Today the Cactus League slate comes to a close for the Texas Rangers as they end things in Arizona — fittingly — against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
LHP Austin Gomber gets the nod for Texas in the spring last hurrah opposite RHP Ryne Nelson for Arizona.
You can listen to the game via 105.3 The Fan or follow along on Gameday. First pitch from Salt River Fields at Talking Stick is scheduled for 3:10 pm CT.
Go Rangers!
I do grow weary of spring training games. My standing rule of baseball is that if you’re going to be a boring game, you better be short, and today’s contest against the Tigers was boring but about as long as a real matchup. The Yankees pushed across just a single run in the Saturday matinee, going down 3-1 against Detroit.
I think Cam Schlittler is ready for the games to count:
As we’ve come to expect from Cam, he threw his four-seam, sinker, and cutter 78 percent of the time today, but wasn’t able to avoid much contact, striking out just a single batter in 3.2 innings. This is one of the fun parts of spring training — the Tigers had a lot of their Opening Day starters in the lineup, so were they able to time up Schlittler’s pitches, or was he specifically trying to control quality of contact against him?
I tend to think it was more the latter, as 8 of Cam’s 11 outs came on the ground. That’s not really his style, running a 36.4-percent groundball rate last year, five points lower than league average. I wonder if that increased use of his sinker—the second-most-common offering today—was an attempt to almost pre-adjust to MLB-caliber hitting. In short, there are going to be occasions in the regular season where you don’t have your strikeout stuff, so on those days, are you able to change things up midgame to continue getting outs?
Dominican National Team catcher Austin Wells used the big fundamentals to push across the Yankees’ only run, after back-to-back singles from fellow Dominicans Amed Rosario and Jasson Domínguez:
Domínguez would continue to be the main character of the day, with a truly terrible approach to Dillon Dingler’s sac fly in the sixth:
Then again in the seventh, Jasson kept being the star with a triple, albeit one the hitters behind him couldn’t take advantage of. I’m starting to wonder if the Martian is the new version of Gleyber Torres, where he can actually be a quality part of an MLB roster, while still doing something every other game or so that makes you grind your teeth.
Kenedy Corona had himself a tough day. The farmhand was fighting the bright Florida sun all day, and the sun won on a critical fly ball to centerfield:
At least Angel Chivilli, brought in to replace Ryan Yarbrough in the seventh with two on and two out, was able to strike out old friend Jahmai Jones to end the threat. It hasn’t been an easy spring for the former Rockie, and while he’ll start the season with Triple-A, the approach to Jones — especially a devastating slider whiffed on for strike two — is illustrative to why the Yankees wanted him anyway.
Excluding tonight’s prospect-themed Spring Breakout, there are only three more of these left! Each start made from Thursday on was that pitcher’s final piece of work before the games start to count, and while the Yankees haven’t tapped a starter for tomorrow’s outing just yet, we know they’ll be back at home in Tampa to welcome the Phillies. It’s the last weekend without real baseball for a long time, and that Sunday affair will come at 1:05pm Eastern. As for the Spring Breakout, that will begin tonight against Atlanta’s prospects at 6:35pm ET on YES.
Follow all of Saturday's NCAA Tournament second round games with USA TODAY Sports' live updates.
The NCAA Tournament's overall top seed Duke was in a first-round dogfight against No. 16 seed Siena on Thursday.
Afterward, Blue Devils coach Jon Scheyer called it his toughest March Madness moment.
"Toughest one," he told reporters after the 71-65 win. "Not close. Toughest moment, toughest game, toughest position I've ever been in in the tournament, no question about it."
You'd imagine things will only get tougher as the tournament goes on.
Up next for Duke is No. 9 seed TCU. The Horned Frogs beat No. 8 seed Ohio State, 66-64, on a late Xavier Edmonds bucket in Thursday's first round opener.
TCU has never won a Round of 32 game in March Madness. Is today the day?
HIT REFRESH FOR UPDATES.
| TEAMS | 1H | 2H | F |
| TCU | — | — | — |
| Duke | — | — | — |
Odds provided by BetMGM as of 1:15 p.m., Saturday.
