One of the Lakers’ underlying issues throughout the season has been their paltry bench scoring. While their starting lineup has been great, their bench has left much to be desired.
Rui Hachimura’s emergence in recent games as a viable scoring option off the bench has been a huge boost in that regard. For really the first time since joining the Lakers, Rui is not in the starting lineup but he’s not letting that impact him, as evidenced by Monday’s showing in Chicago.
When Austin Reaves soon returns, the Lakers should be healthy for the first time in a long time. So, on the precipice of that, let’s look at the current rotation.
Starters: Luka Dončić, LeBron James, Marcus Smart, Jake LaRavia, Deandre Ayton
Rui Hachimura
It’s still early in this new role for Rui, but his willingness to come off the bench and the groove he’s in are all encouraging signs for what could be coming.
Jarred Vanderbilt
It feels long ago that Vando was out of the rotation entirely. Now, he’s a consistent piece and while he’s never going to be able to offer much offensively, he’s found ways to impact the game again defensively.
Jaxson Hayes
Hayes certainly has the trust of Redick, at least relative to Deandre Ayton. Redick has turned to Hayes in recent games to close the contest.
Ideally, this is a short-term trend, but Hayes has also done well in that span, too. His high motor in contrast to Ayton certainly stands out.
Gabe Vincent
It’s been quite the fall for Vincent this season. After being a stalwart in the rotation last year, Vincent’s spot seems as tenous as ever. With Reaves set to return, someone is going to fall out of the rotation. Right now, it seems like that will be either Vincent or Drew Timme and there isn’t much of an argument for the former to keep getting minutes.
Drew Timme
Could Timme be the newest two-way signing to make an impact for the Lakers? It’s only been a handful of games, but he’s given the Lakers something they haven’t had. And with him in the rotation, the Lakers have a new look they can go to with multiple bigs on the floor.
Brad Stevens may have done it again. In the ongoing search for a big man rotation capable of anchoring Boston’s next championship run, Amari Williams has flashed the traits of a player who could fit that role. The sample size is small, but Williams has already been a catalyst in several high-leverage moments this season. Let’s break down what’s driving his early success — and how he can continue developing into a center Joe Mazzulla can trust.
For a big man to have a realistic hope at playing big minutes deep into the playoffs, playing effective defense and specifically providing high level rim protection, is a prerequisite. Amari Williams’ rim protection is already jumping off the screen.
A good way to make a strong first impression on Joe Mazzulla is to check into a game because both Neemias Queta and Luka Garza are in foul trouble — then immediately deliver a game-clinching block. As Baylor Scheierman and Payton Pritchard scramble to contain Nolan Traore, Williams reads the breakdown instantly and sends the ball back the other way. He could have blocked it with his elbow if he wanted to.
Like many late-round draft projects, the bet starts with the tools. Amari Williams is an explosive athlete with a 6-foot-11 frame and a massive 7-foot-5 wingspan. In theory, that physical profile should translate into some outrageous defensive plays.
Jerami Grant does an excellent job of dislodging Amari, creating what looks like a clean look at the basket. Unfortunately for Grant, Amari Williams is able to close the gap and reject the shot comfortably. The athletic ability to be bumped, end up on your heels, but then recover for a block is absurd.
Guarding a Cade Cunningham/Jalen Duren pick and roll is a tall task for any player, let alone a second round rookie. Cade has the ability shoot from anywhere, and with his giant frame for a ball handler, it makes it easier for him to execute passes over the top of the drop defender for lobs.
Amari Williams does an awesome job of eating up the space of both the ball handler in Cunningham, while also being in position to take away the lob to Duren, who converts pick and rolls as the roll man at a 1.38 points per possession clip. That puts him in the 85th percentile. Impressive work from the rookie.
Being able to play effective drop coverage is a premium and necessary skill in today’s pick and roll heavy NBA. It’s difficult to consistently navigate the space between ball handler and lob threat, but Amari appears to have the feel, IQ, and athleticism to make it look easy at times. I love the way Amari stays down until he is sure the shot is going up, and can get to the block.
These plays are the foundation of an effective big man defender in the modern NBA.
Shifting to the offensive end, the equation remains simple. If Amari Williams can hold his own in drop coverage defensively and function as a competent roll threat offensively, then he has a clear path to being an NBA player. Early returns have been encouraging.
Amari sets a somewhat non-traditional screen in this two-man action with Derrick White. But due to Amari’s sheer size (and subtle moving screen), Jerami Grant gets held up, forcing old friend Robert Williams to step up, D White freezes Rob with a ball fake, and Amari is in perfect position to treat Celtics fans to a loud two hand slam.
I hate to invoke the name. However, anytime I see an explosive big man that collects rude blocks, loud dunks, and spicy passes, I can’t help but be reminded of Robert Williams. I hesitate to compare anyone to Rob, because the peak version of Robert Williams was a one of one type player. But I do see shades of Rob in Amari.
It’s not an overly complicated pass, but the comfort Williams shows catching the ball, faking over his right shoulder, and simultaneously dropping a pass to Hugo Gonzalez is a thing of beauty.
If that’s not enough, how about a mid-air pass to Payton Pritchard to breathe life into a Celtics team trying to steal a victory from the jaws of defeat?
There are very few six-foot-eleven guys that can catch and fire an on target pass to the wing all before they hit the ground. I am tantalized.
Amari has been stuffing the stats sheet on offense with the Cetlics G-Leauge affiliate up in Maine. Playing drop coverage requires an element of chemistry, but it’s on offense where the reps with teammates are truly required. It’s hard to fully unleash Amari Williams’ passing ability when he has had such limited court time with the Celtics main rotation players.
