OMAHA, NEBRASKA - JUNE 22: Jake Schaffner #2 of the North Carolina Tar Heels takes the field before game three of the Division I Baseball Championship against the Oklahoma Sooners held at Charles Schwab Field on June 22, 2026 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) | NCAA Photos via Getty Images
Jake Schaffner, a speed demon of an infielder out of the University of North Carolina, was ranked just the 98th-best prospect in this draft by Baseball America. MLB Pipeline had him at #75. Keith Law of the The Athletic at #79. Craig Breslow, apparently, thinks he’s a lot better than that, as he made Schaffner the Red Sox’ first pick in this year’s MLB draft with the 20th overall pick.
Schaffner bats lefty and is known for his bat-to-ball skills, although his power is a significant question mark. He was well-regarded defensively as a shortstop, though there are some questions about whether a mediocre arm will force him to second base sooner rather than later.
Could he end up surprising people and proving the pre-draft prognosticators wrong? Of course he could. This is the MLB Draft, not the NBA Draft, and no one knows anything. Moreover, this could simply be a classic underslot pick, whereby the team attempts to save bonus pool money to target harder-to-sign high schoolers later in the draft. Either way, this is a major surprise, and probably the most shocking pick of the draft so far.
Follow along as we track every pick from Day 1 of the 2026 MLB Draft in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Saturday. The White Sox are on the clock to pick first.
Remember, you can catch the first 10 picks live on NBC starting at 1 p.m. ET. Coverage continues at 2:30 p.m. ET on Peacock.
You can also see analysis and insight from each first-round pick via Rotoworld Player News.
CORAL GABLES, FL - MARCH 02: Florida pitcher Liam Peterson (12) pitches in the first inning as the Miami Hurricanes faced the Florida Gators on March 2, 2024, at Mark Light Field at Alex Rodriguez Park in Coral Gables, Florida. (Photo by Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Guardians have made their choice and it’s a college pitcher as many suspected it might be.
Peterson is a 6’5, 225 lb right-handed starter from Florida. Peterson was the 20th ranked prospect in the draft according to MLB Pipeline
Here’s what MLB Pipeline had to say about him:
“In 2023, Peterson was a Top 100 prospect, not to mention a two-way player, from the Florida high school ranks, but some inconsistencies during his senior year likely priced him out of the range where he would have considered signing instead of heading to Gainesville and the University of Florida. He earned a spot in the Gators’ rotation as a freshman and has never relinquished it. He’ll front that staff in 2026 and if he can continue to iron out some things, has the stuff to be the first college arm to come off the board in July.The 6-foot-5 Peterson presents an exciting combination of now stuff and projection. His fastball sat in the mid-90s as a sophomore and he’s shown the ability to reach back for 98-99 mph, both last spring and in short looks this fall. The pitch can show good carry at times, though it can flatten out occasionally and get hit more than it should. Florida calls a lot of sliders and Peterson’s mid-80s breaker has improved into a solid out pitch, though there are some scouts who think his 12-to-6 hammer curve is a better, but not utilized, offering. His changeup has also improved with solid fade and depth.Peterson’s slot has returned to a higher three-quarters slot, similar to where he was in high school, that could serve him well. He can get a little over-aggressive in his mode of operation on the mound, leading to some command issues. There aren’t many college arms with better pure stuff in this class and if he can take another step forward in terms of execution, he could show up in top of the Draft conversations.”
MLB Pipeline grades Peterson with a 60 fastball, 65 slider, 55 curveball, 50 changeup, 45 control and an overall grade of 55.Here are a few different sets of highlights for Peterson on the mound for this season and from 2025.
What are your thoughts on the pick? How would you grade it?
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 11: MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred speaks during the 2026 MLB Draft at Pennsylvania Convention Center on July 11, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the 17th pick of the 1st Round, the Houston Astros selected outfielder Logan Hughes from Texas Tech.
“Hughes is a compact, barrel-chested outfielder and lefthanded hitter with a three-year track record of hitting for both average and power. He spent a season at Stetson in 2024, then transferred to Texas Tech for his sophomore and junior seasons. In 2026, Hughes slashed .375/.510/.735 with 18 home runs and 16 doubles. Of the 29 college hitters with at least 45 home runs in the last three seasons, Hughes’ career 12.2% strikeout rate rank behind only UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky. Hughes is close to physically maxed out with a 5-foot-11, 210-pound frame, but he’s got plenty of present strength and no need to project on power. He’s got plus raw power right now, with the contact skills to consistently get to that power in games. Hughes is a patient and selective hitter who does a nice job staying within the strike zone, and he has a penchant for putting the barrel on the ball even on the rare occasions when he does expand the zone. He has solid bat speed, and a swing that is quick to the ball and long through it. He makes plenty of contact against top-tier velocity and quality secondary pitches. While Hughes has a well-rounded offensive game, he’s a more limited defender. He’s a below-average runner who will need to play an outfield corner, and he might be only a fringy or below-average defender in either left or right. His profile is similar to Marlins 2025 second-rounder Brandon Compton, and he could find himself taken in a similar range on draft day.” – Baseball America
The bat is legit for Hughes and the Astros get a prospect with a big time hit tool, something they haven’t added in a while. Great pick.
