DiamondCentric

The 2026 Bryse Wilson tour is making a stop in Milwaukee. The right-handed reliever signed a major-league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday. Left-handed reliever Drew Rom was optioned to Triple-A Nashville and right-handed reliever Easton McGee was designated for assignment. Not only is Wilson back with the Brewers for a second time in his career, but Milwaukee marks his third team in the past three weeks. Wilson was designated for assignment by the Philadelphia Phillies on June 22, then claimed off waivers by the Chicago Cubs two days later. The Cubs then DFA'd Wilson on Saturday and he went unclaimed and chose to become a free agent. Now he is with the Brewers, the team he pitched for in the 2023 and 2024 seasons. As a former starter, Wilson provides length out of the bullpen. He has made just three relief appearances in the majors since being called up by the Phillies on June 18 after he triggered an upward-mobility clause in his contract. Wilson has pitched 9⅔ innings, allowing seven runs on 13 hits with two walks and eight strikeouts. No doubt he is looking to rediscover the magic he found with the Brewers, when he made 87 appearances (nine starts) over 181⅓ innings, posting a 4.68 FIP (3.42 ERA) with a 7% walk rate and 18.9% strikeout rate. Rom made five appearances with the Crew, going 5⅔ innings, walking four (14.8%) and striking out 11 (40.7%). McGee was on the verge of making the Brewers' Opening Day roster when they acquired Jake Woodford in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays. Instead, McGee was optioned to Triple-A, where he has spent most of the season. He was called up twice and made two appearances, allowing no runs on one hit with one walk and one strikeout. View the full article

Kazuma Okamoto is not only the lone Toronto Blue Jay with at least 10 homers this season, but he’s clear of 20 home runs, and he just ripped his first career grand slam in MLB. Let’s break down the science behind his power and how sustainable his pace is in Toronto. Kazuma Okamoto's Background and Skill Set Okamoto is a 30-year-old third baseman who is on pace for nearly 40 homers in his first taste of big league action. He leads the Blue Jays in a variety of slugging-related categories, and his 21 long balls are 12 clear of any other Jays player with a couple of months to go in the season. While having a 6-foot-1, 220-pound frame certainly helps with power generation, there’s plenty more to the Japanese superstar’s power surge. Quality of Contact Unless somebody plays in a very hitter-friendly ballpark, quality of contact is a prerequisite to putting up the stat line Okamoto has through his first 90 MLB games. In his case, everything starts with bat speed. Okamoto’s 73.2 mph average bat speed is well above the league average, slotting him in the 64th percentile among big league hitters (per Baseball Savant). That bat speed has helped Okamoto in a variety of categories, but essentially any stat implying that he’s piecing up a baseball is lighting up for the 30-year-old rookie. Okamoto is thriving partially thanks to a 14.3 percent barrel percentage (87th percentile), 47.5 percent hard-hit rate (82nd percentile) and 91.3 mph average exit velocity (83rd percentile). Exit velocity dictates a ton, and combining that with a 16.6 degree average launch angle has helped the Jays’ third baseman put on a remarkable power display in his first big league season. Pitch Type Tendencies Okamoto has primarily succeeded against the four-seam fastball, logging his best batting average (.298) against any pitch that he’s seen at least 50 times. The cutter, which he’s seen 150 times, has been his kryptonite, as the Japanese corner infielder has managed just one hit over 21 plate appearances ending in a cutter, with a 46.0 percent whiff rate. Changeups and curveballs have also given him fits, as he’s hitting just .182 and .167 against each of those offspeed offerings. Fluctuating Bat-to-Ball Skills While the Jays’ thrasher has had his fair share of extra-base hits (32 through 90 games, to be exact), his plate approach has its holes, to say the very least. His 8.9 percent walk rate (48th percentile) isn’t too poor, and he isn’t chasing very often, just 26.3 percent of the time (70th percentile), yet the 30-year-old has abysmal strikeout numbers. He is punching out 30.9 percent of the time (10th percentile), primarily due to a 33.6 percent whiff rate (8th percentile). The good news is that he isn’t chasing; now it’s just about hitting in-zone offspeed pitches at a higher clip. Is Kazuma Okamoto's Success Sustainable? This is year one, but as opposing teams get more domestic film on Okamoto, the question becomes whether or not he can keep performances like this up. If his plate discipline were poor, it’d be one argument against him, but Okamoto isn’t venturing out of the zone a ton. As he sees more breaking balls in the zone, and attacks them, the hand-eye coordination and muscle memory should soon join an already mature approach at the dish. The bat speed, hard-hit rate and correct habits are all in place for him to be an everyday masher for years to come. View the full article

The Twins have optioned outfielder Kyler Fedko to Triple-A after Thursday's loss against Cleveland. This likely makes room for Ryan Jeffers to return from the injured list in the upcoming series against the Angels. Fedko was on the major league roster for about three weeks, where he played in 14 games, going 0-16 with eight strikeouts. His first major league hit will have to wait, as he will be back with Triple-A St. Paul this weekend. He was mostly used as a pinch runner and defensive replacement in his appearances with the Twins. View the full article

Randy Holt and Steve Drumwright look back at a terrible series against the Dodgers that ended on a good note, then at what happened in the Diamondbacks series, which started on a sour note but recovered. Then Randy and Steve discuss the state of the Padres' season and whether it is over or if there is still some hope entering this weekend's series against the Blue Jays. And if it is over, who are the likely trade candidates? In the minors, Ethan Salas and Kash Mayfield will play in the Futures Game on Sunday, while more prospects are incoming with the MLB Draft this weekend before the All-Star break hits. Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/padres-mission-podcast/id1896922834 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033xclmydmbLmEp0exYuYz Listen on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1333-padres-mission-podcast-336930560 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@padresmission View the full article

Boston Red Sox Affiliate Recap Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Season Record: 44-42 A couple of big innings from Worcester gave them eight runs, as the pitching staff just held on to an 8-7 final score against the Red Wings. Worcester did all its scoring in a two-inning burst: a five-run third followed by a three-run fourth to go up 8-1. Andrew Knizner had a 1-for-4 day while delivering a clutch hit in the third inning, clearing the bases with a double and getting gunned out at third base trying to stretch a triple. Nick Sogard was the catalyst, going 2-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and a walk out of the two-hole, including a two-run ground-rule double in the fourth that extended Worcester’s lead to 7-1. Tyler McDonough added a 2-for-3, two-run afternoon at the bottom of the order. The lineup racked up nine hits, with Braiden Ward, Mickey Gasper, and Max Ferguson each tallying singles and scoring. It was a bullpen game for Worcester that got tense late. Osvaldo Berrios was solid in his three-inning start, only giving up one run. Tyler Uberstine settled things down while earning the win (1-0), spinning three innings of one-run ball with three strikeouts. The back end of the bullpen wobbled; Tyler Samaniego gave up two in the seventh, and Alec Gamboa surrendered a run in the eighth as Rochester clawed back with one in the sixth, two in the seventh, and three in the eighth to make it 8-7. But Gamboa ended the game in the ninth unscathed to preserve the one-run win. Standout Performances: Nick Sogard: 2-for-3, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB Andrew Knizner: 1-for-4, 2B, 3 RBI Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Season Record: 44-39 The Sea Dogs made a brief comeback but fell apart, getting blown out 15-8 against the Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays). Portland smacked three homers and put up eight runs, but it was nowhere near enough due to the pitching staff struggling. Nate Baez had a big day, going 1-for-3 with a three-run homer. Brooks Brannon put together a 2-for-3 game, including a two-run shot as part of a 2-for-4, two-RBI, two-run game, and Franklin Arias also went deep late in the game (his 18th of the season). Johanfran Garcia stayed productive with a 2-for-4 day with an RBI. Caden Rose chipped in with an RBI double. The Sea Dogs answered New Hampshire's early 4-0 lead with a run in the second (Garcia RBI single), three in the fourth (Brannon two-run homer, Rose RBI double) and three in the fifth (Baez three-run homer) to briefly claw within striking distance 7-9; unfortunately, it all fell apart right after. The pitching is where this one got away. After being ranked the best pitcher for Talk Sox in the Red Sox farm system in June, starter Gage Ziehl took the loss and got hammered, allowing eight earned runs on seven hits over three innings, including the Fisher Cats' four-run first and part of their five-run fourth. Reidis Sena couldn't stop the bleeding either, charged with five runs (though none earned, thanks to Portland’s defense) over 2 ⅓. New Hampshire piled on six more in the eighth to blow it open, finishing with 15 runs on 16 hits. Standout Performances: Brooks Brannon: 2-for-4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI Nate Baez: 1-for-3, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI High-A Greenville Drive Season Record: 33-48 The Drive held onto a late lead against the Grasshoppers, ending the game 5-4 The power carried Greenville, with three players going deep: Stanley Tucker's hit was the biggest, clobbering a two-run homer that gave the Drive a 4-2 lead in the seventh. Antonio Anderson and Justin Gonzales also cleared the fence in the third inning. Greenville scattered eight hits, one coming from eight different hitters with plenty of extra-base pop; Isaiah Jackson, Yoeilin Cespedes and Gerardo Rodriguez each doubled. Greenville built its runs in chunks: two in the third, two in the seventh and one in the eighth to stay a step ahead. It was a clean game on the mound for Greenville. Joe Vogatsky started the game and threw a solid 3 ⅓ innings and six strikeouts while allowing two runs. Calvin Bickerstaff earned the win with 4 ⅓ strong innings, allowing one hit with an earned run while striking out five and walking no one. Steven Brooks closed it out for his sixth save, working a 1 ⅓ inning finish. The staff combined for an astonishing 12 strikeouts and zero walks, a big reason the Drive survived despite Greensboro's late push. Standout Performances: Calvin Bickerstaff: 4 ⅓ IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 5 K Stanley Tucker: 1-for-4, HR, R, 2 RBI Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Season Record: 34-49 The RidgeYaks suffered a tough 5-10 defeat to the Columbia Fireflies. Salem struggled to bring in runs with runners in scoring position, going 1-for-12. The RidgeYaks' bats were busy, but they were not efficient; 10 hits and 11 runners were left on base. Adonys Guzman provided the pop, going 2-for-4 with a home run and an RBI single. Skylar King set the table with a hit, a walk, and two runs at leadoff. D'Angelo Ortiz and Avinson Pinto each collected two hits as well, while Ilan Fernandez collected a double. Salem made it interesting with a run in the first, two in the third, and one in the fifth, but the pitching staff fell apart. The RidgeYaks brought in a run in the eighth with an RBI groundout, but that was never going to be enough. The pitching is what unraveled. Jacob Mayers started on the mound and took the loss, getting charged with four earned runs over 3 ⅔ innings with five strikeouts. The middle innings blew it open: Brady Tygart was tagged for five runs (four earned) on five hits and four walks in just two innings. The staff issued nine walks on the night, and the two errors did not help. View the full article

The Miami Marlins have the 14th overall pick in the first round of the 2026 MLB Draft, being held in Philadelphia on Saturday afternoon. This year, it seems like everything is on the table for the Marlins. I could see them grabbing a college bat/pitcher, but there could be some elite high school available in that range as well. It has become clearer which prospects are likely to be off the board by the time the Fish are on the clock. Let's focus on my top five realistically available options. 1. 2B Chris Hacopian Personally, I believe the Marlins are more likely than not to draft a collegiate hitter with their first pick. With that said, I think Chris Hacopian would be an excellent choice. Chris Hacopian is a 6’1”, 210-pound middle infielder who played at Texas A&M University. While he started his collegiate career at Maryland, Hacopian had a strong 2026 season in the SEC against some of the best pitchers in the country. During his collegiate career, Hacopian had a .339/.449/.604 career slash line. In the 2026 season, Hacopian slashed .319/.405/.578 with 53 hits, ten doubles, eleven home runs, 41 RBIs, 25 walks, and a .983 OPS. Hacopian is one of the best pure hitters in this draft class. He has an advanced plate approach and discipline. His in-zone contact rate was one of the best in college baseball. Hacopian has above-average power potential that he could tap into. On the downside, he’s not a shortstop at the next level. I think he’s a good defensive second baseman and could even play some third base if necessary. 2. LHP Gio Rojas My top high school prospect for the Marlins with the 14th overall pick is left-handed pitcher Gio Rojas. The Broward County native would be an excellent addition to Miami’s farm system since he already possesses two plus pitches with above-average control. Gio Rojas is a 6’4”, 195-pound left-handed pitcher who played at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Rojas comes from a high school that has produced excellent MLB players like Anthony Rizzo, Roman Anthony, Jesús Luzardo, and others. On Perfect Game, Rojas is the third-ranked prospect and the #1 left-handed pitcher in the country. He was named a Perfect Game All-American and signed to play college baseball at the University of Miami. On the mound, Rojas possesses a three-pitch mix including his fastball, slider, and changeup. His fastball sits 92-95 mph and tops out at 98 mph with outstanding RPMs. His slider moves more like a sweeper and sits in the low-80s with spin rates in the 2,600-2,800 rpm range. As for his changeup, he doesn’t throw it often, but has a solid feel for it and will mostly use it against right-handed batters. 3. OF AJ Gracia Another collegiate option for the Marlins with the 14th pick is junior outfielder AJ Gracia, a pure hitter with more power compared to Hacopian. AJ Gracia is a 6’3”, 195-pound outfielder out of the University of Virginia. Gracia spent his first two seasons at Duke before transferring to Virginia with his old head coach. He would continue to produce at a high level for the Cavaliers. In his collegiate career, Gracia has a .317/.459/.583 career slash line. During his only season at Virginia, Gracia slashed .354/.489/.632 with 75 hits, fifteen doubles, fourteen home runs, 48 RBIs, 47 walks, and a 1.121 OPS. Gracia’s offensive profile is what grabs a lot of scouts’ attention. He has a very smooth left-handed swing with plenty of power potential. His plate discipline is very advanced, and he naturally lifts the ball with backspin. He projects as a corner outfielder in pro ball. 4. 3B Ace Reese Another SEC hitter who’s high on my preference list is junior third baseman Ace Reese. The left-handed-hitting corner infielder is one of the top power bats in this draft class and could be an excellent pick for the Fish. Ace Reese is a 6’4”, 220-pound third baseman who played at Mississippi State University. Reese started his collegiate career at the University of Houston but played his final two seasons with the Bulldogs. During his collegiate career, Reese had a .327/.419/.665 career slash line. In the 2026 season, Reese slashed .336/.432/.721 with 83 hits, 23 doubles, 24 home runs, 74 RBIs, 41 walks, and a 1.152 OPS. He was a consensus unanimous All-American. At the plate, Reese has a 60-grade power tool. Reese has already filled out his frame and is a well-put-together prospect. His offensive profile is more power-over-hit. He does have a chase issue, especially against breaking pitches. Defensively, it’s unlikely he sticks at third base. Reese is more than likely to play first base or left field in pro ball. 5. 3B Bo Lowrance The final draft prospect I have on my Marlins big board is South Carolina high school infielder Bo Lowrance. The Palmetto State infielder has been one of the biggest risers in this draft class. Lowrance is a 6’5”, 200-pound corner infielder who played at ***** Church Episcopal High School in Greenville, South Carolina. Lowrance is one of the most well-rounded high school prospects in the class. On Perfect Game, Lowrance is the 25th-ranked prospect and the second-ranked third baseman in the country. He’s also the 21st-ranked draft prospect on MLB Pipeline. Lowrance is signed to play college baseball at the University of Virginia. Lowrance has the tools and potential to be a very solid prospect for the Marlins organization. He has quality bat-to-ball skills, especially against tough competition. He will add more power to his game as he fills out his large frame. He’s a good defensive third baseman with a strong arm. However, he could outgrow that position and transition to right field eventually. View the full article

