between the three, something like 20/20/8 with Garza getting the smaller piece of the pie?
We won’t know until the season is underway.
Still, if there’s one thing Robinson’s addition has got me thinking, it’s that Boston is about to lean heavily into possession-maximization, with a premium placed on offensive rebounds, which is likely where a fair share of Boston’s two-point attempts will come from next season (Robinson ranked 12th in the NBA for putback attempts per game last season, shooting 54.9% on those possessions).
With a heavy three-point system, guards and wings will be tasked with “boarding up,” meaning they will cut from the corners, wing or baseline, toward the elbows/nail to snag long rebounds off of misses, while the bigs will eat in and around the paint.
Boston is heading back to its ‘big man by committee’ era, only this time, there’s a clear plan, and it’s one that perfectly fits the system Mazzulla loves.
Barely 24 hours after Derek Lalonde was dismissed from his assistant coach role by the Toronto Maple Leafs, Sportsnet’s Eric Engels reported that the 53-year-old was being hired by the Montreal Canadiens in the same role. He also revealed that Lalonde would replace Trevor Letowski, who has decided to leave the bench to spend more time with his family. While Engels stopped short of saying which role Letowski would play going forward, he added that the organization wants to keep him in the fold.
Letowski’s departure from Martin St-Louis’ staff is not good news for the Habs. After all, he was St-Louis’ second-in-command, and the rare times the bench boss had to leave the team, he was the one left in charge. When Eric Raymond left the coaching staff last season, it seemed to hit the bench boss particularly hard. Hopefully, this one stings less since it’s Letowski’s own decision.
As for the new arrival, Lalonde has spent the last season on Craig Berube’s staff in Toronto with a Leafs side reeling from Mitch Marner’s departure that they just couldn’t shake off, on their way to missing the playoffs. Prior to that, he spent part of three seasons behind the Detroit Red Wings’ bench as head coach, winning 89 of 198 games, missing the playoffs in the two seasons he completed.
While recent results have been far from impressive, he did serve as an assistant coach under Jon Cooper with the Tampa Bay Lightning for four seasons, during which the team won two Stanley Cups. That’s a total of 608 games spent behind an NHL bench, which is more than the Canadiens’ bench boss has had (365 games). Lalonde has also coached in the AHL, the ECHL, the USHL, and in the NCAA. He’s therefore an experienced addition to the coaching staff who's been behind the scenes for three divisional rivals, and it will be interesting to see what role he plays, since he will have some big shoes to fill in Letowski’s.
CHAPEL HILL, NC - FEBRUARY 08: Austin Rivers #0 of the Duke Blue Devils launches his last-second, game-winning 3-point basket over Tyler Zeller #44 of the North Carolina Tar Heels at the Dean Smith Center on February 8, 2012 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Duke won 85-84. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We don’t know the entire circumstances of this video, but this guy is talking to Austin Rivers and disses his NBA career, and Rivers is just not having it.
We’ll have to go with Rivers here, and not just because he’s a Duke guy. It’s because he actually played in the NBA and has some idea of what happens in the league.
The podcast is hosted by former UNC players Theo Pinson and Raymond Felton, who has really let himself go since retiring. He’s about as round as Charles Barkley at his roundest post-retirement. In all seriousness, Felton has gained weight to the point where it might be a serious health risk.
The guy Rivers is beefing with is simply called Hong, and while it’s a podcast and people are entitled to their own opinions, obviously, arguing with someone who has professional experience that you lack is probably not a great idea.
You wouldn’t do it with a surgeon or an attorney, so why does it make sense to do it with a professional athlete?
Anyway, it gets pretty heated and there is some NSFW language coming mostly from Rivers, who clearly thinks Hong is a major idiot. You can make your own mind up about that.
Rivers, of course, put his name in the Duke pantheon with his immortal buzzer beater at UNC. It is very nearly on par with Christian Laettner’s devastating shot to knock Kentucky out of the 1992 Elite Eight.
