The 2026 MLB Draft is here, and a year after Florida State set a program record with 11 players selected in the 2025 Draft, head coach Link Jarrett and his staff could see similar figures this year.
FSU’s draft class will be headlined by its best players from a season ago, ACC Pitcher of the Year Wes Mendes and 1B Myles Bailey. The Seminoles should also see the rest of their rotation picked, LHP Trey Beard and RHP Bryson Moore, along with RHP John Abraham.
Jarrett will also be monitoring which of his high school prospects are selected in the MLB Draft, headlined by MIF Landon Thome, who MLB.com ranks as the 34th-best prospect in this year’s class.
As always, players do not have to sign when they are drafted and can elect to go/return to school. This year’s signing deadline is Monday, July 27. That will be a critical day with Bailey potentially declaring to go pro or come back to FSU for his third season with the program.
The MLB Draft is a two-day event, with rounds 1-4 beginning on Saturday and rounds 5-20 starting on Sunday. Below, stick with Tomahawk Nation for updates on selections and who has signed.
2026 MLB Draft: Florida State draft-eligible players
Listed in alphabetical order
Out of college eligibility
1B/RHP Ben Barrett
C Nathan Cmeyla
OF Clancy Marsh
INF Carter McCulley
RHP Gabe Nard
INF Eli Putnam
Currently on team
RHP John Abraham
1B Myles Bailey
LHP Trey Beard
OF Brody DeLamielleure
OF Brayden Dowd
INF Jace Estes
INF Cal Fisher
C Kaden Frommelt
RHP Chris Knier
LHP Payton Manca
LHP Jacob Marlowe
LHP Kevin Mebil
RHP Brodie Purcell
RHP Cole Stokes
LHP Cooper Whited
Incoming players
INF Deacon Avery (HS)
INF Gavin Byrd (HS)
C Coy Clements (JUCO)
RHP Emery Dawkins (JUCO)
RHP Brayden Harris (HS)
INF/RHP Ben Kuglitsch (HS)
LHP Spencer Krasner (HS)
1B/LHP Jackson McKenzie (Portal)
RHP Jordan Martinez (JUCO)
C Marvin Montenegro (JUCO)
LHP OB Osceola (HS)
OF Isaac Pamaran (JUCO)
RHP Alex Philpott (Portal)
CIF Yodelkis Quevedo (HS)
RHP Donovan Thiery (HS)
INF Landon Thome (HS)
OF Genson Veras (HS)
2026 MLB Draft: Florida State players, prospects selected
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 14, 2026: Victor Vodnik #38 of the Colorado Rockies throws a pitch during the third inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on May 14, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
He still averages 98.5 mph with his four-seam fastball. He produces ground balls at one of the highest rates in baseball. His slider has become a legitimate weapon, and hitters have not spent the year driving everything he throws into the gaps.
Yet through July 9, Vodnik owns a 5.72 ERA in 28.1 innings. He has allowed 31 hits and issued a staggering 19 walks, leaving him with almost as many free passes as strikeouts.
The obvious story is that Vodnik has struggled.
The more useful one is that the shape of those struggles has changed. His recent improvement looks less like a complete fix than a pitcher finding better ways to survive the problems that remain.
Elite velocity, ordinary fastball results
Vodnik’s four-seamer supplies the first contradiction.
Its average velocity ranks in the 96th percentile, but the pitch has generated only a 20.4% whiff rate and a 15.2% strikeout rate. Hitters are batting .333 against it, although a .251 expected average and .386 expected slugging percentage suggest the actual results have been somewhat harsher than the quality of contact.
The movement profile helps explain why velocity alone has not been enough.
Vodnik’s fastball has 12.6 inches of induced vertical break, 3.2 inches below the average of comparable four-seamers. It also has less arm-side movement than similar pitches. This is not a fastball combining elite speed with elite carry.
It has elite speed, but ordinary shape.
That puts more pressure on location and sequencing. When Vodnik commands it, the velocity can still overwhelm hitters. When he does not, they have generally been able to put it in play.
The slider has become the foundation
The best development in Vodnik’s season is the slider.
He has increased its usage from 12.8% in 2025 to 26.9% this year, and hitters have managed a .174 average and .217 slugging percentage against it. The pitch has produced a 36.2% whiff rate, a .179 expected average and a .214 expected slugging percentage.
It is also his only positive pitch by run value.
Vodnik’s slider is not a wide sweeper. At 88.5 mph, it has only 2.3 inches of glove-side movement, less than comparable sliders. Its defining feature is depth: it drops nearly five inches more than similar pitches.
The shape remains compact before falling late beneath the barrel.
This is not an entirely new pitch. Its spin direction, active-spin rate and overall movement were similar last season. It is about one mph harder, but the larger change is trust.
Vodnik has more than doubled its usage and increasingly allowed the slider to organize the at-bat.
That has been especially visible lately. On July 2 against the Miami Marlins, he threw seven sliders and five fastballs, using the breaking ball to generate three harmless balls in play. On July 5 against the San Francisco Giants, he threw the slider 40% of the time and used it for both strikeouts.
Four days later, the fastball produced all three of his strikeouts.
Those are different routes through an inning, which is encouraging for a pitcher who spent much of the first half without a dependable one.