HOOVER, AL - MAY 21: Infielder Justin LeBron #1 of the Alabama Crimson Tide throws the ball to first base during the SEC Baseball Tournament Quarterfinals game between Florida Gators and Alabama Crimson Tide on May 21, 2026, at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama.(Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds used the #18 overall pick in Saturday’s MLB Draft to select shortstop Justin Lebron out of the University of Alabama. Ranked 9th overall on MLB Pipeline’s list of the top draft-eligible prospects in the class, the 6’2” 190 lb right-handed hitter boasts a 70 grade on his speed, 60 grade on his power, and 60 grades on both his arm and fielding.
After hitting .338 as a freshman and .316 as a sophomore for the Crimson Tide, Lebron saw his rate stats drop across the board as a senior. Still, he hit .277/.386/.534 in 285 games with 16 homers and 42 steals, flashing the kind of power/speed combo that had him long in the mix for the potential top overall pick in this year’s draft before sliding late.
The biggest question with Lebron, though, is whether he’ll be able to hit breaking pitches better than he has so far. He struggled to just a .230 average in SEC games this season as the pitching in the best conference in the country adapted to how to pitch him, and that’s obviously something he’ll need to work on going forward. The rest of his game, however, looks 100% the part of a top-tier talent.
The Cincinnati Reds are selecting Justin Lebron with the No. 18 pick in the 2026 MLB draft. (per @JoeDoyleMiLB)
The plus raw power will certainly play in GABP. Hit tool concerns to be addressed in pro ball, but one of the more high upside picks here. pic.twitter.com/sAVR9wrjnQ
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 22: Eduardo Rivera #99 of the Boston Red Sox gestures in his Major League Baseball debut against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park on Wednesday, April 22, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Natalie Reid/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Brayan Bello has not, apparently, fallen back in love with Baseball, as Craig Breslow hoped he would. Or maybe he’s fallen in love with Worcester. Either way, he will not be starting today in place of the injured Ranger Suárez. Instead, the Sox are handing the ball to Eduardo Rivera, who has made one appearance for the Sox so far this year, a tidy 3.1 inning relief appearance against the Yankees back in April, when he allowed just a single hit and struck out 3.
Rivera’s been in the bullpen for the Woo Sox this year, so don’t expect a lot of innings out of him. And unfortunately for the Sox, a lot of important members of the relief corps have seen action lately, with Garrett Whitlock and Tyron Guerrero having thrown in back-to-back games, likely making them unavailable. Opposing starter Freddy Peralta is in the middle of a bad stretch in a bad season, though, so this could be a slugfest.
May 29, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) receives a throws to record an out against Miami Marlins first baseman Liam Hicks (34) (not pictured) during the fifth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
Mets lineup
A.J. Ewing – CF Juan Soto – LF Francisco Lindor – SS Carson Benge – RF Jorge Polanco – DH Eric Wagaman – 1B Francisco Alvarez – C Brett Baty – 3B Zack Short – 2B
SP: Freddy Peralta – RHP
Red Sox lineup
Anthony Seigler – 2B Ceddanne Rafaela – CF Wilyer Abreu – RF Caleb Durbin – 3B Masataka Yoshida – DH Andruw Monasterio – 1B Jarren Duran – LF Carlos Narvaez – C Tsung-Che Cheng – SS
SP: Eduardo Rivera – LHP
Broadcast info
First pitch: 4:10 PM EDT TV: SNY Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 10: Jaden Bradley #8 of the Toronto Raptors handles the ball during the game against the Boston Celtics on July 10, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Stephen Greathouse/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Toronto Raptors may not have come away with the victory in their Summer League opener against the Boston Celtics, but that doesn’t mean the team’s late-moment fumble was a total calamity either. There were enough tantalizing performances to keep fans satiated until the next contest, and fortunately, that’s not too long a wait.
Here are four storylines to consider ahead of the Raptors’ matchup against the Houston Rockets on Saturday. Tip-off is slated for 9:30 p.m. EST on NBA TV Canada and Prime Video.
Toronto needs sharper execution down the stretch to close out games
Allen Graves was a revelation for the Raptors, but it wasn’t enough to pull out a win. The 19th overall pick dropped 22 points on 9-16 shooting from the field, with 13 boards and two blocks in a losing effort. The Celtics might have allowed a bit of cushion room for mistakes, but the Raptors can not afford to commit them against the Rockets.
The Raptors’ mistakes kept the Celtics in the game
The third quarter saw the Raptors’ lead balloon to double digits, but the Celtics capitalized on defensive lapses to put them back in the game. Curtis Jones was doubled at the top of the key, which freed up John Tonje in the wing for a non-contested triple, trimming the Raptors’ lead to 8, 43-51. In a subsequent pick-and-roll action, Hugo Gonzales collapses the defence, leaving Tonje for another three-pointer in the wing, making it a one-possession contest, 48-51.