Part 2: Austin Rivers CRASHES OUT after Theo’s co-host (that’s never played professional sports) continues to disrespect Austin NBA career. It gets HEATED! 🔥
“You get there with your little f*ckin laptop & point holes through someone’s career not knowing the time, energy,… pic.twitter.com/Q34CrjbTmK
Boston, MA - March 22: Former Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce reacts after guard Jaylen Brown made a 3-pointer in the first quarter. The Celtics played the Minnesota Timberwolves at TD Garden on March 22, 2026. (Photo by Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
If you tuned in to the press conference, you heard two buzzwords from President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens and majority owner Bill Chisolm: “optionality” and “basketball reasons.” For forty-five minutes, Celtics leadership defended their trade of Jaylen Brown by talking about the future flexibility that it created. There was talk about the analytical fit and the outside noise generated by the social media echo chamber, but really, this was about situational adaptability.
No, it wasn’t about switchability on defense or being able to play different kinds of Mazzulla Ball. We’re talking about optionality when it comes to team-building, specifically on the cap sheet. In addition to the picks and the potential they come with, another potentially bigger reason for flipping Brown for Paul George was one less year on their max contracts.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves and take a snapshot of Boston’s books as it stands right now. Consider this one tidbit first:
Paul George waived his $3.9M trade bonus, sources tell ESPN.
His cap hit in Boston remains at $54.1M and $56.6M (P)
That nearly $4 million seems insignificant, but when you’re hard-capped at the $209 million first apron — but in reality, they’re really motivated to get under the luxury tax line of $200 million in order to reset the repeater tax — every penny matters. According to former CelticsBlogger and Spotrac’s Keith Smith, the Celtics are just $1.1 million over the tax line; that includes a slight salary bump for Ron Harper Jr. using his non-Bird rights in Year 1 and Dalano Banton’s non-guaranteed deal for next season. The roster is maxed out in all fifteen slots, but should easily be able to limbo under the tax threshold again just like they did at last season’s trade deadline.
“I don’t anticipate anything in the very near term,” Stevens said of the roster as it stands on July 6th. “I think that we do like the team we have, we might be able to add to it, but at the end of the day, we like the group we have.”
As JB put it in his farewell post, let’s” throw the ball up” and see what happens.
Now, Brad obviously won’t rule out moves at this season’s trade deadline or in the summer of 2027. A year from now, he could make changes around the margins, but really, this is all about 2028 when presumably George’s contract expires. So much can happen between now and then, but that offseason is a target-rich environment for seismic change.
Not unlike our rival’s summer this year, the Celtics could act as a cap space team just like the Lakers did this offseason. Los Angeles underwhelmingly filled it with a grab bag of overpaid players from a week free agency class, but Stevens could have a number of options in the 2028 Summer of the Center. Think of it: Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Nikola Jokic could all be available.
Boston will also have that 2028 first round draft pick. Adding a young stud to complement a veteran squad could be like adding, well, Jaylen Brown to a team with then Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward.
To his credit, Chisolm dispelled any notion that the ownership doesn’t want to spend money. “Brad’s got the green light. I know people feel like oh there must be a smoking gun somewhere, that’s just not what this is about. I can say it but I’ll also prove it to you. When we have the opportunity we’re gonna do that.”
That offseason also coincides with the end of Payton Pritchard’s team-friendly rookie extension and he’ll get paid handsomely in his next deal. The front office will also have to make a decision on Baylor Scheierman and it’s possible that by then, they would have already signed him to a similar deal that Pritchard got after his rookie contract.
If you’re a student of history, this feels eerily like when the Celtics split up the Antoine Walker-Paul Pierce duo. Despite an unexpected run to the Eastern Conference Finals, newly hired Danny Ainge recognized it as fool’s gold and split the pair up. Four disappointing seasons later — after Raef LaFrentz and Ricky Davis and Wally Szczerbiak and Al Jefferson and Antoine Walker coming back! — he put together the Big Three with Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen in the middle of their primes. They won a championship in their first season after winning just 24 games the year prior.
Hopefully, with the parity and speed that the league operates with now, it won’t take that long. Instead of four years, maybe it’s two. Hopefully, it’s two. And for all we know, the defending Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year hang Banner 19 sooner and we’re gunning for Banner 20 in 2028.