These are the sorts of plays that would connect with more reps. It’s a great pass from Amari, throwing Simons open for a clean midrange jumper. I would love to see Amari earn more minutes, as his passing would bring an element to the court that the Celtics are currently lacking.
There’s already plenty of promising film from a rookie who has logged just 88 total NBA minutes. It’s not hard to see a clear pathway for Amari Williams to become a high-level big. He has the size and feel to execute drop coverage competently, along with the vision and IQ to be highly effective as both a lob threat and a short-roll playmaker. Feed him more minutes, Joe Mazzulla.
Braden Montgomery enters spring as Chicago’s top prospect and a cornerstone of Rebuild 2.0.
Spring Training is nearly here, and not a moment too soon for those of us shoveling snow from our driveways and scraping ice off the windshields. As the Sox pack up for Camelback Ranch, they have fresh validation that Rebuild 2.0 is stocking the system with real upside. MLB Pipeline’s updated Top 100 Prospects list dropped last week, and Chicago landed five names on it, tying them with the Brewers, Cardinals, Dodgers, Marlins and Pirates. The Good Guys trail only two clubs, the Mariners (seven) and Guardians (six).
That presence also nudged the Sox into the organizational top 10 in regard to “prospect points,” where they finished tied with the Boston Red Sox at 214. While it’s not parade-worthy, it’s a modest and meaningful margin for a system that’s been steadily reshaped over the past two seasons.
Headlined by Braden Montgomery at No. 36, the White Sox have strong representation thanks to GM Chris Getz and a front office aggressively upgrading the farm through both trades and the draft. The switch-hitting outfielder, the crown jewel of the haul Boston sent back in the Garrett Crochet trade, heads into camp as the organization’s clear No. 1 prospect. He brings legitimate middle-of-the-order power potential from both sides of the plate and immediately slots in as one of the system’s most impactful offensive bets — something reflected in his rising stock across the industry.
The rest of the list underscores the system’s growing balance, particularly on the mound. Lefthander Noah Schultz (No. 49) and fellow southpaw Hagen Smith (No. 72) give the White Sox something few organizations can match: two left-handed hurlers with frontline-starter upside. Schultz’s size and angle have long intrigued evaluators, while Smith adds polish along with swing-and-miss ability. Together, they offer the South Siders a potential one-two punch anchoring a future rotation that actually stays in Chicago this time around instead of being shipped off for parts.
Position-player depth is no longer a punchline and comes in the form of hitters with varying journeys and timelines. Alongside Montgomery is Caleb Bonemer (No. 61), who vaulted up prospect lists after a breakout campaign that showcased emerging power and defensive versatility at shortstop and third base, culminating in a Single-A Carolina League MVP award. Meanwhile, Billy Carlson (No. 73) remains further away but is already earning industry-wide praise as a defensive darling. If everything clicks, the Sox may have an elite long-term answer in the middle of the diamond.
The momentum for Chicago’s prospects carried into this week as well, when The Athletic’s Keith Law released his own Top 100 Prospects list on Tuesday, and again, the White Sox were well represented. It was a stark contrast to ESPN’s rankings published on Wednesday, which featured only Bonemer (No. 34), Schultz (No. 96) and Carlson (No. 100), leaving off both Montgomery and Smith entirely. Law ranked Montgomery even higher than Pipeline did at No. 30 overall, while also including Bonemer (No. 44), Smith (No. 58), Carlson (No. 66) and Schultz (No. 95). The overlap between evaluators — our friends at ESPN not withstanding — only reinforces what’s becoming harder to dismiss: the Sox aren’t just accumulating names, they’re stacking up some genuine talent.
What makes all of this particularly encouraging is the context. A year ago, the White Sox graduated three hitting prospects to the big leagues in Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero. Rather than leaving a void, the system has maintained its stability with Braden Montgomery, Bonemer and Carlson on the offensive side, while Schultz and Smith form the backbone of the next wave of pitching. With camp about to open and the 2026 No. 1 draft pick looming, maybe, just maybe, things are finally looking up on the South Side.
The one flaw of the Buffalo Sabres in their resurgence was their record on the road. They entered a five-game road swing with a .500 record (10-10-2), and lost their first game in Carolina, but then rebounded with four straight victories over Nashville, Montreal, the NY Islanders, and on Tuesday pasted the division rival Toronto Maple Leafs 7-4 at Scotiabank Arena.
Rasmus Dahlin scored his first hat trick and had two assists, with Josh Doan, Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch and Jack Quinn adding singles. The win increased the Sabres margin over Florida to six points, and over Toronto, Philadelphia, and Washington to eight points in the Eastern Conference playoff race. The news was not good on the goalie front, as starter Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen left the contest in the first period after suffering a lower-body injury.
Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff spoke to the media after the game:
It seemed that you had a distinct speed advantage over the Leafs:
I thought we got off to a good start. (After) the goal taken away, they fired back right away, but I thought we responded almost every time they had a little bit of a push. It was a pretty tight game for a while……..We try to play a quick game. Move the puck quick. Go north in a hurry. Get pucks in behind. We've been doing a lot better job of that. I think if we can dictate the pace, we can put the other team under duress. Our D have done a great job on the walls, keeping pucks alive, and when they do that a lot of times, we can stress the opposition out.
What were your thoughts on Dahlin’s offensive performance tonight?