As much as Graves has been credited for his standout performance on offence, his costly choices on defence gave Boston a lifeline to force overtime. Graves knocks down a transition triple to make it a two-possession game down the stretch, 75-71. In a press action for Toronto, Graves reached for a steal, forcing his teammates to scramble on coverage, which left Tonje open for a three-pointer. On the last possession before extra time, Milos Uzan was doubled off the dribble, finding Chris Cenac Jr. on the corner for the game-tying triple, to which Graves gave a late contest.
Defensive maturity takes time to develop. Besides, Graves’ production is the reason we are even talking about the errors on the other end that gave the Celtics the chance to recover. Expectations on an NBA floor aside, Graves and the young guys don’t have time to waste. If they want to extend their stay in Vegas, they will have to learn how to close out games. Against Houston, that might just happen a little sooner.
The Rockets took off in the 4th
The Rockets and the Denver Nuggets were a point apart entering the fourth. Houston did not waste any time in the early stretches of the last period, as they took off with their offence. Quadir Copeland sparked an early 5-0 run for the Rockets after going for a strong drive to the hoop and finishing with a layup. The next possession saw the Nuggets’ defence sag off him, making them pay with a triple on top of the key.
As good as Copeland’s outing was, it was Bruce Thornton who stole the show for the Rockets, with his ability to finish off the dribble and knock down shots. Thornton finished with 27 points on 7-18 shooting and 3-8 from downtown. While his shooting doesn’t scream consistency, Thornton was a game-high +20. This doesn’t come as a surprise considering his impact on the defensive end, as he finished the game with three steals while taking good care of the ball on offence, committing just one turnover in the process.
How can the Raptors win?
In their last contest, Toronto led for 79 per cent of the game, while the Celtics were only ahead on 12 per cent of the possessions. While Houston is a different team, Toronto could rely on the same strengths it had while minimizing its mistakes.
The Raptors’ paint defence was a force to be reckoned with down low. Jamarion Sharp finished with four blocks while Nate Bittle tallied a team-high six. Graves added a couple to the tally. Toronto might intimidate Houston inside the paint, but directing focus solely inside leaves shooters on the perimeter, and just like the Celtics, the Rockets can also make them pay.
It also didn’t help that the Raptors were defending aggressively, which led to plenty of fouls committed. While rebounding did not serve as an edge against Boston, Houston was massively outrebounded by Denver, which Toronto could bank on.
Defensive adjustments on the perimeter, less aggressive fouling, and dominating the glass are factors that could definitely swing the favor to the Raptors. However, once the game slows down to a possession-by-possession battle, execution will matter most.
Learning to make the right play down the stretch is surely a tall task for first-year and second-year players in the league. But if they want to fit in with the big picture of where the organization is heading, albeit the Aspiration investigation, closing out games is a great way to start.
Jul 11, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Milwaukee Brewers designated hitter Christian Yelich (22) watches game action from the dugout during the fifth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
The Brewer offense had a solid day today against a 2026 All-Star, Pittsburgh starter Braxton Ashcraft. But Brandon Sproat had a second straight poor, inefficient start for the Brewers, and a late meltdown by one of the team’s more reliable but suddenly struggling relievers gave the Pirates a late lead. Milwaukee tried to mount a ninth-inning rally but came up just short, and the Pirates had a big comeback win.
Ashcraft got off to a good start: after falling behind Christian Yelich 3-0, he came back and got him to pop out to shallow left. Garrett Mitchell struck out looking at an 0-2 pitch and, frustratingly, unsuccessfully challenged the call, putting the Brewers behind the eight ball for the rest of the game. Brice Turang flew out to left, and Aschraft had a 1-2-3 first inning.
Sproat’s start wasn’t as good. He yanked a fastball on a 2-2 pitch to leadoff hitter Jake Mangum and hit him in the foot to give Pittsburgh a leadoff baserunner. Brandon Lowe got a mistake on an 0-2 fastball down the middle but got a little bit under it and flew out to center for the first out, but Sproat yanked another pitch, this one a 1-2 curveball after seven straight foul balls, that just grazed the tip of Bryan Reynolds’ shoe. Esmerlyn Valdez hit an 86-mph ground ball that could’ve been a tailor-made double play with a slightly different infield positioning, but it found the hole between Joey Ortiz and Cooper Pratt and scored Mangum from second.
Sproat came back with a nice strikeout of Ryan O’Hearn, who wasted Pittsburgh’s first challenge, too. Another yanked fastball on 0-2 got past catcher William Contreras and allowed Reynolds and Valdez to advance to second and third, which mattered when Nick Gonzales hit a ground ball to Ortiz, who bobbled the ball and didn’t have a play on anyone; a rare error that cost the Brewers another run. On his 34th pitch, Sproat finally got Tyler Callihan to ground out to end the inning. It was a sloppy first: both batters that Sproat hit came around to score, despite the fact that he didn’t walk anyone and his only hit allowed was a not-hard-hit single.