MOROGORO, TANZANIA - MAY 26: Giraffes roam the Mkata Floodplain in Mikumi National Park, located in Tanzania's Morogoro Region, on May 26, 2026. Covering an area of 3,230 square kilometers, Mikumi is among Tanzania's largest national parks and is known for its rich wildlife, vast savannas and diverse ecosystems. The Mkata Floodplain is considered one of the park's prime wildlife-viewing areas, offering visitors the opportunity to observe animals in their natural habitat. (Photo by Ali Osman Kaya/Anadolu via Getty Images) | Anadolu via Getty Images
Not a lot going on, but I still found a few interesting links and clips, and a few notes from everything else going on around the L. Paul Pierce would have to do in the absence of Stephen A. Smith. shrughemoji
OG Anunoby is gracing the SLAM cover and getting a feature story. Bow down.
I didn’t expect Jalen Brunson to appear in a Chicago Sports Network show dedicated exclusively to interviewing him, but here we are. JB talked about staying grounded through his career, discussed the value of individual vs. team awards, touched on the relationship with Rick, talked about D-Rose, and much more. Quotable:
“I think no matter what, I was able to stay grounded because of my family and the close circle I have. I was never really satisfied throughout my time in high school, obviously because we were losing, and I wanted to win a state championship. Most importantly, obviously there are a lot of individual accolades out there, but I think when you win, that’s what’s most memorable.“
New Knickerbocker Andre Drummond didn’t lose a minute getting back to his true New Yorker ways, as a good Mount Vernon native. Yerrr!
Sportico’s Jacob Feldman put together a nice column explaining the reality of the non-existent NBA free agency these days amid yet another LeBron James sweepstakes (which he cleverly labeled “LeBronomy”). LBJ might be grabbing all eyes, but the truth is, there is no FA anymore, with everybody agreeing to bulky contract extensions as early as possible and figuring out their future later. A tease:
“Since LeBron’s 2020 Lakers title, the last six NBA champions have won without luring accomplished free agents. Instead, the teams have largely drafted stars (Bucks, Warriors, Nuggets, Celtics) or assembled lineups by picking up players other teams were willing to part with (Knicks). The Thunder have built a perennial powerhouse by doing a bit of both, while the Spurs are tied with OKC as 2027/28 favorites thanks to a run of draft success.”
Possible Knicks’ FA target Jonas Valanciunas was waived by the Nuggets before his $10 million salary became fully guaranteed, with Denver now owing him just $2 million for 2026-27. For what matters here, JV can now sign wherever he wants to… including a two-year deal to play for EuroLeague club Zalgiris, as reported by Adam Zagoria . Not overly confident in signing a backup center to get 15-20 minutes a pop who could equally be plying his trade in Lithuania, if you ask me.
Miami has officially declared war on Cleveland, being reportedly willing to offer Bronny James a two-way contract if LeBron signs with the Heat. What level of disrespect (on all fronts) are we talking about here?)
Imagine having to hear and deal with Giannis Antetokounmpo for another 20 or 30 years. I might be alone here, but I’m personally not very interested in it, if at all.
Paul Pierce believes he “can get you 20” in Summer League. Right now!
Kyle Burroughs’ NHL journey started in Colorado. Now, he’s heading to Dallas — a team that has long been one of the Avalanche’s most hated rivals in the Western Conference.
The Dallas Stars announced Thursday that they signed Burroughs to a one-year, two-way contract, adding a physical defenseman with NHL experience and a history that connects him back to the Avalanche organization.
For Colorado fans, Burroughs is not a new name.
The defenseman was part of a 2020 trade that sent forward A.J. Greer to the New York Islanders, with Colorado acquiring Burroughs in hopes of adding depth to its prospect pool. After joining the Avalanche, he impressed coaches enough to make his way through training camp to earn his first NHL opportunity.
Burroughs made his NHL debut on April 5, 2021, against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center, helping Colorado secure a 5-4 victory. Two nights later, he picked up his first career point when he assisted on an André Burakovsky goal.
