NORTH PORT, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 20: Jurickson Profar #17 of the Atlanta Braves poses for a photo during Spring Training photo day at CoolToday Park on February 20, 2026 in North Port, Florida. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Jurickson Profar, the Atlanta Braves OF/DH who missed 80 games in 2025 due to a suspension for performance enhancing drugs, is facing a 162 game suspension for a second positive test, per Jeff Passan. Aside from missing the entire 2026 regular season and forfeiting his salary for 2026, Profar would also be ineligible for the playoffs, should the Braves make it to the postseason, as well as the World Baseball Classic.
Profar, 33, was, once upon a time, the crown jewel of the Texas Rangers’ farm system, someone whose precocity and advanced skills had him debuting in the majors at age 19, and led to the Rangers trading Ian Kinsler after the 2013 season so that Profar would have a place to play every day.
Profar ended up missing all of 2014 and most of 2015 due to a shoulder injury, and upon his return to the majors, did not initially hit. A solid if unspectacular season in 2018 was followed by a trade to the Oakland A’s. Profar spent most of the 2020-24 seasons with the San Diego Padres, and a breakout .280/.380/.459 slash line in 2024 — by far the best of his career — led to him signing a 3 year, $42 million deal with Atlanta.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MARCH 02: Derrick White #9 of the Boston Celtics dribbles the ball against Ryan Rollins #13 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the third quarter at Fiserv Forum on March 02, 2026 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. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Despite being shorthanded without Jaylen Brown and Neemias Queta, the Boston Celtics marched into Milwaukee on the night of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s return and delivered a resounding statement, dismantling the Bucks in a dominant 108–81 triumph.
The manner in which this roster continues to uphold the standard of Celtics basketball, regardless of who is available on any given night, serves as a compelling testament to the staff of the year, led by head coach Joe Mazzulla. A prime example of sustaining that unmistakable Celtics edge is rookie Hugo González, whose approach and poise reflect the culture instilled from the top down.
Hugo González earned the third start of his young NBA career last night and delivered his most complete performance to date. The rookie erupted for career highs in points (18), rebounds (16), and steals (three), showcasing his two-way impact as Boston improved to 41–20 on the season.
After the game, González reflected on the team’s resilience in navigating injuries without compromising its identity. “We’ve got our standard, and we want to maintain it every single game. We don’t like to make excuses,” he explained, a succinct encapsulation of the mindset that continues to define the Boston Celtics.
The defense, hustle, and difference in shot margin definitely highlighted last night’s win. Boston again held the Bucks to just 81 points as they shot an abysmal 36 percent from the field. The glass told a similarly decisive story. Milwaukee was overwhelmed in the rebounding battle, 54–41, including surrendering 19 offensive boards that fueled repeated second-chance opportunities. Perhaps most telling was the shot differential: a staggering +21 advantage in favor of the Celtics, a statistical embodiment of their control on both ends of the floor.
While those numbers tell a compelling story, what I found also to be great in real time was the fluidity of the player and ball movement. Watching live, the offense felt purposeful and connected; each cut, swing, and extra pass carrying intent.
That impression only strengthened upon rewatch. The film validated the eye test, revealing a series of possessions that embodied the unselfishness and precision driving this performance. Here are the ones that stood out to me.
For years now, the Celtics have treated their opening offensive possession as something of a thesis statement, an early indicator of the themes they intend to establish. More often than not, that first trip down the floor offers a glimpse into the tactical priorities for the night.
In this instance, they opened with “Horns Chest,” immediately signaling that constant movement would anchor the game plan.
Here Boston does some slight window dressing before getting into the main action. Baylor Scheierman hands it back off to Derrick White, and Sam Hauser starts in the corner. Horns alignment can be easily identified by two players at or near the elbows of the free throw line.
When Hauser flashes up to the elbow and Scheierman relocates to the corner, it creates a momentary disruption in the switch between Giannis and Aj Green, leaving Giannis a step behind Hauser. Hauser then flows into the “Chest” action, which is when someone sets an on-ball screen then receives a Flare screen.
The on-ball screen can take multiple forms, including a traditional pick or a “Ghost” screen, as Hauser, the Ghost screen sows additional confusion for the Bucks, causing yet another defender to lose his assignment and creating an exploitable advantage for the offense.