The Milwaukee offense had a hole to dig out of today, but they very quickly did so. Contreras got things going in the second by lining a double into the left-field corner, and three pitches later — on a sinker right in the happy zone — Jake Bauers crushed a ball 112 mph into the seats in right field. Back to even at 2-2.
The inning ended quickly after that — Luis Lara hit a looping liner to second base, and after Pratt flew out, shortstop Jared Triolo made a nice play to rob Sal Frelick of a hit. Triolo led off the bottom of the second with a line drive, but Turang made a nice leaping catch for the first out. On the first pitch to catcher Henry Davis, he popped up a bunt in foul territory — Sproat made a diving attempt and almost caught it, but needed a minute. He continued with a dirty jersey, but walked Davis five pitches later. Sproat started in a 1-0 hole against Mangum after his second pitch-timer violation, but on 2-2 Mangum hit a ground ball to Ortiz, which turned into a fielder’s choice out at second base. On an 0-1 pitch to Lowe, Mangum took off for second and, for some reason, did not slide, enabling Contreras to throw him out at second base. It was another inefficient inning, but Sproat kept Pittsburgh off the board.
Ortiz was living on the edge to start the third when he risked the team’s second challenge on a 2-1 pitch with nobody out in the third, but he was right. Unfortunately, Ortiz ended up lining out on 3-2, so it didn’t matter much. Yelich got a hanging slider on 3-2 but could only foul tip it into the catcher’s glove for the second out. Another strikeout of Mitchell ended the inning.
Sproat started the bottom of the third with a couple of strikeouts of his own, but with two outs, Valdez, who had the Pirates’ one hit in the first inning, got a hold of a cutter and hit it out to dead center. His home run restored the Pirates’ lead. Things went a little sideways after that; Sproat hit O’Hearn with a 2-1 pitch and then walked Gonzales on five pitches. For the second straight inning, the Brewers got someone up in the bullpen, but Sproat got Callihan to fly out to left on a 3-2 pitch and was able to finish the inning with the Brewers down just one.
After a soft lineout by Turang, Contreras smoked a ball for the second straight at-bat, but this 108-mph line drive was caught in center by Mangum. Bauers struck out on three pitches chasing a curveball way out of the zone, but that was after he was upset by Ashcraft’s quick pace on the mound.
Jake Bauers and Pat Murphy were quite upset with home plate umpire Lance Barrett on this sequence.
Ashcraft had already been set for about 3 seconds before this and begins his motion here. Bauers had just lifted his head and his bat was still by his waist before the 8-sec mark. pic.twitter.com/Kw7ljcImtm
Sproat was done after three rocky innings. That he allowed only three runs was almost surprising; he only allowed two hits, but he walked two and hit three batters, and it took him 83 pitches to record nine outs — his second extremely inefficient outing, after he needed 92 pitches to get through four in his last start. Craig Yoho replaced Sproat in the fourth, and he started by striking out Triolo but then walked the nine-hole hitter, Davis, on four pitches. A Mangum ground ball to Pratt started what was almost a 6-3 double play, but it wasn’t quite hit hard enough, and Mangum beat the throw to first. Lowe was next, and he hit a ball hard toward first, but Bauers made a nice pick on the short hop and stepped on first for the third out.
Lara led off the second with his first career extra-base hit, a double into the gap in right that Mangum slid to cut off, lest Lara end up with a triple. Pratt followed with a looping fly ball to left, which Callihan dove for but couldn’t come up with — it got past him, and Pratt ended up at second with a double, which scored Lara from first and tied the game. The Brewers’ light-hitting players weren’t done, either: Frelick got a hold of a 1-1 slider that didn’t get low enough and hit it to the seats in right field for a two-run homer that gave Milwaukee their first lead of the game. It was Frelick’s fourth homer and first since April 30.
Before Sal's HR…our two 21-year-olds smacked back-to-back doubles to tie the game ‼️ pic.twitter.com/nfiPpympOn
After Ashcraft picked up outs on an Ortiz fly ball and another Yelich strikeout, Mitchell and Turang drew back-to-back two-out walks. That gave Contreras, who’d scorched two balls today, a chance with two on and two outs, but he struck out to end the inning. Still — the Brewers had taken a 5-3 lead against the Pittsburgh All-Star, and they’d pushed his pinch count up to 98 through five innings, getting into the bullpen early in this doubleheader.
Yoho, back out for the fifth, got Reynolds to ground out and struck out Valdez. On a 1-1 pitch with two outs and nobody on, Contreras unsuccessfully challenged a changeup that missed outside, and Milwaukee was without a challenge for the last four-plus innings of the game. It didn’t matter, either, as two pitches later Yoho got O’Hearn waving at a changeup for the third out.
Carmen Mlodzinski relieved Ashcraft in the top of the sixth and on his first pitch got Bauers to fly out to right-center. Lara walked on four non-competitive pitches, and Pratt got into a long battle after falling into an 0-2 hole that ended with a solid single to center. Milwaukee was unable to capitalize on their rally, though: Frelick grounded into a fielder’s choice that would’ve been a double play had Triolo not dropped the ball on the transfer, and Ortiz flew out to center field to end the inning with runners stranded on first and third.