It was a small sample size — just five games with the Avalanche — but it was a significant step for a player who had spent years trying to earn his way into the league after being selected in the seventh round of the 2013 NHL Draft by the New York Islanders.
After his time in Colorado, Burroughs signed with the Vancouver Canucks in 2021 and continued building an NHL career based around the traits that made him valuable: physicality, toughness and reliability.
That identity has followed him throughout his career.
The 30-year-old defenseman has appeared in 201 NHL games with the Avalanche, Canucks, San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings, collecting 22 points while establishing himself as a player coaches trust in difficult minutes.
His game has always been defined more by what happens away from the scoresheet. Burroughs has recorded 572 hits and 293 blocked shots during his NHL career, including 233 hits during the 2023-24 season with San Jose, which ranked among the league leaders.
Last season, Burroughs spent most of the year with the Ontario Reign, the AHL affiliate of the Kings. In 18 games, he recorded seven points (one goal and six assists), setting a career high with 0.39 points per game among AHL seasons.
Now, he joins a Dallas team looking for more depth on the blue line.
"We are happy to welcome Kyle and his family to the Stars organization," Stars general manager Jim Nill said. "Kyle is a player that we know can bring a physical element to the ice and will provide our defensive core with some added depth."
The move also adds another interesting wrinkle to the Avalanche-Stars rivalry.
Colorado and Dallas have developed plenty of history over the years, including several postseason battles that have helped define the Western Conference landscape. Burroughs may not be expected to play a major role against his former organization, but he now finds himself on the other side of a rivalry he once watched from Colorado’s locker room.
For Burroughs, it’s another opportunity to prove he belongs at the NHL level.
For Avalanche fans, it’s a reminder of one of the many players who passed through Colorado’s system at one point or another.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JULY 6: Darryn Peterson #22 of the Utah Jazz brings the ball up the court agaisnt the Memphis Grizzlies during the second half of a 2026 NBA Salt Lake City Summer League game at the Jon M Huntsman Center on July 6, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Chris Gardner/ Getty Images) | Getty Images
According to multiple sources, the Utah Jazz have signed Mo Bamba to a two-year deal.
Free agent center Mo Bamba has agreed to a two-year deal to return to the Utah Jazz, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/VKJeN38d8c
That’s basically it as far as centers go for the Jazz. They obviously aren’t interested, as of this moment, in making a splash for another center, and they shouldn’t. Utah needs to see how this team fits together before they make any more big moves. If things are looking great for this team and there’s a center on the market that fits their style of play, then they should absolutely make some sort of trade. Otherwise, they need to ride with this roster and see how far this goes.
The NBA rescinded its allowance for Keyonte George to coach in the game tomorrow between the Jazz and the Wizards.
There was a ton of excitement about this from Keyonte George and the Jazz coaching staff, but the NBA reviewed the situation and informed the team that George will not be able to coach at Summer League https://t.co/Ufza1CUXyf
It appears the leage has an ASPIRATION to keep a precedent with the rules. They wouldn’t want to ROOT themselves into anything that might appear negative.
This is actually a really lame thing, and I’m not sure what rules they’re trying to uphold. While actual rule circumvention with things like the salary cap was happening in LA, the Jazz wanted to try something fun that might have created a cool tradition, but now it’s gone. I hope Keyonte George still acts like a coach on the sideline and enjoyed the process of preparing for this. In reality, that perspective might have given him some insight and, hopefully, can help in some way when they’re playing at full strength.
The Walker Kessler trade was made official today and Walker Kessler said goodbye to Utah.
We’ll never know exactly how much of the drama in the Kessler contract negotiations contributed to the eventual breakup that culminated in a sign-and-trade. The reality is it did appear that Utah planned to re-sign Kessler, and then the Lakers decided to give an offer the Jazz couldn’t refuse. In reality, both things can be true. There might have been some frustrations with Kessler regarding the tanking, the contract, and the signing of players like Jaren Jackson Jr., while there was also a good overall relationship with the team. The most likely thing is Kessler was a player the Jazz liked, but not enough to refuse a huge pick package from the Lakers. Jazz fans wish him well, but will be watching the Lakers closely once those picks start coming up.
