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Each fantasy baseball season has its own quirks, and 2025 was no exception. Here are the biggest takeaways that managers can make from the recently completed campaign, along with some advice on how to utilize these takeaways during 2026 drafts.

Catcher was deeeeep

Recap: Baseballâ€s most demanding position is enjoying a renaissance. While Cal Raleigh and his AL MVP quest were dominating the headlines at the catcher position, there were plenty of players who were racking up noticeable stat lines of their own. A total of nine catchers tallied at least 20 home runs, and four reached the 30-homer benchmark. Ten catchers drove in at least 70 runs, and seven scored at least 70 times. There were even six catchers who hit at least .275 with more than 375 at-bats.

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Looking ahead: Thanks to the emergence of the likes of Hunter Goodman, Agustin Ramírez, Ben Rice, Ivan Herrera and many more, there are more appealing catchers than available lineup spots in 2026 one-catcher leagues. For this reason, managers who miss out on drafting Raleigh should be fully committed to selecting their catcher in the final rounds of their draft. They will still come away with someone who has top-five potential at this premium position.

Elite closers werenâ€t worth the trouble

Recap: At the reliever position, there were a few top 2024 finishers who came from the early rounds of drafts — namely Edwin Díaz, Jhoan Duran, Josh Hader — who finished 42nd, 57th and 55th at the position, respectively. But most of the valuable relievers were afterthoughts in the draft process. Of the 17 relievers who finished as top-100 overall players, 12 were drafted after pick 100. Remarkably, six of the 17 hurlers opened the season on waivers in nearly every league.

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Looking ahead: After the reliever position enjoyed a remarkably consistent season in 2024, we were reminded this year that it is an inherently volatile position in fantasy due to the combination of small sample sizes, high-pressure situations and frequent injuries. Managers may prefer to spend multiple middle- or late-round draft picks on relievers, rather than grabbing a star closer in the early rounds.

The ROI (return on investment) for aces was terrific

Recap: Sure, there were some injury-related misses among the elite fantasy starters, but that would be true of top players at any position. The overall symmetry between draft-day value and actual production was impressive this year, as the top-three fantasy finishers (Tarik Skubal, Paul Skenes, Garrett Crochet) were among the initial four pitchers selected in drafts. The fourth member of that group, Zack Wheeler, was so good that he still ranks 14th in value despite making his last start on August 15. The other top-12 2025 pitchers are listed here (in order), with their Yahoo ADP in parentheses: Bryan Woo (133), Nathan Eovaldi (195), Yoshinobu Yamamoto (52), Hunter Brown (106), Freddy Peralta (96), Cristopher Sánchez (164), Carlos Rodón (150), Max Fried (84), Jacob deGrom (55).

Looking ahead: There are two main takeaways for 2026 drafters. First, although pitchers sometimes suffer long-term injuries that tend to skew our impression of them, they are sound investments in the early rounds of drafts. The second takeaway is that managers must invest in the pitching position early if they want to get an ace. After all, only two of the hurlers listed in the previous paragraph were available past pick 150. Wise managers will plan to take at least four starters in the initial 12 rounds of their draft.

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Projecting steals is a foolâ€s errand

Recap: Of the 10 players who finished atop the steals leaderboard last year, just two of them repeated their top-10 finish in 2025. If we expand the sample size, of the 24 players who reached the 30-steal plateau in 2024, only seven returned to that benchmark this season.

Looking ahead: Stolen bases are different than stats that are accumulated at the plate, as there is a choice involved with attempting to swipe a bag. Players often increase or decrease their aggressiveness on the basepaths over periods of time due to several factors, such as the managerâ€s game plan or personal injuries. For this reason, managers shouldnâ€t get carried away with projecting specific steals totals heading into a season. It may be a better plan to ensure that they leave the draft with a few players who are typically willing to swipe bases, knowing that these players could finish with anywhere from 20-40 steals. After all, we canâ€t be any more confident that José Caballero will repeat his league-leading total of 49 than we were that Elly De La Cruz would steal 67 bags for a second straight year (he finished with 37).

Pitchers on good teams get wins

Recap: Sure, this seems obvious, but pitcher wins were correlated to team success to an unusual degree in 2025. Of the 20 pitchers with at least 13 wins, 15 play for a team that made the postseason. And of the other five, four were on a team that remained in the NL Wild Card race until the final week of the season. Only Joe Ryan worked for a team that won fewer than 78 games.

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Looking ahead: Once the Big Three of Skubal, Skenes and Crochet are off the board, fantasy managers will need to choose their staff ace from a deep pool of similarly skilled hurlers. Since wins are an important part of the equation (especially in roto formats), eliminating the pitchers who play for losing clubs may be a good place to start. That would include the likes of the aforementioned Ryan and Eury Pérez, and it may also include Chris Sale and Spencer Schwellenbach, depending on the managerâ€s faith that the Braves will turn things around.