Boozer is widely projected as a top-3 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Here’s a look at where various mock drafts from major outlets have the Duke freshman going:
Cameron Boozer and his twin brother, Cayden (also a freshman for Duke) are the sons of former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer.
Before his 13-year career in the NBA, Carlos Boozer was a standout forward for the Blue Devils under Mike Krzyzewski from 1999-2002. A member of Duke's 2001 national championship team, Carlos Boozer finished his three-year career with the Blue Devils with more than 1,500 points scored and started 93 of the 101 games in which he appeared.
This is Dixon's 10th season as TCU's head coach. Dixon returned to his alma mater after after a 13-year run as head coach at Pitt.
Dixon is 199-137 with the Horned Frogs and has led TCU to five NCAA Tournament appearances.
TCU reached the Regional Final in 1968 but only 23 teams were in the NCAA Tournament that year. So the Horned Frogs have never won a Round of 32 game.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Duke vs TCU score live update: March Madness highlights in NCAA Round 2
Follow all of Saturday's NCAA Tournament second round games with USA TODAY Sports' live updates.
Just like that, the career of one of the most interesting figures in recent college basketball history has come to an end.
Robbie Avila saw the door shut on his collegiate career with No. 9 Saint Louis losing 95-72 to No. 1 seed Michigan in the second round of the 2026 Men's NCAA Tournament on Saturday, March 21, at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York.
Avila started his career in 2022-23 at Indiana State, gaining acclaim for his style of play and goggles during Indiana State's NIT run two years ago. The player who earned many nicknames over the years, including "Cream Abdul-Jabbar," "The College Jokic" and "Larry Blurred" was a favorite of many college basketball fans.
He reflected on his fame and how it impacted his career following the loss.
"I take it with a grain of salt. Some days it's good, some days it's not good," Avila said of the attention he received. "When you're really, really good, the attention is awesome. When you're not, it's negative. So I kind of try not to let it play too big in my head.
"I'm just blessed to be able to play the sport I love at a high level. Hopefully I'll be able to play basketball for a long time."
After the run with the Sycamores, Avila was one of the top players in the transfer portal due to his 6-foot-10 frame, ability to shoot and as a playmaker at his size. Instead of opting for bigger programs, however, he chose to follow his coach, Josh Schertz, to Saint Louis.
Avila entered the second-round game needing 19 points to reach 2,000 for his career. However, he was limited to nine points on 3-of-13 shooting with the Wolverines very keyed in on taking him out of the equation.
Still, Avila finished his career with 1,990 points, 750 rebounds and 473 assists while shooting 51.9% from the field and 38.1% from 3-point range for his career.
Schertz reflected on Avila's career following the Billiken' loss on Saturday.
“Robbie's, he's somebody that I've said, when he came with us from Indiana State, I think he legitimized our program immediately," Schertz said. "He's, obviously, was one of the top recruits in the country, and to choose Saint Louis, and that was, was an incredible coup for us. He has, like I said, no coincidence that winning has followed him everywhere he's ever gone. He won in high school at a place that hadn't won. He went to Indiana State, a place that hadn't won. He came to St Louis, at a place that hadn't been winning, and won.
"We're only 23 months from being 14th in the A-10 to being one of the last 32 teams standing. If you look at it, it's been a quick, a quick trajectory, and he's had the most to do with that of anybody. I'm incredibly proud of him and his growth over the four years. I think he won 100 and some games, a little over 100 games in four years. He's been incredible, a great teammate, a great competitor, a great human being."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Saint Louis coach Josh Schertz on Robbie Avila: 'He legitimized our program'
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We had a great matchup of two dominant lefties in Spring Training on Saturday, with Chris Sale facing Garrett Crochet and Sale’s former team, the Red Sox.
Sale gave up two very hard-hit balls in the first at over 104 MPH each, but only allowed a walk for a single baserunner. Sale was able to reign in the hard contact after the first and generally looked like himself, touching 97 on the radar gun and generating plenty of whiffs, despite relatively low strikeout totals. Michael Harris gave Chris an assist with a great jumping catch in the third. Sale continued to cruise his way through the game efficiently, completing 6.0 innings on 86 pitches wit 4 strikeouts, 1 walk, and 1 run allowed. That’s a solid outing for Sale, even with the relatively tame strikeout total by his standards in his final spring tune-up. Tyler Kinley took over in the seventh and allowed a single in a scoreless frame with one strikeout. Dylan Lee was the last major league pitcher to get some work on Saturday, as he worked a clean 8th inning with one strikeout.