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt admits he’s “apprehensive” about thrusting the uncapped Declan Meredith into Australia’s chief playmaking role on Saturday against France, but says injuries have forced his hand.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 08: Bench coach Jeff Banister #82 of the Arizona Diamondbacks takes the ball from Jose Cabrera #53 during a pitching change in the fifth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on July 08, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
My father often told me in my abbreviated athletic career that mistakes were inevitable. Even the best athletes make mistakes, but it’s the type of mistake that matters. Physical mistakes are truly unavoidable, but mental mistakes are the real killers as they more likely indicate a lack of preparation or concentration. Tonight, the D-Backs featured plenty of both as they rumbled and bumbled their way to another series loss. Ironically, the first two innings were actually somewhat positive. The offense quickly struck in the first inning as Ildemaro Vargas worked a one-out walk, stole second base, and then scored on a Gabriel Moreno double for an early one-run lead. And on the other side, Jose Cabrera, in his fourth career start faced just one over the minimum through the first two innings. But that’s where the positive vibes ended. The Padres would score in five out of the next six innings while the D-Backs showed little fight outside of the last couple innings.
I’ve been very impressed by a lot in Cabrera’s first few big league starts. Torey Lovullo often gushes about his “mound presence” during games and he’s been remarkably good at finding ways to navigate traffic on the base paths through his first three starts at the big league level. But tonight was the first time that it looked like the moment was a little too big for him in my opinion and the game sped up for him. The first two runs he allowed were both walks that advanced into scoring position and then scored on clutch hits in the third and fourth, but the fifth was when the game really got away from him. After a quick first out, he uncorked a sweeper right into the “backside” of Fernando Tatis Jr, allowed him to steal second, and then misplayed a weak comebacker from Jackson Merrill. He was able to field the ball cleanly and looked Tatis back to second, but then inexplicably threw to the covering Vargas at second who immediately tried to salvage an out at first, but the throw was too late. Instead of two outs and a runner on second, Cabrera faced two runners on and just one out. Then, to make matters worse, he attempted a pickoff move towards Tatis, but was instead called for a balk to move both runners into scoring position for Xander Bogaerts who promptly plated them both and chased Cabrera out of the game. I won’t try to pretend to understand why Cabrera was called for a balk. I’ve watched a lot of baseball in my life and I’ve never fully understood the balk rule. I get that it’s designed to prevent the pitcher from deceiving the runner, but it is one of the few holdovers from an earlier era that confuses nearly everyone – including Lovullo who was tossed from the game when he asked for an explanation on the call.
The bullpen unfortunately had no answer to a subpar San Diego offense. Taylor Clarke was the second man to pass the bullpen gate, but he looked overmatched as the Padres ambushed him for four runs – including three straight run-scoring singles from Sung-Mun Song, Tatis, and Jackson Merrill. It got particularly ugly when Clarke tried to pickoff Song at first, but instead spiked the throw and Pavin Smith couldn’t corral it, allowing Song to advance to second. Max Kepler then couldn’t cleanly collect Tatis’ ball down the line that bounced back towards him, which allowed Tatis to move up another 90 feet for Merrill. It felt more like a carousel than actual base paths.
It’s certainly possible that the D-Backs manage to split the series tomorrow. Griffing Canning, the Padres’ starting pitcher tomorrow has scuffled his way to a 6.71 ERA and the team should have no shortage of motivation, but my confidence in the team has certainly been shaken over the past month-plus of games. They routinely find ways to lose winnable games and the pitching staff is far too inconsistent for a contender. There’s still plenty of baseball to play, but they’ll need to change the vibe around this team quickly to find some momentum before the Trade Deadline.
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA - MARCH 21, 2026: JoJo Parker #4 of the Toronto Blue Jays bats during the seventh inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Philadelphia Phillies at BayCare Ballpark on March 21, 2026 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Yesterday, I went over the details of the draft and the Jays’ potential strategy. Today, a quick review of the farm, the shape of the draft class, and some names.