Chad Patrick entered in the bottom of the sixth (relieving Yoho, who had a very nice day of work) and gave up a leadoff baserunner when Gonzales reached on a high chopper for an infield hit. Callihan lined out to Lara in left for the first out, and Patrick quickly got out of the inning with a 4-6-3 double play from Triolo.
Yelich tried to bunt for a hit to lead off the seventh — he put down a good bunt but couldn’t quite beat the throw on a very close play at first. Too bad, because the next batter, Mitchell, lined a ball into left that he turned into a hustle double. Turang also hit one hard into left, but his 104-mph fly ball was too close to Callihan, and there were two outs. Contreras, though, looped a two-out RBI single into left, and the Brewers’ lead was up to 6-3 after Mitchell raced home on what would’ve been a close play with a different player running. Bauers drew a walk to extend the inning, but Lara flew out to center to end what was still a productive inning.
Trouble came in the bottom of the seventh. Davis added a single to his two walks, at which point the Brewers removed Patrick in favor of Aaron Ashby. Mangum grounded a single through the right side that was followed by a looping liner off the end of the bat from Lowe that loaded the bases with nobody out. None of Pittsburgh’s three hits to start the inning were hit all that hard, but that’s the way the cookie crumbles, sometimes.
The batter with the bases loaded was notorious Brewer nemesis Bryan Reynolds, but Ashby made him look foolish chasing a 1-2 curveball for the first out. But Valdez, who’d already homered and hit an RBI single in the game, was up next, and Ashby ominously fell behind. On a 3-1 pitch, an Ashby sinker got way too much of the plate, and Valdez drove it out to right field for a scoreboard-flipping grand slam. Ashby struck out the next two to end the inning, but the damage had been done; the Pirates led 7-6 after seven innings.
Now facing an unfortunate deficit, the Brewer offense needed to get going again. Mlodzinski was still pitching in his third inning, and he started the inning with a strikeout of Pratt. Frelick got into a long battle but also struck out on a foul tip on the eighth pitch of the at-bat, and an Ortiz groundout ended the top of the eighth.
Bryse Wilson’s return to the Brewers came with him trying to keep the Pirates’ lead at one in the bottom of the eighth. He did that quite deftly, with a flyout and two groundouts, and the Brewers went to the ninth needing a run with the top of the order coming up.
Lefty Gregory Soto entered for the Pirates, and the Brewers somewhat surprisingly did not pinch-hit for the struggling Yelich. He came through, though, with a solid single to left to start things off, and with Yelich on first, the Brewers sent Jackson Chourio to the plate in place of Mitchell. Chourio, though, popped out in foul territory near first base for the first out. Turang was next and drew a walk in a weird at-bat for the home-plate ump (he called a 3-1 pitch that wasn’t all that close a strike — and of course Milwaukee was out of challenges — and then called a closer 3-2 pitch a ball, which the Pirates couldn’t challenge after using their last one earlier in the inning).
Double-play machine Contreras was up with one out and runners on first and second, and he hit a ground ball to shortstop — it probably would’ve been hit slowly enough that the Pirates wouldn’t have been able to end the game with a double play, but Triolo dropped the ball when trying to throw to second and everybody was safe, and the Brewers had the bases loaded with one out. Andrew Vaughn, noted lefty destroyer, pinch-hit for Bauers… but hit a ground ball to third that turned into an unconventional 5-2 double play. Game over.
What a drag of a baseball game. The Brewers played pretty sloppy baseball and were then undone by a stinker of an outing from Aaron Ashby, whose struggles in the last month have become far too much to ignore.
Since the start of June, Aaron Ashby now has a 6.50 ERA and 1.759 WHIP.
Milwaukee’s offense did plenty to win the game — they had 10 hits, including doubles for Contreras, Lara, Pratt, and Mitchell, and home runs by Bauers and Frelick. But Sproat and Ashby were bad today, which overshadowed nice outings for Yoho (three strikeouts, no hits in two scoreless innings) and Wilson (three quick outs in his return to the Brewers). Valdez destroyed the Brewers: he had three hits, two of which were homers, and knocked in six of Pittsburgh’s seven runs.
Milwaukee will look to recover in the second game of today’s doubleheader in about an hour. Shane Drohan starts for the Brewers in game two, with Bubba Chandler on the mound for Pittsburgh.
San Diego, CA - August 17: Gio Rojas pitches for the East team during the Dick's Sporting Goods Perfect Game All-American Classic at Petco Park on August 17, 2025 in San Diego, CA. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
Gio Rojas is a 6’4”, 190 lb. lefthanded pitcher out of Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. He turned 19 on June 29, making him an the older side for a prep player. He has a mid-90s fastball that hits 98, has good size and athleticism, and quality slider.
