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Austin Reaves has an advantage when it comes to pressure: He wasn’t supposed to be here

LAS VEGAS — Everything has changed for Austin Reaves. 

He signed the richest contract in NBA history for a player who went undrafted. He’s no longer playing with LeBron James, who championed him during their five seasons together. 

He’s under more pressure than ever. 

But he also has a cheat code. A release valve on the pressure cooker, if you will. 

Everything has changed for Austin Reaves.  NBAE via Getty Images
He signed the richest contract in NBA history for a player who went undrafted. He’s no longer playing with LeBron James, who championed him during their five seasons together.  Lu Chau/Photagonist/Shutterstock

He was never supposed to be here. 

‘I didn’t think I’d ever get the opportunity to play in the NBA,” Reaves said Monday while speaking to reporters at a hotel in Las Vegas during Summer League. “I was telling a story the other day: I didn’t even think I was going to play Division I basketball. 

“For a long time I thought I would just go play Division II basketball at Central Missouri with my brother. And whatever happened there, probably go play overseas and just have fun with basketball. But there were different plans and I took advantage of a couple opportunities and we’re sitting here today.”

Things didn’t turn out as planned for Reaves in the best way possible. 

He’s now a headliner on one of the most heralded franchises in the league. He’s the Lakers’ second option on offense. He signed a four-year, $180 million contract earlier this month.

Reaves not only surprised all of the teams that overlooked him in the 2021 NBA draft, he stunned himself. 

In a way, that’s a gift. 

Things didn’t turn out as planned for Reaves in the best way possible.  Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post

While someone like LeBron James would’ve been viewed as a failure if he didn’t become one of the greatest players of all-time, Reaves wasn’t even a blip on the radar. He couldn’t have failed because he was never supposed to succeed. 

There’s no pressure because this is all gravy. There’s no angst because this was never supposed to happen. There’s no anxiety because this is all a stunning surprise. 

Reaves clawed his way into the NBA. He had to earn every moment on the court. He was fearless because he had no phantoms chasing him, whispering in his ear that he’d be a disappointment if he didn’t shatter the glass ceiling. 

He could just play. There’s a freedom to that. A purity. 

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Now everything has changed. 

The noise has arrived. Fingers will be pointed if he doesn’t become an All-Star. He’s earning the big bucks, so he better prove he deserves them. 

But Reaves is as unbothered as ever. 

He showed up to his first team-sanctioned media availability since penning his new deal with a noticeably longer beard than usual.  When a reporter jokingly asked him if he couldn’t find a razor this morning, he quipped, “Can’t afford it.”

But Reaves is as unbothered as ever.  Corey Sipkin for NY Post

When he was asked why he chose to return to the Lakers after declining his $14.9 million player option to become an unrestricted free agent, he talked about his lighthearted relationship with Luka Doncic. 

“He’s one of my best friends on this planet,” Reaves said. “Talk to him almost every single day. He sends me videos of his golf swing and asks me what he can do to get better. And I tell him I’m not a coach.”

For Reaves, this is still fun. 

He’s a guy from Newark, Arkansas, which has a population of fewer than 2,000 people. He has never cared about the spotlight. He just loves basketball. He’s embracing the ride.

This isn’t life or death. This isn’t become a star or you’re a loser. This is just a roller coaster he’s grateful to be riding.

Funny enough, James always saw Reaves’ potential. James watched his college highlights. He took him under his wing. He gave him confidence as he blossomed into one of the league’s biggest surprises. He was Reaves’ biggest advocate before leaving the Lakers in free agency earlier this month.

He’s a guy from Newark, Arkansas, which has a population of fewer than 2,000 people. He has never cared about the spotlight. He just loves basketball. He’s embracing the ride. Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post

“He’s kind of all I’ve ever known,” Reaves said. “Just him being around, joking around, acting like he’s 15. But that’s his decision and like I said [during a golf tournament] in Tahoe, anytime I’ve talked about it, I got nothing but love and respect for him, and, yeah, let’s play some golf soon.”

Reaves went from being shocked that he got to share the court with James to becoming one of the team’s biggest stars. 

He has arrived. 

And even though he’s under a different type of pressure than ever before, it’s obvious that’s more thrilling than daunting. 

This was never supposed to happen. 

And he’s going to enjoy every moment of it. 

“It’s been fun,” Reaves said. “I don’t really look back and reflect that much because I kind of just live in the moment, but one of these days I’ll sit down and really think about what all has actually happened because it’s kind of insane.”

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Bryce Harper says Home Run Derby will be his last 'no matter what'

Editor's note: Follow the MLB Home Run Derby live!

PHILADELPHIA — Sure, Bryce Harper is quite appreciative that commissioner Rob Manfred personally selected him to be in the All-Star Game in his home ballpark, but to think that his gesture would even remotely soften his opinion on whether the players should accept a salary cap, sorry, he’s not budging.

When asked Monday if he could foresee any scenario that the players union accepts a cap, Harper looking straight ahead, forcefully said: “No."

Harper, who shouted and swore at Manfred a year ago when he visited the Phillies clubhouse, telling him that he should leave if he even mentions a salary cap, insisted it’s up to the players to stick together and remind each other of previous generations that fought for them.

“I think the opportunity for players to get paid is what this is all about,’’ Harper said. “You know, that's why we have no cap, and what we we've done for so long, starting with Curt Flood. So, we owe it to the guys that have come before us to do the same thing, and all the young guys that are going to go through everything else.

“So, we're going to give it the best chance we can and give it the opportunity that we can to keep it safe."

Bryce Harper joined the Phillies before the 2019 season.

And, sorry, no matter how much Harper appreciated Manfred’s gesture, it has zero to do with the upcoming labor negotiations. Harper not only wants nothing to do with a salary cap, but is vehemently opposed by MLB’s proposal that high school players would be ineligible for the draft until turning 20.

This is coming from a guy who was on the cover of Sports Illustrated at 16, signed with the Washington Nationals as the No. 1 pick as a 17-year-old, and was in the big leagues at 19.

“Obviously, I think if you're in the top three rounds as a high-school kid," Harper said, “I think you should be able to do whatever you want. It would really be tough for a guy like [Baltimore Orioles infielder] Jackson Holliday to be the No. 1 pick and not get a chance to go to the big leagues at 19 or 18 if he gets the opportunity.

“I think each player should have the chance to make that decision based on them or their family."

Harper will gladly express that sentiment to Manfred if asked, saying that his All-Star selection has nothing to do with his views on the CBA.

“I think both of those things are so separate,’’ Harper said. “Obviously, CBA, ownership, players, things like that, it's very separate than what's going on in the season. I don't think any of us are really thinking about that [labor talks] right now.

“So, I think he just saw that I was having a great year, and he put me in. I'm definitely grateful for that. But I feel like also I deserve to be here, and I'm glad he saw it that way."

Harper, who was questioned by Dave Dombrowski, Phillies president of baseball operations after last season whether he could ever become an elite player again, has answered in a big way. He’s producing his best season since 2021. He hit .260 with 20 homers and 57 RBIs the first half with an .862 OPS, playing in a league-leading 97 games.

Harper has helped the Phillies recover after opening the season with a 9-19 record and falling 10 ½ games behind Atlanta in May. They now are just two games back with a 54-43 record. The Phillies are expected to be aggressive at the deadline looking for a right-handed bat and pitching, and if it makes things easier at the deadline, Harper has volunteered to move back to right field.

Harper has plenty of accolades in his career with nine All-Star Game appearances, two MVP awards and four Silver Sluggers, but never has he won a World Series. The Nationals won the World Series the year after he departed Washington for a 13-year, $330 million contract with the Phillies, but the coveted championship still eludes him.

“It's funny to hear Nats fans yell at me," Harper says, “and say, 'Hey, you know, you don't have a ring yet. we have one. Blah-blah.’ But I couldn't be more happy for the guys that I played with that got them. So, I understand fan bases. I understand what they're going to be like and all that. But I had fun there. I had success there. But it's built me to be a different player here in Philly as well.

“I'm glad I made the move here. I feel like it's helped me in my career playing in a place like this, and I just can't thank the Phillies for giving me that chance.’’

Harper has been in Philadelphia for 7 ½ years now, and despite being ringless, has no regrets. He loves being in Philly, embraces the tough fan base, and agreed to participate in the Home Run Derby one final time simply since it’s at Citizens Bank Park. His last appearance was in 2018 when the All-Star Game was played at Nationals Park in Washington.

“That's the reason why I wanted to do it,’’ he said. “I just wanted to enjoy it, just have fun. In 2018, I never wanted to do it again. But obviously, being here in Philly kind of changed my mind on that.

“So, this this will be my last one, no matter what."

In the meantime, he plans to spend the All-Star break as an ambassador for the city, privately recruiting potential free agents, and there to answer questions if anyone wants to be traded to the Phillies.

“I hope they really enjoy the city and really see what it's all about,’’ Harper said. “Obviously, it's a place not many guys want to come to because the fans are tough and they're all over you and stuff like that. But they're going to see how much love they get from these fans too, and so I hope they enjoy that.

“I hope everybody understands how great of a place Philly is, take it all in, and sees what Philly's all about. I’ll try to talk to some possible free agents and see what they think about this. Even guys that have no-trade clauses that are on the trade market right now, if they come up to me, I'll talk to them. I'm not going to go out of my way and do that. I don't think that's fair. But if they have questions, obviously I'm all ears."

Why stop with baseball? Why not recruit LeBron James for the Philadelphia 76ers?

“I mean, they got an opportunity,’’ Harper said. “They’ve got four guys who are really good. Got a great fan base.

“But I think he's going to go back to the [Cleveland] Cavs."

Harper, who’s still only 33 after nearly 14 years in the big leagues, took time to reminisce about his career during the All-Star Game media availability. He still vividly remembers his first All-Star Game being the last for Hall of Famer Chipper Jones, who he emulated, and now he’s with future Hall of Fame pitcher Justin Verlander, who also is appearing in his last All-Star Game.

“I actually asked for a jersey this past weekend when we were in Detroit," Harper said, “so I got one of his jerseys. He signed one for me, so I'm super appreciative of that. He's one of the best to ever do it. You know, three-time Cy Young, one-time MVP, 3,500 punchouts. I mean, just an incredible career. I mean, he's going to be a first-bound Hall of Famer, I'd imagine.