The pitch Vodnik lost
The slider’s emergence has been necessary because Vodnik’s changeup has moved in the opposite direction.
Even across uneven and sometimes limited big-league samples, the changeup had been his most dependable offering. It produced positive run value in each of his first three seasons: +1 in 2023, +5 in 2024 and +4 last year.
In 2025, hitters batted .109 and slugged .130 against it while missing on 44.2% of their swings.
This season, the changeup has fallen to minus-two runs. Hitters are batting .250 and slugging .550 against it, and its whiff rate has dropped to 25.6%.
Vodnik has allowed only three home runs all year. Two have come against the changeup, despite the pitch representing just 17% of his usage.
The pitch itself has been gradually changing.
In 2023, Vodnik’s changeup averaged 88.9 mph with 34.6 inches of total drop. It now averages 92.5 mph and drops 28.5 inches. The velocity gap from his four-seamer has narrowed from 8.2 mph to six.
For the first time in his career, the changeup produces less drop than comparable pitches while generating more arm-side run. In his first three seasons, that relationship was reversed.
The pitch has not lost movement. It has redirected it.
It is harder, runnier and less depth-oriented. The changeup may still follow the fastball convincingly out of Vodnik’s hand, but it no longer creates the same late downward separation.
The contact supports the concern. Average exit velocity against it has increased from 84.1 mph to 91.3, while average launch angle has jumped from minus-15 degrees to 14.
Hitters are no longer rolling it over. They are lifting it.
The misses were not identical. One was extremely firm and centered. The other stayed high and never got beneath the barrel.
Both remained on hittable planes.
The walks explain the innings
The changeup is part of Vodnik’s regression, but it does not explain every poor outing.
He did not throw a changeup during his five-run appearance against the San Diego Padres on April 23. The Padres still put four balls in play, collected four hits and hit three of them hard.
More broadly, Vodnik has not allowed much extra-base damage. Among his 31 hits are six doubles, no triples and three home runs.
The better explanation is 19 walks.
On May 12 in Pittsburgh against the Pirates, Vodnik allowed three singles and a walk while recording two outs. None of the hits went for extra bases, but the inning became crowded, a run scored and he left with the bases loaded.
Six days later against the Texas Rangers, a leadoff double was followed by consecutive walks. Vodnik departed without recording an out, and all three runners eventually scored.
The expected metrics soften his 5.72 ERA, but they do not erase the underlying problem. Vodnik owns a 4.46 xERA and a solid 36% hard-hit rate, but his 5.03 xFIP remains poor.
Major-league pitchers are striking out roughly 22.0% of hitters and walking about 8.9%, a difference of 13.1 percentage points. Vodnik sits at 16.8% and 14.5%, a gap of only 2.3 percentage points.
Ground balls can clean up some traffic. They cannot be expected to clean up all of it.
Surviving the walks
Vodnik’s recent improvement has come since returning from the 15-day injured list on June 15. He had missed nearly a month with right ulnar nerve inflammation and made two scoreless rehab appearances with Triple-A Albuquerque before rejoining the Rockies.
Over his last seven appearances, Vodnik has allowed one earned run on five hits in 9 2/3 innings, good for a 0.93 ERA and 0.93 WHIP.
The walks have not disappeared. He has issued four during that stretch, but he has also struck out six and avoided the clustered contact that buried several of his earlier outings.
On June 22, he opened consecutive innings with walks. The first was erased by a double play. After the second, Vodnik retired three straight hitters on a groundout, flyout and groundout.
On July 5, a two-out walk was followed by a groundout. On July 9, another two-out walk was followed by a strikeout.
That final appearance was his most encouraging. Vodnik struck out three hitters over 1 2/3 scoreless innings, generating four whiffs on 10 fastball swings. For one outing, nearly 99 mph produced the results its velocity promises.
He still needed 34 pitches to record five outs and issued another walk.
That is the difference between stabilization and restoration.
Vodnik is finishing innings better without consistently starting them better. He has limited the multi-run damage, leaned into the slider and occasionally found enough fastball command to create his own exits.
The walk remains waiting for the next single.
A full recovery would require more strikes, fewer free passes and either a restored changeup or a clearer fastball-slider identity that does not depend on it.
For now, Vodnik has found better ways through innings.
The Isotopes fell to 46-45 after being routed 10-0 by the Space Cowboys, who improved to 43-47.
Sugar Land scored all 10 runs in the first three innings, putting up three in the first, four in the second and three in the third. Mason Green, whose ERA rose to 6.02, allowed seven runs over two innings. Eiberson Castellano gave up three runs over four innings and now carries a 4.15 ERA.
Albuquerque managed only four hits, went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and struck out 11 times. Charlie Condon supplied the lone offensive bright spot, going 2-for-4 to raise his average to .289 with a .998 OPS. Victor Juarez finished with two scoreless innings, lowering his ERA to 17.05.
Hartford took control early and never gave Binghamton much room to recover, scoring seven runs between the second and fifth innings on the way to a 7-2 win.
Jack O’Dowd reached three times, going 2-for-4 with a walk, an RBI and two runs scored. Across his first 10 Double-A games, he is hitting .275 with a .912 OPS. Roc Riggio went 1-for-2 with three walks, three runs, two stolen bases and his 21st double, raising his season line to a .256 average and .867 OPS.