After this, the Flare screen from Nikola Vucevic makes sure Hauser’s defender can’t get back to him, and now, we have a small switched onto Vuc.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed that Vuc just immediately goes under the rim when he gets a mismatch. This forces Ousmane Dieng to attempt a scram switch in the middle of the possession but in doing so, he leaves Hugo Gonzalez open in the corner.
The shot didn’t fall, but the process was great.
Next, the Celtics go to “Flex” action for Vuc.
Flex action is fundamentally a two-part sequence. The first element involves a player setting a Flex screen for a teammate positioned in the corner or short corner, creating the opportunity, usually, for that teammate to execute a baseline cut. This initial screen sets the stage for the second phase of the play.
After that the screener receives a pin down screen.
Vuc hasn’t been flawless, but having a center capable of operating as an off-screen shooter adds a whole new layer of unpredictability to the Celtics offense. As the 7-footer curls off the pin-down set by the point guard, he draws a switch on a smaller defender and calmly converts a hook shot.
Here Boston uses a simple “Flare” screen to get Hauser an open look.
A Flare screen is an off-ball screen set between the passer and the recipient.
Hauser missed this one, but the Celtics made good use of Flare screens all game.
Next, Boston goes to the famous “Spain” Pick and Roll.
Spain or “Stack” Pick and roll is an on-ball screen followed by a back screen on the on-ball screeners man.
As Payton Pritchard turns the corner after the screen, four(!) bucks collapse into the paint, leaving a number of Celtics open.
Ron Harper Jr. gets the pass and knocks it down.
For the next play, Boston goes to “Blind Pig” action.
Blind Pig is a dribble handoff under a denying or high playing defender. After the handoff to Harper Jr, the ball is supposed to go to Pritchard as you see Luka Garza pointing to him.
The problem is, Ryan Rollins is playing very close to Pritchard, denying the pass.
The Celtics see they can’t get the ball to Pritchard how they intended, so Garza flashes under Rollins and Pritchard is able to get the ball with a head of steam, and it results in a layup.
Here the Celtics go to “Stagger Spain” and get a three off it.
Stagger, named after Staggered screens, are two of the same off-ball screens set with some space between them.
Boston leverages this action to free Payton Pritchard at the top of the key, flowing back into its Spain PnR. Before White even establishes the back screen for Vuc on Bobby Portis, he comes open on the roll. Pritchard delivers the pass on time, and White’s subsequent screen, set immediately after the catch, forces yet another defensive switch.
Portis sees the mismatch and tries to go back to his matchup but is unable to because White runs to the three-point line after he screened.
They eventually get the ball to Vuc in the post, and a cut by Gonzalez draws Cam Thomas off of Hauser, and Vuc hits him for a no dip three.
The Flare screen returns and great pass placement by Pritchard leads White to an open three.
After a foul, Mazzulla calls “Double Get” for the next offensive possession.
Double refers to the two screens on the play. The first being from Hauser and the next from Garza after the handoff.
“Get” is when a player passes the ball to someone and immediately goes to *get* it back as Pritchard does.
The screen by Garza creates mismatches for him and Pritchard that are pivotal to the possession. Hauser eventually gets it back to Pritchard with the big on him, and he’s able to drive past him. He misses the layup, but the mismatch Garza has allowed him to get the putback.
Another good play ran for Vuc here as they go to “Stagger Hawk” to get him a mid-range.
As we saw on a previous play, Boston uses the Staggered screens to get a player to the top of the key. This time they use it to flow into a “Hawk” cut for Vuc as we see here.
The Nuggets have used this action a bunch in the past for another Nikola.
Having Pritchard set the screen is pivotal to the action’s success. If he makes solid contact, the defense is forced into a difficult choice: switch a smaller defender onto Vuc or hesitate on the exchange. A clean switch creates an immediate size mismatch in the post, while any reluctance to switch leaves Vuc uncovered on the cut, which is precisely what unfolds on this possession.
And to cap it off we have the Flare screen return.
In the end, it’s not just about the play itself, but the precision and intentionality behind how Boston deploys it. By using personnel creatively, putting shooters like Pritchard and White into screening actions and flowing seamlessly between counters, the Celtics force defenses into layered decisions where every option carries consequences. The brilliance lies in the details: timing, spacing, and the ability to manipulate matchups before the defense can react. It’s a reminder that at the highest level, advantage isn’t accidental, it’s engineered.
