Mets select Texas A&M LHP Shane Sdao 120th overall

HOOVER, AL - MAY 22: Pitcher Shane Sdao #38 of the Texas A&M Aggies pitches the ball during the SEC Baseball Tournament Quarterfinals game between Texas A&M Aggies and Auburn Tigers on May 22, 2026, at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama.(Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

With their final day one pick, the Mets selected Shane Sdao, a senior LHP from Texas A&M.

Sdao was an interesting high-volume relieve in his first two seasons at Texas A&M and was set to convert to the rotation in 2025. Unfortunately, he missed the entire year with Tommy John surgery and ultimately went undrafted despite rating as an interesting mid-round selection on Baseball America’s 2025 board. Back on the mound in 2026, Sdao went 4-4 with a 7.03 ERA, 783 strikeouts, and 21 walks in 71.2 innings this past season, with the majority of those innings coming as a starter.

At his best, Sdao can touch the upper 90s with above average extension while showing three breaking ball offerings. The best is a east-west slider, fitting with the Mets preference for horizontal breaking ball profiles. He’s also shown a curveball, cutter, and changeup, with the latter being the weakest offering by far. There’s some level of projection here as well despite Sdao’s age (he’s closer to 23 than 22) given his lean frame and recent return from injury. The vision for the Mets is presumably that they can take what is still a fairly unformed ball of clay and wring out significant improvements. BA had Sdao 91st on their top-500.

Selecting a senior sign this early (even if it is one of the better ones available this year) suggests the Mets are looking to save money for other picks. It’s possible that Carson Wiggins is closer to slot than we initially expected or that Aiden Robbins requires even more overslot, which would not help the already mediocre evaluation of those two picks. It’s also possible the Mets are looking to save more money to spread around in the later innings. We’ll see how the rest of the board develops on Day 2.

Ottawa Charge Moves In With The Senators, But Are They Moving Too Fast?

It’s official. The Senators are about to be joined by a second pro hockey team making Canadian Tire Centre their home.

After three seasons at TD Place, the Ottawa Charge announced Thursday they've signed a multi-year agreement to move to Canadian Tire Centre full-time, beginning next season.

Ottawa Senators President and CEO Cyril Leeder speaks with the media (Credit: The Hockey News Women's Hockey site)

Senators President and CEO Cyril Leeder was part of the announcement, along with Charge GM Mike Hirshfeld, and forward Rebecca Leslie, the hometown hero who led the Charge in goals in both the regular season and playoffs.

“Senators Sports & Entertainment is proud to officially welcome the Ottawa Charge to Canadian Tire Centre,” Leeder said. “The Ottawa-Gatineau region is fortunate to have two professional hockey teams competing at the highest level. In a short period of time, the Charge have developed a substantial following and fanbase, and they have become an important part of our local hockey ecosystem.”

Meanwhile, the City of Ottawa is currently building a new 6,500-seat arena at Lansdowne that was expected to become the Charge's permanent home. But the PWHL decided the building would be too small to accommodate both its current average attendance (8131) and its long-term growth plans.

In their recent past, the Charge have played six games at the CTC and have averaged 13,641 fans a game there, which is compelling, and certainly every Ottawa hockey fan hopes those types of numbers continue.

But a full regular season of PWHL games in an NHL building will be a much different test than the special occasion of the playoffs, and that's one of the reasonable concerns about this move.

For example, one of the best things about the Charge in their first three seasons has been that demand is in the same neck of the woods as supply. Can that happen for them in an 18,000-seat NHL arena? Smaller venues create urgency for tickets. Fans are willing to buy earlier and pay more because they know tickets are limited. 

Report: Senators Players Grew Tired Of The Noise Around Brady Tkachuk, Including His PodcastReport: Senators Players Grew Tired Of The Noise Around Brady Tkachuk, Including His PodcastAccording to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, Sens teammates grew weary of the noise surrounding their former captain.

Over the course of the 15-game regular season now at the CTC, on nights when they maintain their average attendance, the Charge may find themselves playing in front of 10,000 empty seats, and there’s a risk that urgency could disappear.

A full house also creates a much better TV product than 8100 fans scattered through an 18,000-seat arena. Empty seats are hard to ignore on television, and perception can matter to prospective fans and sponsors.

These are part of the reasons the Senators have reduced the building's seating capacity over the years.

And then there’s location. The Senators eventually want to leave Kanata and get to a central location. The Charge is leaving a central location to get to Kanata. Lansdowne is a desirable location that’s easier to get to for a lot of people, including the players, and there’s certainly more to do around the building before and after games.