Braylen Wimmer led the offense with three hits and two RBI, while Andy Perez also drove in two runs.
On the mound, Jack Mahoney allowed two runs, only one earned, on four hits over 7 2/3 innings, striking out nine and walking one. He improved to 5-1 with a 1.98 ERA.
Hartford improved to 46-38, while Binghamton fell to 31-54. The Yard Goats finished with nine hits, drew seven walks, stole four bases and went 6-for-16 with runners in scoring position.
Eugene buried Spokane with a six-run first inning and never gave up control, handing the Indians a 9-4 loss.
Ethan Hedges provided the main offensive highlight for Spokane, going 2-for-4 with his ninth home run and two RBI. He is now hitting .272 with a .763 OPS. Kelvin Hidalgo also had two hits, including his 11th double, and drove in a run.
The Indians managed only five hits and went 1-for-4 with runners in scoring position. Lebarron Johnson Jr. allowed seven runs, six earned, on nine hits over three innings and fell to 1-4 with a 4.65 ERA.
Eugene finished with 14 hits and went 5-for-10 with runners in scoring position. Dakota Jordan led the way with four hits, three home runs and four RBI.
The Grizzlies improved to 46-39 with a 9-2 win over the Ports, who fell to 37-48.
Fresno jumped ahead with three runs in the first inning and added four more across the final two frames. Wilder Dalis led the offense, going 3-for-4 with his seventh home run, his 14th double, five RBI and two runs scored. He is now hitting .278 with an .862 OPS.
Cameron Nelson also homered, his sixth of the season, while Luis Mendez added his second.
Brady Parker allowed two runs on three hits over six innings, striking out eight and walking four. He improved to 5-3 with a 4.52 ERA.
Fresno finished with seven hits, drew seven walks and struck out nine times. Stockton managed seven hits but went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position and struck out 14 times.
In some draft-day reading, Sports Illustrated’s Wesley Dixon makes the case for Tyler Bell at No. 10, citing his polished approach, switch-hitting bat and defensive flexibility. Dixon views Bell as a natural second-base fit who could grow alongside Hunter Goodman, Ethan Holliday, Charlie Condon and Zac Veen.
In MLB Pipeline’s final mock draft, Jonathan Mayo sends Virginia outfielder AJ Gracia to the Rockies at No. 10, while Jim Callis projects Kentucky shortstop Tyler Bell. Both expect Roch Cholowsky to go first overall, with the top four likely falling Cholowsky, Grady Emerson, Vahn Lackey and Jackson Flora before the draft becomes far less predictable.
Purple Row also asked readers who they thought the Rockies would take with the No. 10 pick. The poll is now closed, but the comments are full of draft-day predictions, preferred targets and plenty of debate over what Colorado’s new front office should prioritize.
Yawn, just another PCA milestone. Seems like they’re coming every week now.
The only “problem” with PCA’s 20/20 accomplishment is that it somewhat overshadowed Seiya Suzuki’s two games. Wednesday, his three-run home run proved to be the deciding runs in the Cubs’ win. Suzuki couldn’t do it all Thursday, but he tried with a solo homer to tie the game and an RBI-double to take a 2-1 lead before the bullpen blew the game.
Pitchers Colin Rea and David Peterson did their job — kept the Cubs in the game by allowing four runs in 10 1/3 innings (3.60 ERA). Meanwhile, the bullpen tried to lose Wednesday’s game, and succeeded on Thursday.
Looking forward to what new mark that PCA will set or match next. (yawn)
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Matthew Trueblood (Cubbies Crib): Pete Crow-Armstrong and the Signature Single, Which is Sometimes a Double. “The home runs will get the headlines; they should. But Pete Crow-Armstrong’s transformation into a well-rounded offensive superstar would be incomplete without the emergence of his new signature hit: the slugger’s single.”
Trade, Injury and Draft Talk:
Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball): The Cubs Have Played Their Way Back to Being Buyers. What Should They Buy? “The Cubs are still under .500 over the last two months, but they’re getting hot at the right time. No longer is it realistic to think they’ll be sellers before the trade deadline. So, what must they buy?”
Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Quantifying Hope: Cubs Hovering Near 75% Playoff Odds. “Since climbing out of the nadir in early June that saw them dip below 40% playoff odds, the Cubs have pretty much been on cruise control.”
Gertrude “Ma” Rainey (nee’ Pridgett; April 26, 1886 – December 22, 1939) was an American blues singer and influential early-blues recording artist. Dubbed the “Mother of the Blues”, she bridged earlier vaudeville and the authentic expression of southern blues, influencing a generation of blues singers. Rainey was known for her powerful vocal abilities, energetic disposition, majestic phrasing, and a “moaning” style of singing. Her qualities are present and most evident in her early recordings “Bo-Weevil Blues” and “Moonshine Blues”.