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 01: Bryan Rust #17 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates his second period goal against the Vegas Golden Knights at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 1, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Objectively speaking, the 2025-26 Pittsburgh Penguins appear to be a really good hockey team. By every major piece of data that exists to evaluate hockey teams, the Penguins rate extremely well across the league through their first 59 games this season.
Entering play on Tuesday their .636 points percentage is the sixth-best in the NHL and the third-best in the Eastern Conference.
Their plus-30 goal-differential is fifth-best in the NHL.
They have 27 regulation wins, which is sixth-most in the NHL.
They are 9-3-3 against teams with a top-10 record.
They have a 51.7 percent expected goals share during 5-on-5 play, a rate that ranks eighth-best in the NHL. They are top-10 in pretty much every, goal, scoring-chance and possession-based metric during 5-on-5 play.
They have the NHL’s second-best penalty killing unit and the NHL’s third-best power play unit.
The goaltending has been, at the very least, competent.
They have a No. 1 center (when Sidney Crosby is healthy, that is), a No. 1 defenseman that has rediscovered his game, excellent scoring depth, good veterans, good young players, a lot of salary cap space in the future and more draft picks to work with than pretty much every other team in the NHL.
If you knew nothing of the Penguins preseason expectations, or what they were supposed to play like this season, you would look at all of that and not hesitate to say, “wow, that team must be a legitimate Stanley Cup contender and in a really good position long-term.”
That would be a logical conclusion. It would be a sensible conclusion. It might even be the correct conclusion.
Yet, when you have watched the Penguins play on a nationally televised broadcast this season, or listened to a national writer or analyst talk about their approach to the trade deadline, you would never guess where this team is in the standings. They played two nationally televised games this past weekend and the first of those games on Saturday started off with a discussion about Evgeni Malkin’s future, and asking Kyle Dubas if there was any chance Malkin would be traded before Friday’s NHL Trade Deadline.
There is a constant rumbling of whether or not the Penguins will sell players like Anthony Mantha, or if veterans could be on their way out due to the ongoing rebuild or re-tool.
You had T.J. Oshie saying they will fall out of a playoff position because of the injury to Sidney Crosby and how that will impact their power play, and Paul Bissonnette talking about how Sunday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights was going to be a bad time for them. There still seems to be a sense of, “hey, they could maybe make the playoffs,” when it should probably be, “hey, what can this team potentially do when it does make the playoffs?”
It is meant to just point out that very few people outside of Pittsburgh have really paid much attention to what this team has actually played like and what it is doing. Honestly, I am not even fully convinced all of the city of Pittsburgh realizes how good this team has been so far.
It is almost as if everybody had an expectation in mind for what this team was supposed to look like this season and how it was supposed to play, and then nobody really took any time to pay attention to what they were actually doing or change their narrative.
This is, admittedly, easy to do when you are working in a national setting and trying to focus on 32 different teams. Sometimes things slip through the cracks. I know first-hand how difficult that can be because I have spent the better part of the past 18 years trying to write and blog about teams and sports on a big-picture, national level. It is a lot to try and look at. I do not expect every person covering the sport of hockey to have an in-depth knowledge of every single player and storyline on every single team. Again, over 32 teams that is nearly impossible to do on the same level as a local beat writer. You are just getting a basic, big picture view before you move on to the next game.
The Penguins have also made it kind of easy on themselves over the past few years to go unnoticed. They have not won a playoff series since the 2017-18 season. They have not actually made the playoffs in three years. This is supposed to be a rebuilding season. No matter what big names and future Hall of Famers you still have on your roster, it is still a results oriented business. The Penguins have simply not produced much in the way of results over the past few years.
The other issue potentially at play: Nobody likes to admit they are wrong. Nobody wants to look like they are waffling or changing their opinion.
But you still need to be able to adapt and at least pay closer attention to what is actually happening.
Do I know every detail of the Anaheim Ducks roster this season or what their third-defense pairing looks like on a nightly basis? No. I do not. Did I think they would miss the playoffs again before this season? Yeah, I did. But I do know they are currently a pretty good team, in a position to make the playoffs, perhaps in a position to win the Pacific Division, and I would not be treating them as the same bad, rebuilding team they have been the past few years. You would not be looking at them as sellers right now or questioning if they should trade, I don’t know, Troy Terry. Because they are now good. They have changed the narrative around their team and season.