I hope this move proves to be the right one. Nothing would be better than seeing the Charge fill Canadian Tire Centre every night. But until that happens, it's fair to wonder whether the PWHL is moving too far and too fast when it already has something here that's working really well.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

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Gary Trent Gets Paid

MILWAUKEE, WI - MARCH 31: Gary Trent Jr. #5 of the Milwaukee Bucks drives to the basket during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on March 31, 2026 at Fiserv Forum Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images). | NBAE via Getty Images

Good news for Gary Trent Jr., as the former Blue Devil signed a huge contract to stay with the Milwaukee Bucks.

By NBA standards, Trent was not really making very much the last few years. He had the league minimum in 2024, and then signed a two-year deal for $7.5 million.

Now, he’s got a four-year deal for $64 million, thus moving from $3.75 million per year to $16 million.

Not many people get to quadruple their salary, so congratulations to Trent. That’s amazing.

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Gary Trent Jr. returning to Bucks on reported fully guaranteed four-year, $64 million deal

LAS VEGAS — It's always interesting to see the reaction in the media seats at NBA Summer League when news breaks. When the news came down about Gary Trent re-signing with the Bucks for four years, $64 million (a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN), the reaction was something like this.

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This is a fully guaranteed contract, no options. The Bucks and Trent's representatives looked at sign-and-trade options before settling on this deal, reports Charania. It seems like a lot of money for Trent and his production, although this is the size of contract that falls right into the sweet spot for potential trades.

Last season, Trent was on a minimum deal with the Bucks and averaged 8.1 points per game, shooting 36% from 3, playing about 21 minutes per night.

The Bucks have all the guards, it seems. We'll call Trent 6'5" a wing, and in the mix for that role is Tyler Herro, Caris LeVert, Jamie Jaquiez Jr. and just drafted Brayden Burries, who has looked pretty good at Summer League. The Bucks are stockpiling talent and picks in the hope of drafting or trading for their next star in the coming seasons as they move on from the Giannis Antetokounmpo era.

Game Thread: SummerKnicks vs. SummerSpurs, July 11, 2026

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 10: Pacome Dadiet #4 of the New York Knicks drives to the basket during the game against the Brooklyn Nets during the 2026 NBA Las Vegas Summer League on July 10, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Candice Ward/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Knicks won’t have long to shake off Friday’s loss, as they return to the Thomas & Mack Center on Saturday for a Summer League Finals rematch with the Spurs. New York will be looking for more consistent performances from Pacome Dadiet and Mohamed Diawara while hoping its offense avoids the droughts that doomed it against Brooklyn. San Antonio presents another intriguing test with second-year forward Carter Bryant and a rookie class that includes first-round picks Jayden Quaintance and Tarris Reed, Jr.

Tip-off is 6 pm EST on Gotham and ESPN. This is your game thread. This is Pounding the Rock. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Enjoy basketball. And go Knicks!

It’s time for Summer League Basketball: San Antonio Spurs vs New York Knicks

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 09: Carter Bryant #11 of the San Antonio Spurs walks on the court during a break in the second half of a 2026 NBA Summer League game against the Atlanta Hawks at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 09, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much. The rule against trolling also applies to members of this site that visit other fan sites.

It’s not exactly a rematch, since only Carter Bryant was on the team that played the Knicks in the NBA Finals last month, but maybe this is a little bigger than your average Summer League game. The Spurs lost by 27 to the Hawks in their first game, and the Summer Knicks got blown out by 26 by the Nets, so both teams are looking for their first Las Vegas win today. Like all Summer League games, the final score is meaningless, but it sure would be nice to see the Spurs look like a team that has seen a basketball before in today’s game after a cruel summer so far. A win over the Knicks, even their summer squad, would take a little of the edge off.

After today, there are two more scheduled games left in Vegas—one on Sunday at 8:00PM against the Bucks and again on Wednesday at 8:30 against the Jazz. Also, there will be a consolation/playoff game next weekend. Frankly, if you watch all of the games, you’re probably a real sicko. Welcome sickos!

Game Prediction:

There will be at least one quarter where neither team scores a point.

San Antonio Spurs vs New York Knicks (Las Vegas Summer League)
July 11, 2026 | 5:00 PM CT
Streaming: ESPN
TV: ESPN
Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.

Sixers-Pacers, Summer League: Game Discussion Thread

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 9: Labaron Philon #00 of the Philadelphia 76ers smiles during the game against the Detroit Pistons during the 2026 NBA Las Vegas Summer League on July 9, 2026 at Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Your 2026 Summer Sixers are here, and they got off to just the right start. They won their first game against the Pistons in Las Vegas on Thursday, 101-93, and are back in action Saturday evening against the Pacers.