Gertrude Pridgett began performing as a teenager and became known as “Ma” Rainey after her marriage to Will “Pa” Rainey in 1904. They toured with the Rabbit Foot Minstrels and later formed their own group, Rainey and Rainey, Assassinators of the Blues. Her first recording was made in 1923. In the following five years, she made over 100 recordings. Touring until 1935, she then largely retired from performing and continued as a theater impresario in her hometown of Columbus, Georgia, until her death four years later.“
Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 13: Major League Baseball Robert D. Manfred announces Gavin Kilen as the thirteenth overall pick by the San Francisco Giants during the 2025 MLB Draft presented by Nike at Coca-Cola Roxy on Sunday, July 13, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
If you like any and all things involving San Francisco Giants baseball, then my goodness is today a good day for you. The Giants play at 1:05 p.m. PT this afternoon, and all seven of their Minor League Baseball affiliates are in action throughout the day.
But the big event? The first day of the 2026 MLB Draft. The draft is split into two days now (as opposed to three in recent years), with the first 10 rounds on Saturday and the next 10 rounds on Sunday. For the first time in a long time, the Giants haven’t sacrificed any picks … in fact, they’ve added picks (a very rare thing in MLB, since only a few picks can be traded), as they picked up a Competitive Balance Round A selection in the Patrick Bailey trade.
That means the Giants have 11 picks today: No. 4, No. 29, No. 55, and the 15th pick in Rounds 3-10. It should be an exciting day! So join us here to enjoy all the action … I’ll have newsers for the various draft picks, but we can talk the day’s action here.
How to watch Day 1 of the draft
What: 2026 MLB Draft, Day 1, rounds 1-10
Where: Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
PITTSBURGH, PA - OCTOBER 27: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Evgeni Malkin #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins take the ice against the St. Louis Blues at PPG PAINTS Arena on October 27, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The subject was broached here earlier in the week, but let’s take another look at the 32 Thoughts lingering question of the offseason for the Penguins.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Can they add a centre before next season?
GM Kyle Dubas has had a tricky job to balance between an aging core that wants to compete with a clear need to bring in some youth and prepare for the next era, whenever it arrives. He’s done pretty well in acquiring some early-to-mid-20s players, with Yegor Chinakhov the shining example last season. The front office will continue looking for those types of players, or to make a big play for someone. They certainly were in conversations with Dallas about trading for Jason Robertson.
One area of the roster we could identify as a need to improve on is down the middle. Evgeni Malkin is a winger now, and while Ben Kindel was a great and surprising story in his rookie year, ideally the Penguins would have another productive veteran to take top-six centre minutes. Centres can be hard to come by, but there have been a few available this off-season. In terms of identifying one available centre who isn’t too old, has a depressed value, but still holds upside: what about Vancouver’s Elias Pettersson?
“Look he’s got to play better in that $11.6 million everyone’s been talking about, but again, the ground has shifted here in a huge way,” Friedman said of Pettersson. “I’ve sat there and I’ve said ‘where could he go that could be good for him?’ I wonder if the Penguins with Crosby and Malkin might be good for him.”
It’s always interesting to see a national-level perspective from an informed source, but at surface level there’s some specifics to address.
Would the Penguins be better off by adding a solid center? Sure. Is it a dire need? I’m not as convinced.
Between Sidney Crosby and Blake Lizotte the top and bottom of the lineup is good. Lizotte is a player who takes a regular shift and plays a lot for a ‘fourth’ liner, Crosby is still leaned on heavily and that alone takes some pressure off the rest of the lineup.
From there, the Pens have numbers to throw at the rest off the issue. Ben Kindel will be in the mix and the other spot can be handled by some combination in rotation of Tommy Novak, Rickard Rakell and perhaps occasionally Evgeni Malkin. Hendrix Lapierre is another player with NHL center experience, though he may or may not be an option moving forward in that spot. If placed in a tough spot due to injuries, Connor Dewar has shown to be a capable fourth line center option in the recent past.
Talk of Elias Pettersson is understandable enough, he’s right in the target demo for what Dubas was looking for as a players in his mid-to-late 20s that has control over where he can be traded. However, there’s no indication that Pettersson is interested in uprooting to an Eastern team, let alone a place like Pittsburgh. He’s also underperforming to his large $11.6 million cap hit. The Canucks surely aren’t going to give up one of their best players for nothing. That’s a lot of hurdles for multiple sides to have to overcome to make a match.
It’s a change, and a jarring one at that, to see the Penguins no longer be so stocked down the middle when over the last 20 years they’ve had players like prime Crosby and Malkin paired with a rotation of others like Jordan Staal, Nick Bonino and Matt Cullen to make the center spot the envy of the league over much of the last two decades. Those days may be over but the extreme urge to boost the spot isn’t exactly there either.
Sections of the Rangers support have long called on the club to recruit the Scottish Premiership's best talent, and the Ibrox hierarchy appear to be acting on that this summer.
Both Lawrence Shankland and Cammy Devlin were among Hearts' standout players as they came within minutes of a historic Scottish top-flight triumph.
The Ibrox club have signed both without needing to pay a transfer fee and have also plucked manager Derek McInnes from Tynecastle.
"Cammy is obviously a player I know, and I am well aware of what he will offer to Rangers," McInnes said.
"His levels of consistency for me were superb, and he is the type of player that every manager wants in his team."
Devlin made the most tackles per 90 minutes in the Premiership last season, and among midfielders he ranked second for interceptions, second for defensive contributions and third for recoveries.
Some Rangers fans have expressed concerns about his work on the ball while playing for a team that will dominate possession in most domestic games.
But there were only four Premiership midfielders who completed more accurate passes per 90 minutes than Devlin last season. One of those was Rangers' Nicolas Raskin.
