Jun 6, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Seattle Mariners catcher Jhonny Pereda (5) and pitcher Gabe Speier (55) celebrate after defeating the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
It seems the Seattle Mariners may have finally found their footing. After a difficult start to the season plagued by injury and inconsistency, the Mariners have taken the lead in the AL West and seem poised to hold on for the remainder of the year. It still feels wild to have the Mariners among the best teams in the AL. I never even imagined this was possible. I thought the Mariners had not done enough this offseason and were going to fall back to being a fringe Wild Card team, but I’m glad to be proven wrong so far.
Part of their inconsistency was the absence of Bryce Miller from the rotation and the… let’s say less-than-ideal performances from Luis Castillo. With Miller returning to the rotation and the breakout season being experienced by Hancock, the question became: should the Mariners run a six-man rotation for the remainder of the season? The answer here was a resounding yes.
Personally, this was not the result I expected. I guess there really is a silent majority that backs Castillo, at least for the first four innings of a game or so; that third time through the lineup hits different. Still, despite the inconsistencies to start the season, the Mariners’ experimentation with the rotation has seemingly worked out. Moving from a six-man rotation to piggyback starts with Miller and Castillo back to a six-man rotation, and somehow, out of all of it, they actually got several quality starts out of both Castillo and Miller. Both Castillo and Miller have another start coming up on the Mariners’ current road swing, so I guess we will see if this six-man rotation can work out like we all hope it will.
Now, for a moment, it did seem like Castillo was “cooked,” as the kids say, and the Mariners would have to move back to a traditional five-man rotation eventually. The question then was, who’s the odd man out if they do so, and you all were not shy about your choice at all.
So I guess it’s good news for Castillo that he seems to have mostly gotten back on track over the past couple of weeks. While the piggybacking was rough, it seems to be just what he and Miller needed to get back into the swing of things. It looks like the Mariners will be sticking with the six-man rotation, at least through the duration of this road trip. After that, who knows!
Cal Raleigh also struggled immensely here at the start of the season, which culminated in an IL stint and a rehab assignment in Triple-A. His injury raised an interesting opportunity for young Jhonny Pereda. Pereda has emerged as a bright spot for the Mariners as a backstop in the absence of Raleigh and amid the continued struggles of Mitch Garver; one has to wonder what the roster will look like when Raleigh is back in action. Pereda has slashed an impressive .288/.351/.404 over 52 at-bats so far this season, admittedly a small sample size, but far better than Garver’s measly .193/.323/.325, and multiple years of poor play behind that. Personally, while Garver has had his moments, I see no reason to stick with him over Pereda should it come to that decision, but let us know what you think in the survey below: has Jhonny Pereda earned a spot on the Mariners roster for the rest of the year?
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This whole Stanley Cup Final has been thrilling, and Game 4 was no different. When the teams met on Tuesday, the Hurricanes led by two on two separate occasions; the Golden Knights rallied and tied the game in the second period. In the third, Jordan Staal put the Hurricanes ahead with his fifth goal of the series, and the Golden Knights fell 5-3 after Nikolaj Ehlers hit the empty net.
Carter Hart starts in goal for the Golden Knights. Hart has a record of 14-6 and an average save percentage of .912 in 20 games this postseason.
The Hurricanes have not announced a starting goaltender, but all signs point to Brandon Bussi starting between the pipes for the second straight game. Bussi had a record of 1-0 and an average save percentage of .900 in two games played this postseason.
Golden Knights Lines
Ivan Barbashev — Jack Eichel — Mark Stone
Brett Howden — William Karlsson — Mitch Marner
Colton Sissons — Tomáš Hertl — Pavel Dorofeyev
Cole Smith — Nic Dowd — Keegan Kolesar
Defense
Brayden McNabb — Shea Theodore
Noah Hanifin — Rasmus Andersson
Jeremy Lauzon — Dylan Coghlan
Goaltenders: Carter Hart / Adin Hill
Hurricanes Lines
Nikolaj Ehlers — Jordan Staal — Seth Jarvis
Taylor Hall — Logan Stankoven — Jackson Blake
Andrei Svechnikov — Sebastian Aho — Jordan Martinook
William Carrier — Mark Jankowski — Eric Robinson
Defense
Jaccob Slavin — Jalen Chatfield
K’Andre Miller — Sean Walker
Shayne Gostisbehere — Alexander Nikishin
Goaltenders: Brandon Bussi / Pyotr Kochetkov
Special Teams
VGK power play: 20.7%, 5th
VGK penalty kill: 83.1%, 8th
Hurricanes power play: 16.4%, 11th
Hurricanes penalty kill: 92.3%, 2nd
Game Notes
The Golden Knights are 10-9 in Game 5s in franchise history. They have won both Game 5s they have played this postseason.