In fact, the information regarding wins could be a reason to rank Skenes behind Crochet. After all, Skubal and Crochet averaged 15.5 wins this year while playing on postseason teams, while Skenes racked up just 10 victories. And few analysts expect the Pirates to improve to a great degree next year.

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Bobby Witt Jr. (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

The curtain has fallen on another outstanding MLB season. It’s time for Baseball America to name its 2025 all-stars.

A record seven players went 30-30: Corbin Carroll, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Pete Crow-Armstrong, Francisco Lindor, Jose Ramirez, Julio Rodriguez and Juan Soto. Four of those players made our MLB all-star teams.

Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani, Cal Raleigh and Kyle Schwarber all hit 50 or more home runs, tying the record for most players in a season to reach the half-century mark. All four made our MLB all-star teams.

You can find the complete first- and second-team MLB all-stars below. Also be sure to check out our MiLB all-stars for 2025.

C Cal Raleigh, Mariners

Sixty! Raleigh shattered Salvador Perezâ€s four-year-old record for home runs in a season by a catcher, hitting 60 in 158 games for the AL West division champions. Raleigh also set records for home runs by a switch-hitter (Mickey Mantle, 54) and by a Mariners hitter (Ken Griffey Jr., 56).

1B Nick Kurtz, Athletics

Rare is the rookie who makes our MLB all-star team, but Kurtz was just that good as a first-year big leaguer—and in his second pro season, no less. The 22-year-old was one of just 13 rookies in history to hit 35 or more home runs in a season and one of just seven to post an OPS of 1.000 or better in a rookie season of at least 450 plate appearances.

2B Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks

Marte moved ahead of Jose Altuve as the top offensive second baseman in baseball in 2023 and kept up the pace by turning in a typically strong season this year. He hit for average, drew walks and slugged .500 for the third time in his career in a qualifying season.

3B Jose Ramirez, Guardians

Ramirez authored his third career 30-30 season and his second in a row. He is one of the most well-rounded players in MLB and one of the most multi-dimensional third basemen in history. His 287 career stolen bases are the most for a third baseman of the live-ball era.

SS Bobby Witt Jr., Royals

Witt didnâ€t hit as many home runs, drive in as many runs or draw as many walks as he did in his MVP runner-up season in 2024. But he set the bar so ridiculously high last year that it obscures the fact that Witt does things on the field at levels not seen at shortstop since Alex Rodriguez was in his prime 20 years ago.

OF Aaron Judge, Yankees

The incomparable Judge topped 50 home runs for a fourth time—tying the record—and became the sixth hitter since World War II to win the overall major league batting title while also leading MLB in on-base percentage and slugging. The others: Ted Williams, George Brett, Larry Walker, Barry Bonds and Miguel Cabrera.

OF Julio Rodriguez, Mariners

Rodriguezâ€s combination of power, speed, fielding chops, arm strength and availability make him baseballâ€s best center fielder. The 24-year-old just completed his second 30-30 season in four tries. He and Bobby Witt Jr. are the only two hitters ever to do that twice before turning 25.

OF Juan Soto, Mets

Soto signed a record contract and set new personal standards with 43 home runs and 38 stolen bases, more than triple his previous best, while leading the NL with a .396 on-base percentage and setting the Mets franchise record with 126 walks.

DH Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers

Ohtani set a career high with 55 home runs, scored 146 runs in 158 games and led the NL with a 1.104 OPS. He returned to the mound in mid June and made 14 starts, logging a 2.87 ERA with 62 strikeouts in 47 innings. Ohtani is set to bring his unprecedented two-way game to the postseason for the first time after toiling with the Angels for six seasons and serving as DH-only last October.Â

SP Hunter Brown, Astros

Brown continued to see results from emphasizing his sinker to righthanded batters and set career marks with a 28.3 percent strikeout rate, 7.8 percent walk rate and 2.43 ERA over a career high 185.1 innings.

SP Garrett Crochet, Red Sox

After watching the White Sox manage Crochetâ€s workload carefully in 2024, the Red Sox set him loose on the American League. He proved he was a No. 1 starter for a playoff team with his MLB-leading 255 strikeouts as one of three pitchers to top 200 innings this season.

SP Cristopher Sanchez, Phillies

Throwing one of the best changeups in the game and generating one of the highest groundball rates helped elevate Sanchez to his best season yet. He set new career standards with a 26.3 perecnt strikeout rate, 5.5 percent walk rate and 2.50 ERA, all while tossing 202 innings as one of three workhorses to reach that threshold this season.