"He is someone who knows the Scottish league, and nothing will surprise him with what lies ahead," manager McInnes added.
"I am looking forward to welcoming Cammy to Rangers and working with him again after he returns from his holiday."
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JULY 09: Caleb Durbin #5 of the Boston Red Sox celebrates with Romy Gonzalez #23 after hitting a two-run home run against the Chicago White Sox during the fourth inning at Rate Field on July 09, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The 2026 Boston Red Sox are somehow just 1.5 games out of a playoff spot entering the final two games before the All-Star break. Just three teams sit ahead of them in between the final wild card spot with the Toronto Blue Jays, the Houston Astros and the Minnesota Twins.
That field has shrunk in recent weeks, making the idea of the Red Sox leapfrogging them a more realistic possibility. As we wrote about a few months ago, the American League is bad. It’s been bad before, but this year is in a realm of its own.
Boston is not good, but the team still could find a way to October this year. Isn’t that crazy? Because they’re really not a contender and should still sell at the deadline. But the open nature and brutal mediocrity of the AL leaves the door to the playoffs open far longer than this installment of the Red Sox deserves.
That’s not to say there aren’t bright spots, because that’s the reason we’re having this conversation at all. The rotation is beyond exceptional with a multitude of quality arms, even in a season where multiple went down, headlined by the extended absence of Garrett Crochet. The Red Sox also earned two initial All-Star selections in Aroldis Chapman and Ranger Suarez. Willson Contreras joined the party as a replacement and (for now) snub Sonny Gray should be next in line if another injury need comes up to head to Philadelphia next week.
The Red Sox have the necessary pitching for October. The problem, as has been the case all season, is the offense, though the group has put together solid outings consistently in a six-game winning streak against questionable competition. If the conversation is to stick around this summer about whether or not Boston should still have playoff aspirations this season, a real conversation needs to be had about what the lineup can truly be down the stretch.
Obviously, they still need to get healthy. With that said, here’s the best possible lineup construction the Red Sox can get to with the players they currently have in the organization.
Roman Anthony, LF/DH
Ceddanne Rafaela, CF
Willson Contreras, 1B
Wilyer Abreu, RF
Romy Gonzalez, 2B
Trevor Story, SS
Jarren Duran, LF/DH
Caleb Durbin, 3B (probably has real argument to be higher)
Carlos Narvaez, C
That gets them close to what the group looked like on Opening Day healthy. If the Red Sox get back to this standard, they’d still probably need another impact guy externally to make a real playoff push.
That’s where the trade deadline gets so complicated as of this time, because Boston should still probably sell given the assets they have. But if they get serious about trying to play for October, another bat is a necessity.
The fit is interesting because an infielder makes the most sense, particularly up the middle. That rental market isn’t great, unless they deal from pitching depth and swing for Ketel Marte again with young pitching going to Arizona.
The idea of Boston riding its pitching staff through a remarkable season turnaround to the postseason isn’t too crazy at this point. But if the Red Sox cannot get enough of a consistent lineup together – both in production and health – to support the arms, the pros of buying may not even be worth it by season’s end.
And the risk of not getting the capable return of their assets as sellers matters too much in the decision.
Jul 7, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Hurston Waldrep (64) delivers a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
The Atlanta Braves made yet another roster move on Friday, and this time, right-hander Hurston Waldrep was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett while lefty Tyler Kinley was reinstated from the paternity list.
The #Braves today reinstated RHP Tyler Kinley from the paternity list and optioned RHP Hurston Waldrep to Triple-A Gwinnett.
Waldrep has appeared in three games this season after recovering from elbow surgery. In 10.2 frames, he’s logged an 8.44 ERA and recorded nine strikeouts.
Kinley returned on Friday night, where he threw a scoreless inning, recording one strikeout and surrendering a walk.
With Kinley back in the bullpen, Waldrep will return to Gwinnett to continue refining his game and await his next opportunity in Atlanta.
Tate Southisene tripled on Thursday for the Rome Emperors. More in the minor league recap. Grant McAuley caught up with Southisene to discuss his road to the show.
Shohei Ohtani is dealing with a left knee issue and will miss the All-Star Game. He will continue to DH this weekend but will not make his scheduled start on the mound.
From the Feed:
After the Shohei Ohtani news, Ivan Herrera has been called to take his spot on the All-Star Game roster.
Imagine having an opportunity to go back in time and watch a baseball game featuring stars such as Bobby Witt Jr., Julio Rodriguez, Adley Rutschman, Riley Greene, Michael Harris II, Michael Busch and Cole Ragans ... BEFORE they'd ever played a game in the majors.
That's the allure of Major League Baseball's annual showcase of top prospects – the All-Star Futures Game. Each of those players mentioned were part of the Futures Game just five years ago in Coors Field.
Which players in this year's game will go on to make their mark in the majors? We'll get a look at them when the American League and National League squads take the field for the 2026 Futures Game on Sunday, July 12, as part of MLB's All-Star Week festivities.
How to watch MLB Futures Game
The 27th annual All-Star Futures Game will be played at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
Announcers: Melanie Newman (play-by-play), Yonder Alonso (analyst), Sam Dykstra (analyst), Sande Charles (reporter)
Prospects to watch at 2026 MLB Futures Game
Each of the top six overall minor league prospects in MLB Pipeline's latest rankings will be in attendance at this year's Futures Game. Here's a look at them and what makes them potential major leaguers.