He made a couple great plays. I mean, he found the net, tipping the puck in front. You don't often see a D-to-D tip go in, which was a great play. The empty netter to seal the game. (Dahlin) is finding this game right now. He feels good about his game and I think right now, he's skating as well as he's skated the whole year.
Dahlin has waited a long time to play consequential games, and he seems to be rising to the occasion:
He said "this is fun". He said "I don't even know how to act" before. We know there's a lot of hockey left, but I'm happy for him. This a guy, and I've said this before, (the) young man's gone through a lot, and I'm so happy for him, that he's getting rewarded for all the work and all the adversity he's faced, and this has got to put a big smile on (his fiancee) Carolina's face, too.
Is Jordan Greenway Ok?
We may have to get him to see (our) medical (team) again. He hasn't quite been responding to what we've been trying to do with him. So we just kept him on the line up.....(It's) still related to the surgery he had.
Joel Embiid is doing things I never imagined he’d do again. After an MVP campaign in 2023, an All-World performance in 2024 that was cut short due to injury and a disastrous season for both him and the franchise all around last year, I was pretty out on this whole ordeal. Oh, the Sixers added 59-year-old Paul George on a contract worth approximately $5 billion into the mix as well? Awesome stuff, everyone. I’m so glad I devoted my life to writing about this sports scene!
I’m jaded, but something is changing.
Despite the mountains of snow piled up around Philadelphia, my heart continues to thaw when it comes to this season’s Sixers team.
VJ Edgecombe is a foundational guard already in his rookie season. Tyrese Maxey will be an All-Star starter in a few weeks. George himself even turned back the clock nearly a decade and dropped 32 points with nine made threes in a victory over Milwaukee on Tuesday night. What’s shaken up my ever-seesawing feelings about the Sixers as an overall entity as of late, however, is truly Embiid.
In 12 games this calendar year, Embiid is averaging a crisp 28-8-4 while being an efficient beast and living at the free throw line once more. Even if the crowds down in South Philadelphia may not be as raucous as they once were, I am having fun watching this team again! I want the arena to be back to what it was too!
Embiid remains a divisive figure, not just nationally, but locally as well. Look at the replies to any media member on social media and you’ll see people complaining about Embiid’s absences, injuries and playoff shortcomings as much as you’ll see fawning devotion for torrid scoring and what he’s meant to the team for so long.
You see performances like Monday where the team was down literally 50 points after three quarters sans both Embiid and George to a hapless Hornets team and thinking, “We’re an injury away from these two old, fragile players from this being a twice-weekly occurrence.” It’s enough to make people not want to buy back into this all after dedicating so much to the Process era, the build-up, the hype and the second-round ceiling they could never break through.
There is something freeing, however, even if it may ultimately prove foolish, about allowing yourself to be sucked back into the Sixers’ postseason aspirations even after everything that’s transpired. Embiid is the lone connective tissue throughout all of this. He was the draft pick that stemmed from the Sixers’ first tank-a-palooza season. He’s withstood a revolving door of co-stars. He’s battled through injures that appeared career-threatening at various times and is still hanging, still dropping 30 points with ease whenever he’s out there on the court.
I’m well aware of Embiid’s injury history what that means every April and May. I’m under no pretense that I’m watching a team that will be playing in the NBA Finals in June, but I’m watching one that, come the spring, will have me soaking up the warmer weather, breaking out my latest Sixers eBay find and hopelessly dreaming, as I’ve done for the last quarter of a century.
Spring training: when the sunlight is bright and falls upon certain players more than others. A new pitch, a new swing, or a fresh face can all capture the attention of fans and writers alike eager to emerge from the cold tyranny of a baseball-less winter.
At Blue Jays spring training in 2022, Yosver Zulueta was that sensation, the buzziest pitching prospect that spring thanks to his big fastball and mysterious origins, having missed the first part of his career with a devastating back-to-back slate of injuries: first, Tommy John and then immediately after that recovery, an ACL tear. But his big fastball captivated crowds, especially on a Blue Jays staff of underwhelming velocity; MLB.com Blue Jays reporter Keegan Matheson described clusters of fellow pitchers gathering to watch his bullpens, the deepest sign of respect for a fellow pitcher.
But spring training attention burns hot and fast. Zulueta, having missed such a significant chunk of developmental time, went to the low minors as a 24-year-old. Toronto promoted him aggressively up the minor-league ladder in 2022, jumping him from A ball clear up to Triple-A, but his command just never kept pace. He spent 2023 struck at Triple-A, never getting the call up for a Blue Jays bullpen that was one of the stronger units in baseball. A move to Cincinnati didn’t aid his command woes.
The Mariners will be the next team to try to help Zulueta (zoo-loo-etta) rein in the immense potential in his right arm. For all the talk about his big fastball, it’s the slider that has been more of a whiff-getter in the upper levels. It moves like a curveball, which Zulueta also throws, with some very late glove-side break that’s especially tough on righties.
TOR RHP Yosver Zulueta is debuting in High-A tonight. Still bumping upper-90’s easily and he just uncorked this slider. Filth. pic.twitter.com/djAzqpXfv4
With lefties, there’s a little bit of risk that slider can get right into the lefty loop zone. That puts a little more pressure on Zulueta’s sinker, which comes in around 96-97 but not always where he wants it to go.
A 9⃣7⃣ millas por hora la sinker de Yosver Zulueta para recetar ponche a Bryson Stott esta tarde 2/28.
El #cubano 🇨🇺 Zulueta tiró un entrada, con un abanicado y enfrentando al mínimo de bateadores.
