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For Yankees fans who watched the team during the mid-2010s, Chasen Shreve inspires a lot of emotions, most of which are negative. Acquired via trade for one of the organization’s biggest could-have-beens in Manny Bañuelos, he spent parts of four seasons in pinstripes. At times, the lefty looked like a dominant pitcher who was going to anchor the Yankees’ bullpen for years; at other times, he may as well have been throwing batting practice. No matter how he pitched, though, there was never a doubt that he left it all out on the field, and for that, Shreve ought to be remembered fondly for his contributions to several teams — some of which were certainly better than others.

Chasen Dean Shreve
Born: July 12, 1990 (Las Vegas, NV)
Yankees Tenure: 2015-2018 (majors); 2022 and 2024 (minors)

A native of Las Vegas, Shreve put himself on the map while at Bonanza High School, being named to the Nevada All-State second team for his senior season. He then went on to play for the College of Southern Nevada, where he played alongside then-catcher Bryce Harper during his JUCO season between high school and the draft. Both players were then selected in the 2010 MLB Draft, with Harper of course going first overall to the Washington Nationals, and Shreve falling to the 11th round, where he was selected by the Atlanta Braves.

Over the next three years, Shreve steadily climbed the farm, making his MLB debut for Atlanta on July 19, 2014 — just over a week after his 24th birthday. Between a five-cameo appearance across the final week of July and an extended run during September, he flashed great potential as a reliever, allowing just one run in 12.1 innings across 15 appearances. His performance against right-handed bats — he limited them to just a .167/.200/.208 slash line — despite being a southpaw inspired hope that he might be more than just a lefty specialist.

That hope would not be tested in Atlanta, however. Looking to add some rotation depth, the Braves rang in 2015 by flipping a pair of relievers, the youngster Shreve and the veteran David Carpenter, to the Yankees in exchange for the injured former top prospect, Manny Bañuelos (seriously, the deal went through on January 1, 2015). While Carpenter was at the time the name that drew more attention, as the Yankees had some openings in the bullpen due to the departure of David Robertson in free agency and the trade that sent Shawn Kelley to San Diego, Shreve was ultimately the one who played a bigger part of the 2015 bullpen.

After making his Yankees debut on April 6th, Shreve made himself an instant fan favorite just four days later. Thanks to a Chase Headley homer in the bottom of the ninth, the Yankees and Red Sox found themselves headed to extra innings having already exhausted their bullpens, with the Yankees already having used four pitchers to get through regulation. After Chris Martin, Justin Wilson, Dellin Betances, Andrew Miller, and Carpenter came and went, manager Joe Girardi turned the ball over to the rookie Shreve in the 12th.

He went an efficient 3.1 innings, allowing just three hits while striking four. While the Bombers ultimately lost, as Esmil Rogers allowed the Red Sox to rally in both the 18th and the 19th innings, it certainly wasn’t Shreve’s fault.

While he never had to go that long again, Shreve became a reliable multi-inning bullpen weapon for Girardi, capable of going one or two innings on a regular basis. Through September 5th, he had a 1.86 ERA, and had 60 strikeouts in 53.1 innings for a team that went on to win a playoff spot. Unfortunately, in what would become a pattern, Shreve utterly collapsed in September; across his final nine appearances, he managed to go just five innings, walking six batters and allowing four home runs. Because of this, his end-of-season numbers did not quite represent his full-season performance: 3.09 ERA, 4.92 WHIP, 1.406 WHIP.

Shreve was not used in the one-game Wild Card loss to Houston and never quite hit those heights ever again. He struggled out of the gate in 2016, posting a 5.21 ERA before hitting the injured list in May with a left shoulder strain. After returning in July, he bounced between Triple-A Scranton and the Bronx, and while his MLB numbers over that stretch don’t seem pretty — he had a 5.14 ERA in 14 innings — they don’t tell the full story: half of his eight earned runs came in one disastrous inning on August 16th, as Shreve, Adam Warren, and Blake Parker combined to allow eight runs to turn a 6-4 lead into a 12-6 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays.

More pleasantly, Shreve’s next appearance saw him come on in relief of Ben Heller in the bottom of the 10th on August 30th. Handed a bases loaded jam with just one out, Shreve struck out Kendrys Morales and got Salvador Perez to fly out to secure his first of two career saves.