Chicago Cubs Transactions No Roster Moves Bethancourt Homers Twice, Long Goes 5-For-5 As Iowa Pounds Saints 21-7 The Iowa Cubs collected 24 hits and buried the St. Paul Saints 21-7, breaking the game open with a six-run fourth inning and piling on nine more in the eighth. Trailing 2-1 in the fourth, Christian Bethancourt tied it with a solo home run. Scott Kingery followed with a solo shot of his own, Jonathon Long added an RBI single, Owen Miller drove in a run with a double, and Moisés Ballesteros capped the inning with a two-run double for a 7-2 lead. The eighth was even bigger. Brett Bateman doubled home Bethancourt, BJ Murray and Miller added run-scoring hits, Ballesteros lined a two-run single, James Triantos singled in another run, and Bethancourt finished the nine-run frame with a three-run homer to center. Long finished 5-for-5 with a home run, two doubles, a walk, five runs scored, and two RBIs. Bethancourt went 3-for-5 with two homers and five RBIs. Murray had three hits and three RBIs, Miller doubled twice, drove in three, and had some quick defensive work. Ballesteros drove in four, and Triantos went 3-for-5 with two RBIs. Starter Josh Fleming allowed two runs over four innings, walking two and striking out two. Corbin Martin earned the win, and Liam Hendriks worked a perfect inning with a strikeout. Player AB R H RBI BB K Brett Bateman 6 3 3 1 0 2 Jonathon Long 5 5 5 2 1 0 BJ Murray 5 3 3 3 1 0 Owen Miller 5 2 2 3 0 1 Moisés Ballesteros 5 2 2 4 1 1 Chas McCormick 6 1 2 0 0 2 James Triantos 5 1 3 2 1 1 Christian Bethancourt 5 3 3 5 1 0 Scott Kingery 6 1 1 1 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Josh Fleming 4 4 2 2 2 2 0 Corbin Martin 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 Aaron Bummer 1 2 2 2 0 1 0 Collin Snider 1 2 1 1 2 0 0 Liam Hendriks 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Antoine Kelly 1 2 1 1 1 1 0 Howard Homers, But Smokies Fall 11-2 To Biloxi The Knoxville Smokies managed just four hits and struck out 15 times in an 11-2 loss to the Biloxi Shuckers. Not much to say about the bats but the gloves had a few shining moments last night. Starter Nick Dean opened with 1 1/3 scoreless innings, walking one and striking out two. Kenyi Perez followed with 2 2/3 scoreless innings of his own, striking out three while working around three walks and three hits. The game unraveled from there. Yenrri Rojas was charged with four runs over 1 2/3 innings, walking four, and took the loss. Tyler Santana allowed four more runs over two innings, and Frankie Scalzo Jr. gave up three runs in 1 1/3 innings to close it out. The Knoxville offense broke through in the sixth inning. Ariel Armas drew a walk, moved into scoring position, and came home on an Alex Ramírez single to center to make it 6-1. In the eighth, Ed Howard lined a solo home run to left center, his second of the season, for the final Knoxville run. Howard was the lone bright spot at the plate, finishing 2-for-3 with the homer. The rest of the lineup combined for two hits, with Owen Ayers, Edgar Alvarez, and Drew Bowser each striking out three times. Jefferson Rojas went 0-for-3 with a walk. Player AB R H RBI BB K Alex Ramírez 4 0 1 1 0 0 Jefferson Rojas 3 0 0 0 1 0 Owen Ayers 4 0 0 0 0 3 Carter Trice 3 0 0 0 1 2 Edgar Alvarez 4 0 0 0 0 3 Karson Simas 4 0 1 0 0 2 Drew Bowser 4 0 0 0 0 3 Ariel Armas 2 1 0 0 1 1 Ed Howard 3 1 2 1 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Nick Dean 1 1/3 0 0 0 1 2 0 Kenyi Perez 2 2/3 3 0 0 3 3 0 Yenrri Rojas 1 2/3 1 4 4 4 4 0 Tyler Santana 2 3 4 4 4 3 1 Frankie Scalzo Jr. 1 1/3 5 3 3 2 1 1 Halbach's Three Hits, Five-Run Ninth Carry South Bend Past Cedar Rapids 9-1 The South Bend Cubs broke open a close game with a five-run ninth inning and beat the Cedar Rapids Kernels 9-1 behind a strong night of pitching. Starter Kevin Valdez allowed one run over four innings, walking one and striking out three. The bullpen did not allow a run behind him. Luis Rujano earned the win with two scoreless innings and two strikeouts, Brayden Spears added two scoreless innings of his own, and Ethan Bell finished with a scoreless ninth. South Bend scored twice in the third. After Logan Poteet singled and walks to Michael Hallquist and Christian Olivo loaded the bases, Poteet scored on a wild pitch during Josiah Hartshorn's plate appearance, and Hallquist came home on a Jose Escobar sacrifice fly. In the fourth, Hallquist singled home Matt Halbach, and Hartshorn was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to make it 4-1. The ninth put it away. Hartshorn drove in Hallquist on a fielder's choice, Halbach followed with a two-run single, and two more runs scored on wild pitches to stretch the lead to 9-1. Halbach finished 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a stolen base. Hallquist went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI, a walk, and two runs scored, and Hartshorn drove in two runs. Defensively of note was Angel Cepeda's play in the 6th. Player AB R H RBI BB K Christian Olivo 4 1 1 0 1 1 Josiah Hartshorn 3 1 0 2 0 1 Jose Escobar 4 0 0 1 0 2 Angel Cepeda 4 1 0 0 1 0 Matt Halbach 5 2 3 2 0 0 Miguel Useche 4 1 2 0 0 2 Logan Poteet 5 1 1 0 0 3 Justin Stransky 4 0 0 0 0 1 Michael Hallquist 4 2 2 1 1 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Kevin Valdez 4 2 1 1 1 3 0 Luis Rujano 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 Brayden Spears 2 1 0 0 0 2 0 Ethan Bell 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Pelicans Strand 10, Drop 6-3 Decision To Fredericksburg The Myrtle Beach Pelicans out-hit the Fredericksburg Nationals but left 10 runners on base in a 6-3 loss. Starter Emilio Ramos took the loss despite a solid outing, allowing one run over three innings with two walks and three strikeouts. Anhuar Garcia was tagged for four runs on four hits, including two home runs, over two innings, and the deficit grew to 5-0. Jordan Henriquez kept the Pelicans in it with three innings of one-run relief, striking out five, and Henry Cone struck out all three batters he faced in a perfect ninth. Myrtle Beach got on the board in the sixth. Alexey Lumpuy walked, and when Derniche Valdez lined a double to center, Lumpuy came around to score on a fielding error by the center fielder. Eli Lovich followed with an RBI double to left, cutting the deficit to 5-2. In the eighth, Valdez singled, moved up on a Lovich single, and scored on a wild pitch during Jairo Diaz's walk. Valdez finished 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. Lovich went 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI, a walk, and a stolen base, and Ludwing Espinoza had three hits. Ethan Conrad went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts. Player AB R H RBI BB K Alexis Hernandez 5 0 1 0 0 0 Ludwing Espinoza 5 0 3 0 0 1 Ethan Conrad 5 0 0 0 0 2 Alexey Lumpuy 4 1 1 0 1 2 Derniche Valdez 4 2 2 0 0 1 Eli Lovich 3 0 2 1 1 0 Geuri Lubo 4 0 0 0 0 3 Jairo Diaz 3 0 0 0 1 3 Derik Alcantara 4 0 1 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Emilio Ramos 3 3 1 1 2 3 0 Anhuar Garcia 2 4 4 4 2 3 2 Jordan Henriquez 3 4 1 1 1 5 0 Henry Cone 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Jefferson Rojas: 0-for-3, BB Pedro Ramirez: DNP Jaxon Wiggins: DNP Josiah Hartshorn: 0-for-3, 2 RBI, K Kevin Alcantara: DNP Ethan Conrad: 0-for-5, 2 K Kane Kepley: DNP Owen Ayers: 0-for-4, 3 K Jonathon Long: 5-for-5, 2 2B, HR, 2 RBI, BB Kaleb Wing: DNP James Triantos: 3-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI, BB, K Brooks Caple: DNP Mason McGwire: DNP Ty Southisene: DNP Will Sanders: DNP Juan Cabada: DNP Eli Lovich: 2-for-3, 2B, RBI, BB, SB Ariel Armas: 0-for-2, BB, K Jostin Florentino: DNP Grant Kipp: DNP View the full article

Back in 2024, Dakota Hawkins started the first nine-inning no-hitter in Brooklyn Cyclones history. On Thursday, he was the Cyclones' starter again as the franchise made a run at no-no No. 2. Alas, he didn't become a part of history. Wilmington's Miguel Villaroel broke up the no-hitter with two outs in the ninth, lacing a triple to right-center field off Juan Arnaud. The Blue Rocks got a two-run single from Ronny Cruz two batters later to spoil Brooklyn's shutout bid. The Cyclones did manage to grab the win, 11-2. Hawkins had the Cyclones pursuing perfection before he handed the game over to the bullpen. He retired all 18 batters he faced, striking out five. One of the outs came on a nifty fielding play by the right-hander. The Ponies added an insurance run in the seventh. Chris Suero hit his second double of the game and Jose Ramos drove him in with a single. Gordon finished one out shy of a quality start. He allowed three runs and seven hits over 5 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out five. Brian Metoyer recorded a hold with 1 1/3 scoreless innings, Justin Armbruester struck out all three batters he faced in the eighth, Saul Garcia closed out the win with a scoreless ninth. Player AB R H RBI BB K Chris Suero 5 1 2 0 0 1 Jose Ramos 3 1 1 1 1 0 Nick Lorusso 4 1 1 0 0 2 Kevin Parada 4 1 1 1 0 1 Matt Rudick 4 2 2 3 0 0 Nick Lucky 4 1 1 0 0 2 Kevin Villavicencio 4 0 1 1 0 1 Jaylen Palmer 4 0 0 0 0 3 Nick Roselli 4 0 1 1 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR R.J. Gordon (W, 1-5) 5 2/3 7 3 3 2 5 0 Brian Metoyer (H, 4) 1 1/3 1 0 0 1 2 0 Justin Armbruester 1 1 0 0 0 3 0 Saul Garcia 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Cyclones Give Hawkins Loads Of Support Brooklyn hitters made Hawkins' night a lot easier as they staked him to a 4-0 lead in the first. John Bay popped a three-run shot with one out to open the scoring. The next batter, Daiverson Gutierrez, followed with a solo shot. Gutierrez finished 3-for-3 with three RBIs. Mitch Voit had a huge night at the plate from the leadoff spot. He reached base in all five of his plate appearances with two hits, a walk and a hit by pitch, drove in three runs, and stole three bases. The No. 7 prospect on Grand Central Mets' Top-20 list is now up to 30 steals for the season. He's also sporting a .777 OPS. Player AB R H RBI BB K Mitch Voit 2 2 2 3 2 0 Yonatan Henriquez 4 1 1 0 1 2 JT Benson 5 1 1 0 0 1 John Bay 4 2 2 3 0 0 Daiverson Gutierrez 3 2 3 3 0 0 Yohairo Cuevas 4 1 1 0 0 2 Trace Willhoite 3 0 0 0 1 2 Colin Houck 4 1 0 1 0 2 Sam Biller 4 1 1 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Dakota Hawkins (W, 3-0) 6 0 0 0 0 5 0 Cristofer Gomez 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Ryan Dollar 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 Juan Arnaud 1 2 2 2 2 1 0 Jimenez Has Up-And-Down Day For St. Lucie First, the good from Antonio Jimenez: He hit his third home run in four games, a two-run shot in the third that put the Mets ahead, 2-1. He's 10-for-18 (.556) during his current four-game hitting streak. Now, the bad: He committed two throwing errors at third base. His first one came on a run-scoring fielder's choice in the bottom of the third. The misplay helped Jupiter put together a four-run inning and take the lead for good. A throwing error by Peña on a potential double play in the fourth brought in two more Jupiter runs. Christian Rodriguez started and took the loss, allowing five runs and eight hits over three innings. Jackson Hauge drove in the final St. Lucie run with a single in the fourth, scoring AJ Salgado. Peña, Branny De Oleo, and Francisco Toledo each collected two hits. Player AB R H RBI BB K Antonio Jimenez 5 1 1 2 0 1 Elian Peña 4 0 2 0 0 1 Trey Snyder 4 0 0 0 0 1 Julio Zayas 3 0 0 0 1 1 AJ Salgado 3 1 0 0 1 1 Branny De Oleo 4 0 2 0 0 1 Francisco Toledo 4 0 2 0 0 1 Jackson Hauge 4 0 1 1 0 2 Jack Scanlon 4 1 1 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Christian Rodriguez (L, 3-3) 3 8 5 5 0 5 1 Joe Scarborough 1 2/3 3 4 3 1 1 1 Caden Wooster 1 1/3 4 4 3 2 2 1 Luis Alvarez 1 1/3 2 2 0 3 3 0 Taylor Darden 2/3 0 0 0 0 0 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Jonah Tong: 5 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 8 K Jack Wenninger: DNP Ryan Clifford: 2-for-5, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, K Elian Pena: 2-for-4, K Nick Morabito: 2-for-4, RBI, BB, K Jacob Reimer: DNP Mitch Voit: 2-for-2, HR, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 3 SB Jonathan Santucci: DNP Zach Thornton: DNP Chris Suero: 2-for-5, 2 2B, SB, K Will Watson: DNP Wandy Asigen: DNP Eli Serrano III: DNP Randy Guzman: DNP Dylan Ross: DNP Ryan Lambert: DNP Antonio Jimenez: 1-for-5, HR, 2 RBI, K R.J. Gordon: 5 2/3 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K Jonathan Pintaro: DNP Marco Vargas: DNP View the full article

The guys are joined by Jamie Cameron of Destination: The Show to preview the 2026 MLB Draft before reacting to Brandon Woodruff's latest shoulder injury and successful stops in Arizona and St. Louis on the road trip. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-brewer-fanatic-podcast/id1740648724 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5CY8mWsQayqjDXqw9OT2Td iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-brewer-fanatic-podcast-166534588/ Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/ommzz627 Watch On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brewerfanatic View the full article

It feels like the writing is on the wall for Tristan Gray. When the Twins acquired Gray from the Red Sox this winter, the expectations weren't particularly high. He wasn't viewed as a player who was going to dramatically change the roster or suddenly become an everyday contributor. If everything broke right, the best-case scenario was probably that he'd earn an Opening Day roster spot as a depth infielder capable of filling in around the diamond. And that's exactly what happened. Not only did Gray make the Opening Day roster, but for a little while, it actually looked like the Twins may have stumbled onto a hidden gem. Through May 5 (albeit in a very small sample of just 61 plate appearances), Gray was hitting .273 with three home runs and a 112 wRC+. For a player who was expected to simply provide depth, that kind of production was more than enough to catch people's attention. It wasn't just the numbers, either. Gray delivered in several big moments early in the season, including a grand slam in the Twins' home opener that put the game on ice. He came through when the team needed him, and suddenly there was real excitement surrounding a player whom hardly anyone expected much from just a few weeks earlier. At the same time, Brooks Lee was enduring a miserable start to the season. With Lee struggling to find any consistency at the plate, there was a legitimate argument to be made that Gray had earned a larger role. In fact, for a brief stretch, there was a reasonable case that he should take over as the Twins' primary shortstop. It's funny how quickly things can change over the course of a baseball season. Since May 6, it's been almost nothing but downhill. Over that stretch, Gray is hitting just .202 with a .510 OPS. His wRC+ has plummeted from a comfortably above-average mark all the way to a dreadful 39, and the underlying numbers don't paint a much prettier picture, either. He's making very little hard contact, which makes it incredibly difficult to produce consistently even when he does put the ball in play. Unfortunately, he isn't putting the ball in play nearly enough. On the season, Gray owns a strikeout rate of 31.8%, an alarmingly high number that has made it nearly impossible for him to sustain any offensive success. He's not making enough contact, and when he does make contact, he's not doing enough damage with it. To make matters worse, he isn't offsetting those strikeouts by drawing walks, either. His on-base ability has been minimal, leaving him without another avenue to contribute offensively. Just to be blunt, there's really nothing Gray is doing particularly well at the plate right now. Unfortunately for both him and the Twins, the blemishes don't stop there. If Gray were providing elite defense, perhaps you could live with some of the offensive shortcomings. Plenty of utility infielders have carved out long major-league careers by providing defensive value despite light bats. That hasn't been the case here. Gray currently grades out at -5 runs, and he's shown very little range in the infield throughout the season. Too many balls that should be converted into outs have found their way through the infield. Despite not being an everyday player, Gray is tied for the most errors among all Twins fielders with eight. When you're struggling offensively and not providing much value defensively, it becomes incredibly difficult to justify a roster spot. At this point, nothing about Gray's profile suggests he's a major league-quality player. Luckily for him, though, baseball has a funny way of opening unexpected doors. For what feels like most of the season at this point, shortstop Kaelen Culpepper has looked like he was on the verge of receiving his first call to the major leagues. The Twins' No. 2 prospect has continued to impress at Triple-A, and many fans have been anxiously waiting for the organization to give him an opportunity. Culpepper's glute has had other plans, however. He already spent a couple of weeks on the injured list in June because of the issue, and earlier this week, he landed back on the IL after the injury flared up again. It's an unfortunate development all around. It's obviously not ideal for Culpepper, who now has to put his major-league debut on hold while he works his way back. It's not ideal for Twins fans who have been eager to see one of the organization's top prospects finally arrive in Minnesota. And, somewhat ironically, it's probably the best thing that could’ve happened to Tristan Gray. With Culpepper sidelined, the Twins probably have quite as much urgency to make a change at shortstop. Gray will likely stick around a little longer, simply because the player many expected to replace him isn't currently available. But if Gray plans to remain in the major leagues beyond Culpepper's return, things are going to have to change—and they'll have to change drastically. The Twins can only wait so long for his offense to rebound. They can only overlook so many strikeouts, so many weakly hit balls, and so many defensive mistakes before deciding they need a different option. For a brief moment earlier this season, Gray looked like one of the best stories on the roster. He exceeded expectations, delivered some memorable moments, and even forced his way into conversations about earning a larger role. But baseball seasons are long, and early-season success only buys you so much time. Eventually, you have to keep producing, and right now, Tristan Gray simply isn't. His roster spot has been given a temporary lifeline because of circumstances outside of his control, but temporary is the key word. You might be able to delay the inevitable, but you can't stop it. View the full article