If all this is giving you big time Carlos Vargas flashbacks, you’re not wrong. Vargas, also with primarily a sinker-slider arsenal, was a similarly stuff-y prospect the Mariners picked up in the Eugenio Suárez salary dump trade with Arizona, dazzling with high-velocity potential but very little sense of the strike zone. Like Zulueta, Vargas came with an option, and the Mariners banished him to work on his command in Triple-A Tacoma before giving him a longer look this season.
As Ryan pointed out in his 40 in 40 on Vargas this year, though, Vargas’s great stuff on paper has so far not translated to consistent success in the big leagues. But there is a key difference between the two. Vargas’s strikeout rate tanked in Triple-A with Arizona, and didn’t improve after a move to Seattle, even if his walk rate did calm down. Zulueta has reliably struck out 25-30% of hitters over his career. If the Mariners can successfully put him in The Machine and get him in the zone more, the upside to Zulueta is significant. And because of the delayed start to his career, Zulueta, despite being 27, still has a minor-league option.
And all of this hasn’t looked at the thing that brought Zulueta to the Blue Jays’ attention in the first place as an international free agent out of Cuba: his 98 mph four-seamer. The problem with the pitch is despite its plus velocity, it has meh characteristics: an IVB of under 10” and a horizontal break of under 13”, meaning it’s a fairly straight fastball. The sinker has less velo but more of a wrinkle in movement, which is why it’s his primary fastball, but the big four-seamer is certainly a pitch to dream on.
Zulueta will have another chance for a moment in the sun this spring. The Mariners preach being in the zone fervently, with pitch decks that present the statistics of being in advantage counts alongside testimonials from current players. How quickly Zulueta adapts to his new environment will play a key role in how much the sun shines on him this spring.
“Into the unknoooooown, into the unknooooooooooooooooown”
Francisco Renteria – 68 Gabriel Rincones – 49 Moises Chace – 24 Matthew Fisher – 13 Griff Burkholder – 5 Keaton Anthony – 5 Cade Obermueller – 4 Carson DeMartini – 4 Jean Cabrera – 1 Mavis Graves – 1
It’s hard to remember the last time the Phillies had signed an international prospect of this much acclaim. The ill fated Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez (RIP) signing was the closest comparison and that wasn’t really anything compared to this.
The fact that Renteria was this highly rated and that the team was able to land him should reverse some of the criticism that should be levied at the international scouting department. They haven’t landed much of consequence lately and questions should have been raised about their continued lack of production in the area they are supposed to be experts. However, if Renteria should pan out, maybe some of that criticism can be waylaid to another time.
Renteria earned comparisons from one evaluator to Konnor Griffin, the Pirates’ 2024 first-round pick who ascended to No. 1 overall prospect status in his first year of pro ball. Others see even more in the tank for Renteria’s right-handed hit tool due to his advanced offensive approach and considerable bat speed. He’s presently a contact monster, which when coupled with his excellent understanding of the strike zone and his plus-plus raw power, leads to him having one of the highest offensive upsides in the 2026 international class.
Players who command significant signing bonuses and attention on the international scene are often physically ahead of their peers, a truism that Renteria fits to a tee. Scouts think the 6-foot-3 outfielder has the actions and all-around athleticism to stick in center field long-term. An above-average runner, Renteria impacts the game on the basepaths and utilizes those wheels and his long strides to run down the ball from gap-to-gap.
With each new post, we’ll reveal who won the voting for that particular slot, then post new players for you to vote on, adding another one to the list each time until we get to our final tally of 20. Once we get to 20 top prospects, we’ll do an honorable mention post at the end. If a player gets traded to another team, we’ll just chuck him right on outta here and all the players will move up a spot. If a prospect gets acquired, we’ll ask where he should go on the list.
Probably the most important thing about this whole process – please vote. Give us a few minutes of your time, just click a button and then we can discuss other players and things in the comment section, but don’t forget – VOTE!
A multi-sport athlete who also played football as well as baseball at Springboro High School in Springboro Ohio, Andrew Joseph “A.J.” Ewing really stood out on the diamond. A natural right-hander whose father had him learn how to swing from the left side as a kid, Ewing quickly began standing out not just as compared to his little league teammates, but also as compared to fellow travel ball and high school players. He earned All-Conference First Team honors in his sophomore, junior, and senior seasons, earned All-Southwestern Ohio Conference honors in 2022 thanks to a .386 batting average to go along with 4 home runs, and was named Great Western Ohio Conference Player of the Year in 2023 after winning the triple crown, hitting .464 with 4 home runs and 37 RBI.
Ewing had a commitment to the University of Alabama but forwent it when he was drafted by the Mets the free agent compensation round of the 2023 MLB Draft, the 134th overall pick gained when Jacob deGrom signed with the Texas Rangers. The two sides agreed to a $675,000 signing bonus, roughly $200,000 above the MLB-assigned slot value of $483,000, and the promising outfielder became a professional. He was assigned to the FCL Mets to close out the summer and appeared in 7 games, hitting .286/.524/.357 in 14 at-bats with 1 double, 1 stolen base in as many attempts, and 5 walks to 6 strikeouts.
He remained in the complex when the 2024 season began and got off to a hot start. In 19 games for the FCL Mets, he hit .254/.422/.571 with 3 doubles, 1 triple, 5 home runs, 5 stolen bases in 6 attempts, and 19 walks to 22 strikeouts. He was promoted to the St. Lucie Mets in June and remained there for the rest of the season, hitting .228/.345/.344 in 71 games with 10 doubles, 2 triples, 5 home runs, 8 stolen bases in 13 attempts, and drew 44 walks to 87 strikeouts. All in all, he appeared in 90 games in 2024, hitting .233/.361/.390 with 13 doubles, 3 triples, 10 home runs, 13 stolen bases in 19 attempts and drew 63 walks to 109 walks.