SP Paul Skenes, Pirates

From Rookie of the Year in 2024 to likely NL Cy Young Award winner this year, Skenes is on the short list of top young aces in history. He struck out more than 200 batters with an ERA under 2.00, becoming the seventh pitcher since 2000 to accomplish the feat. The 23-year-old Skenes is by far the youngest.

SP Tarik Skubal, Tigers

Skubal won the Best Changeup category unanimously in AL Best Tools voting this year, and thatâ€s fitting because it generated the most Statcast run value of any individual pitch this season. His 0.89 WHIP was lowest in MLB among qualified starters, while only Paul Skenes bettered his 2.21 ERA.

RP Aroldis Chapman, Red Sox

The 37-year-old Chapman remains about as dominant as he was a decade ago—and notably as available despite his role as a reliever tending to be one subject to early burnouts. During one 17-game stretch this season, he was literally unhittable. From July 26 to Sept. 7, Chapman struck out 21, walked four and allowed zero hits over 14.2 innings.

MLB All-Stars • First Team

PosPlayerTeamAVGOBPSLGABHRRBIBBSOSBwRC+CCal RaleighSEA.247.359.5895966012597188141611BNick KurtzATH.290.383.61942036866315121702BKetel MarteARI.283.376.5174802872648341453BJose RamirezCLE.283.360.5035933085667444133SSAaron JudgeNYY.331.457.6885415311412416012204OFBobby Witt Jr.KC.295.351.50162323884912538130OFJulio RodriguezSEA.267.324.47465232954415230126OFJuan SotoNYM.263.396.5255774310512713738156DHShohei OhtaniLAD.282.392.6226115510210918720172

PosPitcherOrgWLERAGIPHRBBSOWHIPFIPSPHunter BrownHOU1292.4331185.117572061.033.14SPGarrett CrochetBOS1852.5932205.124462551.032.89SPCristopher SanchezPHI1352.503220212442121.062.55SPPaul SkenesPIT10101.9732187.211422160.952.36SPTarik SkubalDET1362.2131195.118332410.892.45RPAroldis ChapmanBOS531.176761.1315850.701.73

MLB All-Stars • Second Team

PosPlayerTeamAVGOBPSLGABHRRBIBBSOSBwRC+CWill SmithLAD.296.404.4973621761648921531BVladimir Guerrero Jr.TOR.292.381.4675892384819461372BBrice TurangMIL.288.359.435584188166150241243BMaikel GarciaKC.286.351.4495951674628423121SSGeraldo PerdomoARI.290.389.46259720100948327138OFByron BuxtonMIN.264.327.55148835834114824136OFCorbin CarrollARI.259.343.54156431846715332139OFGeorge SpringerTOR.309.399.56049832846911118166DHKyle SchwarberPHI.240.365.5636045613210819710152

PosPitcherOrgWLERAGIPHRBBSOWHIPFIPSPMax FriedNYY1952.8632195.114511891.103.07SPFreddy PeraltaMIL1762.7033176.221662041.083.65SPLogan WebbSF15113.223420714462241.242.60SPZack WheelerPHI1052.7124149.219331950.943.00SPYoshinobu YamamotoLAD1282.4930173.214592010.992.94RPJhoan DuranPHI762.067270319801.102.35

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LSU coach Jay Johnson (Photo by Isaac Wasserman/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

College baseball coaching salaries donâ€t touch the stratosphere of those in football or menâ€s basketball, but the industry has seen a sharp rise in recent years.Â

More coaches than ever now clear the $1 million mark annually. This offseason alone produced landmark contracts, as LSUâ€s Jay Johnson became the highest-paid coach in the sportâ€s history and Mississippi Stateâ€s Brian Oâ€Connor joined the exclusive group making at least $2 million per year.

Below, we’ve compiled a list of the top 15 head coaching salaries in college baseball. The order reflects average annual pay before bonuses, based on documents obtained by Baseball America.

1. Jay Johnson (LSU)

• Average annual salary: $3.35 million

On the heels of its second national championship in three years, LSU finalized a new contract with Johnson that made him the highest-paid coach in college baseball. The deal starts at $3.05 million, edging past Tennesseeâ€s Tony Vitello, whose $3 million salary previously set the market. They are now the only two coaches in the country earning more than $3 million annually. Johnsonâ€s salary will climb by $100,000 each year until it reaches $3.65 million, with the contract running through 2032. Itâ€s a gaudy but well-earned figure for one of the gameâ€s brightest minds.

2. Tony Vitello (Tennessee)

• Average annual salary: $3 million

After guiding Tennessee to the 2024 national championship, Vitello signed a new deal that briefly made him the sportâ€s highest-paid coach. While he no longer holds that title, the Volunteers†head coach will always hold the crown as the sportâ€s first to reach the $3 million mark. His contract runs through 2029, cementing his place near the top of the profession alongside Johnson.