On offense, Austin Riley continued his strong spring, blasting a 110 MPH home run off of Crochet in the second and a hard-hit double in the third.
Elsewhere on offense, Ozzie also hit a double, Olson hit a 101 MPH single in the third and a 107 MPH single in the seventh, and Eli White drew a walk. There were some additional Looney Tunes moments that resulted in a box score single for Olson and double for Riley in the fifth that were not batted balls deserving of those box score classifications. Those were the most notable performances at the plate by players expected to be on the Opening Day roster.
Join us again tomorrow at 1:05 PM ET, as Reynaldo Lopez gets his last bit of work in this spring.
Cam Schlittler pitched into the fourth inning without allowing a run, but the Yankees bats went cold in their 3-1 loss to the Tigers on Saturday afternoon.
With the loss, the Yankees are 17-11 in Grapefruit League play.
-In his final spring start before the regular season, Schlittler continued his dominant March. He didn't allow a runner into scoring position until the third, after Javier Baez led off with a single and made it to third base on a sac bunt and sac fly. However, Schlittler stranded Baez at third to keep the scoreless tie.
To the Tigers' credit, they made Schlittler work the second time through the order. They were patient and forced the young right-hander to throw 5-6 pitches per at-bat. With two outs and a runner on first, manager Aaron Boone pulled Schlittler after 3.2 scoreless innings (62 pitches/40 strikes). He allowed just two hits and one walk, while striking out one.
Over his three spring starts, Schlittler has allowed just one run on six hits and two walks across 9.2 IP while striking out 11 batters.
-On the offensive side, the Yankees had opportunities against Framber Valdez but could not break through until the third. Amed Rosario, starting at third base, led off with a double and Jasson Dominguez hit a one-out bloop single to put runners on the corners for Austin Wells. The Yankees backstop, who had a double earlier in the game, hit a sac bunt to first base to drive in Rosario.
-Jasson Dominguez continued his very strong spring on Saturday. He went 2-for-3 with a standup triple, hitting right-handed against Valdez. The talented outfielder was optioned to Triple-A on Friday as the Yankees outfield is cluttered to start the season, but the 23-year-old is showing the organization why he was highly touted over the years.
Dominguez is now hitting .349 with three home runs, two doubles, one triple, 10 RBI and three stolen bases across 15 spring games.
Randal Grichuk, who will make the Opening Day roster as the Yankees' fourth outfielder over Dominguez, started as the DH in this one. He went hitless and is now batting .111 in seven games after signing late this spring.
-Brent Headrick, looking for a spot in the bullpen, got the final out for Schlittler in the fourth. He's allowed two runs in seven appearances (7.0 IP) this spring.
-Ryan Yarbrough took over after Headrick and was not his sharpest. The southpaw allowed a two-out single to Kerry Carpenter in the fifth to score Baez from second. He then followed up with a leadoff walk to Jahmai Jones in the sixth and Colt Keith's single put Jones on third with one out -- Keith was thrown out at second trying to stretch it into a double. Dillon Dingler flew out to left field to push across the Tigers' second run.
In the seventh, Yarbrough allowed back-to-back, one-out doubles in the seventh to give the Tigers a 3-1 lead. However, that second double was lost in the sun by center fielder Kenedy Corona and dumped in for a ground-rule double when it should have been the second out. Yarbrough got one more out before he was pulled with a runner on, but he was stranded by Angel Chivilli as the book closed on Yarbrough's day.
Yarbrough threw 54 pitches (30 strikes), allowing three runs on five hits and two walks in 2.2 innings pitched. He's allowed four runs in three spring appearances (7.2 IP). It was just his second spring appearance since returning from the WBC.
-Although the Yankees picked up seven hits, they could only get one run across the plate. Not too surprising considering most of their starters did not play in this one. But here's how the notable names, who will likely be on the Opening Day roster, did in Saturday's game:
The Yankees' spring training slate continues Sunday afternoon against the Phillies. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m.