He began the 2025 season in St. Lucie, but the 20-year-old did not stay there long. In 18 games, he hit .400/.506/.615 with 3 doubles, 4 triples, 1 home run, 14 stolen bases in 16 attempts, and drew 15 walks to 10 strikeouts, earning a promotion to High-A Brooklyn at the end of April. Ewing hit the ground running in Coney Island and thrived where many players- especially left-handed hitters- have trouble. In 88 games for the Cyclones, Ewing hit .288/.387/.388 with 16 doubles, 4 triples, 2 home runs, 44 stolen bases in 51 attempts, and drew 46 walks to 66 strikeouts. He was promoted to Double-A Binghamton in mid-August and finished the 2025 season there, hitting .339/.371/.430 in 28 games with 7 doubles, 2 triples, 12 stolen bases in 14 attempts, and drew 7 walks to 29 strikeouts. All in all, Ewing hit a combined .315/.401/.429 in 124 games between Single-A, High-A, and Double-A, hitting 26 doubles, 10 triples, 3 home runs, stealing 70 bases in 81 attempts, and drawing 68 walks to 105 strikeouts.
Ewing stands square at the plate, slightly crouched, holding his hands high and wrapping his bat behind his head at 9:30. As compared to 2024, Ewing is opened up at the plate a little more and has his hands a bit lower. He swings with a slight leg lift or toe tap timing mechanism and a minimal load and weight transfer. Ewing swings with intent, getting every iota of power from his 6’0”, 175-pound frame and average bat speed. The 20-year-old certainly has room to continue growing and adding muscle mass, something that he has dedicated himself towards doing this off-season, but even without, he is still capable of making surprisingly loud contact with his long, whippy strike. In his 71 games with the St. Lucie Mets in 2024, where publicly available statcast data exists, he registered multiple 100+ MPH exit velocity readings, averaging 88 MPH and peaking at 108 MPH. In his 18 games at the beginning of the season, he once again recorded multiple 100+ MPH readings, with an average of 90.6 MPH and a peak of 108.7 MPH.
The outfielder makes excellent swing decisions, not just relative to his youth and experience, but in general as well. He posted a 15.8% walk rate and 15.6% strikeout rate in his 96 combined games with St. Lucie and Brooklyn before bottoming out in his first taste of Double-A baseball, posting a 5.3% walk rate and 22.0% strikeout rate with the Rumble Ponies. While his numbers did trend in the wrong direction upon his promotion from Single-A St. Lucie to High-A Brooklyn, Ewing is too good of a hitter to for such a drastic drop in walk rate to be indicative of a complete breakdown of his approach and eye as opposed to a small sample size at the end of long season in which he was one of the youngest players to play in the league. His increase in strike rate, however, may reflect a legitimate negative trend, as he showed weakness against breaking balls both in and out of the zone in Single-A and High-A, something likely exploited further by the more advanced pitchers in Double-A.
Ewing uses the entire field, pulling the ball at a 40.8% rate, going back up the middle at a 21.2% rate, and going to the opposite field at a 38.0% rate last season, numbers most identical to his 2024 season, which saw him going back up the middle a little more and going to the opposite field less. When combined with his 31.6% line drive rate, 40.3% groundball rate, and 28.2% flyball rate, it quickly becomes apparent where the young outfielder has room to improve. The majority of Ewing’s power is to his left side, so pulling and lifting the ball more would increase his potential power output from below-average to fringe-average.
Power is not Ewing’s carrying tool, though; speed is. The 20-year-old is one of the fastest sprinters in the system. Regularly posting plus speeds out of the box, a large preponderance of Ewing’s 114 singles were manufactured, the result of him busting out of the box. His 70 stolen bases were most in the Mets minor league system in 2025, 20 more than fellow speedster Nick Morabito in just six more games. His 86% success rate was also third-best among any player with 30 or more stolen bases in 2025, behind Boston Baro and his 93% success rate and D’Andre Smith and his 91%.
Ewing’s speed is also an asset on defense. Drafted as a shortstop and still technically listed as one, Ewing spent the majority of the 2025 season in center field, playing 76 games there. He also appeared in 15 games as a right fielder, 12 as a left fielder, and played 19 games at second base, but center is undoubtedly where he profiles best. In 2024, Ewing was much newer to the outfield and relied more on his speed to compensate for a lack of finesse, but in 2025, he was showing much improved reads of the ball of the bat and better routes to it. He closes in on the ball well, is exceptionally surehanded, and gets rid of the ball quickly and accurately with an average-to-above-average arm. With further improvements, Ewing has the potential to be a legitimate average-to-above-average defensive center fielder.
2026 Mets Top 25 Prospect List
7) Jacob Reimer 8) Ryan Clifford 9) Will Watson 10) Jack Wenninger 11) Mitch Voit 12) Jonathan Santucci 13) Elian Peña 14) Zach Thornton 15) Nick Morabito 16) R.J. Gordon 17) Chris Suero 18) Dylan Ross 19) Ryan Lambert 20) Antonio Jimenez 21) Edward Lantigua 22) Eli Serrano III 23) Randy Guzman 24) Daiverson Gutierrez 25) Boston Baro
Santiago Espinal is fresh off a -1.4 bWAR season that saw him hit .243/.292/.282 overall in 328 PA with the Cincinnati Reds. Garrett Hampson, meanwhile, went just 3 for 19 in his short stint with Cincinnati last season as part of a three-franchise year where he hit .143/.250/.169 overall. Then, there’s Michael Chavis, who hasn’t had a single PA in Major League Baseball since 2023, and he hit just .242/.281/.341 with the Washington Nationals back then.