While still jockeying for a spot in the postseason, the Chicago Cubs’ front office turns its attention to the amateur level this weekend for the MLB Draft. While none of the players selected this weekend are likely to impact the postseason push, the Cubs do recognize that they need to shore up the pitching in their system. Last year, the Cubs went with Wake Forest outfielder Ethan Conrad with the 17th overall pick. In 2024, they selected Florida State third baseman Cam Smith with the 14th pick, then traded him that December to the Houston Astros in the Kyle Tucker blockbuster. Right-hander Cade Horton was the last pitcher taken by the Cubs in the first round, picking him out of Oklahoma in 2022. The draft begins with the first four rounds Saturday, then finishing Sunday with Rounds 5 through 20. TV coverage begins at noon CT on NBC and Peacock, with it switching to MLB.com, MLB Network, MLB.tv and MLB+ at 1:30 p.m. Sunday’s telecast begins at 10:30 a.m. CT on MLB.com, MLB.tv and MLB+. The Cubs have the 23rd pick in the first round, with five picks total on the first day. The extra pick comes courtesy of Tucker signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers after receiving a qualifying offer, giving the Cubs the final pick of the second round at No. 75. The Cubs’ pool this year is $9,644,100. While there are slot values assigned to each pick in the first 10 rounds, teams can sign players for any amount as long as it fits into their pool. Deals are often made with certain players in order to redistribute money to another player. Teams can spend up to 5% more than their draft pool without incurring a penalty. The Cubs are one of three teams to surpass their bonus pool each of the 14 years under this system (the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants are the others). No team has ever spent more than 5% while this rule has been in place. Last year, 20 of 30 teams surpassed their bonus pool. Here are the slot values for each of the Cubs’’ picks: First round (23rd pick): $3,947,600 Second round (62nd): $1,487,200 Second round (comp., 75th): $1,120,900 Third round (98th): $800,000 Fourth round (126th): $609,200 Fifth round (159th): $441,300 Sixth round (188th): $344,400 Seventh round (217th): $272,000 Eighth round (247th): $224,100 Ninth round (277th): $204,100 10th round (307th): $193,300 Players drafted in the 11th through 20th rounds do not technically have a slot value, although they are soft-capped at $150,000 without counting toward the bonus pool. Any amount above $150,000 will go against the cap. That amount also applies to undrafted free agents. Teams have until July 27 at 4 p.m. CT to sign their draft picks. Who should the Cubs take with their top pick? View the full article

The Royals' system went 3-for-4 on Thursday. Carson Roccaforte homered and drove in three as Northwest Arkansas rolled, with Hunter Patteson earning the win over five innings. Blake Wolters picked up the win behind Quad Cities' 18-run outburst, powered by Blake Mitchell and Ramon Ramirez. Jose Gutierrez earned the win as Hyungchan Um drove in four runs for Columbia. Brett Squires homered, but Omaha fell at Louisville. Sam Kulasingam added a home run for Northwest Arkansas. Royals Transactions No Roster Moves Storm Chasers Rally Falls Short In 11-7 Loss At Louisville The Omaha Storm Chasers erased a four-run deficit with a five-run fourth inning, but the Louisville Bats regained the lead an inning later and pulled away for an 11-7 win on Thursday. Trailing 4-0 in the fourth, Omaha put together its biggest inning of the night. With one out, Vinnie Pasquantino singled, Matthew Lugo doubled, and Squires followed with a three-run home run, his 11th of the season, to pull the Storm Chasers within 4-3. Abraham Toro singled later in the inning, Elih Marrero doubled, and Andrew Velazquez drove both home with a two-run single, giving Omaha a 5-4 lead. The lead did not last. Louisville tied the game in the bottom of the fourth on a double, then scored three runs in the fifth on a forceout, a bases-loaded hit by pitch, and a sacrifice fly. The Bats added three more in the eighth on three consecutive run-scoring singles. Starter Ryan Ramsey struggled with his command, allowing five runs on three hits and five walks, with four strikeouts, over 3 1/3 innings. Oscar Rayo took the loss, allowing three runs in 2 2/3 innings. Squires finished 2-for-5 with three RBIs. Marrero went 2-for-5 with a double and drove in a run in the eighth, and Brandon Drury added an RBI single in the ninth. Omaha left 10 runners on base and went 5-for-15 with runners in scoring position. The Storm Chasers are now 38-51. Player AB R H RBI BB K Rudy Martin Jr. 4 0 2 0 1 1 Gavin Cross 5 0 2 0 0 0 Vinnie Pasquantino 5 1 2 0 0 2 Peyton Wilson 0 1 0 0 0 0 Matthew Lugo 3 1 1 0 2 1 Brett Squires 5 1 2 3 0 2 Abraham Toro 5 2 1 0 0 0 Brandon Drury 5 0 1 1 0 1 Elih Marrero 5 1 2 1 0 1 Andrew Velazquez 3 0 1 2 1 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Ryan Ramsey 3 1/3 3 5 5 5 4 0 Oscar Rayo 2 2/3 4 3 3 2 2 0 Andrew Pérez 2 5 3 3 1 4 0 Roccaforte's Three-Run Homer Powers Naturals Past Wichita, 13-6 The Northwest Arkansas Naturals jumped on the Wichita Wind Surge early and never trailed, rolling to a 13-6 win behind a five-run fourth inning on Thursday. Northwest Arkansas scored three times in the first. Roccaforte, the Royals' No. 8 prospect at Royals Keep, walked to open the game. Later, Sam Kulasingam doubled him home, Spencer Nivens singled in Kulasingam, and Daniel Vazquez, the Royals' No. 18 prospect, added an RBI single. Canyon Brown made it 4-0 with a solo home run in the second. The Naturals broke the game open in the fourth. Alberto Rodriguez doubled and scored on a double by Brown, a pitch hit Justin Johnson, and Roccaforte hit a three-run home run, his 17th of the season. Kulasingam followed two batters later with a solo homer, his seventh, to make it 9-1. Roccaforte finished 1-for-3 with three runs scored, three RBIs, two walks, and a stolen base. Kulasingam went 2-for-3 with two walks, and Brown went 3-for-5 with three runs scored and two stolen bases. Patteson earned the win, allowing two runs on five hits with three walks and three strikeouts over five innings. Frank Mozzicato allowed two runs in one inning of relief, and Augusto Mendieta threw two scoreless innings. The Naturals tacked on two in the sixth, when Brown came home on a catcher's error during a single by Jack Pineda, and Roccaforte scored on a sacrifice fly by Nivens. Jorge Alfaro tripled in a run in the ninth, and Vazquez singled him home. Northwest Arkansas left only four runners on base and went an eye-popping 8-for-10 with runners in scoring position. The Naturals improved to 34-48 after the victory, their second straight. Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Roccaforte 3 3 1 3 2 1 Jack Pineda 5 0 1 0 0 0 Sam Kulasingam 3 3 2 2 2 0 Spencer Nivens 4 1 1 2 0 0 Jorge Alfaro 5 1 1 1 0 2 Daniel Vazquez 5 0 2 2 0 1 Alberto Rodriguez 5 1 1 0 0 3 Canyon Brown 5 3 3 2 0 0 Justin Johnson 3 1 0 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Hunter Patteson 5 5 2 2 3 3 1 Frank Mozzicato 1 4 2 2 1 1 1 Augusto Mendieta 2 1 0 0 1 2 0 Dennis Colleran Jr. 1 2 2 2 2 1 0 River Bandits Pile Up 18 Runs And 19 Hits In Rout Of Peoria The Quad Cities River Bandits collected 19 hits, scored in six different innings, and beat the Peoria Chiefs 18-8 on Thursday. Quad Cities led 3-2 before breaking the game open with five runs in the fourth. Jose Cerice singled, Erick Torres doubled, and Angel Acosta was hit by a pitch, which loaded the bases. Diego Guzman cleared two runners with a double, Asbel Gonzalez, the Royals' No. 9 prospect, singled in Acosta, and Guzman scored on a wild pitch during Mitchell's walk. Ramirez, the Royals' No. 6 prospect, capped the inning with an RBI groundout, making it 8-2. The River Bandits added five more in the seventh. Gonzalez tripled and scored on a single by Nolan Sailors, Ramirez hit a two-run home run, his 11th of the season, and Acosta lined a two-run single. Mitchell, the Royals' No. 4 prospect, hit a two-run homer in the eighth, his 16th of the season, and finished 2-for-4 with a double, two walks, and three runs scored. Sailors went 3-for-5 with a triple and four runs scored, Gonzalez went 3-for-6 with a triple and a stolen base, and Ramirez drove in four runs. Every River Bandits starter recorded at least one hit. Wolters, the Royals' No. 15 prospect, earned his first High-A win of the season, allowing four runs on seven hits with two walks and five strikeouts over five innings. Jordan Woods allowed four runs, three earned, over three innings, and Yimi Presinal threw a scoreless ninth. The River Bandits stranded 12 runners and went 8-for-23 with runners in scoring position. The win was the seventh in a row for Quad Cities, and they are back to .500 at 40-40. Player AB R H RBI BB K Asbel Gonzalez 6 3 3 1 0 0 Nolan Sailors 5 4 3 2 1 0 Blake Mitchell 4 3 2 2 2 1 Ramon Ramirez 5 1 1 4 1 1 Derlin Figueroa 4 2 2 2 1 2 Jose Cerice 4 2 2 1 2 1 Erick Torres 5 1 3 0 1 1 Angel Acosta 5 1 2 3 0 0 Diego Guzman 6 1 1 2 0 3 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Blake Wolters 5 7 4 4 2 5 1 Jordan Woods 3 4 4 3 2 3 1 Yimi Presinal 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Um Drives In Four As Fireflies Top Salem, 10-5 Um drove in four runs, and Roni Cabrera hit a three-run home run as the Columbia Fireflies beat the Salem Ridge Yaks 10-5 on Thursday. Columbia trailed 3-2 in the fourth when it took the lead for good. JC Vanek was hit by a pitch, and 10th-ranked Royals prospect Yandel Ricardo walked before Cabrera hit a three-run home run, his sixth of the season, to put the Fireflies ahead 5-3. The Fireflies added four more in the fifth. Sean Gamble, the Royals' No. 5 prospect, walked, Josh Hammond, the Royals' No. 3 prospect, singled, and Ricardo drew a two-out walk to load the bases. Um followed with a single to left that scored all three runners, and Um came around to score on a throwing error during Cabrera's single, making it 9-4. Um added an RBI single in the seventh, bringing home Ricardo. Ricardo walked three times, stole a base, and scored three runs despite going hitless. Leadoff man Henry Ramos went 3-for-4 with two doubles, and Vanek hit a solo home run in the first, his eighth of the season, after Hammond's RBI groundout opened the scoring for Columbia. Gutierrez earned the win, allowing four runs, two earned, on six hits with three walks and three strikeouts over five innings. Two of those runs scored on a third-inning throwing error. Randy Ramnarace struck out three over two scoreless innings, and Yeri Pérez allowed one run over the final two innings. The Fireflies stranded four runners and went 4-for-8 with runners in scoring position. The win propelled Columbia back to .500, bringing them to 42-42 this season. Player AB R H RBI BB K Henry Ramos 4 1 3 0 1 0 Sean Gamble 2 1 0 0 2 0 Josh Hammond 4 1 1 1 0 1 JC Vanek 2 2 1 1 1 1 Yandel Ricardo 1 3 0 0 3 1 Hyungchan Um 4 1 2 4 0 2 Roni Cabrera 4 1 2 3 0 1 Jhosmmel Zue 3 0 0 0 1 1 Ivan Sosa 3 0 0 0 1 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jose Gutierrez 5 6 4 2 3 3 1 Randy Ramnarace 2 3 0 0 0 3 0 Yeri Pérez 2 Pérez 2 1 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: DNP David Shields: DNP Josh Hammond: 1-for-4, RBI, K Blake Mitchell: 2-for-4, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB, K Sean Gamble: 0-for-2, 2 BB, SB Ramon Ramirez: 1-for-5, HR, 4 RBI, BB, K Drew Beam: DNP Carson Roccaforte: 1-for-3, HR, 3 RBI, 2 BB, K, SB Asbel Gonzalez: 3-for-6, 3B, RBI, SB Yandel Ricardo: 0-for-1, 3 BB, K, SB Michael Lombardi: DNP Ben Kudrna: DNP Justin Lamkin: DNP Felix Arronde: DNP Blake Wolters: W, five innings, 7 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 5 K Steven Zobac: DNP Austin Charles: DNP Daniel Vázquez: 2-for-5, 2 RBI, K Kamden Edge: DNP Warren Calcano: DNP View the full article