I mentioned in my write-up that I wasn’t sure whether to include Rojas in the previews, as I thought he would likely be off the board when Texas picked, but he dropped to them, and he’s now their first first round high school pitcher taken since Cole Winn in 2018.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 06: Kyle Freeland #21 of the Colorado Rockies pitches during the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on July 06, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Sun/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Kyle Freeland (2-7, 7.46 ERA) will be making his 17th start of the season for Colorado (39-57). In Freeland’s last start, he gave up six runs on nine hits, including one homer, over five innings in an 8-7, 11-inning loss to the Dodgers on July 6.
Freeland is 8-9 in 27 appearances (24 starts) against the Giants in his career with a 4.35 ERA. At Oracle Park, the veteran lefty is 2-5 with a 3.63 ERA in 11 starts. Today’s game is Freeland’s first against San Francisco this year.
The Rockies will face 31-year-old RHP Tyler Mahle (1-8, 5.70 ERA). They just saw him in Colorado on July 5 when he surrendered four runs (three earned) on eight hits with five strikeouts and no walks in 4.1 innings. In that game, the Rockies were rescued by Kyle Karros, who hit a three-run homer in the eighth to help the Rockies notch a 7-6 comeback win.
In his career, Mahle is 2-1 with a 5.21 ERA in seven starts against the Rockies. The Rockies lead the season series against the Giants 5-3.
Earlier on Saturday, the Rockies recalled RHP reliever Jeff Criswell from Triple-A Albuquerque and sent RHP reliever TJ Shook back down to the Isotopes.
First Pitch: 2:05 p.m. MDT
TV: Rockies.TV
Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM KOA Rockies Radio Network; KNRV 1150 AM (Spanish)
DENVER, CO - JUNE 19: Bubba Chandler #36 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches during the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Friday, June 19, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Casey Paul/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates are hosting the Milwaukee Brewers for the middle match of this three-game weekend set to close out the first half of the season
The Pirates will have Bubba Chandler on the mound for his final first-half start. Chandler pitched four innings, giving up six hits and four earned runs in his most recent start. While he struggled to keep runs off the board, the offense had his back. The Buccos walked away with an 11-5 win that saw them score seven runs in the final two innings.
The Brewers are countering with left-hander Shane Drohan, who is having a strong start to his rookie season. The 27-year-old from South Florida made his debut on April 8 as a starter but moved to the bullpen for the rest of April and May. Drohan returned to the starting rotation in June, and he has won in five of his seven starts since rejoining the rotation. One of those was his last appearance against the St. Louis Cardinals on July 6. He pitched six innings, giving up six hits and three runs, as the Brewers beat the Cardinals 4-3 inside Busch Stadium.
Now, Drohan gets a taste of the Pirates, who are looking to go into the All-Star break with momentum.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 11: Commissioner of Major League Baseball Robert D. Manfred Jr. announces AJ Gracia as the ninth overall pick by the Atlanta Braves during the 2026 MLB Draft presented by Nippon Express at Pennsylvania Convention Center on Saturday, July 11, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The 2026 MLB Draft is set to take place in Philadelphia today at 1:00 pm, and it is going to be a monumental day for the Atlanta Braves. On the heels of their disappointing 2025 season they hold they 9th overall pick — the highest pick for them since 2019 — along with an extra first round pick at 26th overall thanks to Drake Baldwin winning Rookie of the Year. You can stick around Battery Power for wall-to-wall coverage of the draft over the next two days, and here we’ll be keeping up with every pick from day one. We will be updating this article as each pick is announced so follow along, have fun, and join us for a chat in the comments.
First Round
Chicago White Sox – SS Roch Cholowsky, UCLA
Tampa Bay Rays – SS Grady Emerson, Fort Worth Christian HS (TX)
Minnesota Twins – C Vahn Lackey, Georgia Tech
San Francisco Giants – RHP Jackson Flora, UC Santa Barbara
Pittsburgh Pirates – OF Derek Curiel, LSU
Kansas City Royals – OF Zion Rose, Louisville
Baltimore Orioles – OF Eric Booth Jr., Oak Grove HS (MS)
Athletics – OF Drew Burress, Georgia Tech
Atlanta Braves – OF AJ Gracia, Virginia — The Braves are going to be looking to spread out money once again this draft, going a bit down the consensus boards to draft a top tier hitter with the potential to play up the middle at the next level. Gracia joins a system with replenished position player depth. More info from Battery Power’s draft expert Matt Powers can be found in our main post here https://www.batterypower.com/atlanta-braves-prospects/135309/braves-select-aj-gracia-with-9th-pick-in-2026-mlb-draft
Colorado Rockies – SS Tyler Bell, Kentucky
Washington Nationals – 2B Chris Hacopian, Texas A&M
Los Angeles Angels – OF Jared Grindlinger, Huntington Beach HS (CA)
St. Louis Cardinals – OF Trevor Condon, Etowah HS (GA)
Miami Marlins – SS Jacob Lombard, Gulliver Prep HS (FL)
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 10: Koa Peat #18 of the Phoenix Suns plays defense during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on July 10, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Choi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Phoenix Suns opened their Summer League slate on Friday night with a victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. It marked the professional debut of Koa Peat, who was drafted 30th overall by Phoenix after the organization moved up in the draft to acquire him. A local product who attended Perry High School before playing at the University of Arizona, this was our first opportunity to see Peat wearing purple and orange. And he undoubtedly impressed.