Historically, teams that take a 3-2 series lead go on to win 79.9% of the time.
The Golden Knights have never lost a series when they win Game 5 to take a 3-2 lead.
Mitch Marner is the postseason leader in scoring with 29 points (10 G, 19 A). He is also the postseason leader in assists with 19.
Brett Howden leads the league with 14 postseason goals. His second-period tally in Game 4 set a new Golden Knights franchise record for goals in a single postseason.
Shea Theodore leads all defensemen in scoring this postseason with 17 points (6G, 11A).
The Golden Knights have a 7-3 record on the road this postseason; the Hurricanes are 7-2 at home.
The Blues have veterans like Robert Thomas, Jordan Kyrou, Pavel Buchnevich, Colton Parayko, Cam Fowler, and Jordan Binnington, but they also have youngsters like Dylan Holloway, Jimmy Snuggerud, Jake Neighbours, Dalibor Dvorsky, Otto Stenberg, Justin Carbonneau, Philip Broberg, Theo Lindstein and Adam Jiricek.
They have to decide whether to lean into their youth and let them develop, or remain competitive by adding veterans.
Based on most reports and the tone used by Doug Armstrong and Alexander Steen, the Blues are trending towards a youth movement.
With that set to occur, today we are going to look at three Blues players who may have played their final game with the organization.
Oskar Sundqvist, C
Oskar Sundqvist has had two separate stints with the Blues, but his most recent stint has been disappointing. Sundqvist was dealt to the Detroit Red Wings during the 2021-22 season and didn’t return until the 2023-24 season. Prior to being traded, Sundqvist was a difference-maker in the bottom six, using his size and his two-way game to be effective.
He was able to chip in offensively when needed and was vital to their success during the 2019 Stanley Cup win.
Upon returning, Sundqvist hasn’t really been able to factor into any team success. In three seasons, he’s scored just 17 goals and 58 points in 190 games. But more importantly, he hasn’t been as potent defensively.
It’s time for the two to go their separate ways, and whether Sundqvist finds another home in the NHL or returns to Sweden is undetermined.
Outside the 2025-26 season, Jordan Kyrou has been a consistent producer for the Blues, but the team has been waiting for him to take his game to another level, and he just hasn’t done it.
His defensive game has taken strides, particularly in the past two seasons, receiving Selke Trophy votes in both campaigns. But the Blues have felt they needed to part ways for several years now, and after an 18-goal, 46-point campaign, it looks like the writing is on the wall for Kyrou.
No doubt there will be plenty of suitors for Kyrou, and if he truly has played his final game with the organization, he leaves as a mature player who has shown he can be consistent.
Jordan Binnington and the Blues’ story is a great example of how each path to the NHL is different, but also that it’s a harsh business.
Binnington’s ascension during the 2018-19 season from AHL netminder to Stanley Cup-winning goaltender is a feel-good story, but now, heading into the 2026 season, Binnington has lost that level with the Blues, and at 32 years old, it’s time to move on.
Joel Hofer stole the crease from Binnington after Binnington posted career-worst numbers in 2025-26. Due to his reputation and strong performances with Team Canada at recent best-on-best tournaments, Binnington still has high trade value that the Blues must cash in on.
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Jun 11, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets designated hitter Juan Soto (22) celebrates his solo home run against the St. Louis Cardinals with teammates in the dugout during the seventh inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images
The Mets and Cardinals had a wild, dinger-heavy finale to their three-game set at Citi Field, with the Mets out-slugging the Red Birds 5-4.
The two teams combined for five home runs in the first two innings: Alec Brunson had a solo home run in the first off of Christian Scott, which was quickly answered by a two-run homer by Bo Bichette and a solo shot by Jared Young in the bottom of the inning. In the second, Lars Nootbaar hit a homer with no one on to bring the Cardinals within one, and Jimmy Crooks then hit a two-run shot to put St. Louis up by one. 4-3.
That would be the end of the offense for the Cardinals, and Scott settled in nicely. While he didn’t complete five innings, aside from the three home runs, Scott’s day was effective, if not efficient. Across four and two-thirds innings, Scott allowed seven hits, four earned runs, one walk, and six strikeouts on the day. This was the sepmd career start by Scott where he gave up four earned runs; he’s still not given up five in a major league start.
Scott’s Cardinals counterpart Hunter Dobbins went four and a third, striking out five without allowing a walk. Both starters recovered nicely from the early home runs.