3. Brian Oâ€Connor (Mississippi State)

• Average annual salary: $2.9 million

How do you attract one of college baseballâ€s most accomplished coaches? You pay him like it. Mississippi State lured Oâ€Connor away from Virginia with a massive contract averaging $2.9 million annually, immediately placing him among the highest-paid skippers in the country. Oâ€Connor, who guided the Cavaliers to a national championship and multiple Omaha trips, now anchors the Bulldogs†future in the SEC with a deal that reflects both his pedigree and the escalating salary market.

4. Tim Corbin (Vanderbilt)

• Average annual salary:$2.45 million

Because Vanderbilt is a private school, Corbinâ€s salary isnâ€t available through public records. But tax documents and industry sources place his average annual pay at $2.45 million. That makes him one of just five coaches whose compensation eclipses the $2 million mark. Widely regarded as one of the sportâ€s all-time greats, Corbin is one of only 17 coaches to win multiple national championships.

5. Jim Schlossnagle (Texas)

• Average annual salary:$2.2 million

When Schlossnagle left Texas A&M for rival Texas in 2024, he signed a backloaded deal that paid $1 million in each of its first two years before climbing to $2.68 million annually over the final five seasons. The average works out to $2.2 million, placing him firmly among the sportâ€s elite earners. His move within the Lone Star State ruffled plenty of feathers in College Station, but money talks, and the Longhorns spared nothing to secure one of college baseballâ€s best.

6. Tim Tadlock (Texas Tech)

• Average annual salary:$1.89 million

Tadlock signed a rolling seven-year deal in 2021 that automatically extends by a year unless the school notifies him otherwise by Aug. 15. The contract includes a unique provision requiring biannual reviews to ensure his compensation “remains in the top five†in the sport. He currently ranks sixth, though, after Jay Johnsonâ€s recent extension reset the market. Sources place Tadlockâ€s average annual salary at $1.89 million, with his next salary review scheduled for September 2027. He remains the sportâ€s highest-paid non-SEC coach.

7. Kevin Oâ€Sullivan (Florida)

• Average annual salary: $1.84 million

Oâ€Sullivan signed an extension before the 2024 season that made him the nationâ€s second-highest paid coach at the time and secured his place in Gainesville through 2033. Since taking over in 2008, he has guided Florida to more College World Series appearances than any other active coach, highlighted by the programâ€s 2017 national championship. His $1.84 million average salary reflects both his longevity and consistent success.

8. Mike Bianco (Ole Miss)

• Average annual salary:$1.625 million

Bianco, the longest-tenured coach in the SEC, carries an average annual salary of $1.625 million. He delivered the Rebels their first national championship in 2022, cementing his legacy in Oxford and ensuring his place among the sportâ€s highest earners.

9. Butch Thompson (Auburn)

• Average annual salary:$1.5 million

Following a 41-win season and a near-miss of the College World Series, Auburn extended Thompson through 2031 on a deal worth $1.5 million annually. The contract features two potential rollover years tied to NCAA Tournament appearances, which could carry it through 2033. There are also performance incentives that can elevate his total compensation.

10. Dave Van Horn (Arkansas)

• Average annual salary:$1.45 million

One of the best coaches yet to win a national championship, Van Horn has built a reputation for elite player development and sustained success in Fayetteville. His contract runs through 2031 at an average of $1.45 million, which rounds out the top 10.

11. Erik Bakich (Clemson)

• Average annual salary:$1.4 million

Bakichâ€s first two years at Clemson were strong enough that the school quickly extended him through 2030. The deal boosted his salary to $1.4 million annually, a figure that placed him inside the top 10 nationally at the time. Now, he has the Tigers on the cusp of a College World Series return, with his compensation reflecting the programâ€s upward trajectory.

12. Dan McDonnell (Louisville)

• Average annual salary: $1.35 million

McDonnell, one of the sportâ€s most consistent winners, earns an average annual salary of $1.35 million. Since taking over in 2007, he has elevated Louisville into a national power, guiding the Cardinals to six College World Series appearances and setting the standard for ACC consistency. McDonnell, like several other coaches on this list, has seen his salary grow with the sport, having served in his role for nearly two decades.

13. Paul Mainieri (South Carolina)

• Average annual salary:$1.3 million

South Carolina lured Mainieri out of retirement before the 2025 season with a deal that averages $1.3 million annually and places him among the top 15 highest-paid coaches in the nation. Year one was rocky, as the Gamecocks stumbled to a 28-29 record and just six SEC wins, but Mainieri and his staff responded with a massive transfer portal haul aimed at jump-starting a turnaround.