Shreve spent all of 2017 and the first half of 2018 on the Scranton shuttle, unquestionably on the periphery of the bullpen picture and outside of their eventual playoff plans. On July 21, 2018, he recorded his second career save, this time against the New York Mets. After Aroldis Chapman began the inning by allowing a walk, a single, two walks, and a hit batsman, Aaron Boone called on Shreve to preserve a 7-5 lead with the bases loaded and nobody out. He traded two outs for one run on a ground-ball double play, then got Wilmer Flores to bounce back to the pitcher, to rescue Chapman and preserve the win.

That, however, would be Shreve’s last big highlight in pinstripes. Less than a week later, the Yankees sent him and Giovanny Gallegos to St. Louis Cardinals for international bonus pool money and an apparent Quadruple-A first baseman named Luke Voit. And while I’m sure that Yankees fans don’t exactly look upon this trade with regret, I will never not be touched by Shreve’s interview immediately after being informed of the trade — a reminder that, at the end of the day, these guys are people first and foremost.

Following his Yankees career, Shreve bounced around quite a bit. He spent the remainder of 2018 and all of 2019 in the St. Louis organization, then signed with the Mets for what would be the shortened 2020 season.

2021 was spent with the Pirates, the first half of 2022 with the Mets, and the final two months in Scranton on a minor-league contract with the Yankees (though he never made it back to the Bronx). The Tigers picked him up for 2023, his last extended run in the Majors, before designated him for assignment in August; he finished that season in the Reds organization. He began 2024 in the Rangers’ system, spent July with Scranton, and August with the Rockies, where he made one final big-league appearance. He made one last attempt to crack an MLB roster by accepting an invitation to spring training with the Braves in 2025, before being released in April.

While he has yet to officially announce his retirement, Shreve is not currently in an MLB organization. If this is in fact it for him, Shreve can hang up the cleats content in the knowledge that while he never quite recaptured the dominance he flashed early in his career across 11 different seasons, he was nonetheless an important part of some memorable Yankees squads.

See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.

The San Diego Padres staked starter Walker Buehler to a 2-0 lead heading into the top of the second inning against the Toronto Blue Jays. He immediately surrendered four runs and the Padres headed back to their dugout for their turn at the plate in the bottom of the inning, trailing the Blue Jays, 4-2. Both teams traded blows with the game being tied two times at 4-4 and 7-7 before Ty France hit a decisive solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to lead San Diego to an 8-7 win at Petco Park on Saturday night.

Buehler had his third consecutive disappointing outing. He allowed four runs on three hits with four walks and one strikeout over just two innings. Matt Waldron who just returned to the Padres, was forced into action and was effective over three innings. He did not allow a run and limited the Blue Jays to just two hits. San Diego held a 7-4 lead when Waldron left the game, but Bradgley Rodriguez came on to pitch for Yuki Matsui with two on in the top of the sixth inning and surrendered a three-run home run to Vladamir Guerrero Jr. which tied the game at 7-7.

France responded in the bottom of the sixth inning when he connected on a solo home run with two outs in the inning that put the Padres ahead by a run. Both teams failed to add to their run totals over the next two innings and Mason Miller came on to close the game and ensure the win for San Diego.

The Padres will look to win the series against the Blue Jays to head into the All-Star break with a .500 record today at 1:10 p.m.

Padres News:

• The Padres stuck to their recent draft strategy drafting a high school pitcher, Coleman Borthwick, with their first-round draft pick. San Diego made four additional picks on the first day of the MLB draft.

• Padres president of baseball operations and general manager A.J. Preller discussed the draft strategy for the team and what San Diego could do at the trade deadline.

• New Padres owners are taking notes as the team drafts for the future.

Baseball News:

• The Boston Red Sox extended their win streak to eight games with a shutout win over the New York Mets.

• Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski will miss the All-Star game with arm fatigue.

• Alex Bregman homers to lead the Chicago Cubs to a win over the Cincinnati Reds.

• Matthew Liberatore leads the St. Louis Cardinals to a win over the Atlanta Braves.

• Brandon Pfaadt guides the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 9-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

• The San Francisco Giants knocked off the Colorado Rockies, 4-2.

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The Washington Nationals dropped the first two games of this series by multiple runs.

With a hot offense and an advantage on the mound, my Yankees vs. Nationals predictions and MLB picks see the home team flipping the script in the series finale.

Who will win Yankees vs Nationals today: Nationals moneyline (-110)

The surface stats would tell you there isn’t much separating Will Warren and Cade Cavalli. The underlyings tell a much different story — particularly over the last month.