The Mets came back from the early deficit in the fifth when Young singled to score Juan Soto off of Justin Bruihl. Two frames later, and Soto would add a solo home run of his own to the tally against JoJo Romero, and that was all the Mets would need.
The Mets’ bullpen was fantastic throughout, allowing no hits and just one walk over four and a third innings. The relief pitching wasn’t dominant, striking out just three over those innings, but they kept the Cardinals off-balance and off the base paths. A.J. Minter (one and a third), Brooks Raley (one), Luke Weaver (one), and Devin Williams (one) pitched to just one above the minimum. Weaver is now in a 17 consecutive scoreless innings streak, despite being seen mumbling to himself when he gave up a couple of deep fly ball outs.
The Mets likely used more relievers than they would’ve liked to today, but the team needed the win.
The Mets are now 8-8 in their last 16 games, but at various points in that span, they’ve looked totally lost or like they’re snapping out of this slump. With Francisco Alvarez back and Francisco Lindor on the way back, the Mets are being given their best chance to try to salvage their season.
Nolan McLean starts tomorrow when the Mets face the Braves for the first time this season. Atlanta has not announced a starter yet.
Big Mets winner: Juan Soto +26% WPA Big Mets loser: -23% WPA Mets pitchers: +24% WPA Mets hitters: +26% WPA Teh aw3s0mest play: Juan Soto’s go-ahead home run, +24.6% WPA Teh sux0rest play: Jimmy Crooks’s home run, -15.3% WPA.
KANSAS CITY, MO - APRIL 14: The sun sets before the Kansas City Royals take on the Atlanta Braves at Kauffman Stadium on April 14, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Kyle Rivas/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The start of Thursday afternoon’s game between the Royals and Rangers was delayed for over two hours while the skies remained sunny in most of the Kansas City area.
Rain delay non-update: It's not raining. It hasn't rained. Slugger is on the field firing the t-shirt cannon to fans. There's no other movement anywhere else. Baseball, it really doesn't get better than this.
Kansas City was under a severe thunderstorm watch this afternoon, and some parts of the metro saw brief showers, although it doesn’t appear the stadium was affected.
So why was there a delay?
The Royals may have had another reason to be cautious – a heavily taxed bullpen. Stephen Kolek departed after five innings on Tuesday, forcing the Royals to cover four innings with relievers. On Wednesday, Seth Lugo exited early after being struck in the head by a line drive, and an extra-inning game required the Royals to use seven relievers.
The Royals wanted to avoid a situation where the game starts and is then delayed after a few innings. That could cause starting pitcher Michael Wacha to stiffen up and exit the game, requiring the Royals to go to their bullpen early again.
The Royals also used 7 relievers last night, four of them for the second straight day and are incredibly thin pitching wise. Can't afford to start a guy and have him leave early due to a delay. So… we wait. Not sure how the Rangers feel about that, but we wait.
On game day, if weather becomes an issue before first pitch, the home club is usually the primary decision-maker on whether to delay the start, move up the start, or postpone the game. Teams consult with the league with input from the visiting team, but usually the home team gets final call. MLB rules state:
The home team shall be the sole judge as to whether a game shall not be started because of unsuitable weather conditions or the unfit condition of the playing field, except for the second game of a conventional or split doubleheader.
Once the game starts, the decision is made by the umpiring crew. A Royals rain delay with no rain previously happened in April of 2025, for a game with the Rockies.
Teams have become more aggressive about moving around game times to avoid inclement weather. But this may have been a case of excessive caution. It’s difficult to imagine the Rangers were thrilled about a two-hour delay before a flight to Boston for a series that begins tomorrow night.
It is 2:34 pm. The grounds crew is coming on to the field. Not a drop of rain has fallen at Kauffman Stadium. They will prepare the field and we will play. A nearly two-hour delay for no precipitation. It's a bad look for everybody.
The Royals began the game at 3:30, two hours after the original 1:10 start time. Baseball teams spend a lot of time trying to outsmart the weather. On Thursday, the Royals avoided the risk of a mid-game rain delay. They also left plenty of people wondering whether there was ever enough weather to justify delaying the game in the first place.
Jun 9, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki (11) jogs in the outfield before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
The Dodgers continue their road trip against recently terrible teams who are above .500 this season, heading to Chicago to face the first-place White Sox beginning Friday night at Rate Field. It used to be called Guaranteed Rate Field, but there are no assurances in life.
Roki Sasaki makes the start, looking to continue his era of good feelings with five runs (four earned) allowed over his last four starts and 24 1/3 innings, with 29 strikeouts and five walks.