“Obviously, the game is going to miss him."

He talked about watching Juan Soto break into the big leagues with him and become one of the greatest hitters in the game, and even listed his favorite players’ swings of all time:

Kevin Youkilis: “I thought it was very different and weird, but he could bang.

Barry Bonds: “Obvious."

Sammy Sosa: “Really cool because he did his gallop to first base, which was awesome."

Mark McGuire: “His swing was so rear-legged, which was unbelievably cool.’’

Robinson Cano: “He just had one of the prettiest swings."

Ken Griffey Jr.: “Just a pretty swing."

And, yes, there is Soto, who became a star before his own eyes, and now is the highest-paid player in the game with his $765 million contract.

“He's one of the best ever to do it,’’ Harper said. “His swing, his talent, I think his eyeballs really played to his advantage. So, he gets in really good counts.

“I love watching him hit. It's crazy, lefty or righty (pitcher), doesn't matter. He's just very, very good at what he does.’’

And one day, well, Harper is going to find himself as one of those esteemed veterans at upcoming All-Star Games who everyone wants to gather around, too.

“I’ve got a long time to play, a long time to go," Harper says. “I think the reflection is more of just trying to enjoy each All-Star game because you never know when it's going to be your last one. I hope all the young guys really enjoy it because you know it goes really quick.

“I can't even think about being there at 19 years old in Kansas City, and being here at 33 years old in Philly. It's pretty incredible.’’

And before his carer ends, he not only wants that World Series ring, but also participate in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, too. He thoroughly believes that MLB and the union will permit major-league players to play for the first time, and he can’t wait to be part of it.

“I think it'll happen,’’ Harper said. “To tell you the truth, I think that's a big thing for baseball. If you want to keep growing this game internationally, which they do, being able to kind of do that at the highest level is the Olympics.

“I don't think there's any crowds or eyes that are bigger than the Olympics, TV-wise and everything else. I think it'd be great for the game.’’

And how can there be a USA Olympic Team without Harper?

“This is something I’ve always wanted,’’ Harper says. “It would be a dream come true."

Yep, just like the entirety of his baseball career.

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bryce Harper says Home Run Derby will be his last 'no matter what'

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Open Thread: 2026 Home Run Derby

Today is the Home Run Derby, arguably the best part of the All Star Break. We’ve got a new format this year, removing the timer from the last couple seasons and going back to a swing limit.

Here are this year’s participants, which includes two Phillies (in Philadelphia) and a Yankee but still manages to be a very fun group of mashers:

  1. Kyle Schwarber, Phillies
  2. Bryce Harper, Phillies
  3. Junior Caminero, Rays
  4. Munetaka Murakami, White Sox
  5. Jordan Walker, Cardinals
  6. Jac Caglianone, Royals
  7. Willson Contreras, Red Sox
  8. Ben Rice, Yankees

The Home Run Derby is streaming exclusively on Netflix, with pre-event coverage starting at 7:00 PM ET and the main event starting at 8:00 PM.

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2026 MLB Home Run Derby, Monday 7/13, 7 p.m. CT

Major League Baseball signed a bunch of new TV contracts this year.

As a result, the Home Run Derby is being carried exclusively on Netflix. If you don’t subscribe to Netflix, well, you’ll just have to follow along here.

Here are the eight participants:

Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper will certainly be the hometown favorites at Citizens Bank Park. Harper won the 2018 Home Run Derby as the hometown guy in Nationals Park in Washington — with Schwarber finishing second. Schwarber also participated in 2022.

The format of the Derby has changed this year. Details in this MLB.com article; here are the basics:

Instead of trying to hit as many homers as possible during timed rounds, each of the eight Derby participants will start each round with a finite number of swings: 20 in Round 1, 15 in Round 2 and 15 again in the final round.

All swings will count against a player’s swing allotment, whether it results in a homer or not. However, a player who homers on his final swing of a round can keep swinging until he doesn’t hit one out.

The players with the top four home run totals from the first round will advance to the semifinals, where they’ll be seeded based on their first-round homer totals. They will face off head-to-head (No. 1 vs. No. 4 and No. 2 vs. No. 3) to determine the two finalists.

Got all that? Cubs fans can root for old friends and 2016 World Series champions, Schwarber and Willson Contreras, now a member of the Red Sox.

Enjoy the festivities!

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MLB Home Run Derby 2026 discussion thread

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 09: A detail shot of the Home Run Derby Chain during the 2026 Capital One All-Star Village hard hat tour at Capital One All-Star Village at the Pennsylvania Convention Center on Thursday, July 9, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Allie Ippolito/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

With a new format and a new platform, the Home Run Derby will take place tonight at 6 p.m. MDT at Citizens Ballpark in Philadelphia. 

With player health and audience attention spans in mind, the format will change this year to prevent long rounds with 40-plus homers and contests that take longer than a nine-inning game. The biggest change is that there will be three rounds, and instead of timed rounds and a finite number of outs per round, each round will consist of a set number of swings for all eight participants: 20 in Round 1, 15 in Round 2 and 15 in the final round. However, if a player hits a homer on their last swing, they can keep swinging until they stop homering.

The players with the top four home run totals from the first round will advance to the semifinals, where they’ll be seeded based on their first-round homer totals. They will face off head-to-head (No. 1 vs. No. 4 and No. 2 vs. No. 3) to determine the two finalists.

In the event of ties, they will be broken by home run distance, with the player who hit the longest homer in the first round. In the final two rounds, three-swing swing-offs will settle any ties until a winner is determined.

In the past, players risked wearing themselves out by swinging hard and rapidly in early rounds. MLB has tried out different formats in past years and time constraints to make it go faster, but neither worked as well as intended.

In addition, for the first time in the home run contest’s history, the Derby will be streamed live on Netflix.

Here’s a look at the 2026 HR Derby field:

PlayerTeamAgeCurrent HRsDerbies
Junior CamineroRays23282nd
Jac CaglianoneRoyals23151st
Ben RiceYankees27291st
Willson ContrerasRed Sox34201st
Jordan WalkerCardinals24221st
Bryce HarperPhillies33203rd
Kyle SchwarberPhillies33323rd
Munetaka MurakamiWhite Sox26201st

Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber will each be making their third Derby performance, and will have the Phillies home crowd cheering them on. Harper is the only hitter who has won the contest before (2018 as a Washington National at Nationals Park). Junior Caminero is the only participant who competed in the 2025 HR Derby. 

For the fifth consecutive season, the Rockies don’t have anyone in the HR Derby. This is despite the fact that Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman, their lone All-Star, has 27 home runs, which ranks sixth-most in MLB and is more than five of the 2026 participants.

Trevor Story was the last Colorado player in the Derby, and he hit 20 in front of his home crowd at Coors Field in 2021.

YearPlayerTotal HRsFinish
1994Dante Bichette3Round 1
1996Ellis Burks1Round 1
1997Larry Walker19Runner-up
1998Vinny Castilla12Round 2
1999Larry Walker2Round 1
2001Todd Helton2Round 1
2007Matt Holliday13Round 2
2012Carlos González4Round 1
2013Michael Cuddyer15Round 2
2014Justin Morneau2Round 1
2014Troy Tulowitzki6Round 2
2016Carlos González12Round 1
2017Charlie Blackmon14Round 1
2021Trevor Story20Round 1

Here’s a look at the last 10 years of Derby winners:

First Pitch: 6 p.m. MDT

Streaming: Netflix

Lineup:

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It’s Home Run Derby time!

CINCINNATI, OH - JULY 13: National League All-Star Todd Frazier #21 of the Cincinnati Reds celebrates with the trophy after winning the Gillette Home Run Derby presented by Head & Shoulders at the Great American Ball Park on July 13, 2015 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Major League Baseball’s All Star celebration technically got underway yesterday even though they basically buried the Futures Game from existence by playing it concurrent with actual MLB games – Alfredo Duno started, caught 4.0 IP, and hit a 400 foot fly ball to CF that was caught.

Tonight, though, comes the Home Run Derby, and MLB isn’t about to take that lightly in the marketing department. In fact, they’ve gone out of their way to hype the revamped format, and this edition will be carried by Netflix and Netflix only.

The event gets underway at 8 PM ET. It’ll feature Red Sox slugger Willson Contreras, Jordan Walker of St. Louis, Jac Caglianone from Kansas City, Munetaka Murakami of the Pale Hose, Yankees slugger Ben Rice, Tampa’s Junior Caminero, and a pair of Philadelphia homers in Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper (the event and All Star Game are in Philadelphia, if you weren’t aware).

A fun twist this year is that there’s no longer a timed clock against which the sluggers must face – this time, they’ll get a finite number of swings and the most dingers launched on those swings takes the cake. Longest homer will be the tiebreaker should there be a tie in Round 1, while a three-swing swing-off will break any ties in subsequent rounds.

We’ll see if it makes the event more watchable!

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2026 Home Run Derby Live Discussion

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 13: Jac Caglianone #14 of the Kansas City Royals speaks to the media during the 2026 American League Media Availability at Citizens Bank Park on Monday, July 13, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The 2026 Home Run Derby will take place tonight in Philadelphia. It starts at 7pm US Central time and will be shown on Netflix. For an explainer of everything you need to know about the Derby, you can read Kris Willis at the mothership here.

A few key things to note:

  1. Jac Caglianone is participating. The large man can whack the ball really hard, so I’m hoping he can unleash his full power tonight. Would be super fun to see batting practice balls go out ball after ball after ball. He’s hit 15 home runs so far this season has a .201 ISO for power. He went on a huge hot streak in June and is capable of beating anyone in the field.
  2. The format is changing – the timer is gone. It will be swing-based, with 20 swings allotted in round 1, 15 in round 2, and 15 in round 3. I guess the hope is that players’s stamina will be pressured less.
    • The top 4 guys in round 1 will advance to round 2. Then we’ll get two winners from round 2 to advance to the finals.

The derby when Bobby Witt Jr participated was, for me, an exercise in joy. He looked like he was having the absolute time of his life and I was beaming while watching him. It helped that it was a very close finish. I hope Cags can replicate the joy and give us a little beacon of light in this dark season.