Of course, following new Sixers rookie Labaron Philon is the main draw, after his handle and smooth shooting stood out at times in the Sixers’ first Summer League game. He only finished the game shooting 6-of-19 for 18 points, but went 4-of-10 from three (the high volume is nice to see), showed off his ball-handling ability, and flashed some nifty playmaking on his way to tallying seven assists to three turnovers.

Can Johni Broome continue to build on his solid start this summer? Against the Pistons, he tallied 19 points on 50 percent shooting, 13 rebounds and two blocks, with his work on the glass in particular standing out with his eight offensive rebounds. He’s got some way to go before you can say he looks like a potential NBA player, but this was a good start to his summer after a difficult rookie year.

Apart from the guys we’re more familiar with, Dante Maddox Jr. (21 points on 7-of-13 shooting with four triples) and Isaac Johnson (20 points with four threes) both led the way with their shooting on Thursday. They’ll be players to keep an eye on against Indiana.

Let’s see if the Summer Sixers can keep bringing some entertainment and pick up their second win, as the continued free agency speculation over where LeBron James will land keeps on going…

And going…

Game Details

When: July 11, 5:30 p.m. ET
Where: Pavilion, Las Vegas, NV
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia+, Prime Video
Follow: @LibertyBallers

Boston Celtics Daily Links 7/11/26

SAN ANTONIO, TX - MARCH 10: The sneakers worn by Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs during the game against the Boston Celtics on March 10, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Herald Why Chris Cenac Jr.’s college coach believes Celtics are perfect team for rookie

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Chowder and ChampionsCeltics need to make no-brainer Payton Pritchard decision before it’s too late

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Is Bill Chisholm a THREAT to the Celtics? | Bob Ryan and Jeff Goodman NBA Podcast

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Impressive NBA Summer League debut for Rockets draft pick Bruce Thornton

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 10: Bruce Thornton #2 of the Houston Rockets dribbles the ball during the game against the Denver Nuggets on July 10, 2026 at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Friday July 10 marked the start of the Houston Rockets’ Summer League campaign. Unlike previous years, Houston does not have top lottery talent, or even a player picked in the first round competing, but second-round pick Bruce Thornton stepped up to deliver a performance sure to excite fans, as Thornton delivered 27 points in 35 minutes in a 97-86 victory over the Denver Nuggets.

Houston traded with the New York Knicks to acquire the 31st pick in this year’s draft in order to select Thornton, who previously played at Ohio State. Houston’s front office later signed Bruce to a standard NBA contract, so he will be eligible to receive regular NBA playing time in the 2026-2027 season.

The physical 6-foot guard finished with a game-high 27 points while leading Houston to a 97-86 victory (box score) over the Denver Nuggets; the Rockets went +20 in his 35 minutes, best of any player on the floor; he made all seven of his free-throw attempts; his true shooting finished at a solid 64.0%; in addition to scoring, he added three assists, three rebounds, and three steals, the latter of which demonstrated his ability to make plays defensively and committed just one turnover while frequently handling the ball for Houston.

Thornton’s ball-handling is the biggest story here, in my opinion. Everyone knows that Houston struggled without Fred VanVleet last season since they had no real traditional point guard/table setter to initiate the offense. While they tried using Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard, it’s pretty clear that they were playing outside their best roles. If Thornton can learn under VanVleet, it will help place less of a burden on Fred, who is coming back from a significant injury.

With all that said, I am excited to see how Thornton looks in the rest of Houston’s Summer League games and hopefully into the regular NBA season. As always, make sure to check back at The Dream Shake for all your Rockets’ news.

Detroit Tigers select RHP Cameron Flukey in the first round

The newest future Detroit Tiger has joined the organization, as Scott Harris and co selected RHP Cameron Flukey with the 22nd pick of the MLB Draft. Flukey just finished his third year with Coastal Carolina with 31 strikeouts in 24 innings, having missed most of the season with a preseason stress fracture in his rib. He looked strong during his return, routinely touching 98 mph on his fastball and commanding his two breaking balls.

Flukey is a 6’6 lanky righty from Coastal Carolina, a Sun Belt D1 program, with room to add some weight to his frame as he matures in professional baseball. He’s primarily known for his riding upper-90s fastball and upper-70s curve that both register as average or plus on most scouting outlets. There’s concern over changeup development and command, but he is coming off an injury; those two feel-and-rep traits should improve as he moves past that issue.