This isn’t an overreaction to one Summer League performance. It’s simply a reaction, taking note of what I saw during his first minutes playing within the Suns organization.
There are certainly questions surrounding Peat’s ability to shoot, seeing as he didn’t do much of it during his time at Arizona. What was it? 20 total three-point attempts in college, accounting for just 5.3% of his total shot diet? That being said, the Wildcats’ offense wasn’t built around shooting threes. Arizona ranked 316th in total three-point attempts in college basketball last season. NAU had more than the 625 U of A took.
On Friday night, the trend continued. We didn’t see Peat shoot much, and he didn’t attempt a three-pointer. What we did see, however, was a player who possesses confidence with the ball in his hands, driving toward the basket and embracing the role of the aggressor. That’s what stood out to me the most. Peat wanted the ball, and when he got it, he looked to force the action.
A season ago, we watched Khaman Maluach and Rasheer Fleming make their Summer League debuts in Las Vegas, and I think it’s safe to say that Peat displayed more confidence than either player did in their first appearance. That’s not a criticism of Maluach or Fleming. It’s simply an observation of how comfortable Peat looked from the moment he stepped onto the floor. He wanted the ball in his hands. And when he had it, he had one goal in mind: put it in the basket.
#30 overall pick Koa Peat SHINED in his NBA Summer League debut!
And put it in the basket he did. Peat finished with 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting, with six of those points coming at the free throw line. Granted, he made 3-of-5 free throws, but they counted for six points because that’s the Summer League rule. Outside of the final two minutes of the fourth quarter, players take one free throw worth two points. It’s something I’m not necessarily a fan of, but I don’t mind the NBA experimenting with it.
That’s where Peat really shined. His ability inside 15 feet to attack defenders and initiate contact was impressive, and the fact that he finished through that contact on multiple occasions stood out even more.
Koa Peat’s ability to attack has been impressive. Get him inside 15 feet and he’s coming downhill with purpose, using his strength to create contact and draw fouls
I find it difficult to think of a Suns player in recent years who consistently initiated contact and finished through it the way Peat did Friday night. To see a 19-year-old already possess that ability as a weapon in his arsenal is encouraging, and it’s something that could pay dividends for the organization down the line.
Another part of Peat’s aggression was the fact that he finished with eight fouls, and I didn’t mind that at all. Being aggressive and physical is part of the overarching identity the Phoenix Suns are trying to establish, and seeing him bring that same mentality to the defensive end is something I appreciated. Does it need to be refined? Absolutely. Controlled aggression is the goal. You don’t get 8 fouls in the NBA or the G League. You get the bench. But I’d much rather see that than a tentative player, and Peat certainly wasn’t.
He finished with both his left and right hands, while also showing the ability to knock down jumpers. Nothing came from outside 15 feet, but that’s consistent with what we saw from him at the University of Arizona. Time and again, when the Wildcats needed a basket, Koa Peat would drive into the paint and create an opportunity for himself to score. It’s part of the reason he was named to the All-Big 12 Third Team and named to the West All-Region Team in the NCAA Tournament.
Koa Peat’s Shot Chart at the University of Arizona | DraftBallr.com
Are there holes in his game? Absolutely. But the fact that he’s only 19 years old and displayed the confidence he did in his professional debut is something I don’t take for granted. He’s somebody who can use Summer League as an opportunity to get reps, gain experience, and begin understanding what it takes to play at this level. He’ll most likely spend a significant portion of next season with the Valley Suns in the G League, and I think that’s fantastic for his development.
Peat plays with a physical edge that can’t be taught. It’s great to see somebody like that enter this organization because it further fortifies the identity the Suns are trying to build. It also showcases that Brian Gregory is clearly identifying a specific type of player he wants to bring into the building. Those players? Pardon my vulgarity, but assholes. Motherfuckers. Guys who are here to fuck shit up. And I’m all for that.
One Summer League game doesn’t tell us what Koa Peat will become. It did tell us something about who he already is. He’s physical, confident, aggressive, and completely comfortable creating chaos. The shooting needs development. The fouls need refinement. And that’s what the G League and time are for. Phoenix drafted a 19-year-old who already plays with an edge this organization is actively seeking. Now comes the fun part: seeing what they can turn him into.
Jul 13, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Journalists Robert Flores and Greer Howard host the MLB Draft at The Coca-Cola Roxy. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
I’ve done my best this year to avoid many Pitching write ups. After the team went kind of pitching nuts last year, I figured they’d probably filled the cupboard and may focus elsewhere. However, top draft prospect lists right now are jam packed with Pitching in the 25-50 range in their prospect lists. So TINSTAPP be damned, you can never have enough Pitching, and here’s a few interesting arms I haven’t already written about (I already did a very cursory overview of Jared Grindlinger since I suspect he’ll just play OF and a full writeup of Hunter Dietz). These writeups will all be pretty shallow, but enough to get a sense of the player’s potential and issues.