TORONTO (AP) — Walker Zimmerman scored a goal in the 83rd minute, José Cifuentes added a goal, and Toronto FC beat the Columbus Crew 2-1 on Saturday.
Luka Gavran stopped two shots for Toronto (2-2-1).
Djordje Mihailovic played a corner kick into the center of the area where Zimmerman went up high and slammed a header inside the back post to give Toronto the lead for good.
The Crew’s Wessam Abou Ali opened the scoring in the fourth minute. Dylan Chambost played a long ball down the left side to Max Arfsten, who played an arcing cross to Abou Ali for a header from the top of the 6-yard box that slipped under the crossbar and into the side-net. Abou Ali has six goals and two assists in 10 career MLS appearances, nine starts.
Cifuentes scored his first goal for Toronto in the 56th minute to make it 1-1. The 27-year-old midfielder scored for the first time in MLS since July 12, 2023, when he had his only goal of the season in a 3-0 win over St. Louis.
Patrick Schulte had four saves for the Crew (0-3-2). Columbus had 54% possession but was outshot by Toronto 13-9, 7-3 on target.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
San Diego Padres at Milwaukee Brewers, March 21, 2026, 1:10 p.m. PST
Watch: None
Location: American Family Fields of Phoenix – Phoenix, AZ
Listen: 97.3 The Fan
Please remember our Game Day thread guidelines.
GB community, this is your thread for today’s game. Enjoy!
The Braves’ bullpen is going to have some youth on Opening Day.
Atlanta is adding 20-year-old right-hander Didier Fuentes to its regular season roster, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Saturday.
The idea will be to have Fuentes join the team’s bullpen, per the report.
Fuentes has had a phenomenal spring training for the Braves, throwing nine hitless innings over three appearances.
He has struck out 17 hitters and not issued a single walk.
The No. 3 Braves prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, got a cup of coffee with the injury-riddled big league club last season, struggling with a 13.50 ERA in four starts.
New Braves skipper Walt Weiss said he sees some similarities between Fuentes and starter Spencer Strider.
“There’s some parallels there,” Weiss said this week, according to MLB.com. “For sure. The way that Strider broke in [the Majors].”
Fuentes, who averaged 96 mph on his fastball in his MLB cameo in 2025, has just 10 starts above High-A ball in the minor leagues, five apiece in Double-A and Triple-A.
His fastball is considered far-and-away his best pitch, with his slider checking in as his best secondary offering.
Atlanta, days before Opening Day, has experienced plenty of turmoil already in 2026.
Righties Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep were placed on the 60-day injured list after both underwent procedures on their pitching elbows.
Lefty Joey Wentz is likely out for the year after tearing his ACL while covering first base during Grapefruit League action.
The issues extended to the lineup, as Ha-Seong Kim, signed and expected to be the Opening Day shortstop, slipped on ice in January in his native South Korea and had surgery on his right middle finger.
His timetable to return is not yet clear.
On top of the injuries, outfielder Jurickson Profar was suspended by MLB for 162 games for his second positive test for performance-enhancing drugs in as many seasons.
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Our NBA player prop projections are locked in for tonight’s clash in Central Florida between the Los Angeles Lakers and Orlando Magic, with the model highlighting several standout opportunities.
After digging into the data and lining it up against current market prices, we’ve identified the bets with the strongest value.
These Lakers vs. Magic predictions aren’t based on feel — they’re backed by the numbers.
If you’re putting together your card, these are the model’s top NBA picks for Saturday, March 21.
 Lakers |  Magic |
|---|---|
| Reaves o20.5 points -105 | Bnachero o23.5 points -112 |
| Doncic u8.5 assists -110 | Carter Jr. u7.5 rebounds -140 |
| James o5.5 rebounds -105 | Bane u2.5 3-pointers -170 |
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Projection: 22.3 points
While Austin Reaves is questionable for tonight, it’s worth noting he’s gone Over his 20.5-point line in four of his last 10 games.
He’s averaging an impressive 23.5 points per game this season — a notable jump from 20.0 last year — and has taken on a larger scoring role.
With the Los Angeles Lakers operating as the NBA’s highest-scoring offense over their last five games, this matchup against the Orlando Magic sets up well for Reaves to find success from the field.