MLB Pipeline rated Flukey as the 15th best player in the class, while FanGraphs had him as 34th, but in a meaty middle tier of player that lasts from 15th to 44th, so this aligns reasonably well with industry expectations. For an organization fairly short on good starting pitching, Flukey provides a well-needed injection of stuff and upside. If everything breaks right, this could be a middle to top of the rotation starter. Before his injury kept teams from seeing him at full strength, he was a pre-season contender for a top-10 pick. The rib issue shouldn’t be a long-term indicator, so getting that top-10 upside at a discount is a nice bonus for Detroit.

Expect to see Flukey stay on the backfields for the rest of 2026 as he adjusts to professional life and continues to fill out, then heading to the Low A Lakeland Flying Tigers for 2027 like Malachi Witherspoon, last year’s 2nd round pick. He is a seasoned strike thrower, so he should move rapidly once the Tigers are confident in any adjustments they’re going to make. For now, we’ll have to wait and see how his stuff translates to pro ball and if he’s able to develop the kick change he’s working on. He’ll likely take full advantage of his high-octane fastball and strong breaker early on, but the rest will need to improve to get him into the upper levels quickly.

Braves Select Carter Beck with 26th Pick

PHOENIX, AZ - JUNE 23: Carter Beck #12 looks on during the 2026 Draft Combine at Chase Field on Tuesday, June 23, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Jill Weisleder/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

With the 26th pick in the 2026 MLB Draft the Atlanta Braves have selected Indiana State outfielder Carter Beck. Beck is a very toolsy college outfielder who had a ton of helium this year.

Bio

Name: Carter Beck

Position: Outfielder

Hometown: Saskatchewan, Canada (Carnduff HS)

School: Indiana State

Height: 5’11

Weight: 206

Bats/Throws: L/R

Rankings

Baseball America: 69

Perfect Game: 149

Pipeline: 193

ESPN: 70

Overslot: 47

My Own: 55

Consensus: 82

Stats

2025: .335/.417/.564, 15 2B, 2 3B, 11 HR, 56 RBI, 11-14 SB, 25 BB, 36 K, 264 PA

2026: .346/.446/.637, 17 2B, 2 3B, 16 HR, 59 RBI, 12-16 SB, 35 BB, 33 K in 285 PA

Hit Tool 50

Beck has an average hit tool, with the chance to develop more as he is a former multi-sport athlete from Canada who has only spent two years in D1. His feel for contact already in his career is what makes him interesting.

Power 50

There is above average power potential, but it probably settles in more as average with his approach.

Speed 60

Plus speed is the best tool in Beck’s game. He’s got a chance to develop into more of a threat on the bases than what we’ve seen so far.

Glove 50

Beck has a chance to be an average defender in center as he continues to refine his glove. There is a chance he would have to move to left, where he could be an asset with the glove.

Arm 45

The arm is more fringy and would keep him in left as opposed to right if he had to move.

Overall Thoughts

I like Beck as a toolsy late bloomer with room for growth in his game. This is the kind of player who could potentially have a better pro career than college.

Game Discussion: Milwaukee Brewers (59-35) @ Pittsburgh Pirates (48-47)

Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Shane Drohan (55) pitches during the first inning of the game against the Cincinnati Reds at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on July 1, 2026. | Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After dropping the first half of today’s doubleheader 7-6 in disappointing fashion after Esmerlyn Valdez hit a go-ahead grand slam in the seventh, the Brewers will look to bounce back in the second game this afternoon.

Left-hander Shane Drohan gets the ball for the Brewers, with right-hander Bubba Chandler opposite him. Drohan has a 2.97 ERA and 3.20 FIP over 18 appearances (eight starts) this season, spanning 63 2/3 innings with 61 strikeouts. He’s allowed just four earned runs over his last four starts, spanning 21 innings (1.71 ERA) and striking out 17. Chandler, also a rookie, has made 18 appearances (17 starts) this season, with a 4.82 ERA, 4.70 FIP, 79 strikeouts, and a league-worst 52 walks over 89 2/3 innings. He’s been roughed up in his last two outings, allowing nine runs over just 10 1/3 innings against the Phillies and Nationals.

Right-hander Garrett Stallings is the Brewers’ 27th man for the doubleheader, and he’s been activated ahead of this one.

The Brewers’ lineup is not yet finalized, but I’ll be updating that here as soon as it’s in.