Espinal, who elected free agency after being outrighted at season’s end, was the primary utility infielder for the Reds in 2025. While Elly De La Cruz played just about every single inning at shortstop, Espinal got some time there (as well as at 2B when Matt McLain slid over to play short). So, that’s what’s gone from last season. Hampson played exactly one game at shortstop in his short stint with the Reds despite not having started a game at that position since his 2023 season with Miami, while Chavis – who spent 2025 in Japan with the Chunichi Dragons – has never played an inning of short at the big league level at any point.
That’s where the state of Cincinnati’s middle-infield depth sits right now, both in terms of what’s absent from last year and what’s been added to the fold since – a pair of 31 year olds who, truly, don’t have any business playing shortstop ever, and whose overall value defensively has never been jaw-dropping at the less important infield roles. Add in that none of them have ever really hit, and you begin to wonder what the hell the Reds are doing here.
We know the Reds want to get Elly a bit more rest in 2026, be it time off during day games or through rotating him at DH. The plan, I suppose, is to let McLain play short on those days, though that a) discounts that McLain looked like he needed plenty of days off last year and b) opens a hole at 2B that doesn’t have an obvious replacement (unless Sal Stewart suddenly becomes more capable defensively).
That sure doesn’t seem to vibe with the emphasis on defense the front office has espoused since acquiring glove-only 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes (and his long-term contract) last summer. It seems obvious, then, that there’s a pretty decent need for a glove-y guy who can add value defensively up the middle, and it’s always a boon to the roster construction when that player can also switch-hit.
And, since you know where I’m going with this, there’s Edwin Arroyo right there on the 40-man roster who literally does all of that.
He’s right there! On the roster!
He’s also fresh off a short stint with the Cangrejeros de Santurce in Puerto Rican Winter League play where he went 22 for 62 in 16 games (.355/.429/.468). That’s after he hit .284/.345/.371 on the whole with AA Chattanooga last year after losing 2024 to shoulder surgery, though he hit .296/.356/.402 from June 11th (the day he finally socked his first homer) through the end of the year – doing so with a minuscule 13.0% K-rate.
Arroyo is about as known a quantity defensively as it gets, a guy whose overall talent landed him on Top 100 prospect lists for three consecutive years before his shoulder injury and lost 2024. His glove was tabbed as the best in the 2024 edition of Arizona Fall League play by MLB Pipeline’s Sam Dykstra as he emerged from his otherwise lost year. There’s a reason why, at the time, there was question whether it was Arroyo or Noelvi Marte who was actually the prize in the deal that sent Luis Castillo to the Seattle Mariners years ago.
He lacks any time at AAA, which is likely something working against him in this Reds organization. Plenty of other teams – particularly Atlanta and Arroyo’s old club in Seattle – have made habits of promoting players to the majors directly from AA, though that’s not typically Cincinnati’s style. Still, he’s a year older right now than Elly was when he debuted and four months older than Sal – with over 250 more professional PA than Sal right now – so it’s not as if he’s too young and lacking any experience.
There’s a good argument to be made that sending him to AAA to begin 2026 is the prudent move, a move that continues to get him plenty of PA every single day as he continues to shake any and all rust off the totally lost 2024 season. I get that, and I know it’s what’s almost certain to happen. Still, we aren’t too far removed from the Reds suddenly deciding to get aggressive with Jonathan India for an Opening Day, and while everyday PA seem unlikely right now, it’s pretty clear that there’s a role available right now on the 26-man roster where Edwin profiles almost perfectly even if he never shows the world he’s any better – and, if he does, that’s another weapon the Reds have at their disposal from the first game of the season onwards.
Barring another move to cement the roster with an established utility infielder, it sure looks as if Arroyo will head to camp in Goodyear in two weeks with a chance to really show the club that he’s ready. And if he does, there’s no one more well suited than him who’ll be there to challenge for a spot on the Opening Day roster.
MONTREAL (AP) — The Montreal Canadiens fired goaltending coach Eric Raymond on Wednesday.
They made the move 53 games into the NHL season despite sitting in a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Goalies Jakub Dobes, Samuel Montembeault and Jacob Fowler have combined for a save percentage of .884 that ranks 28th among the league’s 32 teams.
Marco Marciano was promoted from the same job with the American Hockey League’s Laval Rocket to fill the role on an interim basis for the remainder of the season. Raymond had served in the job since 2021.
Montreal is the second team to make a goalie coach change this season. The New York Islanders fired Pierre Greco six games in and gave the job to Sergei Naumovs, who has an extensive history coaching starter Ilya Sorokin.
Since making the move, Sorokin and backup David Rittich have combined for the fourth-best save percentage in the NHL at .907 over the past 46 games. They were 25th at .880 before that.
Like any number of baseball nerds across the globe, Amazin’ Avenue Managing Editor Chris McShane and I often play Immaculate Grid. We try to top each other’s rarity score and we, as you might expect, only allow ourselves to use Mets and former Mets. The best players to use are the ones who either logged an inning or two at an unusual position (thank you Gary Carter in right field or David Wright at shortstop) or players with cups of coffee for the Mets who you can recall at least one other stop along their journeys.