Logan Schmidt, LHP – Ganesha HS, Pomona, CA
Logan is a 6’4” 215 lbs 17 year old (he’ll be 18 within a month of the draft) with a commitment to LSU. He’s the 21st ranked player on BA’s draft board, but they mocked him to the Phillies in their most recent staff draft. I had no intention of writing him before that mock draft. Schmidt is the 3rd 2027 draft reclass I’ve written up this cycle. I’d be shocked and thrilled if he got to 36. He has a Plus or better 4-seam Fastball that he works in the 92-96 MPH range and got up to 98 early this Spring with good arm side run. His best secondary offering is a breaking ball some call a Curve, some call a slider. It has great spin and late tail action and works well off his Fastball. He throws from a 3/4 slot that may also lend itself to a Sweeper down the line. Like most Prep pitchers he has a Changeup that needs work, but it’s more advanced than most as he throws it with similar arm speed and release to his Fastball. There’s something almost old-timey about his pretty relaxed looking delivery below.
Brody Bumila, LHP – Bishop Feehan HS, Attleboro, MA
Arguably the draft’s biggest payout lottery ticket, Brody is a 6’9”, 245 lbs 18 year old with a commitment to Texas. Bumila doesn’t just throw cheese, he throws extra spicy pepper jack. He throws it 96-99 mph with top speeds of 101 mph this year. He gets good arm side run and extension, so the ball appears even faster to hitters with his length and release point. He also works inside, which has to have a bit of that Kruk vs. Randy Johnson feel for the hitters. So why is this kind of flamethrower available this low? Well, his Slider is almost non-existent and his Chaangeup is good and could be a plus pitch, but needs development. However, it’s mostly because he needed left elbow surgery last year and missed all of 2025. As with all very tall pitchers his control is also a question mark. It projects as average, but even slight degrees of deviation in arm action play way up when your levers are this long. The below video is basically the entire game, both Offense and Defense, so you’ll have to jump around to see his stuff, which is almost exclusively the Fastball. This pick would also mean the Phillies somehow beat all 3 other franchises for drafting the largest human in the first round this year, barely beating out the Flyers.
Logan Reddemann, RHP – UCLA
I’m loading up and Logans and Lefties a bit this write-up with 2 of each. This Logan is a 6’2” 185 lbs 21 year old who is almost the exact opposite of Brody above. As one of the possibly safer, low ceiling picks of the draft. He’s a control first starter with a collection of 5 average to above average pitches. His Fastball generally sits 94-96 mph and can pull back for an occasional 98 or 99 mph. He locates it very well and can move it around the plate with equal success. His changeup may be his best pitch. He mixes in a Cutter, Slider/Sweeper, and a 12-6 Curveball. None are strike-out pitches, but all can mix in effectively, Logan would likely move quickly into an MLB rotation as a 3rd or 4th Starter and stay there for years. There’s no Ace ceiling and probably a low-ish risk of Bullpen roles. He is what he is, and can probably carve out a mid-rotation career if he stays healthy. He works quick.
Carson Bolemon, LHP – Southside Christian HS, Simpsonville, SC
Bolemon is a 6’4”, 210 lbs 19 year old with a commitment to Wake Forest. The Phillies have drafted a lot of “old for their class” prep players the last several years (Matthew Fisher last year, Aiden Miller to name just 2) and Bolemon is on the older for his class side. He’s kind of a perfect mix of the last 2 profiles here: Reddemann’s control and broad pitch mix with a little bit more height and a history of the same pitching arm surgery as Bumila. There are some screaming red flags here that may send Boleman on to Winston-Salem for College. Along with the history of pitching elbow surgery, you also have a 2-3 mph loss in Fastball velocity. If healthy, the 89-93 mph Fastball pairs up well with both a potentially plus Curve and Slider, which play well off eachother. His Changeup is clearly his 4th best pitch but should end up an average offering. Without further velocity the ceiling is probably a #3/4 Starter. If he builds up to get back those 2-3 mph he seems to have lost, there could be a number 2 Starter profile in here.
Jensen Hirshkorn, RHP – Kingsburg (Calif.) HS
Another massive Prep arm, Jensen is 6’7”, 205 lbs 18 year old with a commitment to LSU. Hirshkorn is also a starter on his High School baseball team and rolled straight into his baseball season from that. Sometimes with multi-sport athletes you can see a bigger jump in stuff once they focus on one sport professionally (all kids who want to should play multiple sports, I think that’s beyond invaluable). That is something to keep in mind here as Hirschkorn’s 4-seam Fastball sat 90-93, which is solid average. He pairs it with a 2-seamer, a Slider that’s currently his knee buckling best pitch with high spin and bite and a Changeup that flashes plus. I think there’s enough here you can dream on a top of the rotation ceiling if we see the growth I mentioned earlier. Without that, I think you’ve got mid-rotation potential or a Slider/Fastball reliever.