SS Jesus Made, Brewers. Just 19 years old and playing at Class AA Biloxi (Mississippi), Made is hitting .277/.347/.420 with seven homers and 25 stolen bases in 31 attempts. A switch-hitting shortstop with elite bat speed and athleticism in the field, Made has more than held his own against much older competition.
SS Leo De Vries, Athletics. Another 19-year-old Dominican shortstop, De Vries was the centerpiece of the 2025 trade that sent closer Mason Miller to San Diego. In his first full season at Double-A Midland (Texas), he's hitting .276/.369/.420 with 10 homers and 30 steals in 35 attempts.
SS Eli Willits, Nationals. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft out of high school, the son of former major leaguer Reggie Willits has blazing speed and plays excellent defense. His hit tool is developing as an 18-year-old, and he was recently promoted to High-A Wilmington (Delaware). Over two minor league levels, he's slashing .282/.416/.498 with 12 homers while going 38-for-50 in stolen base attempts.
OF Josue De Paula, Dodgers. Compared to the top three, the 21-year-old De Paula has tons of experience. In fact, this will be his second appearance in the Futures Game, after he won MVP honors a year ago in Atlanta for his go-ahead, three-run homer. He's destroyed pitchers at Double-A Tulsa (Oklahoma), hitting .320/.417/.549 with 15 home runs and 25 steals in 30 attempts.
SP Kade Anderson, Mariners. The most exciting pitching prospect in the minors, Anderson has dominated hitters ever since being drafted third overall out of LSU in 2025, two spots behind Willits. In his first pro season, the 22-year-old Anderson has posted a microscopic 1.36 ERA over 72⅔ innings (14 starts) with a 108/10 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
SP Seth Hernandez, Pirates. Taken three spots after Anderson, Hernandez is a rare high school pitcher to go that early in the first round. The Pirates clearly believe in his powerful right arm, one that can touch triple digits. But his best pitch may be his changeup. Over 16 starts at Class A and High-A, the 20-year-old has a 2.61 ERA with 111 strikeouts and 30 walks in 69 total innings.
San Antonio TX, - June 25, 2026: Jayden Quaintance of the San Antonio Spurs Talks to the media during the San Antonio Spurs Rookie Press Conference on June 25, 2026 at Victory Capital Practice Center, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Spurs fans are excited about the drafting of Jayden Quaintance, but we honestly haven’t gotten to see him in action. The 6’10” power forward was drafted in the midst of recovering from back-to-back injuries. First, a knee surgery in early 2025 followed by a torn meniscus a year later. In his draft conference, he stated he was working with the Spurs medical staff toward another surgery.
In the meantime, Quaintance has been involved with Summer League from the bench, soaking up the knowledge coach Corliss Williamson is instilling in the team.
Here’s some collegiate highlights. Fun fact: at the 1:30ish mark, he blocks his new teammate Carter Bryant.
Quaintance graduated from high school a year early. After a year and twenty-four games at Arizona State, he transferred to Kentucky where he played in four games. And today, he turns 19.
There are high hopes for Quaintance once he is fully healed. An avid chess player, Quaintance hopes to connect with Victor Wembanyama from across the chess board. On the court, he shows hints at the defensive acumen to make the Spurs one of the most feared teams in the league.
For now, the 20th pick of the draft is spending his birthday in Las Vegas getting to know his new teammates and waiting for his chance to return to the game he loves.
Happy birthday, Jayden.
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Jul 10, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Tim Mayza (37) reacts after being called for a balk which resulted in the Detroit Tigers scoring a run in the sixth inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
I do at least appreciate that when the Phillies lose a game like that, I can at least focus my attention on something else and not be dialed into every single pitch like normal. It lets me get some things done around the house for the evening.
May 20, 2026; Hoover, AL, USA; Mississippi State third baseman Ace Reese fields a ball and throws to first for an out in the SEC Tournament game between Georgia and Mississippi State at the Hoover Met. | Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The 2026 MLB Draft gets underway today. Over the next two days, the Milwaukee Brewers will select 20 players to add to their organization and be part of that next wave of young talent.
MLB’s Draft is notoriously difficult to predict, especially the later the Draft goes on. Picks aren’t necessarily about who is the best on the board; it’s about who is there for the best price, so the slot money can be spread around to get the maximum amount of talent. The Brewers have been one of the best teams at spreading out their available bonus money over the past several years.
This year, the Crew has one of their lowest bonus pool totals in a long time — they have a lack of compensatory picks (including trading away the No. 67 pick to acquire Kyle Harrison) and had the best record in baseball last year, pushing their picks toward the end of each round.
The Brewers have their first pick at No. 25 overall, which is the last selection in the first round. Where could they go? Let’s take a look at who the experts have Milwaukee taking in their mock drafts.
The Brewers took a starting pitcher from Coastal Carolina last year with Jacob Morrison in the third round. Carlos Collazo at Baseball America has the Crew going back to the Chanticleers rotation again this year with Cameron Flukey.