In that sense, José Azócar is a gift from the Immaculate Grid gods.
Azócar was claimed off of waivers by the Mets in September of 2024 and remained in Syracuse for the remainder of that season. After Spring Training in 2025, Azócar was outrighted to Syracuse again. When Jose Siri broke his tibia in May, Azócar was called up to the majors, appearing in 12 games for the Mets, collecting five hits and one stolen base in 20 plate appearances.
After his brief tenure, he was designated for assignment, elected free agency, and signed with the Braves. After one at-bat with Atlanta, he was DFA’d again, and the Mets snatched him up again, stashing him in Triple-A for the remainder of the season. He elected free agency after the season and signed, again, with Atlanta.
While his Mets tenure didn’t exactly light the world on fire, his tenure on the Mets, Padres, and Braves, while logging innings at all three outfield positions for New York makes him a prime Immaculate Grid answer.
In fact, as I’m writing this, there is a Mets column and a ‘Born outside US 50 States and DC’ row. Using Azócar was a clutch move, as his rarity score is 0.003%. Suck it, McShane.
The people have spoken and hyper-athletic outfielder Kahlil Watson is our No. 11 Cleveland Guardians prospect. Watson earned 30.6% of the vote, beating out Daniel Espino (20.4%), George Valera (16.7%) and Jace LaViolette (13.0%). Watson returns to the prospect rankings after missing out last year and being No. 18 in 2024.
Watson originally was drafted by the Miami Marlins 16th overall in the first round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Wake Forest High School in North Carolina. The season he was drafted, Watson made an immediate impact, slashing a ridiculous .394/.524/.606 over 42 plate appearances spanning nine games, good for a 199 wRC+.
In 2022, he debuted at full-season Single-A as a 19-year-old and he struggled, slashing .231/.296/.395 over 83 games with a 96 wRC+. Watson notably earned a suspension after he was ejected from a game for pointing his bat at the first-base umpire like it was a gun following a check-swing called third strike. He again struggled after being promoted to High-A in 2023 before Miami decided they were done with him, trading Watson to Cleveland in the Josh Bell deal.
In 2024, Watson spent his age-21 season at Double-A Akron, where he was slightly above average, slashing .220/.305/.407 with a career-high 16 home runs as Cleveland gave up on Watson as an infielder and transitioned him to a new position in the outfield. He repeated the 2025 at Akron, and finally started to break out, slashing .247/.337/.461 with a 134 wRC+ and earning a midseason promotion to Triple-A.
Perhaps most impressively, Watson continued to be above average despite his promotion to Triple-A, actually dropping his strikeout rate and increasing his walk-rate while improving his power while slashing .255/.358/.477 and stealing 10 bases in 43 games. He’s now knocking on the door to the MLB and was added to Cleveland’s 40-man roster this past November. He has a great chance of making his MLB debut at some point this season should Chase DeLauter or George Valera falter or get hurt (knock on wood).
Now, it’s time to determine who is number 12 in the Guardians’ loaded farm system and you now have a whopping 10 players to choose from! Your options are below:
Impressed at the complex league, then hit the ground running in a late season promotion to Single-A before running out of steam late in his age-17 season. Loaded with potential.
Daniel Espino, RHP (Age 25) 2025 (AAA): Threw 0.2 innings in one start for Columbus at the end of the season. 2025 (AFL): 4 G, 4.2 IP, 0.00 ERA, 2.14 FIP, 33.3 K%, 14.2 BB%, 1.50 WHIP
Espino has long been an object of wistful dreaming for Guardians’ prospect aficionados with his upper 90’s fastball and slider that might be even better than the heater. The question is whether he can ever be healthy enough to make the big leagues, where his path is probably now as a reliever.
One of Cleveland’s top performers in the Arizona Complex League in 2025. Undersized, but makes solid contact and doesn’t strike out often. Earned a small taste of full-season ball at the end of the year.
Venezuelan prospect who broke out in with increased velocity in 2025, putting up nearly identical numbers at both High-A Lake County and Double-A Akron. Gomez was added to Cleveland’s 40-man roster.
Acquired from Pittsburghin the Spencer Horwitz trade, Hartle was one of Cleveland’s most successful starting pitchers in its minor league system in 2025. Stands 6-foot-6, but doesn’t have a ton of velocity.
Cleveland’s first round pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, the 6-foot-6 LaViolette instantly becomes one of the top power hitting prospects in the system. Strikeouts and contact have been an issue, however.
Cleveland’s 3rd round pick in 2024 out of high school, Oakie got off to a rough start in the Complex League, but then absolutely dominated when promoted to Single-A Lynchburg with a pair of 11 strikeout performances.
Absolutely dominated Double-A to begin 2025 looking well on his way to repeating his tremendous 2024 season, but then struggled after an early-season promotion to Triple-A. Remains on the 40-man roster.
One of Cleveland’s most impressive hitters in its minor league system during his stint at High-A Lake County as a 20-year-old. Rosario has a unique combination of speed and power, but will need to overcome his strikeouts.
Former top prospect returned from a torn knee and put up good enough numbers to finally make his MLB debut with Cleveland in 2025. Hit a memorable home run against the Detroit Tigers in the playoffs.