Cavalli has posted a strong 2.49 xFIP and struck out 29.3% of opposing batters. It’s a much different story for Warren, who owns a 4.64 xFIP and 16.0 strikeout rate in that time.

Warren has struggled with power along the way, allowing 2.19 homers per nine innings. The Washington Nationalslead the majors in homers and OPS vs. RHP in July, making them the perfect team to back against him.

Bet this up to -120.

COVERS INTEL: Will Warren owns a 5.04 xFIP on the road, 24th among today's projected starting pitchers.

Yankees vs Nationals Over/Under pick: Over 9 (-115)

This is a matchup where the offenses should be front and center. The Nationals have hit for extreme power lately while also getting on base at a high rate. That should continue against Warren, given he ranks in the 12th percentile in pitcher run value and enters in poor form.

While Cavalli is solid, he's still conceded multiple earned runs in six of his last seven starts. The New York Yankees sit second in homers against righties this month and have the power to pounce on any mistakes.

Play the Over to -130.

Yankees vs Nationals weather

Temperatures in the low 80s are expected with winds blowing west. Small bump to the bats.

Yankees vs Nationals odds

• Moneyline: Yankees -110 | Nationals -110
• Run line: Yankees -1.5 (+145) | Nationals +1.5 (-170)
• Over/Under: Over 9 (-115) | Under 9 (-105)

Yankees vs Nationals trend

The Nationals have cashed the Over in 31 of the last 50 home games for +13.50 units and a 24% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Yankees vs. Nationals.

How to watch Yankees vs Nationals and game info

Yankees vs Nationals latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The Pittsburgh Pirates came away from yesterday’s day one of the 2026 MLB Draft with a haul of players. Here’s the total list along with the MLB.com post draft info on each.

Pick #5 – Derek Curiel – OF, LSU

Scouting grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 45 | Run: 55 | Arm: 45 | Field: 55 | Overall: 55

Curiel plays a “special center field” and has shown command of the strike zone with upside in his damage profile. Curiel played with shortstop Konnor Griffin on the USA travel circuit, and the two committed to LSU together for the 2024 class.

Curiel could rise through the ranks quickly. The pick was a bit of a surprise, as many mock drafts leading up to the Draft had Pittsburgh expected to take Santa Barbara pitcher Jackson Flora. When Flora went fourth to the Giants, the Pirates had the choice between multiple college and high school bats. Ultimately, they went with the experienced Curiel.

The 6-foot-2, 192-pound outfielder was once considered a first-round pick out of high school in Southern California, but he decided to forgo the 2024 Draft after a subpar senior season. After two years at LSU, he has proven himself as one of the best pure hitters in the Draft class, batting .349 with a .975 OPS in two seasons with the Tigers. Just a sophomore — eligible for the Draft by virtue of turning 21 in May — in 2026, Curiel led his team in batting average (.353), runs (64) and hits (82) while trying for the team lead in total bases (122). He also has plus speed, stealing a team-high 13 bases in just 15 attempts.

Pick #44 – Aiden Ruiz – SS, Stony Brook

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 40 | Run: 55 | Arm: 60 | Field: 65 | Overall: 50

Many thought Ruiz, a smooth-fielding, switch-hitting (and switch-throwing – he throws lefty when he plays the outfield!) shortstop, might go in the first round.

An undersized switch-hitter who is listed at 5-foot-10 and 168 pounds, Ruiz is arguably the best defensive shortstop in the class. He’s an elite defender with a plus arm and range, great hands and outstanding footwork. Unlike with many young players at the premium position, Ruiz not only makes the spectacular, acrobatic plays, throwing on the run, he also slows the game down and makes the routine plays as well. It’s future Gold Glove-caliber defense. 

An above-average runner whose instincts help him be a successful base-stealer, Ruiz’s bat is behind his glove. He makes a ton of contact with an idea of what he’s doing at the plate, excellent bat control and no fear, showing an ability to turn around premium velocity

Pick #51 – Chris Rembert – 2B, Auburn

Scouting grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 45 | Run: 50 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 50

Rembert has some of the best bat speed in college baseball and an advanced approach, though his swing and patience have regressed a bit while he dealt with an ankle injury this spring. He manages the strike zone very well and focuses on drilling line drives from gap to gap. It’s unclear if he’ll provide more than 15 homers annually because he makes too much groundball contact, though he has the strength and bat speed to do more damage if he turns on more pitches and adds more loft to his compact right-handed stroke.