CINCINNATI, OH - MAY 31: Mauricio Dubón #14 of the Atlanta Braves bats during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on Sunday, May 31, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Colten Strauss/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
I’m going to start this off by giving Dugout Radar a shout-out. In case you’ve never heard of it, it’s a website that does its best to give you an idea of how likely it is to see the tarp on the field for any given ball game across Major League baseball. As of right now, it is giving tonight’s game between the Braves and White Sox a 92 percent chance of being delayed by rain. On top of all of that, there’s currently a tornado watch for the entire Chicagoland area from now until 10 p.m. CT.
I’m saying all of that to say that there’s a decent chance that we won’t see this particular lineup in action tonight.With that being said, it’s still worth talking about so let’s get into it, shall we?
Yep. That is Mauricio Dubón leading off. He’s talked about how he’s rarely had opportunities to get this many at-bats and now he’s certainly going to get them tonight now that he’s at the top of the order. The middle of the order looks familiar, then you get to Jorge Mateo as DH, Eli White in right field, Ha-Seong Kim at shortstop and Sandy León serving in the ninth spot. I’m not going to sit here and tell you that this is the most inspiring lineup we’ve seen this season but it is baseball and anything can happen, so hopefully this particular nine can make something shake so the Braves can avoid the sweep.
I halfway expected Braden Montgomery to be hitting cleanup with the way he’s gotten his big league career started so far. With that being said, they’re still going to get a dose of Montgomery from the cleanup spot anyways since Colson will be hitting fourth this evening. Martín Pérez could have his work cut out for him this evening.
Tonight’s game is scheduled for a 7:40 p.m. ET start but as I mentioned to start this article, rain could play a factor in tonight’s contest. We’ll see you there!
England cricket chief Rob Key is considering imposing a total alcohol ban on the squad following a nightclub incident involving Ben Stokes but said “no rash decisions” will be made on the all-rounder’s long-term future as Test captain.
So Illinois guard Keaton Wagler, Michigan's Aday Mara and Baylor's Cameron Carr moved up based on Microsoft Copilot's analysis of the latest mock drafts, prospect analysis, team needs and rumors and intel related to pre-draft workouts and front office discussions. Koa Peat of Arizona and Houston's Chris Cenac Jr., meanwhile, saw their stock drop in the eyes of AI.
The real answers are likely to be shrouded in mystery until the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft begins on June 23.
Here's a breakdown of Microsoft Copilot AI's latest 2026 NBA mock draft, including the chatbot's reasoning for making each first-round pick:
USA TODAY Sports asked Microsoft Copilot AI to generate a mock draft for the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft featuring only players eligible this year now that the NBA draft withdrawl deadline passed for college players. The chatbot was asked to base its selections on current mock drafts from reputable websites, as well as the latest intel on team needs, prospect analysis, pre-draft workouts and the most up-to-date draft withdrawal news.
Note:AI models still have issues with accuracy as seen in the mock draft below. Of particular note, Microsoft Copilot needed additional prompts after several picks were inaccurately assigned to teams.The average mock draft pick referenced for each player was compiled by USA TODAY Sports using 13 of the latest mock drafts from national websites around the country, including USA TODAY.
From New York to Los Angeles, Peter Laviolette and Artemi Panarin are reuniting.
Laviolette was hired by the Los Angeles Kings this week as their head coach, joining Panarin, who was traded from the New York Rangers to the Kings in February.
Under Laviolette’s coaching with the Rangers, Panarin experienced his best statistical season in 2023-24, recording 49 goals, 71 assists, and 120 points.
In Laviolette’s system, Panarin was the focal point of the offense, playing a major top-six and power-play role, serving as the main puck handler.
Laviolette had only positive things to say about Panarin during his introductory press conference with the Kings on Wednesday.
“He's an extremely talented person,” Laviolette said of Panarin. “Some people, I think, have elite skills and I think he has elite skills. We just had a relationship where, I think it's important to get to know people and work at that - and I'm going to work hard to do that here with all the players and all the staff inside of the Kings family - but he also has the ability to be a game-breaker and a difference-maker.
“He's not just a goalscorer, he's not just a playmaker, he's elusive, he's shifty, he can change a game on any given night I'm really excited to work with him again. I loved working with him in New York and now I get that opportunity again.”
The Rangers won the Presidents’ Trophy and reached the Eastern Conference Final during Laviolette’s first season in New York, but the Blueshirts missed the playoffs the following season, which ultimately cost Laviolette his job.