It’s a busy day today, if you couldn’t tell. The MLB Draft is happening concurrently with the doubleheader, and you can follow along with the Brewers’ picks here. ICYMI, they took shortstop Trey Ebel out of Corona HS (California) with the No. 25 overall pick. If that name sounds familiar, that’s because Ebel is the younger brother of last year’s No. 32 overall pick, Brady Ebel, also selected by the Brewers and currently with the Low-A Wilson Warbirds. Corona High School is also the school Brice Turang was drafted from when he was picked No. 21 overall by the Brewers in 2018.

First pitch in this one is at 3:05 p.m. CT on Brewers TV and the Brewers Radio Network.

Detroit Tigers’ 2026 MLB Draft Tracker

2020 Major League Baseball Draft

Baseball’s first major event of the All Star Weekend, the MLB Draft, kicks off today. Today we have the first four rounds of the Draft televised; rounds 5 through 2o will occur tomorrow off-air.

The event begins at 1:00pm on NBC/Peacock, where the Chicago White Sox will make the first pick around 1:30pm. This year’s draft is structured a bit strangely, as the first 10 picks are on NBC/Peacock, but picks 11-40 are on the MLB network. Rounds 2 through 4 are on MLB.tv or MLB.com and are expected to last from 4:30 to 7:45pm. Day 2 will be an untelevised event tomorrow afternoon.

Stay here to follow along throughout the draft for every Tigers’ pick and every first round pick overall. As each pick is made, this post will be updated with that player’s name, position, and where they’re drafted from. Join us for duscussion on the whole Day 1 coverage of the draft in the comments. The Tigers have a bonus pool of $9,165,100 to work with. They’ll select 22nd overall for their first round pick.

Round 1

1. White Sox – Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA
2. Rays – Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian HS (TX)
3. Twins – Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech
4. Giants – Jackson Flora, RHP, UC Santa Barbara
5. Pirates – Derek Curiel, OF, LSU
6. Royals – Zion Rose, OF, Louisville
7. Orioles – Eric Booth Jr., OF, Oak Grove (MS)
8. Athletics – Drew Burress, OF, Georgia Tech
9. Braves – AJ Gracia, OF, Virginia
10. Rockies – Tyler Bell, SS, Kentucky
11. Nationals – Chris Hacopian, 2B, Texas A&M
12. Angels – Jared Grindlinger, OF, Huntington Beach HS (CA)
13. Cardinals – Trevor Condon, OF, Etowah HS (GA)
14. Marlins – Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Prep HS (FL)
15. D-backs – Ryder Helfrick, C, Arkansas
16. Rangers – Gio Rojas, LHP, Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS (FL)
17. Astros – Logan Hughes, OF, Texas Tech
18. Reds – Justin Lebron, SS, Alabama
19. Guardians – Liam Peterson, RHP, Florida
20. Red Sox – Jake Schaffner, SS, North Carolina
21. Padres – Coleman Borthwick, South Walton HS (CA)
22. Tigers Cameron Flukey, RHP, Coastal Carolina
23. Cubs – Cade Townsend, RHP, Ole Miss
24. Mariners – Ace Reese, 3B, Mississippi State
25. Brewers – Trey Ebel, SS, Corona HS (CA)

Prospect Promotion Incentive Picks

26. Braves – Carter Beck, OF, Indiana State

27. Mets – Carson Wiggins, RHP, Arkansas

28. Astros – Jack Radel, RHP, Notre Dame

Competitive Balance Round A

29. Giants – Carson Bolemon, LHP, Southside Christian (SC)

30. Royals –

31. Diamondbacks

32. Cardinals

33. Rays

34. White Sox

35. Yankees

36. Phillies

37. Rockies

Former LSU ace Anderson named starter for MLB Futures Game

LSU will once again be represented at some of the highest levels in Major League Baseball.

Former ace pitcher Kade Anderson, who helped carry the Tigers to the 2025 national title and was selected third overall by the Seattle Mariners, has been named a starting pitcher for the MLB Futures Game to take place during All-Star Weekend.

Anderson has had a strong start to his professional career, holding a 1.36 ERA in 72 innings of Double-A baseball in Arkansas. He leads in opponent batting average (.160), WHIP (0.69), and is second with 108 strikeouts among all Minor League pitchers. He is currently labeled as the top prospect in baseball.

Mariners skipper Dan Wilson said of the honor: “It’s super exciting. He has had a tremendous half and has thrown the ball extremely well. It being his first professional season, that’s really impressive. Really exciting that he gets the ball tomorrow, and I think we’ll be interested to see how it all goes for him.”

The game takes place Sunday at Citizens Bank Park with first pitch scheduled for Noon.