Rembert is an average runner with arm strength to match, which limits his usefulness on the bases and in the field. Some scouts once wondered if he’d wind up in left field, but he’s looking more comfortable at second base in college than he did at shortstop in high school. He has reliable hands and provides steady defense at the keystone.

Pick #80 – Jason Decaro – RHP, UNC

Scouting grades: Fastball: 45 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45

As a New York high schooler, DeCaro reclassified from the 2024 Draft to ’23 and got an early jump on his college career at North Carolina. He looked like a potential 2026 first-rounder when he cracked the Tar Heels rotation as a 17-year-old freshman, but scouts aren’t sure what to make of him because his stuff has leveled off since. His feel for pitching allowed him to make the U.S. collegiate national team after each of his first two seasons and rank third in NCAA Division I with 11 victories while serving as the ace of the College World Series runners-up in his third.

While DeCaro gets outs, he doesn’t miss a lot of bats or land his secondary pitches in the zone consistently. His fastball has ordinary velocity (91-94 mph, peak of 97) and shape and relies on generating weak contact. His fading low-80s changeup has regressed a bit during his junior season and is now more of an average offering, as are his tight low-80s slider and upper-70s curveball.

DeCaro keeps batters off balance by sequencing his pitches well and he throws consistent strikes from an upright delivery. Unless he improves the velocity and quality of his arsenal, he profiles more as a durable high-floor starter than someone who will pitch in the front half of a rotation. He’s extremely young for a college junior (20 years, three months on Draft day) but doesn’t have a lot of projection remaining in his strong 6-foot-5 frame.

Pick #108 – Andruw Giles – OF, Nevada HS

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 45 | Run: 50 | Arm: 55 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45

Strong and compact, Giles has the chance to be a solid offensive performer. He shows off hitterish traits from the left side, showing a solid, balanced approach and the ability to make a lot of solid contact. He looks like he’s more of a hit-over-power guy, but he can drive the ball to all fields. He’ll show off the raw power he can keep learning to tap into in BP, the kind of pop that will surely impress in workouts. 

An average runner, Giles does have the chance to play center field, though not everyone thinks he can stick there. A once easily plus arm that fired mid-90s fastballs from the mound now looks more above-average after he dealt with elbow soreness that forced him into a DH role during last summer’s Area Code Games. It’s still plenty for an outfield corner, though that move will put more pressure on his bat. To some, it gives him a little more of a tweener profile, but those who see every day player potential will consider signing him away from his commitment to Oregon. 

Here's what happened in Mets Land on Saturday, in case you missed it...

• At the MLB Draft, New York took RHP Carson Wiggins, OF Aiden Robbins, and LHP Shane Sdao
• SNY's Joe DeMayo wrote about the club taking a home run swing on the righty Wiggins and his tantalizing stuff
• WATCH: Mets VP of Amateur Scouting Kris Gross and Director of Scouting Drew Toussaint spoke about Wiggins
• In Queens, the Mets' bats went silent against the Red Sox in a 4-0 loss
• Interim skipper Andy Greenexpressed about getting shut out for the ninth time this year
• It has been a "difficult" stretch, but there was some encouragement taken at the start from Freddy Peralta
• Ahead of Saturday's game, Green had updates on several Mets' injuries
• Green also spoke about Sunday's starter Zach Thornton's development and Kodai Senga's bullpen role
• WATCH: Highlights of first-round pick Wiggins at the University of Arkansas
• WATCH: Wiggins reacts to being drafted by New York