The 61-year-old coach spent the 2025-26 campaign without a coaching job, but was in the mix for a number of head coaching vacancies, including the Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers, before he was hired by the Kings.
“Peter builds relationships, he creates a positive culture, he’s a motivator and he’s a winner,” Kings general manager Ken Holland said. “He’s the seventh-winningest coach in the history of the NHL and he’s taken three teams to the Stanley Cup Final……
“I talked to a lot of people that have worked with Lavy and everyone was very, very positive about what he could bring to the LA Kings. When you look at his resume, all of the teams that he’s been with and the impact that he’s had on those teams, the first couple of years, right off the bat. Pro hockey is hard to win at and he’s done a lot of winning.”
CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 15: Michael Rucker of the Chicago Cubs pitches in a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field on June 15, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Seattle Mariners have cranked their bullpen merry-go-round once more. This time, they’ve selected a local product to cycle into the rotation, selecting RHP Michael Rucker from Triple-A Tacoma and designating RHP Domingo González for assignment one day after recalling him.
Rucker is a 32 year old hurler who starred at Auburn Riverside High School, class of 2012. Rucker attended Gonzaga University out of high school, pitching well for the Bellingham Bells for two summers before transferring to Brigham Young University for two more strong seasons. Selected in the 11th round by the Chicago Cubs in the 2016 draft, Rucker debuted in 2021 with the Cubbies. He’s since bounced around, working in a bullpen role for a 4.96/4.51 ERA/FIP in 123 innings across 96 games. Injuries waylaid his 2025, but he’s been solid with the Rainiers. His 1.93/3.95 ERA/FIP in 22 games is impressive in the Pacific Coast League, but he’ll be expected most likely to cover some innings in the next day or two for a short-handed M’s pitching staff.
González had about as rough of a call-up as Nick Davila’s had a dreamy one. He may well be claimed in spite of his implosion Wednesday, but otherwise he’ll return to Triple-A Tacoma having been cleared off the 40-man roster to make space for Rucker.
Despite a rough stretch for the San Diego Padres to begin the month of June, manager Craig Stammen is not in panic mode. His main objective is to get the lineup in the right frame of mind to produce better at the plate.
The team stats do not lie
The team has lost 12 of its last 16 games, as the lineup has been given multiple opportunities to win games, only to fail to get that key hit. Case in point, the Padres’ bats went 3-for-20 with runners in scoring position, as they stranded 13 on the basepaths in Wednesday’s extra-inning loss to the Cincinnati Reds.
It is bleak times at Petco Park, as the team batting average is .214 with a .293 OBP during this current cold streak. The offense has scored 41 runs and averaged 2.6 runs per game, well below the season average of 3.7.
The disappointing numbers put the Friars near the bottom of the league’s offensive team categories.
Injuries expose lack of minor league options
Injuries to Jake Cronenworth and Ramon Laureano have derailed the attack, as the middle of the order has failed to deliver when the opportunity arose. Manny Machado is struggling through the worst offensive stretch of his 15-year career. The future Hall of Famer is hitting .172, with the lone saving grace being his 34 RBI, which lead the team.
The Friars cannot afford to wait much longer and hope the bats come alive. Patience is running thin in the Gaslamp Quarter.
The trade deadline might be the furthest thing from team president of baseball operations and general manager A.J. Preller’s mind at the moment. No team is looking to make a deal this early in the season, as the deadline is set for Aug. 3. But internal discussions have to begin on whether it is feasible to acquire a proven bat.
Unfortunately, there is no immediate help on the way via the minor leagues. In past trade deadlines, Preller used the farm system depth to acquire talent.
The Padres have only one prospect in the top 50 MLB prospect list. Ethan Salas is No. 5 on the list, as the 20-year-old has returned with a vengeance after missing the majority of the 2025 season. Salas is hitting .298/.361/.486, as his confidence level is growing with each plate appearance.
Bowen and Taylor provide much-needed spark
One series win does not solve a problem, but the combination of small ball with timely home runs is worth its weight in gold. The Friars had no choice but to turn to Jase Bowen and Samad Taylor, and they have filled a void that was missing in the lineup. The bats have shown flashes of improvement, but more work remains.
The good news is the Padres remain box-office gold, as they play to sold-out crowds at Petco Park on most nights. The lineup gives the Friar Faithful just enough hope to believe they’re a postseason contender.
June is a telling month of how the remainder of the season will go. If the offense continues to struggle to score runs, it might be time to trade some veterans to restock the farm system.
However, upper management has no plans to move anyone off the roster just yet.