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MLB Home Run Derby Gameday Thread

ATLANTA, GA - JULY 14: A view of the T-Mobile Home Run Derby trophy during the 2025 T-Mobile Home Run Derby at Truist Park on Monday, July 14, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

I’m not sure how much traction this will actually get, since it’s being shown on Netflix this year. We canceled our Netflix subscription in January last year, after they announced another price hike, and really haven’t particularly missed it since then. So we will not be watching the Derby this year. But some of you might, and if so, please feel free to use the thread to discuss it. There are some interesting changes to the format this year, so below find discussion of that, the contenders, and so forth.

How to watch

  • Date: Monday, July 13
  • Place: Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia
  • Time: 5 p.m. Arizona time (the pre-derby coverage begins an hour earliers)
  • Watch: Netflix. That’s it. No other (legal) option.

Fun fact, the last time there was a HR Derby in Philadelphia was back in 1999. The finalists that year ended up being Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire. Bonds took the title after homering on his three final swings. He did not have to pee into a cup afterward.

The participants

  • Jac Caglianone, Kansas City Royals
  • Junior Caminero, Tampa Bay Rays
  • Willson Contreras, Boston Red Sox
  • Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies
  • Munetaka Murakami, Chicago White Sox
  • Ben Rice, New York Yankees
  • Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia Phillies
  • Jordan Walker, St. Louis Cardinals

While Schwarber is the MLB home-run leader, with 31, there are a few players here who haven’t exactly stood out in the first half. Eighteen players have hit more than twenty home-runs this year. Half the field – Harper, Contreras, Murakami and something called a Caglianone – are not among them. The last-name is ranked equal 49th in homers so far. Also, if you want to cheer on the NL, but do not wish to do so for the Phillies (who inexplicably have two representatives – where was this benevolence in 2011?), you get Jordan Walker. He is the only other representative from the Senior Circuit.

The format

Things have been switched up this year. Most notably? Gone is the clock – it’s back to swings. Here’s what happens.

  • Round 1. All eight players compete. The four hitting the most home-runs move on to the semi-finals.
  • Semi-finals. #1 will face #4, and #2 will face #3, head-to-head.
  • Final. The winner of the semi-finals will meet for the title.
  • 20 swings in Round 1, 15 swings thereafter.
  • If you homer on your final swing, you can keep going until you do not.
  • Tiebreakers: Longest homer distance (Round 1); a swing-off of three swings (semis and final)

The odds

Home Run Derby Champion

  • Kyle Schwarber             +325
  • Junior Caminero            +400
  • Munetaka Murakami     +550
  • Ben Rice                       +600
  • Bryce Harper                +700
  • Jordan Walker               +700
  • Jac Caglianone              +750
  • Willson Contreras         +1600

Most consecutive HRs by any player to start Round 1

  • Over/Under      5 homers

Longest HR streak by any player after 20th swing of Round 1

  • Over/Under      4 homers

Total home runs hit

  • Over/Under      118.5 homers

Distance of longest HR hit

  • Over/Under      484.5 feet

Most HRs by any player in Round 1

  • Over/Under      13.5 homers

Round 1 Home Run Totals

  • Ben Rice                       o/u 9.5
  • Bryce Harper                o/u 8.5
  • Jac Caglianone              o/u 9.5
  • Jordan Walter               o/u 9.5
  • Junior Caminero            o/u 9.5
  • Kyle Schwarber             o/u 10.5
  • Munetaka Murakami     o/u 9.5
  • Willson Contreras         o/u 8.5

Feel free to place your wagers in SnakePit dollars in the comments!

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Cavaliers Reacts Survey: Rating Donovan Mitchell’s max extension

Boston, MA - October 29: Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell on the court in the first quarter at TD Garden on October 29, 2025. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cavs fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are all in on the Donovan Mitchell business. They’ve shown a total commitment to Mitchell as their franchise cornerstone, inking him to a max contract extension worth nearly $300 million dollars.

We want to hear your reaction.

Mitchell is set to make $272 million dollars during his four-year extension, which starts in 2027. He’ll make more than $60 million a year, with a gargantuan $75.5 million dollar player option for the 2031-31 NBA season.

Here’s a year-by-year breakdown of the deal.

  • 2027-28: $60.9 million
  • 2028-29: 65.8 million
  • 2029-30: $70.6 million
  • 2030-31 (player option): $75.5 million

Mitchell will be 34 years old by the time he reaches that player option. Causing some to question if this deal could have a bittersweet ending with an undersized and aging guard.

Nonetheless, Cleveland isn’t surprising anyone with this decision. They’ve held Mitchell as their most important asset for years, prioritizing his needs above everyone else on the roster. He’s their guy, and this extension is another sign of commitment.

Mitchell’s value speaks for itself. At face value, you’re looking at a player who could finish his career as the second-best Cavalier in franchise history. That’s the type of guy you don’t want to lowball. Cleveland hasn’t had many superstar athletes who have embraced the city more than Mitchell himself.

Finally, there’s one more thing for you to take into account before answering our question.

Mitchell could have waited one more year to sign this extension. In that case, he could have secured a fifth year of the deal worth $80 million dollars. I don’t want to predict the future, but I doubt Mitchell can negotiate his way to an $80 million dollar payday in 2032. So, you can argue he took a significant pay cut in the backend of this extension to grant stability and peace of mind to everyone involved.

Mitchell didn’t delay. He signed the extension as soon as possible, and saved the Cavs money in the long run. That’s important to remember.

Now, I leave the decision in your hands, Fear the Sword reader. Was this the right move for Cleveland?

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Life after LeBron: Austin Reaves embracing new role on new-look Lakers roster

Lakers guard Austin Reaves controls the ball during a game.
Austin Reaves says he still is processing LeBron James' decision to leave the Lakers but is happy with the offseason moves the team made. (Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)

From the time Austin Reaves joined the Lakers in 2021 as an undrafted prospect, his basketball life centered around playing with a savant in LeBron James.

That no longer will be the case.

Reaves re-signed with the Lakers on a four-year, $180-million deal, but James decided to move on as he prepares to play an unprecedented 24th season.

Reaves was stunned when he heard about James’ decision while playing golf in Lake Tahoe. Nearly two weeks later, Reaves says he still is trying to process the development.

“I kind of was thinking about it last night when I got here,” Reaves said Monday in his first news conference since re-signing. “Starting the season without him being on the team is going to be different for me. He’s kind of all I’ve ever known. Just him being around, joking around, acting like he’s 15. But that’s his decision and like I said in Tahoe, anytime I’ve talked about it, I got nothing but love and respect for him and yeah, let’s play some golf soon.”

The contract Reaves signed was the richest in NBA history for an undrafted player. At 28 and entering his sixth season, Reaves wanted to stay in L.A.

Read more:Lakers sign Ziaire Williams to one-year, $3-million deal to bolster their depth

“I wanted to be a Laker the whole time. We had that period from when the season ended until the first [of July] to get something done and we figured it out before then,” he said. “My heart was in L.A. the whole time.”

Reaves will become one of the de facto leaders of the Lakers along with Luka Doncic. The two once again will be one of the most dynamic backcourts in the NBA.

“Obviously my relationship with the guys that were on the team last year,” Reaves said of why he wanted to stay. “And then Luka. I mean, he’s one of my best friends on this planet. Talk to him almost every single day. He sends me videos of his golf swing and asks me what he can do to get better and I tell him I’m not a coach.”

The Lakers have overhauled the roster: All the players who started alongside Reaves in the playoffs last spring are gone. With the signing of former Brooklyn Nets forward Ziaire Williams on Monday, the Lakers have eight new players, all of them arriving either via trades, free agency or the draft.

“They’re good,” Reaves said of the moves. “Obviously, I’ve been with the guys that are leaving for a couple years and with Bron for five years and I hate to see guys like that go. But the pieces that are coming in, I’m very excited about and I’m happy to get started today and see where it goes.”

Walker Kessler dunks during a game between the Utah Jazz and Cleveland Cavaliers on March 23.
Walker Kessler dunks during a game between the Utah Jazz and Cleveland Cavaliers on March 23. (Rob Gray / Associated Press)

One of those new players is Walker Kessler, a 7-foot-2 center the Lakers felt fit best around Doncic and Reaves because he’s a lob threat, rim-protector and good defender and is developing his three-point shooting.

The Lakers got him from the Utah Jazz in a trade and then signed him to a four-year, $130-million contract. The Lakers sent out two unprotected first-round picks (2031, 2033) and two first-round pick swaps (2028, 2030).

Kessler, who played only five games last season after having surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder, is aware the Lakers paid a big price to get him.

“It definitely makes you feel a certain way when you know an organization believes in you,” Kessler said Monday in his introduction. “And I think what they’ve invested, they’re showing that belief in a monetary value, not just with money, but like you said, assets. And for me, I’m somebody that if I know that they have that belief in me, I’m gonna run through a brick wall for them. That’s just how I’ve been wired my whole life and it definitely makes it a lot easier to go out there and compete for a team.”

Power forward Sandro Mamukelashvili could become a fan favorite, in part because of the tattoo he has on his lower left leg — a No. 24 in honor of Kobe Bryant.

Mamukelashvili, who signed a four-year, $52-million deal, averaged 11.2 points last season with the Toronto Raptors and shot 52.3% from the field, including 38.9% from three-point range.

“I got a Mamba Mentality tattoo. I just love his mindset,” Mamukelashvili said. “Growing up, I used to always say, “Mah-moo Mentality!’ So, I know it’s a little far from each other. But we are getting closer.”

When guard Collin Sexton, another new Laker, was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2018, James left and signed with the Lakers. When Sexton signed a two-year, $19-million deal with the Lakers this month, James left again.

Sexton could only laugh about missing out on playing with James.

Read more:Lakers' Arthur Kaluma erupts for 34 points in breakout Summer League performance

“He’s just leaving every time I arrive,” Sexton said, laughing. “That’s what it is. No, but one of the other coaches made the same joke yesterday. It’s cool, I know. I’ve always wanted to team up with him for sure, but it’s definitely cool knowing him and just having normal conversations and stuff, so that’s cool.”

Sexton averaged 15.4 points and shot 48.5% last season with Chicago and Charlotte. He’s ready for whatever role coach JJ Redick and the Lakers want for him.