The Penguins have done the same. It has just taken a long time for people to catch on to it because they have not done much over the past seven seasons and had very little in the way of expectations coming into the season. There is still a quarter of the season to play, and they still need to get Crosby back. They still have to keep collecting points and maintain this level of play. We will see if they can. In the meantime, they look the part of a really good team right now. Perhaps even a contender. They should probably be treated as such until they do something to show they are not.
Monday night, before ever playing a game for the team, Young got ejected.
Everything started late in the third quarter with a confrontation between Houston's Tari Eason and Washington's Jamir Watkins. Young, in street clothes on the bench and walked out on the court to complain to the officials about the play (Eason was ejected as well). Walking onto the court violates the league rules and Young was shown the door.
Feb 26, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow against the Chicago White Sox during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
There is no Cactus League game for the Dodgers on Wednesday, but they still have a game on their schedule, an exhibition within the exhibition of spring training. They will host Team Mexico on Wednesday afternoon at Camelback Ranch, one of a handful of games for teams in preparation of the World Baseball Classic.
Across Arizona and Florida, there are 31 games on the docket Tuesday and Wednesday this week featuring a World Baseball Classic team playing a major league team. Tournament play for these teams — in Pools A, B, and D in San Juan, Houston, and Miami, respectively — at the WBC begins on Friday.
Jul 12, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Jack Suwinski (65) catches a fly ball hit by Chicago White Sox catcher Korey Lee (26) during the seventh inning at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
The Dodgers on Monday sent Jack Suwinski outright to the minors and off the 40-man roster after the outfielder cleared waivers.
It’s not all that surprising that the Dodgers would try to get Suwinski through waivers, as he was below replacement level the last two seasons, hitting a combined .169/.271/.297 with a 59 wRC+ in 455 plate appearances in 2024-25 after a strong first two years with the Pirates, and he’s out of options.
That roster gambit didn’t work with catcher Ben Rortvedt (twice duringthis offseason) nor infielder Andy Ibáñez, both of whom were claimed. That Suwinski got to the Dodgers, who are 26th in waiver priority for now based on last year’s records, in the first place made it unsurprising that he cleared waivers this time around.
Now, Suwinski remains in the organization as outfield depth, and leaves 39 players on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster. There’s no real urgency yet to fill that spot, but it removes an extra burden should an opportunity arise. Like if Rortvedt inevitably becomes available yet again, or if someone like non-roster invitees Santiago Espinalor Cole Irvin play their way onto the roster over the next three weeks.
PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 13: Mark Vientos #27 of the New York Mets looks on during spring training workouts at Clover Park on February 13, 2026 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Feb 27, 2026; Port Charlotte, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash (16) looks on during the second inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Charlotte Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
It’s split squad day with one contingent of Rays traveling to take on the Twins and another contingent remaining in Port Charlotte to take on the Phillies.
No TV today but the Twins radio team will cover that game and the Rays will have radio coverage of the game in Port Charlotte. We will have both Brody Hopkins and Shane McClanahan starting for the Rays.
First pitch against the Minnesota Twins is at 1:05 at Lee Health Sports Complex, and then 1:05 at Port Charlotte against the Phillies.
Today’s highlight package is from June 19-20, 1999 when the Devil Rays took on the Twins.
BRADENTON, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 18: Bryan Reynolds #10 of the Pittsburgh Pirates poses for a portrait during the 2026 Pittsburgh Pirates Photo Day at LECOM Park on February 18, 2026 in Bradenton, Florida. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
How to Listen: 93.7 The Fan, 100.1 FM, AM 1020 KDKA, Sports Net Pittsburgh app SNP 360
The Pittsburgh Pirates are hosting the Colombian national team in their preparation for the World Baseball Classic.
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College basketball might take the spotlight in March, but the idea that NBA teams aren’t playing hard in the run up to the playoffs has always been a fallacy. Look no further than the Denver Nuggets vs. Utah Jazz game on Monday night. The Jazz are playing out the string in another lost season, and their main objective at this point is to protect their draft pick. The Nuggets have been hit with the injury bug all year, but they’re still fighting for seeding in the Western Conference. What could have been an afterthought matchup turned into a super hard-fought, dramatic finish that also included a controversial play from the game’s best player.
The Nuggets beat the Jazz, 128-125. The most memorable moment of the game happened in the first quarter, when Utah guard Keyonte George tried to box out Nikola Jokic for a rebound, and ended up having the NBA’s heaviest player resting entirely on his back.