OMAHA, NEBRASKA - JUNE 24: A general view of the field prior to Game 1 of the NCAA College World Series baseball final game between the Florida Gators and the LSU Tigers at Charles Schwab Field on June 24, 2023 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s College World Series time, and this year, there’s a chance that every draft eligible player involved might be there when the Diamondbacks pick 15th. As with last year, there will be tons of talent for subsequent drafts on the field; last year, top overall prospect for 2026 Roch Cholowsky was in Omaha. He’s home this year, along with a Georgia Tech squad that has the consensus third best prospect. But there are storylines galore and plenty of players to watch.
2026 has been dubbed the “year of the catcher” by some, thanks to the plethora of catchers. There are so many good catchers that—despite the two highest rated catchers being eliminated in the regionals—every team in the tournament has a catcher on the prospect lists, although some will not be draft eligible this year. There are two teams (Troy and West Virginia) that have never been to Omaha before, two others (Alabama and North Carolina) that have never won it all, two more (Oklahoma and Georgia) that haven’t won in a long time, and two others (Ole Miss and Texas) who have won fairly recently. Texas is in Omaha for the 39th time (14 more than any other team) which is 19 more appearances than the entire left half of the bracket combined.
The College World Series isn’t all about the guys who might get drafted this year, either. Gavin Kelly of West Virginia is currently the highest rated college prospect for the 2027 draft. Justin Janicki of Troy is another highly rated prospect for next year.
But this will primarily look at prospects the Diamondbacks might be interested in. North Carolina has the greatest quantity, while the single best college prospect is likely with Alabama. Texas might have the best mix of high-end and quantity.
Justin Lebron, SS, Alabama (6’2”, 180)
A year ago, Lebron looked like he would be the first college bat taken in the 2026 draft, and there’s still a chance that might be the case if there’s mutual interest in cutting a deal, but as people have focused more on his game, his weaknesses have gotten more attention. But there’s really only one significant weakness: Lebron chases too many pitches outside the strike zone.
He’s got above-average power, he’s an excellent fielding shortstop with an above-average arm who should stay at shortstop in the pros. He runs extremely well (he’s stolen 40 bases and been caught once in 58 games this year).
Could Lebron make it all the way to the Diamondbacks at #15? There’s a chance. In Jim Callis’s latest mock, he slides all the way to the Astros at #17. He hasn’t been connected with the Diamondbacks and there are a lot of prospects with high upside who aren’t in Omaha. But it would be impossible to fault the front office for a Lebron pick.
Aiden Robbins, OF, Texas (6’2”, 195)
Robbins hit just 12 home runs in two years at Seton Hall but showcased a great hit tool. Then last summer he hit six home runs for Harwich in the Cape Cod League, and has carried that over to 23 for Texas. As a result, even though his averaged dropped (from .422 to a still-excellent .344) his OPS dropped just 40 points, all the way to 1.149. His speed and arm are average, but he’s stolen 42 bases and been caught just four times in his college career, so he knows how to pick his spots.
Because Robbins is almost certain to be relegated to a corner outfield spot in professional ball and because he lacks a truly standout tool, he’s mocked in the 25-35 range. He could be available at the Diamondbacks’ second pick.
Cade Townsend, RHP, Ole Miss (6’1”, 185)
Townsend is an all-around pitching prospect who has a high floor and middle of the rotation potential. He’s got five average to above-average pitches, and while none of them are true standout offerings, he’s also shown good control. But he’s also had a dismal ending to his season, and as a draft eligible sophomore, he might opt to go back to school to improve his draft stock. A good showing in Omaha would get him a bigger bonus and make him more likely to sign this year.
Because he has no incentive to cut a deal, there’s no reason for the Diamondbacks to pick him at #15. If he lasts until #31, there’s a chance, but at that draft position he could demand an above-slot bonus. I don’t see the Diamondbacks taking him, although if they did, he would likely become the top pitching prospect in the system. (That can also be said for several pitchers who are not at Omaha, both college and high school arms.)
Daniel Jackson, C, Georgia (6’2”, 200)
Jackson is Georgia’s top prospect and is arguably the best all-around player in college baseball this year. He’s hit 25 home runs and stolen 25 bases, the first college player ever to do so. Barring a rough time in Omaha, he’s going to win an SEC triple crown, something only done twice before. One of the previous two? Rafael Palmeiro, who only went on to get 3000 hits and mash 500 home runs in his (PED assisted) MLB career. And Jackson is a catcher. While he might not stay at catcher, he’s athletic enough to move to the outfield. His tenth inning home run in the second game of the Super Regional put Georgia in the College World Series.