“They believe in me,” he said. “And I just feel like at the end of the day, whenever a coach believes in you and like he said, he’s going to be hard on me and yelling and screaming at me. So, I like that. I think that’s what gets the best from me.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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MLB Home Run Derby Live Discussion

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JULY 5: Jordan Walker #18 of the St Louis Cardinals bats in a game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on July 5, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The MLB Home Run Derby lineup is set and the St. Louis Cardinals finally have a representative again. Jordan Walker will be competing with 7 others in the competition that will be streaming live on Netflix starting at 6pm central time. Here’s the lineup:

Kyle Schwarber (Phillies)
Ben Rice (Yankees)
Junior Caminero (Rays)
Jordan Walker (Cardinals)
Willson Contreras (Red Sox)
Bryce Harper (Phillies)
Munetaka Murakami (White Sox)
Jac Caglianone (Royals)

According to MLB.com, here are the rules for this year’s competition:

It is no longer time based

Each competitor gets 20 swings in the 1st round, 15 in the 2nd round and 15 in the 3rd round

Every swing counts no matter if it’s a home run or not

If a player hits a home run on his final swing, he can continue until he fails to hit a home run

Top 4 home run totals in the 1st round advance to semi-finals where competitors will be ranked based on 1st round totals

Ties in the 1st round will be decided by home run distance – Ties in semi-finals and finals decided by 3-swing swing-off

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Mikey Bell Drafted by San Francisco Giants

Congratulations to the two-time West Coast Conference Player of the Year, redshirt senior third baseman Mikey Bell, who was picked by the San Francisco Giants with the No. 568 pick in the 19th round of the 2026 MLB Draft.

The former Gonzaga Bulldog previously announced that he’s transferring to the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC. As long as he doesn’t sign the contract with San Francisco, Bell can play his final season of college eligibility.

The 6-2, 200-pound slugger hit .369 with 24 doubles, 20 home runs, 92 runs batted in, and 51 walks during his time in Spokane, Washington. Bell finished with a .448 on-base percentage, .610 slugging percentage, and 1.057 on-base plus slugging percentage across 107 games.

The Fresno, California, native started his college career on the junior college level at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo, California. The Slipper Still Fits spoke with the 22-year-old before the start of the 2026 season, and what a treat it was.

Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho

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2027 Fantasy Baseball Top 450: James Wood, Junior Caminero enter next year's top five

As is an All-Star break tradition, here's a look at where I think things currently stand for next season. I planned on a top 400, but I still wound up with too many names I wanted to squeeze in, so 450 is what you're getting. This is supposed to be a fun exercise, so please don't be too upset if you think I have No. 259 ranked 100 spots too high or too low.

Rankings are for 5x5 leagues and are for 2027 only. Also listed is each player's ranking in the 2026 preseason top 300 and the most recent top 300 update from July 6. I've tried to update positions with my best guess at 2027 eligibility, so there's no more Ben Rice at catcher or Luis García Jr. at second base. Players listed without teams will be free agents at season's end, and players whose teams have asterisks are on options that may or may not be exercised. I don't bother with the asterisks for players whose options are obviously getting picked up, like Ronald Acuña Jr. and Andrés Muñoz.

⚾️ Baseball is back on NBC: MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason and much more.