Flukey’s success is no fluke. He sits in the mid-90s on his fastball and can reach 98 mph with movement. His curveball is his best secondary and is a high-spin pitch, which is a quality the Brewers have targeted consistently in their pitching selections. Flukey stands 6-foot-6 and 210 pounds, so there’s a starter’s frame with room to add on more weight if needed.
Back-to-back Flukey selections here; he should be going off the board right around this range, so it does make sense. However, the Brewers have selected a pitcher in the first round just once in the past decade. That pick was Ethan Small in 2019, and Small didn’t exactly work out very well for the Brewers. There’s a reason they don’t go there often. But could they buck the trend this year?
The Brewers have drafted corner infielders a lot in recent years, so why not go back to that well again with an SEC third baseman? Ace Reese has big-time power, slugging 24 bombs this year for the Bulldogs while hitting .336. Classic left-handed power bat with a solid feel to hit. The big question will be his defensive home and if he can stick at the hot corner.
CBS Sports – Cole Prosek, SS/C, Magnolia Heights (MS) HS
The nephew of Brewers third base coach Matt Erickson, Prosek has been a heavily connected name to the Brewers through this process. He’s also from the same high school as the Crew’s current shortstop, Cooper Pratt, and plays with Pratt’s younger brother on the team. Prosek is an athletic player who can play both infield and behind the plate. He has a strong feel to hit, with some giving him plus grades, and some pretty good pop as well. He’s committed to Ole Miss, but there’s strong momentum for him in the first round, and the Brewers feel like a great landing spot if he’s there.
MLB Pipeline’s most recent mock draft came back on July 2, and they had the Crew going with a college bat yet again. This is not much of a surprise. Rose is generally above average across the board offensively, and though they may need to work on pitch selection with him, Rose has a pretty good ceiling to work with.
Another Prosek pick. The connection is certainly strong. The Brewers do have a history of selecting players who have the potential to stick behind the plate even if they haven’t primarily played there as an amateur. If the Brewers like his catching potential, they could take him and send him out there. Marco Dinges was one such player a few years ago.
For many years, the Brewers avoided corner infielders like the plague. They focused on up-the-middle athletes only. Recently, they’ve taken Brock Wilken, Blake Burke, and Andrew Fischer with early selections each of the last three years. They seem to have plenty of future possibilities on the corners, but can you ever really have enough?
Prospects Live – Cole Prosek, SS/C, Magnolia Heights (MS) HS
A very popular pick here. Could it be because of the Matt Erickson connection? Could it be legitimate interest? Could it also be a smokescreen? If too many prognosticators think the Brewers are taking someone, the Brewers generally do something else. They keep things largely tight to the vest.
Back to the college bats, Sawyer Strosnider is another name that has popped up quite a bit with the Brewers. Strosnider is a left-handed bat with a big-time power-speed combination, earning plus grades on both tools. He does have a little bit of a strikeout problem, which is somewhat concerning with any hitter. But in terms of tools and athleticism, few in this draft have more, which makes him a name to watch.
Other names connected
Throughout all these mock drafts, the writers do include other names they considered or names they have heard connected to the Brewers at No. 25. That group includes:
James Clark, SS, St. John Bosco (CA) HS Tegan Kuhns, RHP, Tennessee Taj Marchand, SS, James Island (SC) HS Trey Ebel, SS, Corona (CA) HS Eric Becker, SS, Virginia Logan Reddemann, RHP, UCLA
The 2026 MLB Draft gets started this afternoon. We shall see which, if any, of these mock drafters were correct in their selections.
Jul 10, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Samuel Basallo (29) celebrates at home plate after hitting a two-run home run in the eighth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images | Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images
Good morning, Camden Chatters.
Even in a season that isn’t going according to plan, an immutable fact remains: life seems a little bit better after an Orioles win. That’s especially true when the O’s make it a dramatic win, like last night’s 5-3 takedown of the visiting Royals at Camden Yards. After Brandon Young’s bid to pitch into the eighth inning went haywire in heartbreaking fashion, Samuel Basallo stepped up to reinvigorate the team and the sizable crowd of O’s fans with his electric go-ahead homer — and epic bat toss — in the Birds’ last at-bat. Check out Stacey’s recap of a delightful night at Oriole Park.
The game was a fun reminder of what the Orioles can look like when they’re playing well, something that unfortunately has happened far too little this season. A win against a last-place Royals team doesn’t fix the many problems that still plague the Birds. But with two games remaining against lowly Kansas City, the Orioles have a chance to head into the All-Star break feeling better about themselves if they can put together a couple more performances as competent as last night’s.
While the players (hopefully) keep their attention on the field, the O’s front office decision-makers have other things on their mind this weekend. The 2026 MLB Draft begins today at 1 pm, and the Orioles hold the #7 pick. As Mark Brown wrote, there’s no consensus among draft pundits about which player the O’s will take; five different writers have suggested four different possibilities for the Orioles in their mock drafts. And of course the Birds’ actual selection could end up being someone not even mentioned. They do that sometimes.
The Orioles’ #7 pick is their highest since 2022, when they held the #1 overall selection and drafted Jackson Holliday. Since then, their highest first-round picks have been #17 in 2023 (which they used on Enrique Bradfield Jr.), #22 in 2024 (Vance Honeycutt), and #19 in 2025 (Ike Irish).