14. Wes Johnson (Georgia)

• Average annual salary: $1.3 million

Amid offseason rumors linking him to other jobs, Johnson this year reaffirmed his commitment to Georgia by signing an extension through 2031 that raised his average annual salary to $1.3 million. Originally hired ahead of the 2024 season, he quickly revitalized a program that had missed the NCAA Tournament in six of the previous nine years and hadnâ€t advanced past regionals since 2008. Johnson is the winningest coach through two seasons in Georgia history, guiding the Bulldogs to a super regional in year two and positioning them as a national seed contender.

15. Skip Johnson (Oklahoma)

• Average annual salary: $1.28 million

Johnson earns an average annual salary of $1.28 million, placing him just inside the top 15 nationally. Since taking over in 2018, he has guided Oklahoma to steady improvement—highlighted by a trip to the 2022 College World Series finals—and positioned the Sooners as a consistent Big 12 contender. Now in the SEC, the challenge is steeper, and his compensation reflects the step up in competition, aligning him with many of his new peers.

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Danny Graves (Photo by Aaron Doster/Getty Images)

Danny Graves arrived at the University of Miami in the fall of 1991 as an undersized righthander surrounded by a deep recruiting class of standout arms and wondering what heâ€d gotten himself into.

“Not that I had any lack of confidence, but (what are) the odds for a little freshman—I looked like I was about 12, and I was a little chubby,†Graves said. “I canâ€t believe that I signed to go here, and all these pitchers are here. Turtle Thomas, our recruiting coordinator back then, was infamous for doing that, bringing in a lot of arms and seeing what sticks. And, thankfully, I stuck.â€

Graves did more than stick. He cemented himself as a mainstay in the Miami bullpen from day one, posting a 0.89 ERA with 21 saves as the Hurricanes’ closer on their 1994 College World Series-bound team.

Just three years removed from wondering if he could stick at Miami, Graves was at the top of his game. He had set himself up to vault into pro baseball, as the Indians selected him with their fourth-round pick in the 1994 draft, and he arrived in Omaha looking to end his college career with a bang.

Instead, he tore his ACL during the College World Series, throwing that future in doubt.

“The first thing I thought was, ‘There goes all the money,â€â€ Graves said. “At the time, I was
thinking I might have to go back to school.â€

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His fears wouldnâ€t come to pass, however, as the Indians honored Graves†pre-injury bonus request. They were quickly rewarded. Graves was just as lights out in the minor leagues as he was at Miami, and he debuted with the big league club in 1996 before being flipped to the Reds in a trade deadline deal as a part of the package for Jeff Branson and John Smiley.

Graves took his lumps early in his big league career, learning that he needed more than just good life on his pitches to get MLB hitters out.

“I felt like for so long I would get by with stuff,†Graves said. “When people donâ€t see a lot of you,
especially in the minor leagues, your stuff can dominate for a little while. When you get to the
big leagues, you need more than just stuff.â€

Graves set about not just fine-tuning his arsenal, but learning how to effectively use it. By his age-25 season, heâ€d earned the Reds’ closer job and made his first all-star team in 2000 at age 26. Even with the ACL setback in college, the game had brought Graves nothing but joy, and he relished shutting things down in the ninth.

However, in 2003, Graves’ toughest professional year coincided with his toughest year off the field.

“I was going through a divorce at the time,” Graves said. “Itâ€s really hard to have a family when youâ€re a big league player. People think itâ€s all glory because you make a lot of money, but you have a family because you love your family and you want to be with your family. When theyâ€re not with you all the time, you get lonely.â€

Things at home were difficult, and after being converted to a starter by Reds management,
things on the mound werenâ€t much better. Years of elite performance in the bullpen were replaced
by a season of struggling in the rotation.

“I would have some good starts, but then have one or two bad innings that just blew stuff out of
proportion,†Graves said. “I went back to the bullpen the next year and made the all-star team,
but it still wasnâ€t fun. It was a struggle to pitch.â€

By 2007, Graves was on the wrong side of 30, pitching with diminished stuff for the independent
Long Island Ducks. He was a long way from being a big league all-star, but unwilling to let go of being a
professional baseball player.

“Thatâ€s what my identity was in my eyes,” Graves said. “I was nothing else but a baseball player. What happens if I donâ€t play anymore? If I say no to the Long Island Ducks, then Iâ€m not going to
play, and then what am I? Who am I? Thatâ€s why I kept trying to play, even knowing in the back of my
mind I had no shot of getting back to the big leagues.â€

After stints in the minor leagues and with Navojoa of the Mexican League, Graves walked away
from baseball, leaving behind the game and any joy associated with it.

“I took a couple years away from the game completely,” Graves said. “I was just a dad at home. I got
remarried to a wonderful lady. I wanted nothing to do with baseball.â€

That mightâ€ve been it for Graves and the game he loved—if baseball hadnâ€t come back for him.