The Farm
Baseball America refreshed their farm system rankings the day before yesterday, in anticipation of the draft. They currently have the Jays 18th. Fangraphs has recently rolled out a new ranking methodology that has them 20th, although that still includes Trey Yesavage as a prospect. They’d probably drop into the mid-20s if he came off but other developments (e.g. Jojo Parker moving into the top 100, other systems graduations) were accounted for. MLB.com had them 15th before the season, but again that includes Yesavage.
Regardless of exactly where they go, the picture is of an org that’s in the below average mix but a clear cut above the truly bad systems like San Diego, Houston or Philadelphia. That’s actually not bad considering years of later picks (Parker last year was their only pick higher than 19th in five seasons), buying at the deadline and taking qualifying offer free agent penalties. Arjun Nimmala and Parker are a quality 1-2 on the position side, and the emergence of Johnny King, Nolan Perry, and Gage Stanifer among others point to the investment in the Dunedin pitching lab bearing fruit. They don’t have a ton of depth (and this draft won’t help), and while they have maybe five players with top 100 cases they don’t have anyone who definitely fits in the top 50.
Their impact prospects are mostly a year or two away, with the guys having an impact in 2026 or poised to do so being more role players like Sean Keys and Yohendrick Pinango, with the possible exception of Jake Bloss.
The Draft Class
This year’s class is considered unusually deep. There’s a clear big 3, comprising UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky, Texas high school shortstop Grady Emerson, and Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey. Below that, there’s another fairly tight tier of 6-7 names (Mississippi high school outfielder Eric Booth jr., Florida prep SS Jacob Lombard, Florida prep lefty Gio Rojas, LSU outfielder Derek Curiel, Kentucky SS Tyler Bell, Georgia Tech OF Drew Burress, and UC Santa Barbara righty Jackson Flora, roughly) who will all probably go in the 4-12ish range. Then it’s a big, unusually flat group from the early teens to the early 40s that could see a lot of shuffling. That is, of course, good news for the Jays. It’s more likely than usual that someone who’d be a clear first round talent most years will be on the board at 39.
Names In the Range
Normally, I’d look at mock drafts and pick some players the Jays have been tied to. This year, that’s not really worth doing. At 39, in a class with this overall shape, we have no idea which way they’ll go and the few mocks that get that far are functionally throwing darts. Instead of getting anchored to any one guy here, use this list to get a flavour of the types of players likely to go in the 25-50 range.
High School Bats
Will Brick: plus defensive catcher with a great arm, who could have a league average hit/power combo.
Landon Thome: Jim’s son is a shortstop now, but probably plays third eventually. He has 25 home run power potential but questions about his ability to catch up to good fastballs up and inside.
Taj Marchand: a funky swing and over aggressive approach leads to questions about his hit tool against pro competition, but he’s posted very good contact rates so far and has above average power potential. Will slide to third but could be a plus defender there with soft hands and a strong arm.
Aiden Ruiz: undersized but an exceptional athlete, Ruiz is the best defensive shortstop in the class and a potential plus pure hitter. His size will cap his power well below average, but this spring he’s added muscle and has enough sneaky pop to punish mistakes. If he was Dominican he’d certainly already be a Blue Jay
Trevor Condon: A plus centre fielder with some feel for contact but questions about power production with wood bats.
Bo Lowrance: 6’5”, 200lbs with present plus power and room to keep growing. Unusually for a teen of his size, there are no major contact concerns and he projects as an average hitter. He’s slow, as you’d expect, but his feet and hands are quick and his solid arm gives him a good shot to stick at third base.
Cole Prosek: well rounded lefty hitter with potential for above average contact and power, he’s a shortstop now but probably won’t stick, most likely moving to third. Committed to Ole Miss. He’s basically Great Value brand Jojo Parker, rounding down a little on every tool (more on the plate approach), although he’s also shown some aptitude to catch.
James Clark: lefty shortstop with top tier baseball IQ and plus speed. Should hit for average and OBP but maybe not power, and might not have the range for short long term.
High School Arms
Kaden Waechter: above average command of four above average pitches. Might not have ace upside but potential to be a quality #2/3 with better odds than most high schoolers of sticking in the rotation.