And I would venture to say that Mike Elias really needs to nail this one. His once-hyped draft prowess has lost quite a bit of luster in recent years. After his lauded first draft with the Orioles in 2019, which netted the O’s both Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson, the results of his subsequent drafts have been a mixed bag. He reached a bit to make Heston Kjerstad the #2 overall pick in 2020 and that hasn’t panned out, though he also scored Jordan Westburg later in the first round. Elias’s top selection in 2021, Colton Cowser, is still a bit of an enigma offensively. Then there’s Holliday, who hasn’t yet performed like the platonic ideal of a #1 overall pick, though he’s still just 22.
None of the Orioles’ draft picks from 2023 or beyond have arrived in the majors, but Bradfield has struggled to hit consistently in the minors, and the 2024 draft — in which Elias selected Honeycutt and Griff O’Ferrall in the first round — looks like a bust. Early returns from the 2025 first round (Irish and Wehiwa Aloy) look promising so far, as does Caden Bodine, whom the O’s traded to the Rays in the Shane Baz deal.
If the Orioles’ 2026 campaign continues to go sideways and the team decides to make front office changes this offseason, then there’s a real possibility that this is the final draft Elias will oversee. For everyone’s sake, let’s hope it’s a good one.
One e-mailer suggests that the O’s should mortgage the farm to trade for Mason Miller. I hate to tell you this, friend, but the Orioles are not a closer away from being a good team.
Due to supply chain issues, the O’s didn’t have the Turnstile giveaway jerseys ready to hand out to fans last night. It’s been that kind of a year for the 2026 Orioles.
Orioles birthdays and history
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You share your day with two guys who were briefly Orioles: outfielder Daniel Johnson (31), who played nine games from 2024-25, and righty Zach Clark (43), who pitched a single MLB game back in 2013.
On this date in 1968, Earl Weaver managed his first major league game after taking over for the fired Hank Bauer. The then-37-year-old Weaver guided the O’s to a 2-0 win over the Senators in Baltimore, thanks to Dave McNally’s two-hit shutout and a Don Buford home run. It was the first of 1,480 regular season wins — plus 26 postseason wins — in Earl’s eventual Hall of Fame career.
And on this day in 1987, Billy Ripken made his MLB debut, joining brother Cal Jr. in the Orioles lineup. Their dad, Cal Sr., became the first skipper in MLB history to manage two of his sons. Cal Jr. and Billy went a combined 0-for-7 in the Orioles’ 2-1 loss to the Twins.
Random Orioles game of the day
On July 11, 2002, the Orioles opened the second half with a 4-1 loss to the Athletics at Camden Yards. Scott Erickson had a strong seven-inning, three-run outing, but was outdueled by A’s lefty Mark Mulder, who stymied the Orioles for seven scoreless. Future Oriole Miguel Tejada went 2-for-5 with an RBI double for Oakland. The loss dropped the Orioles to two games under .500, which doesn’t seem so bad considering they eventually finished the season 28 games under.
The Detroit Tigers continued their surge into the All-Star break on Friday night with an authoritative 10-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies at Comerica Park. Jack Flaherty made it to the six-inning mark for the first time in what seems like forever, giving his team a quality start in the process, while a trio of home runs fueled the offense to a double-digit total.
On Saturday, the Motor City Kitties can clinch their fourth straight series with right-hander Casey Mize taking the mound. The 29-year-old is coming off a pair of quality starts of his own, putting up a 1.32 ERA and 2.46 FIP over the last 13 2/3 innings, allowing just six hits (one home run) and two walks while striking out 14 to earn his third and fourth wins of the season.
It will not be easy for the Tigers with left-hander Cristopher Sánchez climbing the hill for the Phillies. Coming off a season that saw him finish second in the National League Cy Young race, the 29-year-old has picked up where he left off, ranking second in the majors in pitching fWAR behind Milwaukee Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski.
However, Sánchez is coming off his worst outing of the 2026 campaign, surrendering nine runs on 12 hits (three home runs) and a walk while striking out just one Kansas City Royal on the road for his fourth loss in a 15-1 final. Maybe the Tigers can get to him on Saturday evening too.
Here is a look at how the two match up in Game 2 of the three-game series in Detroit.
Detroit Tigers (44-50) vs. Philadelphia Phillies (52-43)
Time (ET): 6:10 p.m. Place: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan SB Nation Site:The Good Phight Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 95: RHP Casey Mize (4-5, 2.64 ERA) vs. LHP Cristopher Sánchez (10-4, 2.62 ERA)
The 2026 MLB Draft begins today, and Kentucky Baseball fans will have at least one major reason to tune in.
Wildcats shortstop Tyler Bell is widely expected to be selected in the early rounds after two seasons in Lexington.
Bell entered the season as one of the top prospects in the 2026 class, with MLB Pipeline ranking him among its top draft prospects. He also participated in the MLB Draft Combine last month.
While recent first-round mock drafts from CBS Sports and ESPN have not projected Bell among the opening selections, his prospect status makes him Kentucky’s best bet to be called early in the draft.
Bell’s combination of defensive ability, switch-hitting potential, and youth could make him an intriguing option for organizations looking for an up-the-middle prospect.
Kentucky could also have additional players selected during the later rounds as MLB organizations work through 20 rounds over two days.