2027 Fantasy Baseball Top 450 overall ranks

2027Top 450TeamPosPos Rk2026July 6
1 Bobby Witt Jr. Royals SS 1 3 2
2 Aaron Judge Yankees OF 1 1 102
3 Shohei Ohtani Dodgers DH 1 2 3
4 James Wood Nationals OF 2 30 13
5 Junior Caminero Rays 3B 1 21 8
6 Nick Kurtz Athletics 1B 1 16 6
7 Yordan Alvarez Astros OF 3 25 1
8 Juan Soto Mets OF 4 5 4
9 Ronald Acuna Jr. Braves OF 5 4 19
10 Elly De La Cruz Reds SS 2 13 5
11 Julio Rodriguez Mariners OF 6 8 14
12 Tarik Skubal SP 1 7 7
13 Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Blue Jays 1B 2 9 21
14 Jacob Misiorowski Brewers SP 2 79 23
15 Jackson Chourio Brewers OF 7 35 15
16 Fernando Tatis Jr. Padres 2B 1 15 17
17 Cristopher Sanchez Phillies SP 3 26 10
18 Gunnar Henderson Orioles SS 3 12 27
19 Jose Ramirez Guardians 3B 2 6 51
20 Corbin Carroll Diamondbacks OF 8 14 11
21 Kyle Tucker Dodgers OF 9 10 16
22 Pete Alonso Orioles 1B 3 17 12
23 Kyle Schwarber Phillies DH 2 20 9
24 Pete Crow-Armstrong Cubs OF 10 32 24
25 CJ Abrams Nationals SS 4 37 25
26 Cam Schlittler Yankees SP 4 182 46
27 Zach Neto Angels SS 5 18 22
28 Yoshinobu Yamamoto Dodgers SP 5 28 20
29 Paul Skenes Pirates SP 6 11 37
30 Sal Stewart Reds 3B 3 48 30
31 Bryce Harper Phillies 1B 4 38 18
32 Brice Turang Brewers 2B 2 56 29
33 Logan Gilbert Mariners SP 7 22 26
34 Michael Harris II Braves OF 11 31 33
35 Ketel Marte Diamondbacks 2B 3 27 31
36 Oneil Cruz Pirates OF 12 51 74
37 Francisco Lindor Mets SS 6 24 36
38 Garrett Crochet Red Sox SP 8 19 189
39 Mason Miller Padres RP 1 41 28
40 Matt Olson Braves 1B 5 75 32
41 Trea Turner Phillies SS 7 23 35
42 Jordan Walker Cardinals OF 13 NR 44
43 Bryan Woo Mariners SP 9 34 40
44 Zack Wheeler Phillies SP 10 81 41
45 Freddie Freeman Dodgers 1B 6 36 34
46 Chase Burns Reds SP 11 154 98
47 Shohei Ohtani Dodgers SP 12 60 49
48 JJ Wetherholt Cardinals 2B 4 173 110
49 Jhoan Duran Phillies RP 2 66 43
50 Dylan Cease Blue Jays SP 13 69 52
51 Roman Anthony Red Sox OF 14 49 172
52 Chris Sale Braves SP 14 58 38
53 Cody Bellinger Yankees OF 15 53 39
54 Gerrit Cole Yankees SP 15 118 54
55 Riley Greene Tigers OF 16 91 55
56 Cade Smith Guardians RP 3 57 56
57 Joe Ryan Twins SP 16 67 45
58 Ben Rice Yankees 1B 7 83 50
59 Josh Hader Astros RP 4 97 48
60 Hunter Greene Reds SP 17 215 80
61 Jeremy Pena Astros SS 8 73 59
62 Jazz Chisholm Jr. 2B 5 40 42
63 Max Fried Yankees SP 18 42 100
64 Kevin McGonigle Tigers SS 9 224 94
65 Ivan Herrera Cardinals C 1 107 60
66 Jacob deGrom Rangers SP 19 55 47
67 Drake Baldwin Braves C 2 130 90
68 Tyler Soderstrom Athletics OF 17 74 91
69 Logan Webb Giants SP 20 68 65
70 Aroldis Chapman Red Sox* RP 5 61 53
71 Andy Pages Dodgers OF 18 139 76
72 Nolan McLean Mets SP 21 105 78
73 Wyatt Langford Rangers OF 19 47 123
74 Hunter Brown Astros SP 22 65 69
75 Jarren Duran Red Sox OF 20 39 75
76 Dylan Crews Nationals OF 21 198 117
77 Shea Langeliers Athletics C 3 111 63
78 Drew Rasmussen Rays SP 23 93 73
79 Andres Munoz Mariners RP 6 77 64
80 Alec Burleson Cardinals 1B 8 112 70
81 Bo Bichette Mets* SS 10 64 58
82 Mike Trout Angels OF 22 99 68
83 Seiya Suzuki OF 23 88 71
84 Xavier Edwards Marlins 2B 6 96 61
85 Austin Riley Braves 3B 4 29 77
86 Brent Rooker Athletics DH 3 43 NR
87 Konnor Griffin Pirates SS 12 181 114
88 Jesus Luzardo Phillies SP 24 102 79
89 Manny Machado Padres 3B 5 45 66
90 Sonny Gray Red Sox* SP 25 85 86
91 George Kirby Mariners SP 26 46 62
92 Byron Buxton Twins OF 24 89 72
93 Eury Perez Marlins SP 27 98 122
94 Miguel Vargas White Sox 3B 6 214 83
95 Corey Seager Rangers SS 11 76 145
96 Mookie Betts Dodgers SS 13 80 85
97 Louis Varland Blue Jays RP 7 NR 87
98 Jackson Merrill Padres OF 25 52 99
99 Rafael Devers Giants 1B 9 87 97
100 Munetaka Murakami White Sox 1B 10 177 129
101 Blake Snell Dodgers SP 28 121 108
102 Bryan Reynolds Pirates OF 26 108 67
103 Kyle Stowers Marlins OF 27 109 89
104 Josh Naylor Mariners 1B 11 78 92
105 Cal Raleigh Mariners C 4 33 88
106 Devin Williams Mets RP 8 70 84
107 Yandy Diaz Rays 1B 12 141 82
108 Willson Contreras Red Sox 1B 13 114 111
109 David Bednar RP 9 84 81
110 Framber Valdez Tigers SP 29 63 93
111 Kyle Bradish Orioles SP 30 90 119
112 Maikel Garcia Royals 3B 7 44 159
113 Kyle Harrison Brewers SP 31 NR 103
114 Edwin Diaz Dodgers RP 10 50 208
115 Daylen Lile Nationals OF 28 116 109
116 Braxton Ashcraft Pirates SP 32 276 162
117 William Contreras Brewers C 5 123 101
118 Parker Messick Guardians SP 33 259 107
119 Luke Keaschall Twins 2B 7 82 154
120 Luis Robert Jr. Mets* OF 29 71 156
121 Trey Yesavage Blue Jays SP 34 237 130
122 Nico Hoerner Cubs 2B 8 122 105
123 Bryce Miller Mariners SP 35 187 57
124 Hunter Goodman Rockies C 6 145 104
125 Brandon Nimmo Rangers OF 30 106 106
126 Travis Bazzana Guardians 2B 9 NR 157
127 Gavin Williams Guardians SP 36 229 124
128 Payton Tolle Red Sox SP 37 NR 167
129 Samuel Basallo Orioles C 7 NR 259
130 Felix Bautista Orioles RP 11 NR NR
131 Geraldo Perdomo Diamondbacks SS 14 59 118
132 Kade Anderson Mariners SP 38 NR NR
133 Raisel Iglesias RP 12 124 112
134 Carson Benge Mets OF 31 290 180
135 Jo Adell Angels OF 32 104 115
136 Max Meyer Marlins SP 39 289 138
137 Jac Caglianone Royals OF 33 299 236
138 Michael Busch Cubs 1B 14 125 128
139 Kevin Gausman SP 40 142 96
140 Randy Arozarena OF 34 178 143
141 Tommy Edman Dodgers 2B 10 176 147
142 Ranger Suarez Red Sox SP 41 131 135
143 Justin Steele Cubs SP 42 250 NR
144 Jackson Holliday Orioles 2B 11 158 193
145 MacKenzie Gore Rangers SP 43 134 133
146 Vinnie Pasquantino Royals 1B 15 62 273
147 Charlie Condon Rockies OF 35 NR NR
148 Cam Smith Astros OF 36 NR 174
149 Jonathan Aranda Rays 1B 16 218 144
150 River Ryan Dodgers SP 44 NR NR
151 Wilyer Abreu Red Sox OF 37 169 141
152 Otto Lopez Marlins SS 15 191 113
153 Brandon Marsh Phillies OF 38 264 139
154 Christian Yelich Brewers DH 4 95 116
155 Sandy Alcantara Marlins* SP 45 192 148
156 George Springer DH 5 54 95
157 Jose Altuve Astros 2B 12 86 134
158 Tyler Glasnow Dodgers SP 46 144 203
159 Shane McClanahan Rays SP 47 160 120
160 Trevor Megill Brewers RP 13 127 146
161 Sam Antonacci White Sox 2B 13 NR 163
162 Alex Bregman Cubs 3B 8 137 125
163 Nathan Eovaldi Rangers SP 48 151 132
164 Corbin Burnes Diamondbacks* SP 49 NR NR
165 Isaac Paredes Astros 3B 9 172 149
166 Spencer Schwellenbach Braves SP 50 220 NR
167 Jordan Westburg Orioles 3B 10 248 NR
168 Ian Happ OF 39 152 140
169 Ceddanne Rafaela Red Sox OF 40 120 131
170 Daniel Palencia Cubs RP 14 92 179
171 Colson Montgomery White Sox SS 16 174 170
172 Jared Jones Pirates SP 51 NR 207
173 Alec Bohm 3B 11 117 137
174 Shota Imanaga SP 52 149 136
175 Kazuma Okamoto Blue Jays 3B 12 212 152
176 Christian Scott Mets SP 53 NR 181
177 Luis Arraez 2B 14 217 155
178 Bryce Eldridge Giants 1B 17 NR 210
179 Ryan Sloan Mariners SP 54 NR NR
180 Reid Detmers Angels SP 55 256 186
181 Teoscar Hernandez Dodgers OF 41 113 121
182 Logan Henderson Brewers SP 56 277 165
183 Tanner Bibee Guardians SP 57 126 150
184 Luis Garcia Jr. 1B 18 170 160
185 Bryson Stott Phillies 2B 15 150 142
186 Carlos Rodon Yankees SP 58 204 286
187 Christian Walker Astros 1B 19 265 126
188 Dansby Swanson Cubs SS 17 164 158
189 Trevor Story Red Sox SS 18 133 247
190 Jacob Wilson Athletics SS 19 128 242
191 Robert Suarez Braves RP 15 281 NR
192 Nick Pivetta Padres* SP 59 129 NR
193 Esmerlyn Valdez Pirates OF 42 NR NR
194 Cole Carrigg Rockies OF 43 NR 228
195 Brandon Lowe 2B 16 210 197
196 Chase DeLauter Guardians OF 44 NR 227
197 Garrett Mitchell Brewers OF 45 NR 175
198 Ben Brown Cubs SP 60 NR NR
199 Heliot Ramos Giants OF 46 209 204
200 Jung Hoo Lee Giants OF 47 157 169
201 Ryan Helsley Orioles* RP 16 115 278
202 Joshua Baez Cardinals OF 48 NR NR
203 Caleb Durbin Red Sox 3B 13 159 176
204 Jasson Dominguez Yankees OF 49 NR 234
205 Gabriel Moreno Diamondbacks C 8 231 185
206 Grant Taylor White Sox RP 17 NR 214
207 Josue De Paula Dodgers OF 50 NR NR
208 Bubba Chandler Pirates SP 61 207 226
209 Freddy Peralta SP 62 138 127
210 Andrew Vaughn Brewers 1B 20 155 245
211 Jacob Latz Rangers RP 18 NR 164
212 Dillon Dingler Tigers C 9 NR 173
213 Gage Jump Athletics SP 63 NR 254
214 Daulton Varsho OF 51 119 153
215 Kyle Karros Rockies 3B 14 NR NR
216 A.J. Ewing Mets OF 52 NR 211
217 Brendan Donovan Mariners 3B 15 183 217
218 Josh Jung Rangers 3B 16 245 190
219 Taylor Ward OF 53 189 191
220 Ryan Waldschmidt Diamondbacks OF 54 NR NR
221 Max Muncy Dodgers 3B 17 206 151
222 Cade Cavalli Nationals SP 64 NR NR
223 Willy Adames Giants SS 20 163 178
224 Gleyber Torres 2B 17 180 243
225 Jake Bauers 1B 21 NR 166
226 Casey Schmitt Giants 2B 18 NR 202
227 Taj Bradley Twins SP 65 NR 266
228 Michael King Padres* SP 66 179 177
229 Ozzie Albies Braves 2B 19 262 161
230 Noelvi Marte Reds OF 55 94 184
231 Didier Fuentes Braves SP 67 NR NR
232 Henry Bolte Athletics OF 56 NR 206
233 Xander Bogaerts Padres SS 21 194 194
234 Bryan Baker Rays RP 19 NR 168
235 Chandler Simpson Rays OF 57 213 183
236 JJ Bleday Reds OF 58 NR 213
237 Jose Soriano Angels SP 68 NR 222
238 Matthew Boyd Cubs* SP 69 166 187
239 Jordan Lawlar Diamondbacks OF 59 203 NR
240 Kaelen Culpepper Twins SS 22 NR NR
241 Pablo Lopez Twins SP 70 NR NR
242 Matt McLain Reds SS 23 103 205
243 Trent Grisham OF 60 200 192
244 Ryan O’Hearn Pirates 1B 22 NR 219
245 Troy Melton Tigers SP 71 NR 225
246 Joshua Kuroda-Grauer Athletics 3B 18 NR NR
247 Abner Uribe Brewers RP 20 197 284
248 Justin Wrobleski Dodgers SP 72 NR 201
249 Spencer Steer Reds 1B 23 NR 215
250 Addison Barger Blue Jays OF 61 186 NR
251 Josh Bell Twins* 1B 24 230 212
252 Riley O’Brien Cardinals RP 21 243 200
253 Ryan Weathers Yankees SP 73 286 220
254 Ernie Clement Blue Jays SS 24 251 209
255 Masyn Winn Cardinals SS 25 223 235
256 Ezequiel Tovar Rockies SS 26 148 256
257 Spencer Strider Braves SP 74 263 NR
258 Spencer Torkelson Tigers 1B 25 216 240
259 Casey Mize SP 75 NR 238
260 Leo De Vries Athletics SS 27 NR NR
261 Joey Cantillo Guardians SP 76 NR 246
262 Lawrence Butler Athletics OF 62 242 239
263 Jackson Jobe Tigers SP 77 NR NR
264 Jesus Sanchez Blue Jays OF 63 292 NR
265 Royce Lewis Twins 3B 19 238 233
266 Jakob Marsee Marlins OF 64 140 198
267 Hector Rodriguez Reds OF 65 NR NR
268 Nick Martinez Rays* SP 78 246 237
269 Nolan Schanuel Angels 1B 26 221 223
270 Colt Keith Tigers 3B 20 227 282
271 Lars Nootbaar Cardinals OF 66 NR 196
272 Brandon Woodruff SP 79 161 289
273 Steven Kwan Guardians OF 67 162 216
274 Matt Chapman Giants 3B 21 196 229
275 Nick Lodolo Reds SP 80 184 248
276 Jorge Polanco Mets DH 6 135 296
277 Emerson Hancock Mariners SP 81 NR 241
278 Adley Rutschman Orioles C 10 261 232
279 Walker Jenkins Twins OF 68 NR NR
280 TJ Rumfield Rockies 1B 27 NR 231
281 Anthony Volpe Yankees SS 28 235 NR
282 Shane Baz Orioles SP 82 257 263
283 Emilio Pagan Reds* RP 22 143 195
284 Kerry Carpenter Tigers OF 69 167 218
285 Brenton Doyle Rockies OF 70 132 NR
286 Jacob Melton Rays OF 71 NR NR
287 Nathaniel Lowe 1B 28 NR 276
288 Ralphy Velazquez Guardians 1B 29 NR NR
289 Will Warren Yankees SP 83 NR 253
290 Matt Shaw Cubs OF 72 NR NR
291 Max Clark Tigers OF 73 NR NR
292 Brett Baty Mets 2B 20 205 NR
293 Randy Rodriguez Giants RP 23 NR NR
294 Clay Holmes Mets* SP 84 268 NR
295 Dominic Canzone Mariners OF 74 297 280
296 Braden Montgomery White Sox OF 75 NR 262
297 Sean Burke White Sox SP 85 NR 261
298 Roki Sasaki Dodgers SP 86 NR 293
299 Jesus Made Brewers SS 29 NR NR
300 Walbert Urena Angels SP 87 NR NR
301 Joe Musgrove Padres SP 88 190 NR
302 Justin Crawford Phillies OF 76 287 NR
303 Owen Caissie Marlins OF 77 NR NR
304 Ryan Pepiot Rays SP 89 232 NR
305 Triston Casas Red Sox 1B 30 NR NR
306 Trevor Rogers SP 90 NR 287
307 Agustin Ramirez Marlins C 11 147 NR
308 Cooper Pratt Brewers SS 30 NR NR
309 Curtis Mead Nationals 3B 22 NR 283
310 Eugenio Suarez Reds* 3B 23 136 188
311 Andres Gimenez Blue Jays SS 31 239 249
312 Kodai Senga Mets SP 91 202 NR
313 Trevor Larnach Twins OF 78 NR 267
314 Clarke Schmidt Yankees SP 92 NR NR
315 Pedro Ramirez Cubs 2B 21 NR NR
316 Dustin May Cardinals* SP 93 NR 265
317 Paul Sewald RP 24 291 199
318 Jake Burger Rangers 1B 31 254 221
319 Giancarlo Stanton Yankees DH 7 266 NR
320 Adrian Morejon RP 25 NR NR
321 Edward Cabrera Cubs SP 94 175 NR
322 Tatsuya Imai Astros* SP 95 NR NR
323 Cole Young Mariners 2B 22 NR NR
324 Adolis Garcia OF 79 171 NR
325 Cody Ponce Blue Jays SP 96 240 NR
326 Justin Martinez Diamondbacks RP 26 NR NR
327 Sean Keys Blue Jays 1B 32 NR 298
328 Kevin Alcantara Cubs OF 80 NR NR
329 Evan Carter Rangers OF 81 255 269
330 Carter Jensen Royals C 12 NR 288
331 Kris Bubic SP 97 234 NR
332 Sal Frelick Brewers OF 82 258 272
333 Cooper Ingle Guardians OF 83 NR NR
334 Michael Conforto OF 84 NR NR
335 Jack Leiter Rangers SP 98 NR NR
336 Kody Clemens Twins 2B 23 NR 251
337 Brandon Sproat Brewers SP 99 NR 277
338 Brayan Rocchio Guardians SS 32 NR 290
339 Mickey Moniak Rockies OF 85 236 224
340 Edwin Arroyo Reds 2B 24 NR NR
341 Shane Bieber SP 100 247 250
342 Will Smith Dodgers C 13 201 255
343 Colt Emerson Mariners SS 33 NR NR
344 Pete Fairbanks RP 27 153 182
345 Robbie Ray SP 101 NR 294
346 George Lombard Jr. Yankees SS 34 NR NR
347 Emmet Sheehan Dodgers SP 102 211 244
348 Thomas White Marlins SP 103 NR NR
349 Jose Caballero Yankees SS 35 294 264
350 J.P. Crawford SS 36 NR NR
351 Carmen Mlodzinski Pirates SP 104 NR NR
352 Caleb Bonemer White Sox 3B 24 NR NR
353 Franklin Arias Red Sox SS 37 NR NR
354 Angel Martinez Guardians OF 86 NR NR
355 Luis Lara Brewers OF 87 NR NR
356 Connor Prielipp Twins SP 105 NR NR
357 Sean Manaea Mets SP 106 NR 252
358 Sterlin Thompson Rockies OF 88 NR NR
359 Kenley Jansen Tigers* RP 28 146 171
360 Matt Wallner Twins OF 89 222 NR
361 Lazaro Montes Mariners OF 90 NR NR
362 Anthony Santander Blue Jays OF 91 NR NR
363 Ryan Mountcastle Orioles* 1B 33 NR NR
364 Ian Seymour Rays SP 107 NR 271
365 Connelly Early Red Sox SP 108 NR NR
366 Foster Griffin SP 109 NR 300
367 Endy Rodriguez Pirates C 14 NR NR
368 Landen Roupp Giants SP 110 NR NR
369 CJ Kayfus Guardians OF 92 NR NR
370 Liam Hicks Marlins C 15 NR NR
371 Tyler O’Neill Orioles OF 93 241 NR
372 Jake McCarthy Rockies OF 94 267 260
373 Heriberto Hernandez Marlins OF 95 NR NR
374 Kyle Teel White Sox C 16 NR NR
375 Brooks Lee Twins SS 38 NR NR
376 Jonah Tong Mets SP 111 NR NR
377 Marcus Semien Mets 2B 25 260 NR
378 Dylan Beavers Orioles OF 96 NR NR
379 Chase Meidroth White Sox 2B 26 NR NR
380 Ramon Laureano OF 97 228 NR
381 Spencer Miles Blue Jays SP 112 NR NR
382 Mike Sirota Dodgers OF 98 NR NR
383 Salvador Perez Royals C 17 101 270
384 Luke Raley Mariners OF 99 NR NR
385 Ronny Mauricio Mets SS 39 NR NR
386 Michael Wacha Royals SP 113 NR 291
387 Mick Abel Twins SP 114 NR NR
388 Jake Bennett Red Sox SP 115 NR NR
389 Jacob Gonzalez Pirates SS 40 NR NR
390 Griffin Jax Rays SP 116 110 NR
391 Francisco Alvarez Mets C 18 NR NR
392 Davis Martin White Sox SP 117 NR 292
393 Evan Phillips RP 29 NR NR
394 Spencer Horwitz Pirates 1B 34 NR NR
395 Aidan Miller Phillies SS 41 NR NR
396 Spencer Jones Yankees OF 100 NR NR
397 Christian Moore Angels 2B 27 NR NR
398 Michael Soroka Diamondbacks* SP 118 NR NR
399 Jeff McNeil Athletics* 2B 28 274 279
400 Jett Williams Brewers 3B 25 NR NR
401 Blaze Alexander Orioles 2B 29 NR NR
402 Kyle Manzardo Guardians 1B 35 288 295
403 Tristan Peters White Sox OF 101 NR NR
404 Ryan Jeffers C 19 NR NR
405 Noah Cameron Royals SP 119 296 NR
406 Jorge Soler OF 102 244 258
407 James Tibbs III Dodgers 1B 36 NR NR
408 Zac Veen Rockies OF 103 NR NR
409 Yainer Diaz Astros C 20 233 NR
410 Anthony Eyanson Red Sox SP 120 NR NR
411 Zack Gelof Athletics 2B 30 NR 268
412 Dalton Rushing Dodgers C 21 NR NR
413 Marcelo Mayer Red Sox SS 42 NR NR
414 Jameson Taillon SP 121 225 NR
415 Colton Cowser Orioles OF 104 280 NR
416 Romy Gonzalez Red Sox 2B 31 NR 285
417 Luis Severino Athletics* SP 122 NR NR
418 Jason Adam RP 30 NR NR
419 Josh Lowe Angels OF 105 185 NR
420 Angel Genao Guardians SS 43 NR NR
421 Alan Roden Twins OF 106 NR NR
422 Moises Ballesteros Cubs DH 8 NR NR
423 Jonathan India 2B 32 269 NR
424 Clayton Beeter Nationals RP 31 300 299
425 Carlos Correa Astros SS 44 275 NR
426 Kumar Rocker Rangers SP 123 NR NR
427 Ryan McMahon Yankees 3B 26 NR NR
428 Ben Joyce Angels RP 32 NR NR
429 Aaron Ashby Brewers RP 33 NR NR
430 Andrew Fischer Brewers 3B 27 NR NR
431 Ronny Henriquez Marlins RP 34 NR NR
432 Nolan Arenado Diamondbacks 3B 28 295 NR
433 Cole Ragans Royals SP 124 72 NR
434 Cam Cauley Rangers OF 107 NR NR
435 Bryan Abreu RP 35 188 NR
436 Gage Wood Phillies SP 125 NR NR
437 Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Diamondbacks* OF 108 NR NR
438 Andrew Painter Phillies SP 126 NR NR
439 Yoendrys Gomez Twins RP 36 NR NR
440 Shane Drohan Brewers SP 127 NR NR
441 Brady House Nationals 3B 29 NR NR
442 Emmanuel Rodriguez Twins OF 109 NR NR
443 Luis Castillo Mariners SP 128 272 NR
444 Edgardo Henriquez Dodgers RP 37 NR NR
445 Braylon Doughty Guardians SP 129 NR NR
446 JR Ritchie Braves SP 130 NR NR
447 Enrique Bradfield Jr. Orioles OF 110 NR NR
448 Jeff Hoffman Blue Jays RP 38 100 NR
449 Jack Flaherty SP 131 NR NR
450 Blaze Jordan Cardinals 3B 30 NR 275