George is listed at 185 pounds. Jokic is listed at 284 pounds, with only Zach Edey and Jusuf Nurkic (who are both out for the season with injury) listed heavier. Watch Jokic and George fight for the rebound here.
This is a dangerous play. Jokic is a joy to watch, but the stress of this season is clearly getting to him. Jokic is sick of teams taking cheap shots against him, and we all saw how he reacted to Lu Dort’s dirty play against the Thunder last week.
To me, this is a clean box out by George. He’s keeping Jokic away from the rebound exactly how you’re taught: get low, stick your butt into the offensive player’s mid-section, and control the leverage game as you wait for the rebound. Jokic falling on his back is not the right way to handle this, and it could have resulted in injury.
George looked just fine on the night, scoring 15 of his team-high 36 points in the fourth quarter. George almost out-dueled Jokic and Jamal Murray (who dropped 45 points in the win), but the Nuggets are just too good. Maybe next year, Utah.
In fairness to Jokic, he gets hit harder than anyone in part because he’s bigger than everyone. The Thunder played extremely physical defense on Jokic in last year’s playoffs led by Alex Caruso defending him in Game 7. Caruso was giving up so much size in that matchup that he essentially fouled Jokic every time down the floor and dared the refs to call it. They’re only going to call it so many times.
The 2026 playoffs are going to be so good, but let’s make sure it’s a safe, fair game for everyone.
The Pistons take on the Cavaliers again after a thrilling win over them at home on Friday. This time the Pistons will have reinforcements as Isaiah Stewart returns from his 7-game suspension from the fight against the Charlotte Hornets before the All Star Break. During that time, the Pistons went 6-1 with their only loss against the San Antonio Spurs, but they will definitely welcome him back with open arms.
When these two teams squared off last time, the Pistons got very lucky. They faced a short-handed Cavaliers team who were very much up for the challenge. It looked like the Pistons had no shot at winning until a couple of lucky bounces late in the 4th and then a heady play by Daniss Jenkins to draw a 3-point shooting foul on an intentional foul led to overtime where the Pistons were able to seal the deal.
There were some reports that came out after the game about how the Cavaliers are not afraid of the Pistons come playoff time, so it will be interesting to see how the Pistons respond if at all.
Game Vitals
Where: Rocket Arena in Cleveland, OH When: Tuesday, March 3 at 7 pm EST Watch: Fan Duel Sports Network Detroit Odds: Pistons (-2.5)
Analysis
In the last matchup, the Pistons were able to avoid facing James Harden and Donovan Mitchell, as both players were out with an injury. Harden is back, but Mitchell will still be out, so the Pistons luck out a little bit once again. However, as the Cavs proved in the last game, their backups are ready for the test and are more than capable of keeping them in the game against the best team in the East.
Their guards did a great job of creating dribble penetration which led to some easy baskets for Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, although a lot of his shots came from the perimeter. Luckily for the Pistons, they will have Isaiah Stewart to help with protecting the rim. Paul Reed has done a more than admirable job filling in for Stewart during his suspension, but he isn’t quite the rim presence that Isaiah Stewart is. That will be important, with James Harden being back, as he loves to create space off the dribble and then throw lobs to his big men.
With Harden back, the Cavs now have the offensive punch that they need to hold a lead if they build one like last game, so the Pistons will need to have a better 2nd half than they did on Friday.
One players that did not struggle in the 2nd half is the newest Eastern Conference Player of the Week, Jalen Duren, who the Cavaliers had no answer for. He didn’t have an answer for Jarrett Allen either, but Duren ended the game with 33 point and 16 rebounds, but more importantly, carried the team after Cade Cunningham fouled out with a few minutes left in the 4th.
Ausar Thompson was also fantastic in that game with 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists. The Pistons will need him today to slow down James Harden, unless they opt to put him on Sam Merrill, who the Pistons didn’t really have an answer for until late in Friday’s game.
It would not surprise me if JB Bickerstaff opts to put Ausar Thompson on Merrill since he is the best at fighting through screens and chasing players off-ball while Cade Cunningham can at least stay in front of James Harden and match his size. With Donovan Mitchell out, the Pistons have the luxury of being able to matchup this way since they would not be able to get away with if Mitchell was playing.