His biggest defensive weakness is his receiving, and part of that may be that he uses a smaller glove than many catchers, giving him a smaller margin of error. His arm should be good enough to stick at catcher, so if he can improve his receiving skills, he’s a passable catcher with 30-30 upside, and corner outfield as a fall-back spot.
The highest I’ve seen Jackson in a mock draft is 28th, so there’s a good chance that he’s available at #31. He’s the last prospect on this list who almost certainly won’t be available at #53.
Joey Volchko, RHP, Georgia (6’4”, 210)
Volchko has the velocity and movement on his fastball, as well as a starter’s frame. He’s got a slider that at its best is a wipeout pitch. He’s got a fringy changeup and cutter. What he doesn’t have is much in the way of control. And his control hasn’t improved as he transferred from Stanford to Georgia. He’s got tremendous upside if someone can help him figure it out, but there’s a ton of reliever risk.
Volchko will be an option at #53, but given the Diamondbacks’ track record with pitcher development, I’m not sure he would be a good one.
Owen Hull, OF, North Carolina (6’4”, 215)
Hull is a name that should be of interest to the Diamondbacks. He’s an outfielder with a potential for a good power/speed combination. He’s got a below-average arm but we know that the Diamondbacks are willing to work with that. Unlike some other Diamondbacks’ outfield prospects, he’s big. He’ll need to hit the ball in the air more, but if he does, there’s 20-30 home run potential. There’s a lot of bust potential here though. Hull keyed the comeback to get the Tar Heels to Omaha, scoring a run in the eighth to cut the deficit to one run and then lining a double to the gap to walk things off in the ninth.
Opinions vary on where Hull might go. He’ll be there at #53 and probably at #88.
Ruger Riojas, RHP, Texas (6’, 195)
Riojas is probably the best senior starter, as a rough end to last season (caused primarily by illness, apparently) tanked his draft status. He has one of the better fastballs that will be seen in Omaha, comfortably reaching the upper 90s with carry. He also has a splitter and cutter that are average or above-average pitches, and boasts some of the best control out of the college arms. He’s struck out 106 against just 15 walks.
Because he’s a senior, he doesn’t have much bargaining power and definitely won’t go over slot. A team that really likes him could take him in the 30-50 range and hope they can cut a below-slot deal. He’s unlikely to last to #88, so if the Diamondbacks want him they’ll likely need to pick him at #53. They’ll have done their due diligence and know whether they can get any savings or not.
Ryan Lynch, RHP, North Carolina (6’3”, 210)
Lynch is a two-pitch pitcher who will definitely need to develop a third or fourth pitch to reach a rotation, but he has solid reliever floor thanks to a good fastball/slider combination. That could see him as a future late-inning reliever and gives him a solid floor.
Lynch is the first player here who has a good shot at reaching #88.
Camden Johnson, 3B, Oklahoma (6’, 176)
Johnson may be the fastest player in the draft class. He’s played third for Oklahoma but played shortstop for Wichita State previously, and was moved to third more because Oklahoma had Jaxon Willits at shortstop than because Johnson couldn’t handle the position. He stole 18 bases in summer ball last year. His power numbers have improved this year and his on-base skills didn’t drop despite moving to the SEC.
As a speedy left handed batter with a decent hit tool, Johnson certainly fits the profile of players the Diamondbacks have taken. #53 is probably too early, but if he’s around at #88 it would not surprise me to see him chosen.
Taylor Rabe, RHP, Ole Miss (6’5”, 200)
Rabe has the most velocity of anyone in this article (he’s been at 100) and he controls it well, so if a team thinks they can develop some secondary pitches and make him a starter, he could go in the top 50 picks. More likely, he winds up in the bullpen. And if that’s the route, he could be a very quick mover. He’s already had a Tommy John surgery, so teams might see him as a lower injury risk than some, and he has fewer college pitches on his arm than most high-end guys.
I really don’t like the idea of taking risky pitchers in the first 100 picks, and I don’t think Rabe lasts past the third round. And he has the option to return to school, so signability would be a concern. I think he’s only an option for the Diamondbacks if he lasts past the first ten rounds and they take him in a spot where they don’t have to worry about losing the bonus pool money.
I anticipate the remaining players covered here to go after the first three rounds, and they are presented in alphabetical order.
Jason DeCaro, RHP, North Carolina (6’5”, 225)
DeCaro has a lot of pitches, but none of them particularly stand out. He’s extremely young for the class (he just turned 20) but he has yet to develop big strikeout potential, which limits his ceiling. Still, he could develop into a solid pitcher that covers innings in a fourth starter role. The issue is that without a pitch to really carry him, he lacks much in the way of reliever upside, and might wind up a AAAA middle reliever.