Graves was approached about broadcasting, an opportunity he has since parlayed into stints with Reds Radio Network and his current role calling ACC baseball for ESPN. With a new job behind the mic instead of on the mound, it allowed Graves to find an identity in the game that had nothing to do with getting hitters out.

“All of a sudden, I get this opportunity to get back in the game on the media side,†Graves said.
“And thatâ€s when I knew, ‘Now I can be a former player and be ok with it.’â€

In the broadcast booth, Graves has rediscovered the baseball joy from his Miami and early Reds days. In 2023, he capped both journeys on a high note, going back to complete his Miami degree
and being inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame the same year.

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Roch Cholowsky (Photo by Eddie Kelly/ ProLook Photos)

Itâ€s far too soon to plant a flag, but it isnâ€t too soon to start the conversation.

Today, we’re dishing out some “way too early” national award predictions. The names we’ve settled on below may well end up mirroring the picks we ultimately land on before the season begins, but theyâ€re more about laying down a baseline before we learn more about the stars who will define 2026.

Still, the exercise has value. Looking at the early field for major awards gave us a chance to test our process, weigh resumes and tools against projection and highlight the players already standing out months before first pitch.

With that in mind, here are our initial predictions for 2026 Player of the Year, Pitcher of the Year and Freshman of the Year. We’ve also included one darkhorse selection who could perform well enough to make noise on the national scene.

Player Of The Year

Jacobâ€s Pick: Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA

It feels risky to make a call this early. Fall practices are only just beginning in some places, and Opening Day is still more than four months away. But if any player looks like a secure choice to carry preseason award momentum into February, itâ€s Cholowsky. Simply put: This is his award to lose.

Cholowsky enters 2026 chasing history. Last year he became just the sixth non-draft-eligible player to win Player of the Year, joining Robin Ventura, John Olerud, Mike Kelly, Mark Teixeira and Anthony Rendon. No one has ever gone back-to-back. Cholowsky has every chance to be the first.

The numbers speak loudly: .353/.480/.710 with 23 home runs, 19 doubles, 45 walks and only 30 strikeouts in 2025. He pairs them with the polish of a defender whose actions at shortstop are as smooth as any in the country. Now, as the centerpiece of what might be the nationâ€s most talented roster, Cholowsky was the simplest of early selections for Player of the Year. Nothing about that feels likely to change.

Peterâ€s Pick: Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA

One of the most complete college shortstops in quite some time, Cholowsky heads into 2026 looking to build off of an ultra-impressive 2025 campaign in which he set new career highs in every major statistical category. He took home a smattering of postseason awards and was a unanimous first-team All-American.

The reigning national player of the year has impressive tools on both sides of the baseball. Heâ€s a well-rounded hitter whoâ€s armed with an exciting hit-power combination, making for a whole lot of “this is what it looks like†at shortstop. On top of his raw tools, Cholowsky is a natural leader, something that is evident both in the clubhouse and on the field.

With UCLA entering 2026 with sky-high expectations, Cholowsky will look to guide the Bruins to their first national championship since 2013.

Pitcher Of The Year

Jacobâ€s Pick: Dax Whitney, RHP, Oregon State

Even in a crowded field of college arms, Whitney rises above. His freshman season suggested a trajectory similar to Cholowskyâ€s—talent so undeniable that draft-eligible peers may struggle to keep pace in the awards race.

Whitney struck out 120 hitters in 76.2 innings as a freshman in 2025. That dominance secured him first-team Freshman All-America honors and a spot on Team USAâ€s Collegiate National Team.Â

Whitney’s fastball lives in the mid 90s and climbs to 98 mph with riding life. His secondary offerings are no less punishing: a top-down curveball and sweeping slider that averaged more than 17 inches of horizontal break while producing a 42 percent whiff rate last spring. Even with that kind of power mix, he filled the zone, walking only 37 batters.

Floridaâ€s Liam Peterson, Coastal Carolinaâ€s Cameron Flukey, UC Santa Barbaraâ€s Jackson Flora and TCUâ€s Tommy LaPour, among others, all warranted consideration. But Whitney, with his blend of stuff, polish and poise, was too difficult to overlook.

Peterâ€s Pick: Cameron Flukey, RHP, Coastal Carolina

Fresh off a College World Series final appearance, Flukey will once again anchor Coastal Carolinaâ€s rotation. After showing plenty of flashes as a freshman, Flukey last season took his game to new heights and pitched to a 3.19 ERA with 118 strikeouts to just 24 walks across 101.2 innings en route to a first-team all-conference selection.

The 6-foot-6 righthander relies primarily on his mid-to-upper-90s fastball that has plus carry through the zone. His mid-70s curveball was also a revelation last spring and generated an impressive 49 percent miss rate. Flukey completes his arsenal with an effective mid-to-upper-80s slider that flashes two-plane tilt and a mid-to-upper-80s changeup that’s an intriguing fourth pitch.