Sean Duncan: the top Canadian in this draft had Tommy John surgery in May, but was tracking for the first round before that. He sits 93-95 with a smooth delivery and potential for above average command, with both a slider and change up that could be above average. If he falls far due to his injury he may opt to honour his commitment to Vanderbilt and shoot for top 20 money in three years.
Coleman Borthwick: up to 98 with a slider that flashes promise and a starter’s frame, but conditioning, consistency and a third pitch will need to be the focus if he’s to stick in the rotation.
Blake Bryant: a standout athlete with above average feel to locate three above average pitches in his fastball, curve and slider and a progressing change up. Nothing is plus yet, but at 6’5” and 180lbs he has room to add a little more power.
Jensen Hirschkorn: Stuff was down a little this spring, but scouts seem to write that off as the byproduct of a grueling high end basketball season (the 6’7” standout athlete is a two sport prospect). When he’s right, it’s a fastball that sits 93 and touches 96 with loads of room to add velocity and a slider that flashes plus, with a change up that could be above average with development and potentially solid command. Probably the longest path to go but highest upside in the group.
College Bats
Logan Hughes, Texas Tech: plus all around bat, with contact, approach and some power, but is limited to left field or first base defensively.
Gaving Grahovac, Texas A&M: Flirted with the NCAA strikeout record in 2024, but rebuilt his swing while recovering from a torn labrum in 2025 and now makes adequate contact to go with easy plus raw power. Has played some third but is a pro first baseman.
Jake Brown, LSU: college right fielder who has the speed and instincts to try centre as a pro, above average power and decent contact. Looks like a solid all around everyday player.
Jarren Advincula, Georgia Tech: elite contact hitter (hit .484 in the ACC this year). Like many guys of that type, will need to learn an approach when he finally sees pitchers with stuff he can’t just hit. Little power and limited to second base, but should stick there easily.
Daniel Jackson, Georgia: a standout athlete, but some concern that he doesn’t have the hands to stick at catcher. Plus power and showed improvements in his contact rate this year but hit tool is the big risk in his profile.
Jack Natili, Cincinnati: should stick at a catcher and boasts a plus arm. It’s power over hit, but he’s done a solid job managing his strikeouts in college.
Carson Tinney, Texas: Yet another catcher with a power bat. Should be average behind the dish with work, and it might be 70 raw juice, but he struck out more than you’d like in college and fell completely flat with wood bats in the Cape Cod League, so there’s risk to go with upside.
Cade Sorrell, Texas A&M: Has the plus speed and arm to be a solid centre fielder or great in right, with above average power but an approach that needs a lot of refinement.
College Arms
Jack Radel, Notre Dame: 6’5” workhorse pitcher whose stuff jumped up this season. Nothing is plus, but he has solidly above average command of five quality pitches. He looks like a high probability 3/4.
Cade Townsend, Ole Miss: up to 98 with three secondaries that flash plus and decent command. It’s an easy first round skill set, but he’s undersized at 6’1” and 185lbs, missed a start with shoulder pain during the season, and wore down a little as the season went on. A lot of upside this late, but his body creates relief risk.
Brett Renfrow, Virginia: improved as the year went on, moving into the fringes of the first round discussion. Good fastball, plus curve, and improving command. Looks the part of a mid rotation starter.
Cole Carlon, Arizona State: Monster slider and fastball that sits 96 and touches 101, but neither of his curve or change up are currently much good. Command has progressed but there’s more work to do if he’s going to start.
Hunter Dietz, Arkansas: Big fastball at 95, plus slider/cutter breaking ball, and a slow curve that’s a decent change of pace weapon. He has the command and frame to start, but barely pitched in ‘24 and ‘25 and some teams will be scared by the medicals.
Logan Reddemann, UCLA: plus command of five pitches, the best of which are a 94mph fastball and an above average change up. All three breakers are quality, although none are plus yet. Didn’t pitch after April 17th with arm fatigue, which clouds what’s otherwise a clear first round profile.
Ben Blair, Liberty: sinker-slider-command pitcher with a funky delivery and a strong track record of performance. A better change up is the only box left to check to become a dependable 3/4 starter who should rack up innings.