Gavin Gallaher, 2B, North Carolina (6’1”, 191)
Gallaher is a high floor bat who makes good contact and has on-base skills, but lacks a defensive home. His arm is best for second base, but if he doesn’t make it there, he’s probably ticketed for a corner outfield spot, and it’s doubtful that the bat comes around enough to provide corner outfield-level value.
Jake Schaffner, SS, North Carolina (6’2”, 200)
Schaffner hits and runs well, but doesn’t have much in the way of home run power. But the bat is real; he transferred from North Dakota State and his offensive numbers improved against a tougher schedule. He might have the range to stick at shortstop, but he doesn’t have the arm, and between that and his lack of home run power, his ceiling is limited. If the Diamondbacks did wind up taking him, I’d expect that they would encourage some defensive flexibility and have him play all three outfield positions in addition to second base and maybe third base.
Carson Tinney, C, Texas (6’4”, 240)
Tinney is a big guy with the power to match. He hits big home runs and draws his share of walks. He’s far from a speedster but has managed 10 stolen bases this year. The issue is that his arm is his best defensive tool but unless he can substantially improve his catcher defense, he’ll be restricted to first base and DH. There’s still a lot of value there, but that is the kind of profile that can send players tumbling down draft boards.
I think Tinney would have to fall pretty far for the Diamondbacks to take him. They have had much more success with more athletic bats.
Finally, here’s some other draft eligible players I’m interested in seeing, organized by team. Many of these are late round guys, seniors, etc. They have skills or tools I think are intriguing, but not enough to focus on them heavily.
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The Mets take a see-saw game as Juan Soto doubles and scores a run to tie the game and homers to bring in the winning run as the Mets with 5-4. Hunter Dobbins gave up 2 homerun and 3 runs in the first inning for a rough start. The Cardinals tagged 3 home runs in the first two to overcome the early damage, but the left-side of the Cardinal bullpen could not hold the slim one run lead and the offense left for Minnesota a couple innings too early.
Pre-game notes
Day game today. The Cardinals will play 3 of those this week.
Getaway day today. On to Minnesota.
The Cardinals look to vault to ten games over .500 today. They are something like 0-12 in these games dating back to the end of the 2022 season.
Dobbins to the mound for the Cardinals. Christian Scott for the Mets. He appears to be a high K, high BB kind of pitcher.
The left leaning line-up today. Oli created a nice lefty-lane at the end Crooks, Gorman, Church, plus Wetherholt on the wrap around. We could see Fermin, Pages and Velazquez early today.
The first innings
Burleson hits a solo shot to get the Cardinals on top in the first. In the bottom of one, Benge singles and Bichette launches a ball into outer space. Later, Young hits a line drive solo shot. 3-1 Mets after one inning.
In the top of the second, Winn doubled and Nootbaar launched a long 2-run HR. Crooks followed with a second deck solo shot, regaining a 4-3 for the Cardinals.
The early innings made me double check to make sure the teams weren’t playing at Wrigley with the wind blowing out
According to Statcast Park Factors, Citi Field plays pretty neutral (99), but a bit positive on the HR side (102). In addition, it is quite warm and humid in Queens today, which combined with pitchers throwing batting practice type pitches, a Home Run Derby broke out early.
The middle innings
The game settled down after the top of the second, carrying the same 4-3 into the fifth. Both starting pitchers gave up the ghost and had to be replaced in their half. In the bottom of the fifth, Bruihl relieved Dobbins with one out, none on to face a lefty lane populated with a guy named Soto and was not up to the task, and a 4-4 tie game was the result. The run-scoring play was complicated by a bad hop on a strong throw to the plate that appears to precede Soto. Crooks was unable to handle it, allowing Soto to score.
Dobbins line wasn’t horrible, just a poor start. 4.1 IP 5 K 0 BB but 3 early runs doomed his start.
The strong side of the Mets bullpen is good. The Cardinals really didn’t mount any offense after the second inning.
The decisive and bitter end
JoJo Romero got the same lefty lane as Bruihl did a few innings earlier, with a similar result. He hung a pitch to Soto, who added to the half mile of home runs hit today. Graceffo finished the eighth, but the damage was done.
In the ninth, we saw Torres, a lefty, pinch hit for Gorman, another lefty, to face Williams. That spoke volumes. Devin Williams closed it out. Mets win 5-4.
Post-Game Notes
Check out Today on the Farm – Thursday 6.11 for updates on MiLB action.