Armed with a deep arsenal and an impressive combination of strike-throwing and stuff, Flukey is well on his way to putting together another dominant season and looks the part of a future first-round pick.

Freshman Of The Year

Jacobâ€s Pick: Brock Ketelsen, OF/LHP, Stanford

Of the three awards, this one is the hardest to pin down in September. Freshman impact is notoriously difficult to project before fall roles are sorted out. Still, the mere fact that Ketelsen made it to campus gives him a chance to shape a Stanford team eager for a step forward.

Ketelsen placed himself firmly among the breakout players of the summer when he slashed .328/.467/.458 with two home runs, five doubles, three triples and 34 stolen bases and pitched to a 1.04 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 8.2 relief innings with the Corvallis Knights in the West Coast League. His most immediate influence at Stanford should come with the bat, but his versatility on the mound only adds to the intrigue.

Only 18 years old as of late July, Ketelsen already plays with the polish of an older contributor. That maturity, paired with his across-the-board tools, makes him a strong early pick for Freshman of the Year.

Peterâ€s Pick: Carson Brumbaugh, INF, Arkansas

As Jacob noted, this award is the hardest to predict at the moment. Freshmen across the country are vying for roles on their respective teams, and thatâ€s something that doesnâ€t get sorted out until the days leading up to Opening Day.

One freshman whoâ€s making plenty of noise, however, is Brumbaugh. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound infielder ranked No. 156 on the final iteration of the BA 500 and boasts a litany of exciting tools. He has thunderous bat speed and intriguing power potential to go along with a plus arm on the dirt. Heâ€s been hammering the ball all fall and could earn a spot in Arkansas†opening day starting nine.

On top of his offensive tools, Brumbaugh has serious arm speed on the mound. He features a fastball thatâ€s been up to 96 mph, as well as a solid low-80s slider. While heâ€s undoubtedly a hitter long term, thereâ€s a chance he could log a handful of innings in relief this spring.

Brumbaughâ€s toolset allows him to impact the game in a number of ways, and heâ€s on track to do exactly that in his freshman season.

Darkhorse National Performer

Jacobâ€s Pick:Daniel Lopez, RHP, Kansas

Kansas coaches celebrated in July when the Orioles signed outfielder Slater de Brun for $4 million—$1.37 million over slot—as it was money that ultimately kept them from also landing Lopez, a 12th-round pick out of Odessa (Texas) College. For the Jayhawks, the bonus fallout became a recruiting coup. Recruiting coordinator Jon Coyne even bought a de Brun jersey to mark the occasion.

So far, the enthusiasm looks justified. Lopez has sat 94-96 mph this fall and touched 97 with carry through the zone. He backs up the fastball with a low-80s 12-to-6 curveball, a changeup with late dive and a newly-added mid-80s downer slider. In short, Kansas may have stolen an impressive middle-round selection from Baltimore. The kicker? He isnâ€t draft eligible again until 2027.

All that being said, Lopez has yet to throw a Division I pitch, which keeps him in darkhorse territory. But if early signs hold, he has the stuff to anchor a weekend rotation and help Kansas push for back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances for the first time in program history.

Peterâ€s Pick: Lance Davis, RHP, TCU

After not logging a single inning this spring at Arkansas, Davis opened eyes on the Cape by pitching to a 4.08 ERA with 24 strikeouts to just four walks across 17.2 innings en route to an all-star selection. He pitched his way into being a coveted portal target and eventually announced his commitment to TCU, where he figures to log meaningful innings.

The 6-foot-4 righthander relies heavily on his fastball-slider combination. Davis†fastball sits in the 92-95 mph range but has been up to 97 with run and sink, while his low-to-mid-80s slider flashes two-plane tilt. Davis rounds out his arsenal with a mid-to-upper-80s changeup that is a solid third option against lefthanded hitters.

TCU enters 2026 with a loaded roster, and Davis is in line to have a key role. The Horned Frogs have “Omaha or bust†expectations and coach Kirk Saarloos will look to guide his team back to the College World Series for the first time since 2023.Â

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Nick Kurtz (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)

They were the four swings heard round the baseball world. Yet for Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz, that July night when he became the first rookie—and one of just 21 players ever—to slug four home runs in one game still feels like a blur.

To the Aâ€s organization, it was something else entirely. The long-awaited light at the end of a dark, winding tunnel. A moment that didnâ€t erase the pain of the firesales, the empty seats or the heartbreaking dislocation to Sacramento ahead of a planned relocation to Las Vegas.

For the Aâ€s fans who endured the chaos and stayed when others walked away, it offered something rare—hope. Hope to keep following, to keep caring, even when the times are tough.