For notes here, I'm just going to go position by position, listing the top players at each spot.

Catcher

65 - Iván Herrera - Cardinals
67 - Drake Baldwin - Braves
77 - Shea Langeliers - Athletics
105 - Cal Raleigh - Mariners
117 - William Contreras - Brewers
124 - Hunter Goodman - Rockies
129 - Samuel Basallo - Orioles
205 - Gabriel Moreno - Diamondbacks
212 - Dillon Dingler - Tigers
278 - Adley Rutschman - Orioles
307 - Agustín Ramírez - Marlins
330 - Carter Jensen - Royals

- Basallo is the big mover here, joining the second tier of catchers after hitting 16 homers in the first half of the season. I imagine most would argue that Goodman belongs in the first tier at this point, but his strikeout rate is all of the way up to 32 percent this year, and I'm still a little skeptical of him going forward.

- Ramírez is obviously a big wild card. He's not exactly tearing it up in hitting .250/.328/.436 in Triple-A, and he has no future behind the plate in Miami with Joe Mack establishing himself and Liam Hicks sure to stick around. Still, he's the one guy here with 20/20 ability, and he'll most likely have catcher eligibility next year.

- Will Smith was next on the list after Jensen, but with Dalton Rushing nipping at his heels and no DH time available in Los Angeles, I'm somewhat concerned about what's in store for him.

First base

6 - Nick Kurtz - Athletics
13 - Vladimir Guerrero Jr. - Blue Jays
22 - Pete Alonso - Orioles
31 - Bryce Harper - Phillies
40 - Matt Olson - Braves
45 - Freddie Freeman - Dodgers
58 - Ben Rice - Yankees
80 - Alec Burleson - Cardinals
99 - Rafael Devers - Giants
100 - Munetaka Murakami - White Sox
104 - Josh Naylor - Mariners
107 - Yandy Diaz - Rays
108 - Willson Contreras - Red Sox

- Probably no big surprises here. Rice belongs higher based on this year's results, but I don't like how his bat speed has decreased and his strikeout rate has increased this season. I'm still not sure exactly how to value Murakami. He obviously has 40-homer power, but even his current .232 average might be difficult for him to maintain, and his lack of singles and doubles will take a toll on his RBI totals.