Astros 9, Rangers 3

• That was unfun.
• Kumar Rocker? Well, I guess he pitched okay, if you ignore the home runs.
• The home runs? They kind of put a damper on things.
• Allowing Yordan Alvarez to launch one to the moon? Okay, that happens. Pretty much every time Alvarez plays the Rangers, really.
• Allowing LaMonte Wade Jr. to hit a grand slam off of you? That’s bad.
• Rocker did make it into the sixth at least, which is helpful. MacKenzie Gore will be starting Sunday’s game on short rest, but the Rangers probably aren’t going to want to push him too hard, so not having to ask the pen to handle six innings or something on Saturday was good.
• Gavin Collyer and Robby Ahlstrom each acquitted themselves with scoreless outings, which is nice to see. And which has to be particularly rewarding for Ahlstrom, whose last two outings were rather bad.
• Chris Martin, pitching on back-to-back nights, allowed a pair of runs on a single, a double, a balk and a sacrifice fly. The single was of the infield variety, and weakly hit, but still…Martin’s ERA is now a nice, round 9.00 on the year.
• Much like Friday’s game mirrored the opener of the Angels series, this defeat largely followed the script of the middle game against Anaheim. The starter allowed seven runs in that game as well, and Gavin Collyer and Robby Ahlstrom both pitched. Also, Ranger reliever who pitched the ninth gave up two runs in both games, though in on Wednesday against Anaheim it was Kyle Higashioka who handled the ninth, not Martin.
• Collyer and Ahlstrom each gave up two runs in that previous game, so maybe this is a sign of progress.
• Oh, and Rangers only scored one run against the Angels in that blowout loss, compared to three in this game.
• All the runs for Texas came on Ezequiel Duran homers — a solo shot in the fourth and a two run shot in the ninth. Duran is now slashing .272/.322/.439 on the year.
• Evan Carter had a couple of hits, which, you know, that’s good to see. Cam Cauley had a pinch hit single, so way to go Cam.
• The Mariners lost, at least, which means that not only are the Rangers still a game and a half up on Seattle in the West, Texas is guaranteed to spend the All Star Break in first place.
• Kumar Rocker hit 95.6 mph with his sinker, averaging 93.5 mph. Gavin Collyer’s fastball touched 98.5 mph. Robby Ahlstrom hit 95.7 mph with his sinker. Chris Martin’s fastball touched 95.4 mph.
• The only ball in play above 100 mph was Ezequiel Duran’s fourth inning homer, at 100.3 mph.
• One more to go before the Break.

The Mets (40-56) take on the red-hot Boston Red Sox (45-48) in the final game of the season's first half at 1:40 p.m. on PIX11. Here's what to know about the game and how to watch...

Mets Notes

• Zach Thornton will climb the hill for his third career big league start and look to build off his last outing when the left-hander allowed one run on five hits and a walk over six innings with seven strikeouts
• The Red Sox are sending out a lefty of their own in Payton Tolle, who carries a 3.14 ERA and 1.071 WHIP into the start over 80.1 innings with 80 strikeouts to 24 walks.
• New York was shut out for the ninth time this season in Saturday's defeat. In the series against Boston, the club has gone hitless in 16 at-bats with runners in scoring position after going 21-for-45 with RISP in the previous five games

Today's Lineups

Though the Atlanta Braves have lost the series, they still have a chance to end the first half of the season on a high note before heading into the All-Star break.

MLB Braves’ beat writer Mark Bowman had announced on Friday that, as Hurston Waldrep would be sent back down to Triple- A, JR Ritchie would be taking his place in today’s matchup against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Ritchie’s rookie season has had its ups and downs. After spending some time in Triple-A when the Braves optioned Carlos Carrasco to the active roster earlier this month (July 5), Ritchie is looking to make an impact to give the Braves a solid start to hold down the Cardinals, who have been getting the best of them on offense throughout the series.

Holding a 4.60 ERA with 10 games under his belt (three as a reliever), Ritchie is still trying to find his footing and what works constantly for him to stick with. If he has the Braves’ offense on his side today, he might have the push he needs to spark a quality outing on the defensive-end for his first matchup against St. Louis.

As for Cardinals starter Dustin May, he’s looking to help St. Louis clinch their first series sweep for the first time since early June. Holding a 4.55 ERA currently, with a 1.25 WHIP, May also hasn’t been the most consistent in his starts, and is 0-2 when facing the Braves in his three starts against them.

In his last matchup against Atlanta on July 2, he gave up five runs off five hits with only one strikeout. This could work to the Braves’ advantage if he finds the same trouble commanding the strike zone. He did, however, get a better showing in his most recent matchup against Milwaukee, allowing four hits, no earned runs and seven strikeouts just this past Monday.

This matchup will honestly be a toss-up on which version of these two pitchers we’re going to get to close out the first half of the regular season. Ritchie is looking to avoid the sweep and May is looking to get one. Both are hoping for a quality outing after suffering some shaky starts; the question is, who wants it more?

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Sunday, July 12, 2:15 p.m. ET

Location: Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO

TV: BravesVision

Streaming: MLB.tv

Radio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan, Los Bravos

After selecting two players on Saturday, the Dodgers conclude their 2026 MLB Draft with 14 picks on Sunday, beginning with the seventh round.