Editor's note: Padres Mission spoke with two industry experts about the state of the San Diego Padres' minor-league system, what they have done right, what they have done wrong and how they got to this state. This is the second of four articles on the subject. Part 1: Trades Have Depleted Majority of San Diego's Prospect Capital When you are at the bottom of the ladder in anything, the instant reaction is you must be bad at what you are doing. That is easy to understand when you look at MLB standings and see that the worst teams aren’t doing multiple things well that season. For the most part, those tend to be temporary issues that get resolved over time. But when it comes to the San Diego Padres being at the bottom of prospect rankings, it gets more complicated. The Padres are, in general, pretty decent at acquiring talent—via the draft, international free agency, undrafted free agents, or even released players—to fill their farm system. “I actually think they drafted really well,” said Keith Law, senior baseball writer at The Athletic who tracks prospects. “They just keep trading the guys. You could argue that's fine, right? If you draft a player and you get somebody really good in return, somebody who can help your major-league club, then in some ways, that is a successful draft. You at least created enough value to, I don't know if justify the pick [is the right phrase], but to make that pick kind of worthwhile. The point of the draft is to—I don't like speaking about players as assets, they're actual people—but you are trying to create value for your organization. That can be from keeping the player, that can be from trading the player.” Neither Law nor Sam Dykstra, a senior reporter at MLB Pipeline, would put the Padres at the bottom of the barrel for systems they have seen in their careers. It is just that Preller has mostly emptied the tank of quality talent. “I think most orgs have gotten smarter and I think the Padres are relatively a smart organization too,” Dykstra said. “They just get really aggressive with their trades. I think developmentally they're pretty good, they're probably middle of the pack in terms of ability to develop really good players, like they do get credit, I think at least three-quarters of the credit, for developing Leo De Vries into the No. 2 overall prospect in the baseball that he is right now and Ethan Salas certainly getting back on track. They always believed in him, they deserve credit for that.” Development is a key part to productive systems. Teams at the top of the rankings work with their prospects from rookie-level all the way up to Triple-A at becoming better players after amateur careers where winning was a bigger priority over improving skill sets. Part of that is not spinning off prospects a year or two after they were drafted or signed. “Typically, their development tracks have been, they get a guy in the system who's just like preternaturally talented and he flies through the system, the Jackson Merrills, the Fernando Tatises. A lot of the other guys, they just developed them a little bit, but they're still pretty famous from the draft or when they got signed internationally and they cash in on that,” Law said. “I do think for them to improve this going forward, obviously the most important thing is keep your prospects, but they're going to have to do a lot of the hard work on developing guys over four- or five-year periods. “If you draft and scout the way that the Padres do, where you're mostly taking high school guys up top, you have to be patient. (2025 first-rounder Kruz) Schoolcraft, they knew when they took him he wasn't going to be ready in two years, or at least they should have known when they took him, right? He could still be really good, but it's going to take some time and that's just generally not in their M.O. under Preller. So, I do think that that is a shift in philosophy from how they've operated for the last decade or so.” To Law’s point, the 19-year-old Schoolcraft, Padres Mission’s No. 5 prospect, has made 14 starts and pitched 49⅓ innings, with a 14.8% walk rate and 23.5% strikeout rate in his first full pro season since being taken with the 25th pick in last year’s draft out of Sunset High School in Portland, Ore. The previous year, left-handed starter Kash Mayfield was also taken with the 25th pick, this time out of Elk City (Okla.) High School and is now Padres Mission's No. 2 prospect. Of the 11 drafts under Preller, who took over the Padres in August 2014, nine of the 10 first-round selections were high school players. The lone exception was Stanford right-hander Cal Quantrill in 2016. (The Padres did not have a first-round pick in 2015.) Of those 10 first-rounders—all of whom did play in the majors, except for the last four who are still in the minors—only four made their MLB debut with the Padres: left-hander MacKenzie Gore (2017 draft), right-hander Ryan Weathers (2018), shortstop CJ Abrams (2019) and Merrill (2021). Right-hander Dylan Lesko (2022) and outfielder Dillon Head (2023) have not progressed beyond High-A after being traded. The Padres have the 21st pick in this year’s MLB Draft, which begins Saturday. “I think their strategy, in terms of the draft, is it becomes a running joke every year: Is there a big left-hander that they can go draft out of high school?” Dykstra said. “I think part of that is they are, because of their major-league success, always drafting in the back half of the first round, so you're not going to get access to the Roch Cholowskys and Vahn Lackeys of the world. Where do we see value that other teams don't and what do we think we can develop really well? I think you know they've kind of tapped into that. I know Kruz Schoolcraft has not had a great start to the year, but they always knew he was a long-term project. I think you're seeing some nice flashes from Kash Mayfield this year, in terms of him becoming maybe like a top-20 left-handed pitching prospect in baseball.” Another spot where the Padres have had success is finding some hidden gems after the draft. Braedon Karpathios went undrafted out of Lampeter (Pa.) High School in 2021 and then a year at Harford Community College, where he was a pitcher and an outfielder. The Friars signed him after the 2022 draft, kept him in the outfield, and he has risen up to Double-A San Antonio this season and is Padres Mission’s No. 9 prospect. Outfielder Alex McCoy is another example from last year’s draft. He wasn’t selected after his senior year at Hofstra, but then connected with the Padres and is having a really nice first full season in pro ball with the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps after debuting with the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm. McCoy is Padres Mission’s No. 14 prospect. Both came out of Maryland (Karpathios a juco and McCoy in high school), the same as Merrill when the Padres took him 27th overall in 2021 out of high school. “Their scouting group is really good ... they do a really good job at finding those small corners that may be getting overlooked by some of the other orgs or just baseball in general, and finding the talent and developing them, leaning into those guys' strengths,” Dykstra said. “You know, it's a very different story. Jackson Merrill being a prominent pick and Karpathios and McCoy being undrafted free agents, but that's how you build quality organizations, is doing it from top to bottom. I think they do a good job of scouting the country, finding the right fits for them and then developing them. It's just sometimes they're shipping them out the door pretty quickly.” International free agency is another way to build a system. The Friars struck gold with Salas in 2023 and then again with De Vries in 2024 when both were the top name each of those years, but that didn’t translate into success the next two, when they didn’t land a top-10 prospect. While rankings for the 2027 class have not come out, the Padres have already landed a commitment from 16-year-old Yoel King, a 6-foot-5, 240-pound right-hander who is already throwing 100 mph. “They're always in on the right guys in international free agency,” Law said. “I think they've been outbid a few times recently, post-Salas they haven't had a huge success there more recently. I also know that the international process, I think it's a big joke, agreeing to terms with players at age 13 or age 12. There's a whole lot more than just talent identification, whereas instead, in the draft, even if they aren't necessarily taking players I love, specifically the Padres, I can often understand it and I can see it. Like, I didn't like that guy, but they're going for upside. OK. I would not take a high school pitcher in the first round pretty much ever. But if I were going to do it, I'd probably do it a lot like the Padres do. They pick the right types of guys.” Every Padres fan knows the franchise has only been to two World Series, 1984 and 1998, losing both times in unflattering fashion. Getting back to the Fall Classic drives every front office to do whatever it can to provide the team the best chance to hoist the Commissioner’s Trophy in late October. Emptying out the farm system without any real postseason success has to sting for Preller. But the Padres have been in the thick of things in recent seasons. After finishing fourth or fifth in the NL West in Preller’s first five seasons, they have been in contention in five of the last six seasons entering 2026. While there hasn’t been a division title as the Los Angeles Dodgers have dominated that category, the Friars have made four postseason appearances since ending a 13-year drought in the shortened 2020 season. Of those four tries, there was only one trip to the NL Championship Series, in 2022 when the Friars fell to the Philadelphia Phillies in five games. They came close to another in 2024, when the Padres had a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five NL Division over the Dodgers, who won the final two games of the series and went on to win the World Series. “I think their aggression, if it had won them a title, I would never speak it over again,” Dykstra said. “They would just be like, 'Hey, flags fly forever. That works.’ It hasn't resulted in what they were always aiming for and now they're kind of having to pay the piper for those decisions.” View the full article

In a straight one-for-one trade made at the deadline last year, the Twins acquired Taj Bradley for Griffin Jax, who was a reliever at the time. Since then, Bradley has become one of the Twins’ better arms, while Jax has made the transition from reliever to starter. As the deadline inches closer, it's a good time to reexamine that trade and answer the question: Who would you rather have? 2026 Performance Bradley's uneven but exciting performance has been especially welcome, given the injuries in the rotation. He made six starts in his initial half-season with the Twins, pitching to a 6.61 ERA (4.73 FIP) in 31 1/3 innings, but 2026 has been a whole different experience. Currently worth 1.6 fWAR (second on the team among pitchers, behind only Joe Ryan), Bradley has made 17 starts this year, with a 3.67 ERA (3.80 FIP). He’s striking out 27.8% of batters, the second-highest mark of his career. When batters do make contact, they do damage, but you can miss enough bats to work around that shortcoming; Bradley is doing so this season. Bradley has thrown his fastball, cutter, and splitter well this year. All three boast a positive run value, according to Statcast. His curveball hasn’t been great, with a -7 run value, and opposing hitters are slugging .568 on it. Again, though, he's been able to outpitch his weaknesses so far. Jax, on the other hand, had well-documented struggles early in the year as a reliever. His FIP was way up at 7.56, despite an xFIP of 4.58, and his walk rate was up to 15.9%. He was giving up lots of home runs, and opposing hitters had a .413 wOBA against him. He lasted only nine innings as a reliever before transitioning to a starting role. Since then, though, Jax has pitched to a 2.89 ERA (3.99 FIP) in 56 innings, while striking out 26.1% of the batters he faces. His walk rate has plummeted to 6.8%, and batters have just a .297 wOBA against him.. As for his pitch mix, Jax has been effective with his three most-used pitches: sweeper, changeup, and sinker, all of which have a positive run value. His fastball has been his worst pitch by far (-5 run value); his curveball and cutter haven’t been thrown nearly as much as the other four. There were rumblings, even back to the time when he was a Twin, about Jax wanting to convert into a starting role. Now that he has done it with the Rays, the change has brought positive outcomes for both Tampa Bay and Jax himself. Here's hoping that will lead to a big payday soon. Jax is a good pitcher. The Twins (and their fans) knew this when he was traded away. Team Control Control of a player can be crucial in evaluating a would-you-rather situation like this one. Bradley is currently in the pre-arbitration phase and will be arbitration-eligible for the first time this fall. He won’t be a free agent until November 2029. As for Jax, he avoided arbitration this year by signing a one-year deal with the Rays. The 31-year-old has one more year of arbitration before becoming a free agent. Bradley being younger and having more years of control is certainly a win for the Twins, as he looks like a potential front-of-the-rotation starter. Even if Jax is one, too, he's sooner out the door. And then there's the money. Salaries Talking about the Twins always means money must be part of the conversation. Current salaries once again favor Bradley in this comparison. Bradley’s salary is $802,050 in 2026, while Jax is making $3.6 million. In the end, the Twins saved money by dealing Jax for Bradley, and while they didn't make the robust investment in restocking their bullpen for which fans might have fairly hoped, it's easy to guess that the extra few million made a difference for them somewhere along the way. Bradley and Jax have been linked ever since last year's trade deadline, and they'll continue to be compared for as long as they remain with their current clubs. Every strong outing from Bradley or dominant appearance from Jax will inevitably reignite the debate over which team came out ahead. One year later, both organizations have reasons to be satisfied, but the long-term verdict is still pending. Bradley has given the Twins a young, cost-controlled starter with years of team control remaining, while Jax has transitioned into a good starter for a win-now Rays team steaming toward a division title. For now, there may not be a definitive winner—only two teams that addressed different needs in different ways. All things considered, who would you rather have right now? Have the Twins clearly fleeced the Rays, or will Jax yet prove to be so valuable that Minnesota should have retained him, converted him to this new role, and extended him? Weigh in! View the full article

In a normal season, a team bumping along just under the .500 mark at the All-Star break would not be considered a playoff contender. In fact, they'd be one bad week away from parting with pricy veterans before the August 3 trade deadline. Alas, 2026 isn't normal, and the Minnesota Twins are learning this the hard way. "When we said we expected this team to be competitive and that we'd give them the resources to do so, we sort of didn't think through what would happen if they actually were," said a front office source. "Even in the unlikely event they were around .500, we figured Detroit or Cleveland would be running away with the thing. They're pure diarrhea, as is the American League. Basically, we are screwed." Multiple sources tell Twins Daily that the team is scrambling to adjust to the undeniable reality that they're playoff contenders on both the divisional and Wild Card fronts. The expectations that come with this situation are weighing heavily on team leadership. "I saw Tom Pohlad Googling 'how to buy at trade deadline' on his laptop after we beat Cleveland on Wednesday night," said a person with knowledge of the team's decision-making process. "We're all high-fiving and cheers-ing each other, and he's there grimacing like he's trying to solve the Sunday crossword." "It appears that every option for adding a player involves paying some or even all of their salary," said the front office source. "It's a real buzzkill. Seems like the league should offer some relief if the team is trying their best while the rest of the league is stepping on every rake in the yard." On the other hand, a Pohlad family source confirmed they have no issues parting with prospects to add a player. "A prospect is someone who just costs more money later on. Such a weird baseball phenomenon. Physical assets are supposed to depreciate, like every [REDACTED] office building in our [REDACTED] portfolio has." The source was unable to confirm reports that the Twins are hoping to pay for any acquisitions with mixed-use retail and commercial real estate holdings instead of cash. "Can't comment on that, but God that would be so cool. Please buy our buildings. Please." Image license here. View the full article

Before Thursday's rubber game against the New York Mets, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that the Royals were unlikely to trade starting pitchers Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo by the August 3rd Trade Deadline. Rosenthal reported that they would not trade either starting pitcher barring a "massive" return. With a 4.56 ERA and $21.5 million due next year, it is unlikely that Kansas City would trade Lugo at the Trade Deadline. Not only would the return be meager, but the Royals would have to eat some of Lugo's contract to make a deal enticing for an opposing ballclub. For a team with a limited payroll, that isn't exactly a recipe for success. Wacha, on the other hand, is a tougher dilemma for the Royals. While he has had two difficult outings recently, the 35-year-old starter has been Kansas City's most dependable pitcher and one of baseball's most durable. In 119.1 IP, Wacha has produced a 3.77 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 4.05 FIP, and 12.7% K-BB%. He ranks in the top three in innings pitched this year, and his 12 quality starts rank fourth in all of baseball. Even though his stuff isn't elite, the veteran righty has been crafty enough to generate strikes and limit hard contact for the most part, as evidenced by his Statcast percentiles this season. With pitching, starting pitching especially, in demand across the league, Wacha remains the Royals' best trade chip. However, for a Royals team that is 38-56 and coming off back-to-back winning seasons in 2024 and 2025, he could be key to Kansas City's competitiveness again in 2027. The Royals need pitching stability, and they don't have it, with Cole Ragans recently undergoing elbow surgery and Kris Bubic likely not returning in 2027. Thus, do the Royals hold on to Wacha, as the report indicated, or should they make a deal, even if it may not be the "massive" one they are hoping for? The Case to Keep Wacha From 2024 to 2026, Wacha has been one of the most valuable starting pitchers in baseball, according to Fangraphs. His 9.0 fWAR ranks 16th among all starting pitchers since 2024, and his 454 IP rank 9th as well. He is also tied for 14th in quality starts with 39, tying him with Nathan Eovaldi, Chris Sale, and Luis Castillo. His 3.57 ERA also ranks 25th, putting him ahead of Dylan Cease, Gavin Williams, and Sonny Gray. The main issue is that Wacha doesn't strike out guys in bunches like those other names listed. His 19.4% K% ranks 65th of 85 qualified starting pitchers over that 2024-2026 period. His 12.9% K-BB% also ranks 55th. Thus, it's easy for fans to overlook Wacha as a quality starting pitcher, though he has finally received the recognition he deserves this year, being named to the AL All-Star Game roster. Thus, while the Royals may be tempted to trade Wacha, they need someone to hold down the top of the Royals' rotation in 2027. Wacha has done it so far with Ragans and Bubic injured, and he may be up for it again in 2027. Furthermore, he's holding this role while only making $18 million this year and $14 million next year. That latter is a steal for a No. 1-2 starting pitcher. For context, here's the list of 2027 unrestricted free-agent starting pitchers, and notice those pitchers "currently" making $14 million or less. It's not a great list. Of the list of free-agent starting pitchers who are making under $14 million, I predict that Casey Mize, Foster Griffin, and Freddy Peralta are the only ones of quality, which means they will likely exceed that $14 million AAV mark in their next contract. If the Royals deal Wacha and try to replace him with someone else on their list, they're taking a flier on someone with far less dependability (Brady Singer, Tomoyuki Sugano, or Trevor Rogers) or on an injury risk (Patrick Sandoval or Shane Bieber). The ceiling may not be all that high for Wacha. That said, the ceiling is clear and dependable, not to mention a value for a pitcher who will be making less next year than questionable arms like Shota Imanaga, Jack Flaherty, Lance McCullers Jr., and Jameson Taillon, to name a few. Furthermore, the Royals haven't been able to acquire many free-agent starting pitchers of Wacha's caliber in the past. Since the World Series run in 2015, the most high-profile pitcher the Royals acquired on a long-term deal in free agency was Ian Kennedy in 2016, who had an underwhelming run from 2016 to 2020 in Kansas City. This isn't a coincidence. Part of it is due to the Royals' history of incompetence. With only two winning seasons since their World Series title (both under Matt Quatraro, by the way), the Royals aren't exactly a franchise with a "winning" reputation. Furthermore, Kansas City can be a brutal place weather-wise in the summer, and it's one of the smallest markets in Major League Baseball (only Cincinnati and Milwaukee are smaller). Wacha was able to look past those other factors and not only sign an initial long-term deal with Kansas City but also an extension. If the Royals trade Wacha after just signing him to an extension before the 2025 season, they could risk their chances at other free-agent starting pitchers in the future. After all, why should competent free-agent starting pitchers sign in the muggy, small-market metro of Kansas City when they are just going to get traded in a couple of years anyway? Not keeping veteran arms works for Milwaukee because they have a premium pitching development program in the Minors. That said, with a dearth of MLB-ready arms in Triple-A or Double-A, the Royals don't have the luxury of emulating the Brewers' pitching strategy just yet (though they could in a year, especially if they have a good draft). Why the Royals Should Trade Wacha The main concern with Wacha is that he's 35 years old and will be 36 next year. While he has done a good job of staying healthy and effective as a Royal, there is a higher risk that regression will hit Wacha harder in 2027. That was certainly the case for Salvador Perez, and there were fewer signs of a sharp regression for Salvy in 2025. When looking at his TJ Stuff+ summary comparison from 2025 to 2026, Wacha has remained relatively stable in results, but TJ Stuff+ has shown some regression on a couple of pitches, as shown below. Wacha's overall TJ Stuff+ went from 97 in 2025 to 96 in 2026. His four-seamer improved from 94 to 96, which is good, considering it's been his most-used pitch over the past couple of years. He has also seen an improvement in his sinker, as it has gone from an 88 TJ Stuff+ to 90 TJ Stuff+. However, his curve (96 to 95), slider (102 to 101), cutter (97 to 93), and changeup (102 to 100) have all seen regression in TJ Stuff+. The results have been fine this year, with the chase rate (1.6% improvement) and whiff rate (0.6% improvement) up and the xwOBACON down (.374 in 2025 to .351 in 2025). That said, he has seen a significant decline in the zone rate, from 52.9% in 2025 to 49.8% in 2026. That's a 3.1% decline, and he didn't exactly excel in that category in his rough outing against the Mets on Thursday, as seen below in his TJ Stuff+ summary. Wacha's zone rate against the Mets was 45.2%, and his overall TJ Stuff+ was 93. Both marks were 4.6% and 3 points below his season-long marks in those categories. That's not what the Royals or fans want to see, especially before the All-Star Break. Now, one or a few bad outings won't affect Wacha's trade value. Any team knows what Wacha is and the risks he carries, both for the remainder of this season and 2027. That said, Wacha's value will be much higher now at the Trade Deadline than in the offseason, especially with the outlook for 2027 play still unclear due to a potential lockout. What Should the Royals Do? I understand the Royals' aversion to trading Wacha "just to trade him." That's not a recipe for success in any trade, and those kinds of deals are reserved for guys who will be free agents this offseason. That's a strategy the Royals should take with assets like Bubic, Lane Thomas, and John Schreiber. Wacha, though? JJ Picollo ought to be patient, especially if he believes the Royals can bounce back in 2027. While seasons like this year are deflating, the AL Central has remained wide open since 2024. In 2024, the Royals, Guardians, and Tigers competed in the division. Last year, it was the Guardians and Tigers. This year, it's the Guardians, White Sox, and maybe the Twins and Tigers. Thus, if the White Sox and Twins can quickly bounce back into contention in the AL Central, the same could be true for the Royals. To do that, with no Ragans and barring a marquee free-agent starting pitcher (i.e., Skubal), the Royals need Wacha. Still, could we see a team panic at the Deadline and overpay for Wacha? The Cubs desperately need starting pitching, and Wacha could be their No. 2 in the rotation immediately. Could that net the Royals not just a starting-pitching asset like Jordan Wicks, but also some high-ceiling guys like outfielders Kevin Alcantara and Josiah Hartshorn? Picollo can't give away Wacha. That said, he has to be aggressive enough to pounce on the right deal for Wacha, not just to compete in 2027, but long-term as well. If the Royals want to be the American League version of the Brewers, an organization they've expressed admiration for before, then they need to make an aggressive deal with Wacha, even if it may hurt initially and put Kansas City in a brief period of uncertainty. View the full article