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Projection: 8.0 assists
The Lakers have played at the fourth-slowest pace among road teams over their last five games, a tempo that could limit Luka Doncic’s playmaking opportunities against Orlando.
That trend supports the Under on his 8.5 assist line, a number he’s stayed below in six of his last 10 games.
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Projection: 6.3 rebounds
The Magic have played at the fifth-fastest pace in the NBA over their last five games, which should create more rebounding opportunities for the Lakers.
That uptick benefits LeBron James, who has gone Over his 5.5 rebound line in six of his last 10 games.
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Projection: 24.8 points
Orlando’s offense has been rolling at home, averaging a strong 122.6 points per game — the sixth-best mark in the NBA over the last five games.
Much of that production has been driven by Paolo Banchero, who has gone Over his 23.5-point line in six of his last 10 games.
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Projection: 7.2 rebounds
The Magic have ranked as the third-worst offensive rebounding team at home over their last 10 games, a trend that could limit Wendell Carter Jr.’s impact on the glass.
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Projection: 2.5 3-pointers
With the Lakers playing at the fourth-slowest pace on the road over their last five games, this matchup could feature fewer possessions for the Magic.
That slower tempo may limit Desmond Bane’s chances from deep, aligning with the Under on his 2.5 three-point line — a mark he’s stayed below in four of his last 10 games.
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| Location | Kia Center, Orlando, FL |
| Date | Saturday, March 21, 2026 |
| Tip-off | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | SPECSN, FDSN FL |
Not intended for use in MA.
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Just four more days of spring training!
The Brewers will play their second-to-last game in Arizona this afternoon (not including an extra Spring Breakout game in there tomorrow), when they play host to the San Diego Padres at American Family Fields of Phoenix. For Milwaukee, Robert Gasser gets a last chance at making an impression on the Brewers’ decision makers. For San Diego, Randy Vásquez will take the mound.
Gasser remains very much in contention for an early season rotation spot, but it’s not really because of his spring performance. In 6 1/3 innings across three appearances, Gasser has allowed seven runs, all earned, on nine hits and three walks. It would be nice to see Gasser lower that 9.95 ERA today, given that he’s got a real chance at getting some time in the Brewers’ rotation to start the season; with Quinn Priester injured and Brandon Woodruff taking it slow, the opportunity is there. It’ll be a cavalcade of lefties today, as Aaron Ashby and DL Hall are also both scheduled to pitch, as is Easton McGee.
Milwaukee features an interesting outfield alignment today, with Brandon Lockridge, Garrett Mitchell, and Jackson Chourio going left to right. Jake Bauers is at first base today, with Andrew Vaughn handling DH duties and Brice Turang, Joey Ortiz, and David Hamilton rounding out the infield. William Contreras is catching and batting third.
One roster note today that doesn’t come as too much of a surprise: Reese McGuire has exercised his opt-out clause and is a free agent. There was a week where it looked like McGuire had a good shot at making the Brewers as the backup catcher, but when they brought Gary Sánchez in on a major-league deal, it closed off any route for McGuire that did not involve an injury to either Sánchez or Contreras. He also had a rough spring and hit just .103. All the best to McGuire.
Today’s game can be seen on Brewers.TV and is the MLB.TV free game of the day. First pitch at 3:10 p.m. central time.
By the end of this year, the NBA’s long and draining Giannis Antetokounmpo saga should finally be over. At least, it will be if you believe Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Wes Edens in a conversation with ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. With Antetokounmpo able to opt out of his contract after the 2026-27 season, the coming months should pressure the Bucks into action around their clearly frustrated superstar. Antetokounmpo will be eligible for a contract extension on October 1st. If he tells the Bucks he will not sign the $275 million extension, Milwaukee is put in a position where they have to trade him or risk losing him for nothing in free agency the following year.
“Giannis is going into the last year [of his contract],” Edens told Shelburne.”So one of two things will happen: Either he will be extended or he’ll be traded. The likelihood you’ll let him just kind of play out the last year, we can’t afford that. It’s not consistent with what’s good for the organization. That’s not a Giannis issue. That’s any player that’s in their last year.”