On Saturday the Dodgers drafted high school shortstop Bo Lowrance with the 40th overall pick out of South Carolina. They also selected Florida pitcher Russell Sandefer with their fourth-round pick, number 132 overall.

Their first pick on Sunday comes in the seventh round.

Dodgers Day 2 picks

• 7th round, 223rd overall
• 8th round, 253rd overall
• 9th round, 283rd overall
• 10th round, 313th overall
• 11th round, 343rd overall
• 12th round, 373rd overall
• 13th round, 403rd overall
• 14th round, 433rd overall
• 15th round, 463rd overall
• 16th round, 493rd overall
• 17th round, 523rd overall
• 18th round, 553rd overall
• 19th round, 583rd overall
• 20th round, 613th overall

It’s all streaming the rest of the way, with Sunday’s coverage on MLB.com and MLB.tv.

MLB Draft Day 2 particulars

• Rounds 5-20, through picks 136-613
• Time: 8:30 a.m. PT
• Streaming: MLB.com, MLB.tv

Following what everyone would consider a failure of a year, Jay Johnson has been hard at work on returning LSU Baseball to the mountaintop as he’s done twice in his first five years. Helping him to that mountaintop were a few of the players that heard their name called on day 1 of the MLB Draft yesterday. While it’s been fairly clear which Tigers may be destined to advance their career to professional baseball, when they would be drafted was the big question. We got answers for three of those players, as Derek Curiel, Jake Brown, and Deven Sheerin each were drafted in the first four rounds.

While the additions from the transfer portal have been phenomenal, the core of the program is built through homegrown talent with recruiting classes. Classes that include players like Curiel and Brown. Unfortunately for those involved with building college baseball programs, the MLB Draft and it’s process can lead to a lot volatility. While coaches generally have an idea of who may or may not make it to campus, things can change quickly and that leads to ongoing questions about who will actually put on an LSU uniform.

Last year, Jay Johnson lost eight members of his recruiting class to the MLB Draft, including each of the top-6. Seven of those were gone by the end of the 4th round, which made for a really tough result for the Tigers and their crop of incoming freshman. Although a few guys like Omar Serna and Mason Braun burst on to the scene, hindsight makes you wonder what could have been.

So far in the 2026 Draft, things are looking far more promising for Johnson and co. Only three members of this year’s class were selected on day 1, which consists of the first four rounds. Shockingly, there are quite a few names still on the board that most expected to be gone by this point. Will they all make it to campus, absolutely not. But, if LSU is able to land one or two of the otherwise considered “longshots”, the future continues to look special for the program.

Current LSU players drafted

#5 – Derek Curiel by Pittsburgh Pirates (1st round, slot value $8,336,500)

After being one of the big surprises to pass on the draft and head to LSU in 2024, Curiel stepped on to campus and immediately became an impact player. He helped lead the Tigers to their 8th title as a freshman, then followed it up with another fantastic year after shifting from left to centerfield. In two seasons in Baton Rouge, Curiel hit .349 with a .452 on-base %. He drove in 101 RBIs and scored 131 runs. Pittsburgh is getting a super-athletic fielder and an elite bat-to-ball hitter. He struck out just 99 times in nearly 500 at-bats and also has incredible plate vision, drawing 87 walks.

#65 – Jake Brown by Seattle Mariners (2nd round, slot value $1,382,600)

Although his LSU career ended with a hamate injury in the back half of 2026, Jake Brown had a fantastic career as a Tiger. From forcing his way in to the starting lineup as a freshman in 2024, to becoming a top power bat in the SEC this past season, the junior became a fan-favorite. There was word that he was strongly considering a return to LSU for his senior season like Steven Milam, but when he showed up to the MLB Combine and scouts saw that he was one of the most athletic outfielders in the draft, the odds of 30 teams letting him slip back to campus were low. In his three season, Brown hit .304 with 28 homeruns and 110 RBIs. He was easily on pace to surpass 20 bombs in 2026, already having 16 when his season ended with 4 weeks left in the regular season. Seattle is getting an incredibly dynamic athlete that will be one of the fastest players on whatever team he’s on. He has a cannon for an arm, which is what got him drafted in the 19th round out of high school as a LHP. Brown will look to reunite with a former teammate and fellow member of LSU’s 2024 freshman class, Kade Anderson.