The word "seller" carries a negative connotation around the trade deadline. It signals surrender, rebuilding, and punting on the current season. That's why it's understandable that the Twins have shown little interest in waving the white flag while they remain in the American League playoff race. But what if there was another way to approach the deadline? Over the last several years, the Milwaukee Brewers have built one of baseball's most sustainable organizations by refusing to let emotion dictate difficult roster decisions. They haven't traded stars because they were rebuilding. They've traded them because they understood the value of moving elite players before their trade value began to decline. The Twins may soon face that same crossroads with Joe Ryan. Ryan has developed into one of the American League's best starting pitchers. Through 104 1/3 innings this season, the 30-year-old owns a 2.85 ERA with 122 strikeouts. He's pitching like a legitimate front-line starter, and has earned a second straight All-Star nod. He's also under club control through next season, giving any acquiring team two postseason runs to make the most of his upside. That combination is incredibly valuable. It also means Ryan's value may never be higher. If Minnesota wants to maximize its long-term championship window, it should at least consider following Milwaukee's blueprint. The Brewers Never Wait Too Long Small-market teams rarely win by keeping everyone together forever. Instead, they maximize every asset before free agency forces difficult decisions. Milwaukee has mastered that philosophy. Rather than allowing stars to walk away for draft-pick compensation, the Brewers have consistently identified the moment when a player's value peaked and turned those players into multiple years of affordable talent. That strategy hasn't pushed Milwaukee into rebuilding. Instead, it has helped the Brewers remain one of baseball's most consistent contenders. Here's a look at how Milwaukee has handled similar decisions with some of its biggest arms. One detail immediately stands out: only one of these trades happened at the deadline. The others came during the offseason, when teams were willing to pay a premium for a full season of control. Corbin Burnes Trade Date: February 2024 After the 2023 season, Milwaukee traded Burnes with one year of club control remaining. Rather than settling for draft-pick compensation, the Brewers landed two players capable of contributing immediately in DL Hall and Joey Ortiz—and they picked up a competitive-balance pick from Baltimore to bolster their 2024 class. Hall has transitioned into a bullpen role and taken a significant step forward this season, lowering his ERA to 2.03 while increasing his strikeout rate from 17.4% to 25.4%. Ortiz produced 2.8 WAR with a 102 OPS+ during his first season in Milwaukee before taking a step back offensively. Neither player has become a superstar, but Milwaukee turned one remaining season of Burnes into two controllable major leaguers while staying in contention. (Blake Burke, whom they took with that draft pick and on whom they also saved about $500,000 in bonus pool money to spend elsewhere, has an .846 OPS in his pro career and is likely to reach Triple-A this summer.) Josh Hader Trade Date: August 2022 Perhaps no Brewers trade was more controversial than dealing Josh Hader in the middle of a division race. At the time, fans questioned why Milwaukee would move arguably baseball's best closer while trying to reach the postseason. The Brewers looked beyond the current standings. Milwaukee acquired Robert Gasser, Taylor Rogers, Dinelson Lamet, and Esteury Ruiz. Gasser has already become a capable big-league starter, despite a significant setback in the form of Tommy John surgery in 2024. Rogers added a lefty to the bullpen for the stretch run, and Ruiz was later included in the three-team trade that brought William Contreras to Milwaukee. In fact, he was all the Crew gave up to land Contreras, who has now made two All-Star teams for them. Hader had limited club control remaining, and relievers rarely carry more value than as elite closers with a chance to anchor a playoff bullpen for multiple seasons. Milwaukee capitalized before that value began to decline. This one comes closest to being a cautionary tale, because that was the only time since 2017 that the Brewers have missed the postseason, and the front office was blamed for that, based on the vibes of a midseason trade of such magnitude. However, in the medium and long term, it looks like a brilliant maneuver. Devin Williams Trade Date: December 2024 Milwaukee repeated the process with Devin Williams. Rather than extending an expensive closer into his 30s, the Brewers again moved one of baseball's premier relievers while his value remained exceptionally high. The Brewers received Nestor Cortes and infielder Caleb Durbin for Williams in the 2024-25 offseason. Cortes's injuries limited his impact before he was moved at the following trade deadline, while Durbin later became part of another multi-player deal that brought Shane Drohan, David Hamilton, and Kyle Harrison to Milwaukee. Once again, the Brewers turned one valuable reliever into multiple controllable assets, and got production even in the meantime. Freddy Peralta Trade Date: January 2026 Freddy Peralta represents the same type of decision the Twins may soon face with Ryan. After years of trade speculation, Milwaukee finally dealt Peralta to the Mets for top prospect Jett Williams and right-hander Brandon Sproat. Williams remains one of baseball's top prospects despite an uneven season at Triple-A, while Sproat immediately stepped into Milwaukee's major-league rotation. Ryan fits a similar profile. As was true with Peralta, an acquiring club wouldn't simply be renting him for two months. Ryan would provide a postseason run this year and another full season of control in 2027. That dramatically increases the asking price. Why Ryan Could Bring Even More Ryan's combination of production, durability, and contract status makes him one of the most valuable pitchers who could realistically become available. He's not owed a massive contract, and he's pitching like a legitimate ace. That's exactly the type of arm contenders are willing to overpay to acquire. With the extra half-year of control baked in, he would have to fetch Minnesota more than what Burnes or Peralta got for Milwaukee. The Twins already possess one of baseball's strongest farm systems after last year's deadline additions. Trading Ryan wouldn't signal the end of their competitive window—it could extend it. Imagine adding multiple top-100 prospects, upper-level pitching depth, and another high-upside position player to an organization that already features Walker Jenkins, Kaelen Culpepper, Emmanuel Rodriguez, Eduardo Tait, and several other premium young talents. The Timing Matters One lesson stands out from Milwaukee's recent history: only Hader was traded during the season. Burnes and Williams were moved during the offseason, while Peralta remained with the Brewers through another postseason run before they eventually cashed in. That's an important distinction for Minnesota. The Twins don't have to make this decision before the trade deadline. If they believe this team can reach the postseason, Ryan can remain atop the rotation through October before the front office revisits trade discussions this winter. In fact, that could be the better path. Teams often pay a premium for a pitcher with a full season of control, rather than just two months, giving Minnesota the opportunity to compete now while preserving Ryan's long-term trade value. The Brewers have repeatedly shown that patience can be just as valuable as urgency. It's About Extending the Window The Brewers have shown there is a difference between selling and managing a championship window. They've remained annual contenders because they consistently make emotionally difficult decisions before circumstances force them into weaker ones. The Twins don't have to trade Joe Ryan. If they believe they can sign him to a long-term extension, keeping him is the obvious choice. But if an extension isn't realistic, waiting until the final months of his contract could dramatically reduce his value. At that point, acquiring teams would receive only a few months of control, instead of another full season, shrinking both the number of interested clubs and the quality of offers. Trading Ryan would undoubtedly be unpopular. It would also require tremendous confidence in Minnesota's scouting and player development departments. That's exactly the type of move successful small-market organizations make—though, we ought to note, the Twins are a small-market team more in self-image and by default than in fact. Milwaukee has demonstrated that moving elite pitchers before free agency isn't waving the white flag—it's investing in sustained success. The Twins may not consider themselves sellers this summer, and they probably shouldn't. However, if another organization is willing to offer the type of franchise-altering package Milwaukee has repeatedly secured for its stars, Minnesota owes it to itself to listen. Whether that decision comes in a few weeks or this winter, the Brewers have already provided the blueprint. Sometimes the hardest trade isn't the one that closes a championship window—it's the one that keeps it open for years to come. Can Minnesota follow Milwaukee’s blueprint? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

The 2015 MLB Draft is well represented on the 2026 Cubs roster. Famously, the Cubs have the top two picks from that draft, in Dansby Swanson and Alex Bregman, and they have their own top-10 pick (Ian Happ, who went 9th). Scott Kingery is in Triple-A. (Ok, that one is a stretch.) In addition to three top-10 picks, though, they have two arms from the 2015 draft with lesser-known names in their bullpen. Tyler Ferguson and Trent Thornton have both had very positive numbers with the Cubs so far, but as the deadline approaches, can the Cubs rely on either of these arms in a playoff race? Let’s start with Ferguson. The Cubs sent cash to the Athletics for Ferguson in May after he had been optioned to Triple-A to start the 2026 season. He was a useful member of the A’s bullpen in 2024; he had a 30% strikeout rate and was reliable when it mattered most. When covering innings 7-9 (which was his primary role), he held opponents to a .500 OPS and just 12 runs in 38 1/3 innings that year. In fact, over the last two seasons, Ferguson has been quite a bit better than average in medium- and high-leverage situations. Oddly enough, his problem has been low-leverage situations. Ferguson was at his best in 2024 throwing fastballs 74% of the time, but mixing between four-seamers, sinkers, and cutters. In 2025, he lost 1+ mph on his fastballs and his strikeout rate dropped to 22%, while his walk rate climbed to almost 14%. Ferguson has always had a hard time getting lefties out. His loss of effectiveness on the fastball turned him into a platoon reliever who doesn't get a ton of ground balls or strikeouts and has a high walk rate—a pretty rough combination, which makes it easy to understand why the A’s sold him to the Cubs. The Cubs were desperate in their search for healthy arms and saw a rebound in velocity from Ferguson. Ferguson is obviously due for regression from his 0% walk rate. Can he survive it? His strikeout rate is back to 30%, largely on the back of a new sweeper that he's been throwing. Per Ferguson, he changed his grip and it seems to have made a difference, as he's getting more horizontal movement on the pitch. He's thrown it 20 times since he came back from the minors on June 24, and outside of the home run to Jordan Walker on July 5, opponents are 0-6 with 4 strikeouts against the pitch. Even though the shape has been inconsistent as he gets comfortable with the new grip, he's getting a 60% chase rate on the sweeper. The emergence of the sweeper has made his fastball more effective, too. He has allowed just 2 singles off fastballs since his return from Iowa. Much like Jacob Webb, Ferguson is still experimenting with his pitch mix, especially against left-handed hitters. He's only thrown 17 total pitches to lefties since June 24, but he's thrown more sweepers than changeups in his search for a secondary pitch he can trust against them. Ferguson looks to be back where he was when he was an effective platoon arm for the A’s, but if he can find results against lefties with his new sweeper, he could be more than just a matchup guy for Craig Counsell. That would be an unconventional path to success, but this is the Cubs bullpen. Unconventional paths are the convention. One round ahead of Ferguson in 2015, Trent Thornton went to the Astros. Thornton reached Double-A in his first full season, before being traded to the Blue Jays after the 2018 season. He made the Jays roster out of spring training and made 29 starts in 2019, leading the team in starts. Injuries limited him and moved him to a bullpen role, where he was less effective, before being traded to Seattle in 2023. After lowering his arm slot, he was solid in the bullpen for a couple seasons, but was non-tendered after tearing his Achilles last July. Less than a year later, Thornton has a 2.63 ERA over 27 1/3 innings, a pretty remarkable comeback. Much like Ferguson, Thornton is trying to rebound and find the success of his 2024 season, where he had a 26% strikeout rate and a 6.5% walk rate and limited hard contact at a pretty high level. Unlike Ferguson, he doesn’t look like the same pitcher with a new wrinkle; he looks like a completely different pitcher. His arm angle is now at 46°, up from 35° in 2024 and closer to what it was with the Blue Jays. The good news is that he's getting more ground balls than ever before. The bad news is that his strikeout and walk rates are the lowest and highest of his career, respectively. The decrease in swing-and-miss is evident in both of Thornton’s breaking offerings and his four-seam fastball. Looking at Thornton’s fastball, he has traded swing-and-miss for weak contact and ground balls. With the higher arm slot, Thornton’s whiff rate on the four-seamer is back to the mid-teens, where it was before he lowered his slot. His ground-ball rate of 50% on the four-seamer is far higher than ever in his career, though. Batters’ average launch angle on his fastball is 8°. Last season was the only other time he has been below 17°. Due to putting the ball on the ground, the four-seamer grades out higher per run value than any other season in his career. Thornton’s curveball has a paltry 5% whiff rate this year, the first time in his career it's been below 20%. He's spinning the ball less from his higher arm slot and has lost 2.5 inches of total movement on it. Batters have not yet swung and missed on a curveball in the zone this season. His whiff rate has also dropped on his slider/cutter, but only against lefties. Thornton has had more luck against lefties with both the sweeper and the cutter than he has with the curve, but he's still throwing the curve 32% of the time against lefties. Therein lies the problem; the same problem that plagues multiple pitchers in this Cubs bullpen. How do we get a lefty bat out? Before the season, Matt Trueblood postulated that Thornton may be adding a kick-change to his arsenal. If there is truth to this conspiracy, we haven’t yet seen it, as Thornton has not thrown a single changeup this year. As Matt explains in that article, changeups are a difficult pitch for a supinator like Thornton to throw, and if we haven’t seen it yet, it's probably not coming. Without that pitch (or recapturing the lost movement on his curveball), he looks like another Cubs pen arm who needs to be hidden from lefties. The reality is that both of these 2015 draftees are likely capped in terms of what value they can provide to the 2026 Cubs. Both are nearing their 33rd birthdays and are unlikely to change much or suddenly become good at getting lefties out. Especially in a Murphy’s Law season like the Cubs arms are having, however, these veteran arms filling their role well is sorely needed, for however long it lasts. View the full article