Shelburne’s reporting around the conversation, however, undermines Edens’ simplistic statement. The fact is Antetokounmpo’s saga in Milwaukee has seemed heading toward him forcing his way out for years. The Golden State Warriors, of course, made an aggressive push to acquire him at this year’s deadline. However, Milwaukee chose to hold onto him for a little bit longer and the Dubs opted to swap Jonathan Kuminga for Kristaps Porzingis.
While the Warriors were one of the few teams interested and able to acquire Antetokounmpo during the current season, it seems far more difficult to envision them getting a deal done this offseason. The fact is, every team has more financial flexibility during the offseason, and several teams with proven young players are more likely to enter the trade market after some squads inevitably under perform during the postseason. Nevertheless, Joe Lacob will surely be trying to wishcast a Warriors deal for Giannis into existence anyway.
The third iteration of the now annual Spring Breakout prospect showcase is set to continue on Saturday, and the Atlanta Braves prospects will be taking on the New York Yankees in a game that brings renewed enthusiasm for Braves prospects. After revitalizing the hitting talent with a focus on position player talent in the early rounds of the 2025 MLB draft the Braves will be running out the strongest lineup of the three games, including last season’s first round pick Tate Southisene.
Time: 6:35 PM ET
Venue: George M. Steinbrenner Field, Tampa, FL
How to Watch: YES | MLB Network | MLB.tv | MLB.com
The Braves are not often keen on running their top pitchers out for Spring Breakout, and this year is no exception with only a handful of the best prospects available for the game. Most notably, 2022 first round pick Owen Murphy is kicking off his full season return from his 2024 Tommy John surgery with a spot on this roster. The 22-year old Murphy has been a monster with a 1.39 ERA and 35.5% strikeout rate in 14 games between 2024 and 2025, and though questions still linger around his fastball velocity his elite command has provided promising results when paired with the elite spin and vertical movement on the pitch. For more info on Murphy and many of the prospects in this game, please check out our top 30 Braves prospects for the 2026 season.
While Murphy is the clear number one in the pitching room, there is still a decent group of talent behind him with four other top 30 prospects on the staff. Garrett Baumann is looking for redemption after a poor showing in the 2025 game, in which he walked five batters and allowed four runs in an inning of work, though he also showed off improved velocity. The improvements in his velocity and his slider turned into a solid showing in 2025, when he struck out more batters than in 2024 and had a 3.31 xFIP as a 20 year old in High-A. Baumann is still looking for command consistency and further improvement to that slider, but his mid-90’s velocity, strong changeup, and good control make him an intriguing starting pitching prospect. Herick Hernandez, Jhancarlos Lara, and Hayden Harris are the best of the rest and all have legitimate potential to make impacts in the Braves bullpen in the near future. Lara is the most exciting of the trio with a fastball that regularly clears triple digits and the best slider in the system, though his command has made him a volatile piece in the minor leagues. Lara is on the 40 man roster and has the opportunity to get to Atlanta this season, though he will need to throw more strikes to reach his immense ceiling. Hayden Harris dominated in Triple-A last seasons after improvements to his slider unlocked a new level to this game, and is hoping to lock down a permanent role in the big leagues after making his debut last season. Herick Hernandez is currently starting at the minor league level and had a solid season in 2025 with a 28.7% strikeout rate. Hernandez has a low-90’s fastball with elite carry and an above average slider, though his lack of a clear third pitch and his poor command has cast doubts on his potential as a starter. He could fit well in the bullpen if the Braves make a quick switch, though for now they have remained committed to the strategy of trying him as a starter and getting him more innings and reps.