128 – Deven Sheerin by Philadelphia Phillies (4th round, slot $597,400)

Although Sheerin was a Tiger for two years, he only played in one season this past year. He bounced back from missing all of 2025 by being LSU’s most consistent pitcher this past season. He finished with a 4.78 ERA in 37.2 innings of work, striking out 58 along the way. Philadelphia is getting a massive, attitude driven competitor that looks like he’s trying to throw the baseball through his catcher. As a nightmare matchup against righties, he could become one of the top bullpen arms at the very least. With only 107.2 innings on his arm over the past three years, Sheerin is fresh and has even more projectability in his arsenal.

2026 recruits drafted

#59 – LHP Logan Schmidt by Cleveland Guardians (2nd round, slot $1,598,900)

The past few weeks have been a rollercoaster for Schmidt’s projection. A month ago, he was considered a lock to be selected early in the draft. Then, after some poor interviews at the combine, he suddenly changed agents just a few weeks before the draft, which is never a good thing. Seemingly requesting a high number for his signing bonus, it will be interesting to see what the Guardians ended up giving him to convince him not to go to LSU.

#84 – RHP Jensen Hirschkorn by Atlanta Braves (3rd round, slot $973,700)

Hirschkorn, too, had his projection in question leading in to the draft. He had always been considered a lock to be drafted and sign, doubts about his signability started to spread over the past week. His number was said to be up as high as $4 million, but as you can see with the slot value above, it’s likely that the Braves were able to negotiate his price down. Scouts believe that he would become a 1st rounder after a few seasons in college had he chosen that route, so Atlanta most-certainly had to still pay up to convince him to sign.

#115 – OF Wessley Roberson by Miami Marlins (4th round, Marlins: $677,500)

Never really expected to make it college, Roberson was the first position player of the class to be selected. He’s lefty with good contact and was ranked #175 by ESPN.

Stayed tuned in with us at ATVS more nonstop coverage of day 2 with rounds 5-20!

The Heartbeat of Fenway

In a grueling 162-game season, conventional wisdom says players should keep an even keel and remember it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Willson Contreras defies that rule every single day, playing at a full, unapologetic boil. Since arriving in Boston via trade from the St. Louis Cardinals, he has been exactly what this franchise desperately needed: not only a right-handed power bat, but also the nexus where skills, passion, and elite production meet. He has been the undeniable heartbeat of the 2026 Boston Red Sox.

Anchoring the Offense and Defense

Contreras has stabilized the middle of the order and the infield all year. He has solidified first base, a position that was a black hole last season after Triston Casas got injured. Offensively, he has anchored the lineup as an elite run producer. When the rest of the lineup struggled throughout most of the early season, he kept the lights on. He’s having what will likely be a career year, and will almost certainly far surpass his previous high for home runs (24).

• Batting Average: .285

• Home Runs: 20

• Runs Batted In: 61

• OPS: An elite .921, ranking 10th in MLB

Playing for a Purpose

Contreras has not only shouldered the Red Sox offense, he has hefted up an entire country and carried it with him following the tragic, devastating earthquakes in his native Venezuela. Since that time, he has used his platform to advocate for his country. He’s channeled his raw grief into his game, hitting an emotional three-run homer then pounding his chest and helmet and shouting “Venezuela!” as he circled the bases. He’s personally collected relief contributions from fans outside Fenway Park and drawn the media spotlight to Venezuela again and again. And he wasn’t afraid to let us see him crying.

The Full Contreras Experience

After signing with the Sox in the offseason, he promised to be polarizing.

“I play to win, I don’t play to mess around, I don’t play to make friends on other teams.”

Tell it like it is, Willson. We saw that fire boil over in the recent bench-clearing incident against the Nationals, resulting in a seven-game suspension that was ultimately reduced to five games. (Personally, I was disappointed that Cade Cavalli’s suspension was equally reduced.) While Willson apologized, saying that he could have “handled [it] better,” and lumping it together with a benches-clearing against the Yankees earlier in the week, that intensity is the exact same fuel that powers his 440-foot home runs. You cannot decouple his high-leverage heroics from the emotion that drives them. He plays with his heart on his sleeve, and the team is better for it.