Despite being one of the best offensive catchers in baseball for most of the current decade, William Contreras has not fully tapped into his talent at the plate. Contreras has flashed prodigious power over the years, hitting baseballs at elite exit velocities. Even while playing with a broken finger last season, he still posted an excellent 90th-percentile exit velocity of 107.4 mph. The issue has been Contreras hitting more than half of his contact on the ground in most seasons, running one of baseball’s highest ground-ball rates. If he could find a way to launch those hard-hit balls in the air, he could also become one of the game’s best power hitters. That change to his flight plan has technically happened this year. Contreras’s ground-ball rate has fallen to a career-low 43.5% in 2026. For the first time since a cup of coffee with Atlanta in 2021, his 17.2% pull air rate slightly exceeds the league average. And yet, Contreras is hitting for less power than he ever has as a full-time player, managing just a .118 isolated power and a modest .406 slugging average. His 107 wRC+ is the lowest of his Brewers career. There’s a bit of misfortune here, as Contreras’s .340 xwOBA suggests he should have notched a few more extra-base hits. More importantly, though, his seemingly improved pull air rate is misleading. Not every batted ball pulled in the air is equally productive. Contreras’s overall hard-hit rate is down to 43.5% this season. That’s still slightly above the league average, but it’s the worst mark of his career. When he is hitting the ball at power trajectories—a high enough angle for a fly ball to travel into a gap or over the fence—he’s often hitting it around 90 mph, which typically makes for a routine flyout. Contreras’s xwOBA on contact this year is .360, an improvement over last season, but still lower than his best years in 2023 and 2024. Back in May, Matt Trueblood covered how this year’s changes to Contreras’s stance, stride, and swing path have pushed his contact point further out in front without an increase in power. Now, we’ve seen how those shifts have played out in the first half. Contreras is still making great contact against fastballs, slugging .475 against them with a .499 xSLG. According to Statcast’s swing timing data, his bat is more lined up on hard stuff than ever before. However, by forcing his contact point further in front, he’s been unable to wait back as consistently on breaking and offspeed pitches. With that slightly flatter bat path, Contreras doesn't roll over the ball as often when he’s early. He’s meeting soft stuff in a better spot vertically, but many of those early swings are producing harmless pop-ups. Last season, Contreras slugged .367 against breaking pitches and .403 against offspeed pitches, hitting a combined eight of his 16 home runs against them. This year, he’s slugging .258 and .361, respectively, with just one homer. He's already popped out 15 times against non-fastballs this year. On 10 of them, he was well out in front, making contact at least 32 inches in front of his body. For the fourth straight season, the Brewers have one of baseball’s lowest pull air rates as an offense. They’re not against pulling the ball in the air, but they want their hitters to get there in what they deem the right way, while still having a balanced approach. Contreras seems to have strayed from that a bit, and the ironic result has been less damage for a hitter who has long carried the potential to be even more than he already is, despite hitting balls in the general direction and on the general trajectory people have always cried out for. View the full article

Transactions: RHP Garrett Stallings optioned to AAA Nashville from MLB Brewers RHP Melvin Hernandez activated by Low-A Wilson from Development List Game Action: Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Charlotte (White Sox) 9, Nashville 2 Box Score The Nashville Game Summary is not available via a link this AM, so it is being posted for you in full here: Big Knights First Too Much for Nashville to Overcome Tyler Black Pushes On-Base Streak to 19 Straight CHARLOTTE, NC - Nashville and Charlotte continued to trade wins through the first three games this week at Truist Field with the Knights getting a 9-2 win on Thursday night. Six runs in the bottom of the first proved too much for Nashville to overcome as the Knights took a 2-1 series lead heading into the weekend portion of the final series before the All-Star break. Right-hander Lyon Richardson took the mound for his second start of the season with the Sounds and was provided a 1-0 lead to work with after Tyler Black and Luke Adams combined for back-to-back two out doubles in the top of the first inning. Black extended his on-base streak to a Triple-A career-best 19 straight games and was the first of his two hits at the plate for the night. Richardson looked destined to make quick work of Charlotte in the bottom of the first with two ground outs to start his outing. A two-out walk issued to Michael Turner proved to be the catalyst for the big inning that ensued. Five straight hits followed, including three home runs, the final two on consecutive pitches with Riley Unroe hitting his first of two home runs on the night to give the Knights a 6-1 lead after the first inning. The eighth two-out RBI between the two clubs to start the game was provided by Darrien Miller, who connected for his first Triple-A home run on the first pitch he saw from Knights starter Jonathan Cannon in the top of the second. Richardson worked around a single in the second before ending his spot start after 2.0 IP and the six earned runs on six hits. Easton McGee got in three innings of work in relief and stranded the bases loaded in his first inning out of the bullpen after a single and two walks in his first inning of work. McGee tossed the first three-up, three-down half inning for either side when he breezed through the Knights lineup in the bottom of the fourth. He wasn't as fortunate in his third and final inning of work as the two-out magic continued with Unroe hitting his second home run of the game with a two-run home run to put the Knights up 8-2 after the fifth. Will Childers was greeted into the game with a leadoff double by Rikuu Nishida who scored the game's final run on an RBI single for Turner before Childers got Ryan Galanie to ground into a double play to end the frame. Blake Holub was the lone Nashville reliever to not surrender a hit as he struck out the side in the seventh inning to push his streak to 10 straight appearances without allowing an earned run. Peter Strzelecki was tasked with pitching the bottom of the eighth and bookended his only inning of work with strikeouts to strand two Knights baserunners after issuing a two-out walk and a single. Black and Miller combined for four of the six Nashville hits as each finished the night with multi-hit games, the second straight 2+ hit night for Miller. Quero chipped in with his 12th double of the season to go along with Adams' RBI double from the top of the first inning to account for all six hits. The series will continue on Friday night with first pitch scheduled for 6:04 pm at Truist Field in downtown Charlotte. POSTGAME NOTES: GET THAT STREAK A MOLSON: Tyler Black wasted no time at all pushing his on-base streak to a new Triple-A career-best 19 straight games dating back to June 13. Black, the 33rd overall pick by Milwaukee in 2021, is hitting .281 (18-for-64) during the streak with eight XBH after his first inning double on Thursday night. He has also added 14 RBI and has drawn 16 walks, swiped nine bases, and crossed the plate 18 times over his last 19 games. He's riding a five-game hitting streak and has a hit in 15 of the 19 games. Black previously owned an 18-game on-base streak to start his Triple-A career with Nashville from August 6-27, 2023. The 19-game streak is the fourth-longest by a Sounds player this season, trailing Brock Wilken (30 G), Cooper Pratt (25 G), and Luke Adams (20 G). His multi-hit performance on Thursday was the sixth in 50 Triple-A games this season. He also owns the longest hitting streak of the season for the Sounds, with an 11-game streak from March 28-May 14 with a nine-game stint with the Milwaukee Brewers mixed in between. Along with his 18-game streak to start his Sounds tenure, Black posted a career-long 35-game on-base streak for Double-A Biloxi earlier in 2023. SHAKE AND BAKE: Darrien Miller has produced back-to-back multi-hit performances and clubbed his first career Triple-A home run in the top of the second on Thursday night as part of a 2-for-4 day at the plate. After being limited to one hit through his first five Triple-A games, he has settled in with a hit in each of his last three games (5-for-11) along with an RBI in three straight games. He ended a 20-game drought since his last home run on May 27 with Double-A Biloxi. Miller now has 44 home runs across 482 career minor league games in the Brewers farm system and sits just outside the top 10 for most home runs hit in the farm system since 2021, in a four-way tie in 11th. Over the same span, he ranks 2nd in walks (276), 3rd in runs (261), T-7th in RBI (211), and 9th in doubles (70) and total bases (540) in the farm system during the regular season. HOL & NOPES: Right-hander Blake Holub worked his 10th straight appearance without allowing an earned run dating back to May 21 after working a scoreless seventh inning against Charlotte on Thursday night. His 10-game streak is tied for the seventh-longest active streak in the International League and sits at 11.1 IP overall dating back to May 17th since allowing an earned run. The 10-games are tied for the third-longest for a Nashville reliever this season along with Jacob Waguespack. Holub now trails Brian Fitzpatrick (14 G) and Craig Yoho, who has an active 16-game streak going after his last appearance with Nashville on July 1. Holub has tossed 18 total scoreless appearances across his 29 games with Nashville this season and has allowed just two earned runs over his last 19 appearances. Since making his Sounds debut in 2024, Holub leads all Nashville pitchers in appearances with 92 and ranks T-2nd in saves (7), 5th in strikeouts (121), 7th in IP (97.2), and T-7th in wins (7). *** Perhaps the 102.6 MPH groundout by Charlotte’s first batter should have told us that starting RHP Lyon Richardson (2 IP, 6 R, 6 H, 1 BB, 2 Ks) didn’t have his best stuff this time out, but the three homers allowed in the same six-run first inning certainly drove the point home. C Darrien Miller (2-for-4, HR, RBI) led an attempted comeback with his first AAA homer and a two-out single in the 4th inning to put two runners on while trailing 6-2, but SS Eduardo Garcia (0-for-4, 4 Ks) wasn’t able to get them in. That was as close as the Sounds could make it on Thursday. Back from the MLB taxi squad, RHP Easton McGee (3 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 3 BB, 5 Ks) got the most work in, nearly scaling through three scoreless innings, but undone by a two-out, two-run homer in the 6th frame. Sounds’ Extras: Kudos to RHPs Blake Holub and Peter Strzelecki for tossing a combined two scoreless frames with five Ks in relief. Each of OF Tyler Black (2-for-4, double), 1B Luke Adams (1-for-3, double, HBP, RBI) and 2B Eddys Leonard (0-for-2, two walks) reached base twice, but the team only had four opportunities with runners in scoring position. OF Blake Perkins led off in his first AAA game since early May, recording two ground outs and two Ks. Friday’s outlook: Nashville needs a victory even this week’s road series at two games apiece. Might we see RHP Coleman Crow (3 IP on July 4) make his second rehab appearance? Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Biloxi 11, Knoxville (Cubs) 2 Box Score Via the Shuckers’ website, game details and we encourage readers to review affiliate write-ups as part of their Link Report routine: DeBerry, Lineup Dominate in Shuckers Win over Smokies While 23-year old RHP Jaron DeBerry (7 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 3 BB, 11 Ks) was utterly dominant (I’d bet Rick Sweet would love to see him up in AAA ball), Knoxville starting pitcher Nick Dean exited with an injury delay in the 2nd inning and the Shuckers ultimately got to the Smokies’ bullpen with a six-run 6th inning. Four walks in six batters led to Biloxi’s first run before OF Josiah Ragsdale (2-for-4, HR, 2 walks, 4 RBIs, SB) and SS Jesus Made (3-for-5, HR, double, walk, 4 RBIs, 2 SBs) broke open the game in a big way: Peruse the box score and you’ll see that C Matt Wood (3-for-3, double, 2 walks) reached base five times, while each of 3B Mike Boeve (2-for-3, 2 walks), OF Jacob Hurtubise (1-for-3, 2 walks, RBI) and OF Josh Adamczewski (1-for-5, walk, 2 RBIs) had solid days. Shuckers’ Extras: 12 hits and 14 walks made for a fun game for the offense, although usual contributors 1B Blake Burke, DH Andrew Fischer and 2B Eric Brown Jr. had tougher days: combined 0-for-13, 4 walks, 1 HBP, 10 Ks. Don’t worry – Fischer’s on-base streak is now 48 games long and his AA OPS is 1.266 (in 74 plate appearances). RHP Cameron Wagoner (1 IP, 3 Ks) also continues to make his case for a promotion to Nashville. Friday’s outlook: 21-year-old RHP Bishop Letson (4.58 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 8.8 K/9 in 59 IP) gets the start, with Biloxi requiring another win to tie up this week’s road series. Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Wisconsin 6, Beloit (Marlins) 4 Box Score Via the Timber Rattlers’ website, game details: Rattlers Survive Sky Carp Thanks to the superb Wisconsin media team for compiling video highlights of their home victory: And don’t miss the 17-minute Mehring-Timm post-game podcast, featuring comments from 2B Daniel Dickinson (1-for-2, HR, 2 walks, 2 RBIs) and acting manager Evan Berliner. The linked game report, videos and podcast cover 21-year old LHP Wande Torres’ fourth consecutive dominant start, allowing just 2 of 23 batters to reach base, both with 2 outs in the second inning. Though Torres (7 IP, 0 R, 1 H – a single, 0 BB, 1 HBP, 8 Ks) was denied the win, C Yannic Walther (1-for-3, double) triggered the immediate response from the offense in their 4-run, 5-hit eighth inning. Die-hards in the Minor League Forum noted that Dickinson’s strength may now have fully retuned, one year after hamate surgery, perhaps contributing to his homering in back-to-back games. Timber Rattlers’ Extras: Eight of Wisconsin’s nine position players reached base via hit or walk, including 2-for-4 days for 3B Luis Pena (double) and DH Marco Dinges (2 RBIs). RHP Jason Woodward (2/3 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 0 BB, 0 Ks) and LHP Jose Meneses (1 1/3 IP, 2 R, 1 H, 3 BB, 2 Ks) made things interesting for 2,795 home fans in attendance, before Meneses buckled to close out the win via called strikeout with the bases loaded. Friday’s outlook: RHP Jayden Dubanewicz gets the start, with Wisconsin aiming to take a 3-1 home series lead. Wilson Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Fayetteville (Astros) 11, Wilson 1 Box Score Via the Warbirds’ website, game details: Fayetteville's Seven-Run Inning Downs Wilson In essentially a reverse image of Biloxi’s win, starting LHP Andrew Healy (5 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 1 BB, 5 Ks) and Wilson battled to a tie until a blow-up 6th inning against the Warbirds’ bullpen. Six hits, five walks, one hit-by-pitch and two opponent errors unfortunately only resulted in one run for Wilson, as the team went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position, stranding 11 baserunners. 18-year-old SS Brady Ebel (3-for-4, double, walk, SB) reached base four times to lift his season OPS to .793. OF Jose Anderson came aboard twice (1-for-3, HR, walk), doing what he does best: 2B Juan Martinez’s 51-game on-base streak came to an end in this game, going 0-for-4 on two fly outs and two ground outs. The streak stretched across seven DSL games in 2025, 40 in the Arizona Complex League this year and four games with Wilson. Warbirds’ Extras: RHP Carlos Carra (2/3 IP, 5 R, 3 H, 2 BB, 1 K) has been swapping between great outings and difficult ones, unfortunately only retiring 2 of 7 batters faced before being lifted at 35 pitches. RHPs Bryce Schaum (1 1/3 IP, 2 R, 5 H, 1 BB, 0 Ks) and Thomas Conrad (2 IP, 3 R, 5 H, 1 BB, 3 Ks) also struggled in relief. C Kevin Garcia also had a tough day, going 0-for-4 with 4 Ks and committing an error. However, he did throw out one of three attempted basestealers. Friday’s outlook: LHP Joey Broughton is scheduled to start, with Wilson looking to claim a 3-1 series advantage at home. Final: ACL Rockies 13, ACL Brewers 6 Box Score Although the Zona Crew outhit the Rockies 9-7, they were never really in this game, trailing 3-0 by the second inning and 11-1 by the 5th frame. If not for the eight unearned runs allowed on two errors, maybe this game would have had a different outcome. With the defeat, their record dropped to 24-26. 2B CJ Hughes (2-for-4, RBI, HBP) had an early solo homer (his 5th blast of 2026) and six consecutive Brewers reached base to open a 4-run 6th inning, as the offense certainly tried to do its part. DH/OF Brailyn Antunez (2-for-4, walk, 2 RBIs; .282 AVG, .887 OPS) also reached base three times, while 1B Roderick Flores (2-for-4, triple) and OF Kenny Fenelon (1-for-4, double, walk) had solid days. Resilient LHP prospect Frank Cairone (1 2/3 IP, 2 R, 0 H, 2 BB, 2 Ks; 30 pitches) made his second professional start and was a bit unlucky to concede two earned runs after exiting with 2-on, 2-out. RHP Bryan Relagado threw the most pitches (64 of them, 32 for strikes) but only covered 2 2/3 innings (7 R (1 ER), 4 H, 4 BB, 1 HBP, 1 K). RHP Chase Bentley had the most encouraging line of the evening: 4 IP, 2 R (0 ER), 2 H, 1 BB, 4 Ks). DSL Brewers Blue and DSL Brewers Gold both saw their morning contests postponed by rain, with make-up dates planned for July 15 and July 27, respectively. We hope that you enjoy the Minor League Link Report. On Friday, seven affiliate games are on tap, starting with the Dominican Summer League squads at 10:00am CST and ending with the ACL Brewers at 8:00pm CST. The Milwaukee Brewers also commence their series at the Pirates at 5:40pm CST. Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth View the full article