One more thing to watch out for will be Jaylon Tyson on Cade Cunningham. He didn’t really shutdown Cade or anything, but he did do a good job of pressuring him and baiting him into some fouls which ultimately led to him fouling out of the game. I would not be surprised if he does more of the same tonight.
This will be the last matchup between these two teams, but they very well could matchup in the 2nd round of the playoffs if both teams do what they are supposed to do. This will now be the 2nd game of the season for the Pistons against this version of the Cleveland Cavaliers, but they were not at full strength in either matchup, so it won’t determine much about how these two teams potentially matchup.
Lineups
Cleveland Cavaliers (38-24): James Harden, Jaylon Tyson, Sam Merrill, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen
OMAHA, NE - JUNE 26: Christian Little #99 of the LSU Tigers high-fives fans to celebrate after winning the Division I Mens Baseball Championship against the Florida Gators held at Charles Schwab Field on June 26, 2023 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Tyler Schank/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) | NCAA Photos via Getty Images
By our means of ranking prospects here on the site, RHP Christian Little is largely de facto roof of a tier of M’s prospects. Very little separated Little, Tyler Cleveland, Alex Hoppe, Jared Sundstrom, Mason Peters, and Charlie Beilenson, while Thursday’s prospect will have as much separation from Little as he from Beilenson at 19th. We’re unsure about this cohort, but there’s something there. What that something might be might be strongest in Little, a 6’4 former top prep prospect on a several-year hunt for consistency.
Little is a prospect archetype well-represented in some systems but scarcely in Seattle’s. The high-upside pitcher with a long lead line to work out his starting chops isn’t inherently a high-probability player to become a big league contributor, but Seattle’s recent success with fast-moving hurlers isn’t the only way. Like the majority of the pitchers outlined in this series thus far, Little has at least one plus pitch – in his case a fastball that ranges 93-95 usually with excellent bat-missing ride – and enough question marks to muddy his route up-farm.
The 6’4 22 year old has usually missed bats, and did that very thing in his first pro season, coming from LSU after a transfer from Vanderbilt to sign with Seattle for $200k in the 11th round of 2024. Little has come a long, long way since campus mechanically, where you can see a variety of jerky, high-effort motions that contributed to eye-popping walk rates in college, ultimately driving him down from a potential top-100 pick out of the bonus rounds.
By contrast, a year or two later, you can see a smoother, more controlled delivery from Little that also features a breaking ball more focused on sweep as his primary off-speed.
Christian Little was awesome today. Final line: 3.2IP, 1H, 1R, 0ER, 0BB, 6K, 57-38. pic.twitter.com/MxXehQOyBR
Little finished out his college career as a reliever for the Tigers, but he started in Low-A Modesto, earning a late-season promotion to High-A Everett after an excellent second-half carried by those improved mechanics and recovery from a bone spur that was noted for a dip in stuff in late June that cost him the month of July. The young man from St. Louis, MO mixes in a changeup and more 12-6 breaking ball as well still, offering four distinct planes of movement and a sinker that can at times have vicious late bite. He’s adjusted his hands pre-pitch to cue himself into consistency.
The strength of Seattle’s system has been its ability to convert their top picks into impact talent, along with a few huge hits on arms later in the top 10 rounds. But Little, who was a top-notch prep prospect and a member of Team USA’s 15U roster, is the type of player we’ve rarely seen converted into a big leaguer here in Seattle. The depth behind Kade Anderson and Ryan Sloan (spoilers) quickly has question marks, and Little is fraught with them. His command remains a work in progress, and unless 1-2 of his off-speed pitches continue building consistency, he’ll struggle to retire more talented bats. But a SEC bat-misser with the build and coachability to make adjustments is the sort of player who can find his upper realms of promise, which would be another member of the M’s rotation depth in the next couple seasons. Nothing little about that.
For almost a decade now, I have been following the baseball journey of Ronny Mauricio. I remember seeing Mauricio for the first time down at Segra Park in Columbia, South Carolina back in 2019 and immediately understood what all the hype and fuss was about; his skinny, athletic frame oozed potential, and the sound of the ball off his bat just sounded different. Fast forward a few years later, and I was one of Mauricio’s biggest skeptics, going very much against the grain along with the rest of the Amazin’ Avenue prospect team following a successful season in Triple-A as a 22-year-old. What happened? In short, the Ronny Mauricio of 2021 showed up in 2022 and 2023; as Lukas succinctly put it, he showed us that he is who we thought he was.