All-Star Bound and Home Run Derby Ready

Justice was finally served this week when Contreras was named to the All-Star team as a well-deserved replacement. Even better, he has accepted an invitation to the Home Run Derby. He will be the first Red Sox player to participate in fifteen years, looking to join David Ortiz as the only champions in franchise history. And he’s already dedicated all his upcoming home runs this season to Venezuela, so he’s really got something to swing for.

Though the recent contusion on his foot has him temporarily sidelined (alongside his suspension), he has said he’s not concerned about it. So expect him to be ready to mash at Citizens Bank Park.

Willson Contreras has given everything he’s got to Boston this season. I wanted to take a moment to put my own heart on my sleeve and show him that same love right back.

Let’s take this time to keep Venezuela in our hearts too. Even as life moves on, the recovery efforts still need help. If you can, please donate through the Red Sox Foundation. Do it for Willson.

Saturday saw the beginning of the 2026 MLB Draft. After a season that saw them get a win away from a national championship, the North Carolina Tar Heels baseball team are likely to see several players picked in this year’s edition. For example, Owen Hull (#67), Jake Schaffner (#75), Ryan Lynch (#98), Jason DeCaro (#133), and Gavin Gallaher (#200) are all listed in MLB Pipeline’s top 250 ranked players eligible for the 2026 draft.

The MLB Draft can be a little harder to project than in other sports. In one way that’s true is in the players’ futures. Sure, other sports all have busts too, but in baseball even the best players need more seasoning in the minor leagues before making it to MLB. Some players won’t even make it to the majors at all. Figuring out what will happen in the couple years between when you draft a player and how they develop can be a bit of a different skill than in the NFL or NBA Drafts.

It can also be a little harder to predict just where the players go. With the MLB Draft rules and teams having only a certain amount of money to dole out among all their draftees, some teams go in with specific strategies that might lead to an unexpected selection. Plus, with so many players from high school and college, it can also just take one team having a differing opinion from the collective wisdom for a player to shoot up the board.

Recognizing all that, I still have to ask, what Tar Heel eligible for this year’s draft do you think will go on to the best MLB career?

Going by the aforementioned rankings, the Super Regional hero Hull is some people’s best bet. He hit .393 with a 1.115 OPS last season, so he certainly has the ability to hit, and that could translate to the professional level. I personally have a sneaky suspicion about Gallaher, though. With 12 home runs last season, he has a decent amount of power for a second baseman. While he’s not a blazing fast runner, he was successful on eight of nine stole base attempts last year too. I’m not sure if there’s ever going to be one particular thing that makes him standout, but I could see him turning into a perfectly good all-around MLB level player.

That’s my answer, but what about you? Put on your projection hat and guess which Tar Heel will have the best MLB career?

The 2026 edition of the Major League Baseball Draft is well underway! The action got started early on Saturday afternoon with the Chicago White Sox making UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky the No. 1 overall selection, and though the New York Yankees had to wait 34 more picks to get their first in, they seemingly got a good one to set the tone.

MLB set up Day 1 of the draft to include the first four rounds, and since the Yankees didn’t lose any due to free agent-signing qualifying offer compensation, they subsequently had four picks. Arkansas lefty Hunter Dietz, British Columbia prep southpaw Sean Duncan, Oklahoma catcher Brendan Brock, and Cal State Fullerton outfielder Paul Gutierrez-Contreras II are the newest Baby Bombers, pending their signings. Jonathan wrote up a full analysis of the Day 1 activity in Yankeeland.

A total of 16 more draft picks await us today! MLB will begin Round 5 at 11:30am ET today in a less formal capacity than yesterday (primarily via webcast/conference call on MLB.com), and the pace will be quick as they march toward the 20th and final round. We’ll have you covered with gradually updated articles on Rounds 5-10, 11-15, and 16-20, separately.

To help conveniently track all of the Yankees’ picks — from the selection process to any known eventual signing news — I’ve assembled this tracker that will also be regularly updated throughout July. If available, I’ve included their Instagram handles if you have any interest in following them.

Draft pick signing news can be a slow process and team assignments might be even fuzzier, but we’ll do our best to keep you posted. Players have until 5:00 PM ET on July 27th to sign unless they’re college seniors who have already used up their years of eligibility. As always, give us a shout in the comments section of this post if you see any news that needs to be added.

Note: Teams are allotted $150,000 per pick for each selection from Rounds 11-20. This doesn’t count toward their total bonus pool, though they are permitted to use any leftover bonus funds to increase their offers beyond $150,000 to these players.

Post-draft updates

TBD