Leading up to the 2026 MLB Draft, Fish On First brings you a series of scouting reports on top prospects in this draft class who could realistically wind up in Miami. Overview Position: SS Height: 6’2” Weight: 190 pounds School: Alabama Justin Lebron is a 6’2”, 190-pound shortstop who plays for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Lebron was one of the top draft prospects coming into the 2026 season. However, Lebron had a down season and isn’t expected to be a super high first round selection anymore. Coming out of high school, Lebron was a blue-chip prospect from Archbishop McCarthy High School in Southwest Ranches, Florida. On Perfect Game, Lebron was the 173rd-ranked prospect and the 41st-ranked shortstop in the Class of 2023. He was also the 23rd-ranked prospect out of the Sunshine State. Lebron went undrafted and honored his commitment to the University of Alabama. During his freshman season, Lebron earned a starting role for the Crimson Tide and made a major impact. Lebron played and started in all 56 games. He slashed .350/.435/.536 with 77 hits, eight doubles, eleven home runs, 38 RBIs, ten stolen bases, and a .971 OPS. He was named a First Team Freshman All-American and First Team All-SEC. In his sophomore season, Lebron continued to produce like one of the best hitters in college baseball. Lebron played and started in all 59 games. He slashed .316/.421/.636 with 73 hits, 18 doubles, 18 home runs, 72 RBIs, 17 stolen bases, and a 1.058 OPS. He was named a Second Team All-American and to the SEC All-Defensive Team. However, Lebron struggled at the plate during the 2026 season. Lebron played and started in all 61 games. Lebron slashed .277/.386/.534 with 66 hits, thirteen doubles, 16 home runs, 48 RBIs, 42 stolen bases, and a .920 OPS. At the plate, Lebron has plenty of raw power potential, but his hit tool is what’s lacking. He has struggled with his chase rate and the quality of contact when down a bunch last season. During SEC play, Lebron only batted .229. Defensively, Lebron has the arm, hands, and range to be an excellent defensive shortstop. Lebron did make more errors than usual this season, though. Lebron also showcased his 60-grade speed this season by stealing 42 bases. He’s a player who can steal 30 bags in a season at the next level. Strengths Excellent defensive SS Plus speed Plus raw power potential Projectable body type Improved his in-zone contact rate Weaknesses Trouble with the curve Batted .229 in SEC play 40-grade hit tool Pro Comparison: Masyn Winn Projection: Top 15 pick Bottom Line Justin Lebron has produced at a high level in college baseball except for this past season. He would be a project, but Lebron has the upside to become one of the best shortstops in MLB if his hit tool improves. On ESPN, Lebron is the eighth-ranked draft prospect and the fourth-ranked shortstop in the 2026 MLB Draft class. On MLB Pipeline, Lebron is the ninth-ranked draft prospect, and he’s also the 19th-ranked draft prospect on Baseball America. The Marlins will have the 14th overall pick and should be able to grab one of the top prospects in this draft class. Lebron would be an interesting option for them, especially given his local roots. More 2026 MLB draft profiles OF Derek Curiel RHP Tegan Kuhns OF Sawyer Strosnider RHP Liam Peterson 3B Bo Lowrance LHP Hunter Dietz INF Tyler Bell INF Chris Hacopian LHP Brody Bumila OF Trevor Condon RHP Cade Townsend OF Drew Burress LHP Gio Rojas RHP Cameron Flukey OF Eric Booth Jr. 3B Ace Reese LHP Carson Bolemon RHP Jackson Flora INF Jacob Lombard OF AJ Gracia View the full article

When it comes to the Boston Red Sox, it feels like every time within the past few drafts, an extremely talented player has fallen to them. First it was Kyle Teel, then it was Braden Montgomery, and in 2025 it was Kyson Witherspoon. The organization has been fortunate to have prospects of this caliber slip to them, and have seen them develop rather well. Watching these prospects play has made a rather tough decade of Red Sox baseball more consumable knowing what the future may look like. Today, we’ll be looking at the latest of the Red Sox's first-round picks in Kyson Witherspoon and how his early career struggles do not reflect the kind of pitcher he is. Witherspoon is incredibly talented and there’s a reason he is TalkSox’s third ranked prospect. Kyson Witherspoon’s Updated Red Sox Scouting Report Witherspoon began his path to professional baseball alongside his twin brother Malachi who was drafted (and did not sign) out of high school. Instead, the twins enrolled and pitched for Northwest Florida State Junior College before they both transferred to Oklahoma for their sophomore and junior seasons. During the summer following his sophomore season, Witherspoon pitched in the Cape Cod League for Chatham before developing into one of the top college arms during his junior season. The right-hander saw an increase in velocity that season while cutting his walk rate. In 16 starts with Oklahoma as a junior he went 10-4 with a 2.65 ERA in 95 innings, striking out 124 batters while walking just 23. Entering the draft, he was viewed as a top-10 pick due to his season thanks to his young draft age, as he wouldn’t turn 21 until after the draft. Despite that, Witherspoon fell to the Red Sox at 15th. Entering spring training, Witherspoon measured 6-foot-2 and weighed 205 pound with some growth being possible in his upper body. During spring training, he put on a display during his live bullpen sessions, his fastball hitting high-90s. He would also pitch in the Spring Breakout game where he tossed 1 2/3 innings and allowed one run on three hits and a walk while striking out a pair. Witherspoon has spent the 2026 season with High-A Greenville where he has had his fair share of ups and downs. April was the hardest month for the right-hander, as he allowed 18 runs, 14 of them earned, across 17 2/3 innings. Batters would hit .304/.410/.449 against him, but the right-hander bounced back in the month of May, holding them to a line of .220/.324/.356. Since his May 31 start, Witherspoon has now gone at least five innings in five of his past seven starts after failing to make it out of the fifth inning in his first eight professional starts. Overall, on the season, Witherspoon has made 15 starts and tossed 65.2 innings while allowing 37 earned runs, good for a 5.07 ERA. He’s also struck out 69 batters while walking 32. Mechanics Witherspoon stands on the first base side of the rubber while throwing from a three-quarters arm slot. Unlike with most Craig Breslow drafted pitchers, he does not have elite or even plus extension, but instead is viewed as being a short strider with an extension of under six feet. However, he does have good deception thanks to his arm action and can repeat his delivery. The release height of the pitch is considered average in relation to other pitchers. He does shoot the ball from his ear which helps in creating the deception of his pitches. Fastball The fastball is Witherspoon’s best pitch, averaging 95-97 mph. During spring training, it was sitting around 97-99 mph. His velocity hasn’t dropped too much since then and he’s been able to keep the velocity during his starts without a major drop-off in speed during the latter half of his outings. The pitch has shown the ability to miss bats thanks in part to its velocity and an improved control of the pitch stemming from his junior season. While the Red Sox have yet to tinker with it, due to its pitch shape, it wouldn’t be out of the question for the organization to see if they can adjust it. Especially since Witherspoon naturally tinkers with his grips and shapes. Potential plus pitch: 60 grade on 20-80 scale Cutter The cutter is a pitch Witherspoon uses quite often, throwing it to try and get strikes consistently. It currently sits between 88 and 91 mph and has shown bat-missing ability thanks to a hard but short horizontal break. It can generate chase from opponents. Due to it’s usefulness, the cutter has seen an increase in usage by Witherspoon as it also helps set up his other pitches. Potential plus pitch: 60 grade on 20-80 scale Slider Arguably the one pitch that benefits from his cutter more than any other, his slider averages between 84 and 87 mph. He’s able to land the pitch in the zone if he’s looking to get a strike or bury it down and out of the strike zone if he’s looking to get a batter to chase or generate whiffs. The pitch has shown to flash depth at its best, with two-plane movement that can make a hitter look foolish. Potential above-average pitch: 55 grade on 20-80 scale Curveball Witherspoon’s curveball has an 11-to-5 shape, which in college he would throw in two-strike counts to both left-handed and right-handed hitters. The pitch can be thrown either below the zone to try and generate some chase, or he can land it in the zone when necessary. When paired with his fastball, it can cause batters to freeze up at times. The command of it isn’t the best however, and he will have some misses with it at times. He has a feel for the pitch, though it's certainly not his go-to breaking ball. Potential above-average pitch: 55 grade on 20-80 scale Changeup His least-used pitch and probably the worst out of all of them. Despite that, it has shown potential thanks to the natural pitch tunneling he creates. In college, he played around with the grip of the pitch, tossing it like a four-seam changeup at times and other times like a splitter. Regardless of the grip he uses, the pitch showed little drop. However, since joining the Red Sox, it has shown late drop. Despite it being his weakest pitch, Witherspoon has confidence to use it multiple times in an at-bat against left-handed hitters. Potential average pitch: 50 grade on 20-80 scale Outlook with Red Sox Witherspoon has flashed signs of the potential the Red Sox drafted him for. Despite some growing pains in professional baseball, the right-hander is an incredibly talented arm that should stay in the rotation. Entering 2026, he was predicted to be a fast riser through the system but that hasn’t been the case. As he continues to develop, it’s currently a toss up if he gets to Double-A by the end of the season. His floor is of a fifth starter thanks in part to his velocity and multiple secondaries that are rated as potentially above average. The ceiling for him is somewhere between a number two and number three starter. Both his changeup and curveball need to be more consistent, and should he develop them, he could have a chance to make his ceiling into that of a legitimate co-ace in the rotation. 2026 Final Prediction As mentioned, everyone predicted Witherspoon to be a fast riser. That hasn’t been the case in 2026, as he’s taken some time to get accustomed to professional hitters. Now that he’s showing great development and going deeper into outings, a trip to Portland shouldn't be far off. That being said, I wouldn’t be surprised if the organization takes it slow with him and instead decided to keep him in Greenville for the entire season to work on his pitch shapes along with command of his curveball and changeup. View the full article

The rumor mill is in full swing, and with the New York Mets being one of the worst teams in the National League, everything points to them offloading some assets for the right price. Not everyone will be allowed to go, though. We can put the Mets’ players into three tiers: the ones who should be untouchables, those who could potentially go for the right price but the team isn’t inclined to deal, and the ones who should be slapped with the ‘open for business’ label. Untouchable Mets Players SS Francisco Lindor, OF A.J. Ewing, OF Carson Benge, SP Nolan McLean, SP Christian Scott, and OF Juan Soto With an 84 wRC+, Lindor hasn’t really had his finest season. It’s to be expected, though, since he underwent hamate bone surgery and power might take a while to return. He’s still the face of the Mets, though, and should eventually return to his best. Ewing already has seven home runs, nine stolen bases, a 128 wRC+, and solid defensive play in the outfield. He looks every bit like a keeper and should be a mainstay in the Mets’ future plans. The early stages of Benge’s season were rough. Weeks passed, and he didn’t seem capable of getting going at the plate. After a little over three months, however, he boasts a .265/.327/.410 line and a 108 wRC+, which is above the league average. With 11 home runs and 12 stolen bases, he could flirt with a 20-20 campaign in his first year. Not bad for a 23-year-old. It hasn’t always been pretty, but McLean is the face of the Mets’ pitching staff and the guy who will headline their rotation for years to come. His 3.73 ERA differs a lot from last year’s 2.06, but a 3.52 FIP suggests things could be better in the future. McLean strikes people out, does a good job limiting walks, and doesn’t allow too many home runs. He still has the tools to put together Cy Young-caliber seasons in the future, and the Mets shouldn’t even entertain trading him. Christian Scott is 27, so he is not as young as you probably thought he was. However, he is talented, cheap, and controllable, all desirable traits that will keep him in Queens for a long time. This year, he has posted a 3.17 ERA in 54 frames, with a whopping 65 strikeouts. The more innings he accumulates, the more experience he will gain. We don’t need to tell you why Soto is a keeper for the Mets. A symbol of the organization’s newfound financial power, the lefty-hitting outfielder remains a formidable hitter in his prime, sporting a 166 wRC+ with 20 home runs and 3.0 fWAR, even though he missed time with a calf injury. He is a true superstar and a building block for future Mets squads, even if the 2026 campaign hasn’t gone the way he wanted. Could Go For The Right Price C Francisco Alvarez, SP Clay Holmes, RP Luke Weaver There have been rumblings about Álvarez being available, and while he might fall just short of the ‘untouchables’ tier, the Mets would have to be blown away by an offer to consider letting him go. The catcher is sporting a solid 107 wRC+ with nine homers, and is still somehow only 24. The Mets will likely keep him, especially because we have seen his best version offensively, and he is much better than this. His defense behind the plate seems to be trending in the wrong direction, though. Holmes is certainly an interesting case. He is 33, injured, and could become a free agent after the season, so there’s a world in which the Mets explore a trade, considering how much they could get for a potential rental this year. With a 2.39 ERA in 52.2 innings, New York could very much fetch something of value, provided his rehab from a fractured fibula remains on track. He is expected to return in August. Weaver is in the first season of a two-year deal. He has a shiny 1.89 ERA and hasn’t given up an earned run since April, so the Mets would love to keep him with a 2027 run in mind. Unless someone grossly overpays, he will stay in Queens past August 3. Open For Business Everyone else The Mets should be willing to listen to trade approaches on pretty much everyone else on the roster, including many of their offseason acquisitions for this year. We are not saying that a dramatic turnaround is impossible, but it’s not looking particularly likely. Additionally, we are not saying that the Mets should go out and trade everyone not listed in the first two tiers. However, the newcomers, the injured players, the reclamation projects, the aging veterans, the struggling young prospects, and everyone not in the previous groups must be considered ‘tradeable’. That doesn't mean the Mets will just give them away, but they could and should be more open to trades involving these players if the return can help them compete in 2027 and beyond. View the full article