- Cleveland's Ralphy Velasquez, who at age 21 has hit .293/.386/.490 between Double- and Triple-A this year, is the high first base prospect at No. 288. He lacks big-time power, and Progressive Field won't help there, but it shouldn't be long before he overtakes Kyle Manzardo and CJ Kayfus in Cleveland's plans and it's not like the team figures to invest at first base/DH in free agency.

Second base

16 - Fernando Tatis Jr. - Padres
32 - Brice Turang - Brewers
35 - Ketel Marte - Diamondbacks
48 - JJ Wetherholt - Cardinals
62 - Jazz Chisholm Jr. - FA
84 - Xavier Edwards - Marlins
119 - Luke Keaschall - Twins
122 - Nico Hoerner - Cubs
126 - Travis Bazzana - Guardians
141 - Tommy Edman - Dodgers
144 - Jackson Holliday - Orioles
157 - Jose Altuve - Astros
161 - Sam Antonacci - White Sox

- Chisholm's free agency is going to be pretty fascinating. The Cubs and Hoerner set the market with a surprisingly lucrative six-year, $141 million extension in March that'll cover his age 30-35 seasons. Chisholm will enter free agency at 29. If he matched his 2025 production this season, he might have beaten Hoerner's deal. As is, he's hitting just .223/.303/.395 to date, and Statcast thinks he's actually been a little lucky, giving him a .207 xBA and a .361 xSLG. At this point, it doesn't seem very likely that he'll be back with the Yankees. However, if he does land with a worst offensive team, at least he'll most likely hit higher than fifth and sixth, which is what he's been doing in New York.

- Pedro Ramírez comes in at No. 315, but he'd be considerably higher on a team with a clear opening for him. That's not currently the Cubs, but maybe he'll wind up in the outfield with Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ entering free agency. I suspect his bat will play better than Matt Shaw's will, even if Shaw is clearly ahead of him in line right now.

Third base

5 - Junior Caminero - Rays
19 - Jose Ramirez - Guardians
30 - Sal Stewart - Reds
85 - Austin Riley - Braves
89 - Manny Machado - Padres
94 - Miguel Vargas - White Sox
112 - Maikel Garcia - Royals
162 - Alex Bregman - Cubs
165 - Isaac Paredes - Astros
167 - Jordan Westburg - Orioles
173 - Alec Bohm - FA
175 - Kazuma Okamoto - Blue Jays

- It's difficult to get excited about anyone beyond the top three here. Vargas's breakout seems pretty legitimate, though because he's still having his usual BABIP issues (.243 this season, .236 career), it's led to just a .245 average. Okamoto has easily been a top-10 third baseman this year, but he's already struck out 118 times. He's batting .239 at the moment, and Statcast gives him a .219 xBA.

- Kyle Karros has been a fast riser in recent weeks, and he's 14th at the position at No. 215 and climbing. There should be more help on the way, too. The Athletics' Joshua Kuroda-Grauer might be the player that Jacob Wilson resembled in the first half of last year. The White Sox are going to have a Caleb Bonemer problem early next year, and it's going to be fascinating to see how the Brewers incorporate Jesús Made, Jett Williams and Andrew Fischer into their lineup after already making a big bet on Cooper Pratt at shortstop.

Shortstop

1 - Bobby Witt Jr. - Royals
10 - Elly De La Cruz - Reds
18 - Gunnar Henderson - Orioles
25 - CJ Abrams - Nationals
27 - Zach Neto - Angels
37 - Francisco Lindor - Mets
41 - Trea Turner - Phillies
61 - Jeremy Peña - Astros
64 - Kevin McGonigle - Tigers
81 - Bo Bichette - Mets*
87 - Konnor Griffin - Pirates
95 - Corey Seager - Rangers
96 - Mookie Betts - Dodgers
131 - Geraldo Perdomo - Diamondbacks

- Witt seems like the safest pick as the No. 1 overall player for next year. That the Royals pulled in the fences at Kauffman Stadium to create more homers has yet to work to his advantage, but it still should in the long run; Statcast gives Kaufmann a 111 home run park factor for right-handed hitters this year, compared to 91 for 2023-25. Witt has 35 barrels this season and the best hard-hit rate of his career. The offense around him can't possibly be this bad again next year.

- Griffin should win out in 2028 and beyond, but for 2027, McGonigle is probably the better bet at shortstop. His 56/60 K/BB at age 21 is incredibly impressive, and while his bat speed is below average right now, he's probably going to add to it in the next couple of years. He might never hit 30 homers or steal 30 bases, but he'll help everywhere.

- Minnesota's Kaelen Culpepper is the high prospect here at No. 240, in large part because he's the best bet of the prospects to start on Opening Day. Following him are the Athletics' Leo De Vries at No. 260, Made at No. 299, George Lombard Jr. at No. 346 and Franklin Arias at No. 353. De Vries probably has the most upside for 2027; he's stolen 31 bases in 36 tries in Double-A this year, and the A's play in a fantastic park for hitters.

Outfield

2 - Aaron Judge - Yankees
4 - James Wood - Nationals
7 - Yordan Alvarez - Astros
8 - Juan Soto - Mets
9 - Ronald Acuña Jr. - Braves
11 - Julio Rodríguez - Mariners
15 - Jackson Chourio - Brewers
20 - Corbin Carroll - Diamondbacks
21 - Kyle Tucker - Dodgers
24 - Pete Crow-Armstrong - Cubs
34 - Michael Harris II - Braves
36 - Oneil Cruz - Pirates
42 - Jordan Walker - Cardinals
51 - Roman Anthony - Red Sox
53 - Cody Bellinger - Yankees
55 - Riley Greene - Tigers
68 - Tyler Soderstrom - Athletics
71 - Andy Pages - Dodgers
73 - Wyatt Langford - Rangers
75 - Jarren Duran - Red Sox
76 - Dylan Crews - Nationals
82 - Mike Trout - Angels
83 - Seiya Suzuki - FA
92 - Byron Buxton - Twins
98 - Jackson Merrill - Padres
102 - Bryan Reynolds - Pirates
103 - Kyle Stowers - Marlins
115 - Daylen Lile - Nationals
120 - Luis Robert Jr. - Mets*
125 - Brandon Nimmo - Rangers
134 - Carson Benge - Mets
135 - Jo Adell - Angels
137 - Jac Caglianone - Royals
140 - Randy Arozarena - FA
147 - Charlie Condon - Rockies
148 - Cam Smith - Astros

- I initially had Anthony a fair amount lower after two seasons interrupted by injuries sustained while swinging the bat... that definitely has me a little nervous. But he's just so incredibly talented, and I just don't care much about his performance in the 30 games before he was hurt this season. For what it's worth, Statcast gave him a .262 xBA and a .410 xSLG that are much better than his actual marks of .229 and .321.

- It hasn't shown up in the numbers, but Crews has lowered his strikeout rate and improved his exit velocity numbers a bit since returning from exile. He's another guy that Statcast believes deserves much better; he has a .343 slugging but a .433 xSLG. He's not showing superstar potential, but he can be a top-20 fantasy outfielder without playing like an All-Star.

- With Coors Field factoring in, Condon is the high prospect among outfielders and position players overall. Next up on the outfield list are the Cardinals' Joshua Báez at No. 202, the Dodgers' Josue De Paula at No. 207 and the Reds' Héctor Rodriguez at No. 267. Rodriguez isn't as strong of a prospect as some other guys, including Walker Jenkins and Max Clark below him, but he has 23 homers in Triple-A this year and the Reds seem poised to have outfield openings.

- The Rockies have seven outfielders list here. I'm assuming they'll trade at least one of Mickey Moniak and Jake McCarthy before the deadline, which is why they're lower than they'd otherwise be. I think they really ought to trade both to make room for Condon and free up an opportunity for Sterlin Thompson or Zac Veen. Thompson has never posted great EV numbers, but he has excellent bat speed and an impressive 38/42 K/BB in 234 plate appearances in Triple-A. Veen has always been far more interesting as a fantasy prospect than as an actual one, but he's been decent in Triple-A with a 40 percent hard-hit rate that's helped lead to a .311/.385/.578 line in a hitter friendly environment. It's also too soon to write off Jordan Beck, and 2024 second-rounder Jared Thomas could be a factor before the end of next year.

Starting pitching

12 - Tarik Skubal - FA
14 - Jacob Misiorowski - Brewers
17 - Cristopher Sánchez - Phillies
26 - Cam Schlittler - Yankees
28 - Yoshinobu Yamamoto - Dodgers
29 - Paul Skenes - Pirates
33 - Logan Gilbert - Mariners
38 - Garrett Crochet - Red Sox
43 - Bryan Woo - Mariners
44 - Zack Wheeler - Phillies
46 - Chase Burns - Reds
47 - Shohei Ohtani - Dodgers
50 - Dylan Cease - Blue Jays
52 - Chris Sale - Braves
54 - Gerrit Cole - Yankees
57 - Joe Ryan - Twins
60 - Hunter Greene - Reds
63 - Max Fried - Yankees
66 - Jacob deGrom - Rangers
69 - Logan Webb - Giants
72 - Nolan McLean - Mets
74 - Hunter Brown - Astros
78 - Drew Rasmussen - Rays
88 - Jesús Luzardo - Phillies
90 - Sonny Gray - Red Sox*
91 - George Kirby - Mariners
93 - Eury Pérez - Marlins
101 - Blake Snell - Dodgers
110 - Framber Valdez - Tigers
111 - Kyle Bradish - Orioles
113 - Kyle Harrison - Brewers
116 - Braxton Ashcraft - Pirates
118 - Parker Messick - Guardians
121 - Trey Yesavage - Blue Jays
123 - Bryce Miller - Mariners
127 - Gavin Williams - Guardians
128 - Payton Tolle - Red Sox
132 - Kade Anderson - Mariners
136 - Max Meyer - Marlins
139 - Kevin Gausman - FA
142 - Ranger Suarez - Red Sox
143 - Justin Steele - Cubs
145 - MacKenzie Gore - Rangers
150 - River Ryan - Dodgers
155 - Sandy Alcantara - Marlins*
158 - Tyler Glasnow - Dodgers
159 - Shane McClanahan - Rays
163 - Nathan Eovaldi - Rangers
164 - Corbin Burnes - Diamondbacks*
166 - Spencer Schwellenbach - Braves

- I don't think there's anything too controversial at the top here. Misiorowski might get the top spot next spring if he avoids injury in the second half, but Skubal still seems like the safer choice right now.