The offense is where the Braves have a surprising chance to shine, with a position player cast loaded with top 30 talent. On the infield alone there are four 2025 draftees, with five total, and all of the Braves top position players are represented in the field. John Gil turned a 1-3 performance in last year’s game into a breakout 2025 with the 19 year old showing elite hitting talent and improved power and defense in Augusta last season. The Braves top two picks in the draft are also part of a stacked infield. First round pick Tate Southisene will look to take on Single-A ball this season in his first full season at the professional level, and with his all-around offensive game and solid defensive characteristics he is the top infield prospect in the system. Alex Lodise isn’t far behind, however, and he has the potential to move more quickly through the system and be the first of the Braves shortstops to the big leagues. Lodise has solid power potential and is seen as a lock to stick at the shortstop position, and was a great pickup for the Braves in the back end of last draft’s second round. The rest of the infield is rounded out with later draftees Cody Miller and Dixon Williams, as well as 2024’s top international prospect Jose Perdomo. Injuries and regression (somewhat related to injury) have dulled the shine of what was once considered an organization-defining prospect, and Perdomo is looking for a bounceback 2026 to reclaim his place as one of the system’s best prospects. ba
For as strong as the infield cast is the Braves outfield prospects may be even scarier, with the presence of Diego Tornes headlining the prospects in the game. After playing last season in the Dominican Summer League Tornes has yet to get the film and attention of some of the prospects in full season ball, yet the 17-year-old still carries lofty expectations and has a case to be the top position player prospect in the system. While there have a been a few notable international prospects to flame out in recent seasons Tornes seems cut above the rest with elite bat speed and plus hitting traits and the potential for middle-of-the-order power. This game is Tornes’s chance to stamp his name in the consciousness of avid Braves fans and he has the highest ceiling of any Braves prospect.
The youth in the outfield continues to flow, however, with the heart of the 2025 Augusta GreenJackets lineup all making their way to Tampa for this game. Isaiah Drake shook off a dreadful and injury-laden 2024 campaign to make marvelous improvement in 2025, improving his swing, cutting a huge chunk out of the swing-and-miss, and improving his power output at the plate. Drake has elite athletic traits and is a plus defender in center field, and though his power remains a question mark, another strong season would put him in the top half of the system’s top 30 list. Owen Carey didn’t turn 19 until mid-July, yet even still was the GreenJackets’s most consistent offensive threat in 2025. His numbers did dip a touch at the end of the season, but throughout the year he showed above average barrel feel and was able to keep his strikeout rate at an impressive 15.6%. He needs to improve his approach and drive the ball more on the pull side to reach his starter potential, but he has room to grow into more strength and has the foot speed and instincts to fit as an average defender in center field. An elite runner with the ability to play both center field and second base, Eric Hartman had an impressive showing as well in 2025. While his swing-and-miss was a bigger problem than it was for Drake or Carey, Hartman showed the potential to get to average power in the near future with his propensity to pull the ball in the air, and he showed the patience to draw walks and work deep counts. The next in the wave of GreenJackets prospects comes up in this outfield as well with 2025 fifth-round pick Conor Essenburg rounding out the top outfield prospects. Essenburg, despite his fifth-round selection, was still a notable pick receiving a $1.2 million signing bonus, and he has the physical presence scouts look for when projecting middle-of-the-order bats. Essenburg has good enough footspeed to potentially project to center field as well, though right now there are plenty of questions about his ability to make contact. He has the bat speed to catch up to elite fastballs, but didn’t show much consistency at the plate against good secondaries in high school and he has yet to make his professional debut.
We hope you will follow along with us at Battery Power for this exciting event, and for all of our minor league content yet to come this season.
It's no secret at this point that sniping forward Egor Chinakhov has found a home with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
And he just hit one of the first major points milestones of what is, hopefully, a long NHL career.
During Saturday's matinee matchup against the Winnipeg Jets, Chinakhov registered his 14th goal of the season and 11th with the Penguins just a minute and six seconds into the game. The goal marked his 100th career NHL point, which comes in his 235th NHL game.
The goal also marked his 11th tally in 31 games played with the Penguins, and he has 22 points in that same time span.
Chinakhov, 24, was acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Dec. 29 for a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 thirrd-round pick. He had requested a trade from the Jackets over the summer, and prior to the trade, he had just three goals and six points in 29 games and was a healthy scratch on a few occasions.
He is second only to Anthony Mantha (12) in team goals since making his debut with the Penguins on Jan. 1 against the Detroit Red Wings.
Inside The Penguins' Goalie Tandem: Skinner, Šilovs Talk Relationship Outside Rink, Splitting Goaltending DutiesPittsburgh Penguins' goaltenders Artūrs Šilovs and Stuart Skinner have both been helping the Penguins win hockey games and continue to earn crucial points down the stretch - and the success of their split tandem extends off the rink as well.Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!