Welcome to Shape of the Blue Jays, my column where I dig into Statcast numbers to analyze recent pitch shape and swing shape trends for Toronto Blue Jays players and discuss how they have impacted their performance. Click here to read the last edition. All stats entering July 9, 2026. Quick Hits: Draft The 2026 MLB Draft starts this Saturday. The Blue Jays won't be on the clock until the 39th overall pick, and so much can happen between picks 1 and 38 that it isn't worth putting too much time into predicting the exact player they will select. However, Baseball America's draft preview podcast gave us some intel as to where they could be headed. BA's Carlos Collazo noted the Jays have had a particular affinity for players who are young for the class in their past few drafts. The acquisitions of Arjun Nimmala and JoJo Parker also indicate a liking for hit-first high school shortstops. As such, another high school hitter would make sense. Collazo listed shortstop Connor Comeau (BA's 55th-ranked draft prospect), third baseman Bo Lowrence (38), Archer Horn (51), James Clark (52), Landon Thome (57), and Taj Marchand (66) as the most logical fits for the Jays' first pick. He also mentioned Will Adams (88) as a candidate for Toronto later on. All the players listed above are high school prospects, and every one of them except for Marchand is a lefty hitter. All except for Lowrence and Adams profile as shortstops at the moment, while Horn has potential to be selected as a two-way player. Dylan Cease On Wednesday afternoon, Dylan Cease authored one of the best starts in franchise history, falling three outs short of a no-hitter in San Francisco (8+ IP, 0 R, 1 H, 11 K, 3 BB). Since returning from the IL, Cease has been money, with a 1.73 ERA and a 39.2% K rate in six starts (36 IP). He leads qualified AL starters in FIP and fWAR and is second to Cam Schlittler in ERA. Remember all the concerns about the gap between his results and peripherals in 2025? This is why baseball executives don't care about ERA. On an overall basis, Cease's usage patterns weren't out of the ordinary. The story was his pitch selection with two strikes. He used a higher percentage of changeups (22%) in two-strike counts than any other start this season against a Giants lineup that featured five lefties. The majority of these two-strike changeups went for balls, but of the four that were swung at, three were put in play for weakly-hit outs, and the other was missed. Even when it wasn't putting batters away, it was inducing harmless balls in play, which are imperative if you're going to try to throw a no-hitter. This was a statement conclusion to the first half for Cease, who is on the short list of candidates to start the All-Star Game for the AL next week in Philadelphia. Daulton Varsho Daulton Varsho got on the board with two hits against the Giants in the series finale, but he's still just 5 for his last 39. His wRC+ on the season is down to 99 after the early-July dry spell, and he's on pace for the second-lowest fWAR total in his four years as a Blue Jay. Earlier in the season, I was ambivalent about the series of adjustments he made to improve his bat-to-ball skills, but it's absolutely fair to question whether any of it was necessary given how he's tailed off the past couple weeks. Varsho's running the lowest strikeout and whiff rates, and the highest BABIP, of his career. However, he's on pace for just 14 home runs; he's never hit fewer than 18 in a full season and has been a mediocre hitter after hitting 20 homers in 71 games last year. Varsho is a notorious tinkerer, having changed various aspects of his swing every year since getting traded to Toronto. Hindsight is always 20/20, and there's still half a season to go, but it seems like a bold move to rework things in a contract year after how it all came together for him in 2025, which was the first time he was a threat to hit the fastball in a Blue Jay uniform. His xwOBA against fastballs has dipped back below .300 in 2026, thanks in part to him being late on 8% more of his swings against fastballs compared to last year. A 2.8-mph reduction in bat speed undoubtedly has something to do with that. Hitting involves constant adjustment, but is the increase in bat-to-ball worth it given the decrease in power? Jeff Hoffman You don't need me to remind you that on May 31, with the Blue Jays three outs away from climbing above .500 for the first time since April 3, Jeff Hoffman played a large part in blowing a 5-1 lead in an eventual walk-off loss in Baltimore. Did you know that since then, Hoffman has given up one earned run, struck out 15, and walked five in 13.2 innings? Some of this is positive regression. After posting BABIPs of .538 and .500 in April and May, which prompted an ominously-titled article from Davy Andrews at FanGraphs, his BABIP dropped to .160 in June and a pristine zero in July. At the same time, by xwOBAcon, the quality of batted balls he has given up has decreased over the past six weeks as well. Interestingly, Hoffman's arm angle has steadily climbed throughout the season, going from 30° in April to 35° in July as he has slightly raised his release point. This has allowed him to kill the vertical break on his slider, which is making it play up even though he's not throwing it any harder than usual: In his two July outings so far, the slider has garnered a ridiculous 83% swing-and-miss rate. According to the Stuff+ model on FanGraphs, four of Hoffman's five highest-ranked appearances sorted by Stuff+ on his slider have come in the past three weeks as this change has subtly taken effect. View the full article

TRANSACTIONS On Wednesday, the Twins placed RHP Marco Raya on the Injured List. On Thursday, LHP Connor Prielipp was played on the Injured List with a blister. They called up LHP Kendry Rojas and activated RHP Bailey Ober. With catcher Ryan Jeffers expected to return on Friday, Kyler Fedko has been optioned. Wind Surge infielder Jake Rucker and Kernels LHP Ross Dunn began rehab assignments with the FCL Twins on The organization also signed 19-year-old RHP Wisarly Reinoso from the Dominican Republic. He was assigned to the DSL Twins. SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 7, Iowa 21 Box Score In many games, seven runs will be enough to win. However, when your opponent scores six runs in one inning and nine runs in another inning, it’s not going to be a good night. Ryan Gallagher started for the Saints and gave up one run over the first three innings. Likely, he was feeling pretty good about how he was pitching against several of his former Cubs teammates. However, he recorded just two outs in the fourth inning. In total, he was charged with six runs on eight hits (2 homers) and two walks. He struck out five batters. Eduardo Salazar came on with two runners on and allowed both to score. He gave up one more run on three hits and a walk over 1 1/3 innings. He had three strikeouts. Matt Bowman is back again with the Saints. He started the sixth inning and got two outs. He gave up three runs (1 earned) on three hits and a walk. Trent Baker came in with two runners on and left them stranded. Baker gave up two runs on three hits in the seventh inning. Jake Higginbotham got the eighth inning. The lefty was charged with six runs on four hits and two walks. He got two outs. David Banuelos came in with a runner on and allowed him to score. He also was charged with three runs on three hits (including a homer) before getting the final out. The Saints batters scored their seven runs over six different half-innings. They had 11 hits and walked five times in the game. Ben Ross went 2-for-5 with his 20th double and seventh home run with the Saints. That gives him 27 doubles and 12 homers overall this year. Walker Jenkins went 2-for-5 with his 10th double. Hendry Mendez went 2-for-4 with a walk and two doubles. Orlando Arcia (13) and Aaron Sabato (21) also hit a double in the game. Sabato walked twice. Brett Bateman was the Cubs eighth-round pick in the 2023 draft out of the University of Minnesota. The Mounds View High School graduate has steadily moved up the organizational ladder and has spent the entire 2026 season in Des Moines, with the Triple-A Iowa Cubs. In his two starts against the Saints this week, the center fielder is 7-for-10 with a walk and 3 doubles. Overall, he is hitting .302/.431/.409 (.840) with 15 doubles, a triple, two homers. In 65 games, he’s walked 51 times and struck out 52 times. He is also 17-for-19 on stolen base attempts. For more on Bateman and other prospects in the (former Twins outfield prospect) Jason Kanzler-led Cubs farm system, check out our sister site North Side Baseball. Many of the Iowa Cubs are in their Top 20 Cubs Prospect rankings, or like Moises Ballesteros was near the top of the rankings for a long time. He went 2-for-4 with a walk and a double. Bateman, who has consistently landed just outside their top 20, went 3-for-6 with a double. #9 prospect Jonathan Long went 5-for-5 with a walk, two doubles and a home run. B.J. Murray was 3-for-5 with a walk. #11 prospect James Triantos went 3-for-5 with a walk and a double. Owen Miller was 2-for-5 with two doubles. Christian Bethancourt went 3-for-5 with a double, two homers and five RBI. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 6, Northwest Arkansas 13 Box Score Like above, when your offense scores six runs and has 12 hits and seven walks, they should win a lot of games. A little later, you’ll see why they didn’t score more runs. Unfortunately, the Naturals scored three in an inning, five in an inning, and they scored two runs twice. Sam Armstrong started and gave up eight runs on seven hits and a walk in 3 2/3 innings. He gave up two homers including the 17th homer of Carson Roccaforte whose three-run shot ended Armstrong’s outing. Sam Ryan came on and got the final out of the fourth. He worked a scoreless fifth inning, but then he got just one out in the sixth inning. He left the mound with the bases loaded. Hunter Gregory came on and allowed just one of the inherited runners to score. Ryan worked 1 2/3 innings. He gave up three runs (1 earned) on three hits and two walks. Gregory worked 1 2/3 innings and had three strikeouts. He was charged with no runs, no hits and no walks. Ruddy Gomez worked the final two innings and gave up two more runs on two hits and a walk. He struck out three batters. Caden Kendle led the offense. He went 3-for-4 with a walk. Marek Houston was 2-for-6 with his second double. He already has 11 stolen bases with Wichita. Jaime Ferrer went 2-for-5 with his sixth double. Andrew Cossetti went 0-for-2 but walked three times. Jay Thomason went 2-for-4 with a walk and his first Double-A home run. Kyle DeBarge added his 10th home run of the season. Garrett Spain added a double. Unfortunately, the Surge went just 3-for-15 with runners in scoring position and left 13 on base. It’s been a long season for the Wind Surge. Manager Nico Giarratano was ejected from the game in the sixth inning. Seven players on the NW Arkansas roster are in the Royals Keep Top 20 prospect rankings. Five of them are pitchers, though none of them threw on Thursday. #8 prospect Carson Roccaforte went 1-for-3 with two walks. He hit his 17th home run and stole his 16th base. #18 prospect Daniel Vazquez, a shortstop who was the team’s DH in this game, went 2-for-5 with two RBI. KERNELS CHRONICLE Cedar Rapids 1, South Bend 9 Box Score The Saints and Wind Surge both put up solid offensive performances, but their pitching staffs gave up a lot of runs and big innings. The Kernels followed suit with the exception that the Kernels offense had just one run on three hits in the game. Danny De Andrade had the lone extra base hit, his eighth double. Jose Salas went 1-for-2 with a walk. He stole a base and scored the lone run. Graham Brown drove in Salas with a single. Kolten Smith made his first appearance with the Kernels. In 3 1/3 innings, he gave up four runs (2 earned) on three hits and two walks. He had four strikeouts. Cole Peschl came in and tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings. He gave up two hits. Jesse Bergin struck out four batters over 2 1/3 scoreless innings. He gave up just one hit. Yehizon Sanchez gave up five runs on three hits, two hit batters, and a walk in 2/3 inning. Brian Zeldin came on and got the final out on a strikeout. Five South Bend Cubs players are on the Northside Baseball Top 20 Cubs Prospect rankings.19-year-old Josiah Hartshorn, the org’s #4 prospect, went 0-for-3, was hit by a pitch twice and two RBI. #7 prospect Kane Kepley didn’t play on Thursday, but he has already reached 40 stolen bases. MIGHTY MATTERS Ft. Myers, Bradenton (postponed) Box Score The game was postponed by rain. The teams will hope to play two games on Friday. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Twins 5, FCL Rays 6 Box Score The Twins jumped out to an early 3-0 lead. In the third inning, the Rays scored four to take the lead. The Twins responded with two runs in the top of the fourth to reclaim the lead 5-4. Both bullpens did well, throwing nothing but zeroes on the board from the fifth through eighth innings. Unfortunately, the Rays scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to take the win. Yovanny Duran singled to lead off the game. He stole second and scored on a Jake Rucker single. Carlos Taveras singled Rucker to third. Rucker scored on a Jhomnardo Reyes sacrifice fly. With nobody on and two outs in the top of the second, Yovanny Duran was walked. After a pitching change, he stole second and went to third on an errant pickoff attempt. He scored on a Rucker double to make it 3-0. LHP Ross Dunn was the Twins 10th round pick in 2023 out of Arizona State. He pitched in 19 games (16 starts) for Fort Myers in 2024. He made one start in 2025 for the Kernels but was removed from the game in the fourth inning. He didn’t pitch again until Thursday morning in Fort Myers. It was his first rehab appearance after Tommy John surgery. He struck out two batters over two scoreless, hitless innings. 20 of his 27 pitches were strikes. Omar Mantano came in for the third inning and was charged with four runs on four hits and two walks and recorded just two outs. Jake Covey came in and stranded two runners on base. He went 3 1/3 scoreless innings. He gave up just one hit, walked two and had eight strikeouts. In the top of the fourth, Daiber De Los Santos reached on a one-out walk and went to second on a wild pitch. De Los Santos actually was picked off at second base, but a throwing error allowed him to score the tying run. Yovanny Duran followed with a walk. He also was picked off, but he was able to get to third on a throwing error by the first baseman. Rucker came up and came through again. He hit a triple to make it 5-4. Santiago Rojas came in and tossed two scoreless innings. He gave up one hit, walked two and had a strikeout. Matt DesMarets came in for the bottom of the ninth inning. He gave up two runs on two hits, a hit batter, and a walk. He struck out two batters but recorded just two outs before the winning run scored. The rehabbing Jake Rucker went 4-for-4 with a run and three RBI. He had two singles, a double, and a triple. Duran went 1-for-3, walked three times and scored three runs. His two stolen bases give him 25 for the season. DSL Twins 3, DSL Yankees 19 Box Score Keeping with the theme of the day, the DSL Twins were shellacked by the DSL Yankees. Seven Twins pitchers gave up at least one run in this game. (If you want to relive it, feel free to click on the box score.) The Twins scored three runs and had five hits, and nine walks Misael Rodriguez went 2-for-4 with his fourth double. Jendy Martinez walked three times. Enmanuel Merlo, Luis Duarte, and Anibal Beltre each had a single and a walk. Juan Holmann walked twice. PLAYERS OF THE DAY Hitter(s) of the Day Ben Ross (St. Paul): 2-for-5, 2B(20), HR(7), R, 2 RBI, K Jake Rucker (FCL Twins, Rehab): 4-for-4, 2B, 3B, R, 3 RBI. Pitcher(s) of the Day Jake Covey (FCL Twins): 3 1/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 8 K, 54 pitches, 31 strikes (57.4%) PROSPECT SUMMARY Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on our Twins Top 20 prospects after seeing how they did today. #1 - OF Walker Jenkins (St. Paul) - 2-for-5, 2B(10), 2 R, K (batted second, played DH) #4 - C Eduardo Tait (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-4 (batted second, played DH) #5 - SS Marek Houston (Wichita) - 2-for-6, 2B(2), 2 RBI, K, SB(11) (batted first, played SS) #7 - LHP Kendry Rojas (Minnesota) - 2 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 47 pitches, 25 strikes (53.2%) #9 - OF Hendry Mendez (St. Paul) - 2-for-4, BB, 2-2B(6), R, RBI, K, (batted fifth, played LF) #10 - OF Gabriel Gonzalez (St. Paul) - 0-for-1 (PH and played RF) #12 - 3B/CF Brandon Winokur (Wichita) - 1-for-4, BB, R, K (batted fifth, played 3B) #13 - C/OF Khadim Diaw (Wichita) - 0-for-5, K (batted second, played catcher) #15 - RHP Ryan Gallagher (St. Paul) - 3 2/3 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 89 pitches, 59 strikes (66.3%) . #18 - OF Yasser Mercedes (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-4, K (batted fifth, played RF) #20 - 2B/SS Kyle DeBarge (Wichita) - 1-for-4, BB, HR(10), R, RBI, K (batted sixth, played 2B) UPCOMING PROBABLES Friday, July 10 St. Paul @ Iowa (7:08 pm CT) - RHP Ty Langenberg (3-3, 4.91 ERA) NW Arkansas @ Wichita (6:05 pm CT) - RHP Cory Lewis (0-3, 4.95 ERA) South Bend @ Cedar Rapids (6:35 pm CT) - LHP Cesar Lares (0-3, 16.71 ERA) Bradenton @ Ft. Myers (DH @ 3:35 pm CT) - RHP Callan Fang (3-1, 1.35 ERA), TBD FCL Twins @ FCL Red Sox (11:00 am CT) - DSL Rockies @ DSL Twins (10:00 am CT) - CURRENT W-L Records Minnesota Twins: 46-48 St. Paul Saints: 49-39 Wichita Wind Surge: 28-54 Cedar Rapids Kernels: 34-47 Fort Myers Mighty Mussels: 45-36 FCL Twins: 27-22 DSL Twins: 6-20 Please feel free to ask questions about the teams, the rosters, and discuss today’s games, or anything else Twins minor-league related! View the full article