- Kade Anderson is the high prospect, with future Mariners teammate Ryan Sloan second on the list at No. 179. Both would be higher if the other didn't exist, since the Mariners probably won't have room for more than one at the start of next year. Even opening just one spot in Seattle's rotation means two from the current group would have to vanish. Luis Castillo is the obvious first option to go, but it wouldn't be surprising to see the Mariners trade Kirby or Miller. That's part of why those two are lower in the rankings than I would typically have them.

- Like the Mariners, the Dodgers have eight starting pitchers listed here. That makes me wonder if I'm being too aggressive in putting River Ryan at No. 150, but I truly love his potential if he can stay healthy. I'm not very optimistic about either Roki Sasaki (No. 298) or Emmet Sheehan (No. 347) at this point, but in such a great situation for pitchers, I couldn't entirely ignore either. Sheehan, in particular, probably belongs in the bullpen because of his inability to maintain his velocity into the middle innings of games.

- Atlanta's situation is going to be interesting if everyone shows up healthy next spring. Sale, Schwellenbach and Spencer Strider would seemingly be guaranteed spots. Veterans Reynaldo López, Bryce Elder and Grant Holmes will all be due back, with youngsters JR Ritchie, AJ Smith-Shawver, Owen Murphy and Hurston Waldrep fighting them for spots. Realistically, though, they'd probably want to add a legitimate No. 2 or 3 to that mix. I did include Ritchie at the bottom of the list, but Smith-Shawver and Murphy were left off because it's such a big crowd.

Relief pitching

39 - Mason Miller - Padres
49 - Jhoan Duran - Phillies
56 - Cade Smith - Guardians
59 - Josh Hader - Astros
70 - Aroldis Chapman - Red Sox*
79 - Andrés Muñoz - Mariners
97 - Louis Varland - Blue Jays
106 - Devin Williams - Mets
109 - David Bednar - FA
114 - Edwin Díaz - Dodgers
130 - Félix Bautista - Orioles
133 - Raisel Iglesias - FA
160 - Trevor Megill - Brewers
170 - Daniel Palencia - Cubs
191 - Robert Suarez - Braves
201 - Ryan Helsley - Orioles*
206 - Grant Taylor - White Sox
211 - Jacob Latz - Rangers

- There still aren't a ton of sure things here, and one imagines there will be a whole lot of movement this winter. Jason Adam, Adrian Morejon, Bryan Abreu, Evan Phillips, Alex Vesia and A.J. Puk are among the free agent setup men who could get signed to close. The Brewers might choose to part with either Megill or Abner Uribe in trade. The Giants' Randy Rodríguez, the D-backs' Justin Martínez and the Marlins' Ronny Henriquez could all return from arm surgeries to reemerge as closer candidates. Just a lot of fun possibilities.

- It'd also be a mistake to rule out the Guardians trading Smith in the offseason, though it's probably more likely to happen at next year's deadline or after 2027. He'll only be eligible for arbitration for the first time, so he won't be terribly expensive yet. Still, he'd net quite a haul, and the Guardians might figure they could do without him. With that in mind, I almost included Daniel Espino on the list. It's still very difficult to expect him to stay healthy, but he's touching 100 mph, and since he'll be out of options, he'll have to stick in the Cleveland pen next year.

- Taylor might be a top-100 guy on draft day if he finishes out this year as the White Sox's closer. I'd rather see him get another look as a starter, though. He'd probably rank around No. 250 if that happens.

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Shams Charania says ‘it’s decision time’ for LeBron James as teams make final pitches

Shams Charania, LeBron James
Shams Charania, LeBron James

LeBron James’ free agency has spent weeks in rumor purgatory. Now, it may finally be nearing decision time.

After weeks of pitches, recruiting calls, golf sightings, and prediction-market chaos, ESPN’s Shams Charania said Monday on NBA Today that James is inching closer to choosing where he will play in his 24th NBA season.

LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts on the court during the second half Corey Sipkin for NY Post

“Every day LeBron James inches closer and closer to a decision,” Charania said. “It’s decision time for LeBron James because all the information, for the most part, is in.”

According to Charania, the major voices around the league have already made their case. General managers, presidents and owners have been heard from. Players have reached out directly to recruit James.

Rich Paul is still having conversations with teams in Las Vegas, but the big-picture recruiting phase appears to be near its end.

“And yes, all the voice notes have also been listened to,” Charania said. “And rosters have been set around the league. The decks have been set.”

That marks a shift from Paul’s message from last week, which was basically: relax.

Shams Charania says it is decision time for LeBron James after suitors made their pitches and all information is in. Getty Images

Appearing on “Game Over” with Max Kellerman, James’ longtime agent said there was no firm timeline for a decision.

“There is none. I wish I knew,” Paul said. “He’s taking his time. He’s really evaluating things. I’ve really left him alone. Play golf, do the things you need to do. He understands where things are. When he’s ready, he’ll let me know.”

Shams Charania commentates during the 2026 NBA Draft NBAE via Getty Images

Now, it sounds like James may finally be getting closer to that point.

Charania reiterated that five suitors remain: the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers and Minnesota Timberwolves.

Cleveland remains the prediction markets favorite. A third stint with the Cavaliers would let James close his career where it began, back in his home state, with a franchise and a fanbase he knows intimately.

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Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers’ AP

James next to Stephen Curry and Draymond Green in Golden State would be one of the strangest and most compelling late-career superteams in NBA history. The Warriors have also added another wrinkle by hiring Frank Vogel, James’ former Lakers coach, as associate head coach under Steve Kerr.

Miami offers another familiar landing spot. James won two championships with the Heat and has long praised the franchise’s structure and culture.

Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler, left, passes around Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James AP

Philadelphia can offer a star-heavy roster with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown. Minnesota, meanwhile, is the wild card built around Anthony Edwards.

Charania made clear that money isn’t the largest motivating factor in the decision.

“What we know definitively is LeBron James has made it clear privately that he wants to go somewhere where he can compete for a championship,” Charania said. “Somewhere where he feels like he finds that happiness from a team environment and culture that he feels he can uplift.”

LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers handles the ball during the game against the Golden State Warriors NBAE via Getty Images

That lines up with what Paul has said early in the process. James is not simply chasing the biggest number. He is chasing “complete happiness,” a championship chance and the right environment for the final chapter of his career.

For now, the waiting game continues.

But according to Charania, the decks are set, the pitches have been made and the voice notes have been heard.

Now the NBA is waiting on LeBron.

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Shaikin: Love it or hate it: Would the Dodgers' NL West rivals call a Tarik Skubal trade overkill?

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts attends a news conference ahead of the MLB All-Star Game in Philadelphia on Monday.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts attends a news conference ahead of the MLB All-Star Game in Philadelphia on Monday. (Matt Slocum / Associated Press)

If the Dodgers picked up Tarik Skubal, would that be overkill?

Logan Webb, the longtime ace of the San Francisco Giants, laughed.

“I don’t think they need him,” Webb said, “but you never count those guys out on getting anybody in the league.”

The Dodgers could make a mockery of the National League West by trading for Skubal, who won the last two American League Cy Young awards for the Detroit Tigers.

Then again, you could argue the Dodgers already are making a mockery of the NL West. They lead the division by 11½ games, more than double the lead in any other division.

Read more:How Dodgers' Justin Wrobleski went from demotion to All-Star in less than two years

So, on the day before the All-Star Game, I posed the overkill question to stars from the other teams in the NL West.

“Would I consider it overkill? It’s a crazy game,” said outfielder Corbin Carroll of the Arizona Diamondbacks, the team that swept the Dodgers over the weekend at Dodger Stadium.

“I don’t think, going into the weekend, that too many people would have expected that. The nature of this game is about you can never be good enough, and you always have to look to keep improving. I think I would just view it in that same light.”

The Dodgers are not about winning the NL West this season. From owner Mark Walter to president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, from manager Dave Roberts to franchise icon Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers last fall loudly and proudly declared their intent to three-peat and become the first NL team ever to win three consecutive World Series championships.

Their postseason rotation could be so overloaded that All-Star Justin Wrobleski, whose 2.69 ERA compares favorably to NL All-Star starter Cristopher Sanchez (2.62), could find himself in the bullpen behind starters Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Ohtani, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow.

On the other hand, Ohtani missed his last start for treatment of a troublesome left knee, and neither Snell nor Glasnow has pitched since May. The Dodgers might not be entirely sure of projecting their October health and effectiveness by the Aug. 3 trade deadline, and the chance to three-peat might never come again.

The Dodgers have the prospects and the money to acquire Skubal, should the Tigers trade him. The Dodgers may or may not have the need, but they surely have the motivation.

“I wouldn’t blame them,” Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman said. “They’re trying to win another World Series.”

Said San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller: “He’d help any team he went to. They’ve got a strong rotation, a lot of guys that are going to get healthy and help them out, but I don’t necessarily consider it overkill. Anybody, on any given night.”

If the Dodgers acquired Skubal, the fans of those rival NL West teams would explode in frustration, perhaps even in rage, at the back-to-back champions. Ohtani for $700 million, Kyle Tucker for $60 million per year, and now the rich kids would get Skubal, too?

The owners are trying to channel that level of fan frustration and anger in their push for a salary cap. They say they’re trying to help teams like, say, the Rockies and Pittsburgh Pirates compete more effectively against the Dodgers.

The Pirates have not posted a winning record in eight years and have not appeared in the playoffs for 11 years. Surely a salary cap would help them, right?

“I don’t think there’s any need for a salary cap,” Pirates ace Paul Skenes said. “I don’t know if there’s a perfect answer, but I do know the salary cap would not be a fix-all for parity.”

Read more:Shaikin: Inside the Shohei Ohtani Economy driving a wild auction for his worn cleats

Parity is in the eye of the beholder, or more accurately in the definition of the beholder. The owners like to note that no small-market team has won the World Series since the Kansas City Royals in 2015.

However, in a league that owners insist demands immediate reform, 23 of the 30 teams are within four games of a playoff spot.

As one of eight players on the executive committee of the players’ union, Skenes is involved in the current collective bargaining negotiations. Salary cap or not, would it be overkill if the Dodgers picked up Skubal?

“They’re trying to win, aren’t they?” Skenes said. “You can’t ever blame a team for going out and doing everything possible to win.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.