Our list so far: 1. Chase DeLauter, LHH OF 2. Travis Bazzana, LHH 2B 3. Parker Messick, LHP 4. Ralphy Velazquez, LHH 1B/RF 5. Angel Genao, SH SS 6. Braylon Doughty, RHP 7. Cooper Ingle, LHH C 8. Khal Stephen, RHP 9. Juan Brito, SH 2B/1B/RF/3B 10. Jaison Chourio, SH OF 11. Kahlil Watson, RHH OF
On what needed to improve after the last meeting with the Kings:
“Everything. They punched us in the mouth, and we didn’t respond well.”
On sticking with a KAT-Out closing lineup late:
“I know at the end of the game, we had a group out on the floor that’s playing well, and it’s a tight ball game so I just rode that group to the end of the game, which I’ve done before. We had Deuce out there, who’s not a starter, and Mitch out there, who’s not a starter. So again, we need to get the win, and the biggest thing was Mikal was at 37 minutes, but other than Mikal, everybody was at decent minutes especially knowing we’ve got a game tomorrow.”
On riding an alternative lineup for the final minutes vs. Sacramento:
“During the flow of the game, you find a group of players that you feel are playing well together. And you roll with it as long as you can.”
On Mitchell Robinson’s defensive impact:
“He brought a level of energy to us tonight, especially on defense. That got us over the hump.”
On self-inflicted turnovers on Tuesday:
“I thought the turnovers were self-inflicted. That’s not taking anything away from Sacramento. I thought we didn’t do a great job of playing off of two feet. Whenever you play off of one foot, you’re gonna get yourself in trouble. If you leave your feet with no place to go, you think somebody is open, there’s a good chance that the defense is gonna rotate and take that away and now you’re in trouble. We just have to do a better job of playing off of two feet.”
On grinding out the win defensively:
“It was an ugly game, but our defense stayed solid throughout.”
“It was an ugly game. It wasn’t pretty, but we were able to grind it out and find a way to win, and I think that’s very important for us.”
On focus and attention to detail leading NYK to a win vs. Sacramento:
“Our attention to detail, our focus, those are big components for us. We have the ability to be a really good team if we do those things. The little things have to be important.”
"[Mike Brown] saw what he saw. We've got to win. That's the most important thing. That's all I care about, New York cares about, this team cares about – is wins"
– Karl-Anthony Towns on not playing down the stretch in tonight's win over the Kings pic.twitter.com/GHd1LuGpHK
On being removed from the closing lineup once again:
“[Brown] saw what he saw. We got a win. That’s the most important thing. That’s all I care about. That’s all this team cares about is the win.”
On beating Sacramento after the previous loss:
“It’s good to win any game. We beat a team that had our number the last game and against whom we showed one of our worst versions of ourselves. It was good to come out here and find a better version of ourselves and find ourselves winning.”
Mitchell Robinson said missing games as part of Knick medical staff’s plan for him was “rough at first.”
“I want to play every game. And with this plan…I kind of just have to embrace it…So I put my pride & ego to the side (and)… it’s working out.” pic.twitter.com/KaeZwUmjDV
“It was rough at first. I want to play every game. This plan we have in place for me. I just kind of embrace it and roll with it. I put my pride and ego to the side and just stick with the plan and it’s working out. Why fix something that’s not broken?”
On the Knicks’ turnaround:
“It’s all about coming out with the right mindset. And being ready to go.
“It feels great. We’re really making a turn and we’re really getting our s–t together.”
DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday signed veteran defenseman Ben Chiarot to a three-year contract extension worth $11.55 million.
Chiarot will count $3.85 million against the salary cap from when his new deal kicks in next season through 2028-29.
Chiarot, who turns 35 in May, is past the midway point of his fourth season with the Red Wings after time with Winnipeg, Montreal and Florida. He has played in all 54 of their games, averaging 21 minutes of ice time, and ranks ninth in the NHL with 113 blocked shots.
Detroit is in second place in the Atlantic Division and on pace to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
With nine games on the board, it’s a jam-packed Hump Day of basketball action, which means a ton of NBA player props to bet on.
I’ve found my three favorites for today, which include a continuously undervalued Immanuel Quickley as he goes against his former team, and LaMelo Ball will create a buzz with the 3-ball when the Hornets take on the Grizz.
Those and more NBA picks for Wednesday, January 28.
Jalen Smith has been a bit of a revelation for the Chicago Bulls lately. The big man has taken advantage of extended minutes, averaging 11.8 points and 8.9 rebounds over his last 14 games.
That stretch includes five of his seven double-doubles this season, and I’m betting he has another big night against the Indiana Pacers.
It’s been a tough season for the Pacers, particularly on the glass. Indiana has the fourth-lowest rebounding rate and surrenders the third-most rebounds per game.
So, with a rebounding prop of 8.5, a double-double looks like a much better bet.
The Raps’ guard has looked like his best self for a while now, but sportsbooks are still undervaluing his ability to get buckets.
Quickley is averaging 19.4 points while shooting 37.6% from 3-point range over his last 17 games. However, oddsmakers are still setting his point total at 16.5, a number he’s eclipsed 13 times over that stretch.
Defending guards have been a huge problem for the New York Knicks. The Knicks have surrendered the most points per game to opposing guards this season.
After a start to the season that was hampered by multiple injuries, Ball has now played 21 games in a row and is shooting a crazy good 41.3% from 3-point range on a whopping 9.6 attempts from deep per game.
Melo will let it fly against a declawed Memphis Grizzlies team. Not only are the Grizz dealing with a ton of injuries, but their perimeter defense has been putrid all season, resulting in the fourth-most opponent made threes per game.
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: FDSN Southeast-Charlotte, FDSN Southeast-Memphis
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
Jalen Smith
Immanuel Quickley
LaMelo Ball