At some point during the 2023 season, likely during one of his many Minor League Player of the Week wins, I began looking at his numbers and saw some really problematic stuff. Obviously, we knew surface-level stuff, like that he struck out a bit more than we’d all like and didn’t walk as much as we’d want him to, but his time in Triple-A Syracuse gave us all kinds of Statcast tidbits that we didn’t have access to until then. He didn’t walk a lot, swung a lot, and posted an extremely low SEAGER score; he swung at more pitches both inside and out of the zone than average, and made less contact inside and outside the zone than average; he had a lot of difficulty against off-speed pitches and even more against breaking balls, curveballs in particular; his ground ball-to-fly ball ratio was extremely poor and his fly ball rate exacerbated even more by the high number of infield fly balls; he was exhibiting some noteworthy platoon splits. None of which meant necessarily that Mauricio was cooked as a prospect and that any kind of major league future was doomed, but there were numerous red flags under his surface-level stats. What gave me a lot of concern was less that those red flags existed, but rather, that nowhere over the course of his career did we see Ronny improving in any meaningful way on those flaws.
Mauricio came on extremely strong in his MLB debut at the end of 2023, but crashed back down to earth following that hot streak. Likewise, after missing all of 2024 due to a torn ACL, he started the 2025 season in Syracuse and put up excellent numbers, but once again hit a wall when he was called up the majors. Both seasons, those problematic red flags became more than just problematic, limiting his value at the plate.
Where the 25-year-old begins the season is most likely dependent on factors beyond his control. Francisco Lindor’s surgery to correct a hamate injury may or may not cost the All-Star some time at the beginning of the season. If he is unable to start the year on the active roster, Mauricio is one of a handful of shortstop options the Mets have to fill-in for the injured Lindor, perhaps the most appealing, as he is a young, homegrown player that has more potential upside than the Jackson Cluffs, Vidal Brujans, Christian Arroyos, and Grae Kessingers of the baseball world. If Lindor is fully healthy and ready to go when the season begins, it will likely be in Mauricio’s best interest to begin the year in Triple-A, so that he can get regular at-bats. At the same time, his bat from the left-side would be useful off the Mets’ bench, as he posted a .265/.336/.447 in 132 at-bats, good for a 121 wRC+. On one hand, being used irregularly in certain situations might not be the best use for Mauricio’s development as a baseball player. But then again, Mauricio has long showed us that this is who he is, so perhaps why not?
SCOTTSDALE, AZ - FEBRUARY 26: Nolan Arenado #28 of the Arizona Diamondbacks looks on from the outfield prior to the game between the Kansas City Royals and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on Thursday, February 26, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Annalee Ramirez/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Scottsdale, Ariz. — Nolan Arenado was drafted by the Colorado Rockies second round of the 2009 MLB Draft. He made his MLB debut on April 28, 2013, and the rest is history.
He spent eight years with the Rockies and enjoyed many highs – including eight Gold Gloves, four Platinum Gloves, four Silver Sluggers, five All-Star appearances, two playoff runs, and numerous jaw-dropping offensive and defensive spectacles – and plenty of lows. After an ugly public feud with the Rockies front office in 2020, Arenado was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals on February 1, 2021 – less than two years after signing a record eight-year, $260 million contract extension.
Arenado played five years in St. Louis, and still enjoyed plenty of highs and lows. He won two more Gold Gloves, one more Silver Slugger, made three more All-Star appearances, went to two more playoffs, and continued to make jaw-dropping offensive and defensive plays. But after a down year in 2025 – both for the Cardinals and for Arenado – he was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks, marking his return to the NL West.
“I’m really excited about [returning to the NL West],” he said. “Obviously, I know the division well, but there’s a lot of new players and new pitchers and stuff. And obviously I know the ballparks really well. I grew up in this division, so it should be fairly easy getting adjusted to it.”
And, in true Arenado fashion, he has high expectations for his new team and his new season.
“I think this team is really good,” he said. “This offense is a Top-10 offense without me, but I think I could really help it. I’m trying to make some adjustments that I feel can really help me play the way I know I can. I always keep those goals to myself, but I do have hefty goals and I don’t think I’m ever going to change that.”
However, he does have some fond memories of his time in Colorado.
“Obviously, I think the group of players that I was with – starting off with Todd [Helton] and [Troy Tulowitzki] and [Dustin] Morneau and some of those guys – were awesome,” he said.
“And then playing with [Carlos González], [Trevor] Story, Charlie [Blackmon] and DJ [LeMahieu]. I see the players now, and I’m like ‘Man, I have no idea who any of these players are.’
“And so just thinking about the past with those players, it was a really special group,” he continued. “The more I look back on it… it’s funny, everywhere I go, even the Diamondbacks now, they’re like, ‘Man, that team you guys had was unbelievable. It was so hard to pitch to. It was a pain to face you guys.’ And now when I look back on it, it was probably one of the better offenses I’ve ever played on.”
Even though that was nearly a decade ago, he still keeps in touch with many of his teammates, including Kyle Freeland and Antonio Senzatela, whom he played with from 2017-2021.
“When I see ‘Free,’ I always say hi. Same with ‘Senza,’” he said. “Those guys mean a lot to me. They were young when they came through, and they did such a great job pitching when I was there. I want healthy success for them. But I talk to Charlie all the time. I talk with DJ probably every day. Story, too. We still trash talk.”
And not only does he still have connections with some players, but he and new Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer also go way back.
“I played with him in Double-A,” Arenado said. “I was young at the time. I was a pain in the butt at that time. But we got along great because he loved that I worked. And he was a big worker, too. He took ground balls everyday. And the one thing about Schaeff – there were times where he wasn’t starting in those games, but he was still working every day and never complained. He showed up to work.”
Schaeffer also looked back fondly on their time together with the Double-A Tulsa Drillers.
“I remember just enjoying watching him play,” Schaeffer said. “I mean, he was the young kid coming up; I was, at that time, the old guy that sat on the bench, and he played one of my positions.
“I always thought he was the best practicer, and I loved it,” Schaeffer continued. “He was the first guy I ever saw other than myself show up like that — and do it almost more than me — and that’s why he’s so great. He had that mixed with talent and that’s why he’s a future Hall of Famer. He’s unbelievable. He’s probably my favorite baseball player that I’ve ever seen.”
Arenado is entering what could be the final stages of his career, and has been in the conversation for the Hall of Fame since his early years in Colorado.
But he’s not focused on that quite yet.
“Being in the conversation is great, but I don’t even think about those things,” he said. “I feel like I’ve got a whole season ahead of me here [in Arizona]. I’ve got to go out there and play well – I have high expectations for this team, and I have high expectations for myself, and we’ll cross that bridge when we need to.”
But what’s a Nolan Arenado profile without some defensive gems?
I asked him to name his favorite plays, and here they are:
PEORIA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 22: James Tibbs III #98 of the Los Angeles Dodgers gets ready in the batters box against the San Diego Padres during a spring training game at Peoria Stadium on February 22, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The last few days have seen a handful of Dodgers outfield prospects make an impact in spring training games.
Josue De Paula and Zyhir Hope have been active all 10 days of Cactus League games this spring, with each one playing in nine games so far this spring. De Paula has seven hits in 17 at-bats with a double and four walks. Hope is 5-for-15 with two doubles and three walks, plus a few nice catches in left field.
Eduardo Quintero is the youngest of the group, entering his age-20 season, and just reached High-A Great Lakes for the last six weeks of 2025. That puts him behind the others in terms of reaching the majors, even if he might have the highest ceiling of the group.
Sirota turns 23 in June, but High-A is his highest level as well, having played only 35 games with the Loons before the injury, just three games fewer than Quintero, two years his junior. Sirota was a first-round draft pick of the Cincinnati Reds in 2024 before getting sent to the Dodgers in the Gavin Lux trade. He didn’t play professionally with the Reds in 2024 and only played 59 games last year before getting hurt.
With extensive time in Double-A already, it wouldn’t be a surprise if both Tibbs and Ehrhard start the season with Triple-A Oklahoma City, or at the very least should play there way up there soon enough.
Dodgers outfield prospects & highest levels to date
Ehrhard, age 23 in 2026, 92 games in Double-A
Tibbs, age 23, 66 games in Double-A
Hope, age 21, 6 games in Double-A
De Paula, age 21, 4 games in Double-A
Sirota, age 23, 35 games in High-A
Quintero, age 20, 38 games in High-A
Today’s question is which of these Dodgers outfield prospects will play in the majors first?