As the Aâ€s embark on a new chapter, they do so with a new foundation. At its center is Kurtz, the Baseball America Rookie of the Year.

More than just a cornerstone of transition, he is rapidly becoming one of the gameâ€s most formidable young sluggers. For Aâ€s fans who have waited so long, Kurtz represents the promise of a future that finally feels possible.

“Heâ€s been a revelation,†said Aâ€s assistant GM Billy Owens. “He was No. 1 on our (draft) board. The numbers were overwhelming, and the picturesque swing was amazing. I made sure, right after the draft, that it was on record in multiple interviews: Nick Kurtz was No. 1 on our board going into that season.â€

Kurtz authored one of the most dominant rookie seasons the game has ever seen. He slashed .291/.384/.613 with 33 home runs in 111 games. He led all rookies in homers. He led with 81 RBIs and 83 runs. His .998 OPS rank seventh-highest in history for a rookie with at least 450 plate appearances. His 168 wRC+ ranks fourth.

Kurtzâ€s meteoric rise becomes even more remarkable when one considers where he was a year prior to his MLB debut, wearing a Wake Forest uniform on a quiet Tuesday night road game at Elon. Twelve months later, he was anchoring a big league lineup, carrying the hopes of a franchise and proving why the Athletics made him the No. 4 pick in the 2024 draft.

Even “revelation†might undersell what the 22-year-old meant before he even debuted in West Sacramento. Kurtz started the season with Triple-A Las Vegas and quite literally swung his way to the big leagues. In 20 games with the Aviators, he went 27-for-84 (.321) with seven home runs before earning his callup on April 23.

Kurtz knew his bat was making a case for him, but an April callup still felt far-fetched. His focus wasnâ€t on the big leagues, but simply on playing the game

“I didnâ€t put too much pressure on myself,†Kurtz said. “There were a lot of people who were saying, ‘How early is he going to be up?†I was just present and enjoying time with the guys I played with in the Arizona Fall League or Double-A the year before.â€

It took some time for Kurtz to find his footing in the majors. The same dominance he showed at Triple-A didnâ€t immediately translate, and he didnâ€t hit his first home run until his 16th game. But once that ball left the yard, everything began to click.

And July? That was Kurtzâ€s coming-out party.

It wasnâ€t just a hot streak. It was a month in which raw potential became production. The rookie didnâ€t just announce his arrival—he demanded attention. The four-homer game was the exclamation point.

“Itâ€s crazy how all that happened,†Kurtz said. “A lot more people knew who I was after that game.â€

– –

For many, those four swings were the moment Kurtz truly arrived. For Owens, though, they brought him back to the very first time he saw Kurtz play. Owens had seen the same easy power, the same smooth stroke, the same feeling that this was a hitter destined to change a franchise.

While Owens scouted Wake Forest standouts Rhett Lowder and Brock Wilken for the 2023 draft, a then-sophomore Kurtz stepped to the plate in the teamâ€s second game against Pittsburgh and unleashed a swing that silenced the ballpark. The crack of the bat echoed. The ball seemed to carry forever.

For Owens—who has spent 27 years in the game—it was one of the furthest shots he had ever seen.

The Aâ€s didnâ€t draft Lowder or Wilken in 2023, but that trip still ended up shaping their future. Instead, with the sixth overall pick, they turned to Grand Canyon shortstop Jacob Wilson, a twitchy athlete with advanced bat-to-ball skills who quickly became the table-setter of their system.

And while Kurtz wouldnâ€t be theirs until the following summer, the Athletics†first glimpse of him planted a seed. By the time the club was back on the clock in 2024, the organization saw a chance to pair Wilsonâ€s contact-driven game with Kurtzâ€s thunderous power.

The Aâ€s already had Kurtz at the top of their board for 2024, but his junior season at Wake Forest erased any remaining doubt. He slashed .306/.531/.763 with 22 home runs, 57 RBIs and a 1.294 OPS, numbers that showcased both top-of-the-scale power and elite on-base ability.

His 61 career home runs ranked second only to Wilken in program history, but no Wake Forest batter had ever drawn more walks than Kurtz and his 189.

His makeup in pre-draft meetings only strengthened that conviction. Owens and the rest of the Aâ€s scouting staff came away impressed not just with Kurtzâ€s work ethic, but with the way he carried himself as a young man handling the spotlight.

For all the certainty inside the Athletics†draft room, Kurtz himself wasnâ€t sure just how much they wanted him.

“I really didnâ€t know until draft day that it was going to be them,†Kurtz said. “I knew they had a bunch of interest. We had really good pre-draft meetings with them. They liked the way I approached it, the way I felt about hitting and the preparation I put in every day. It shows they had a lot of trust in me.â€

There was one roadblock—or three—ahead of the Aâ€s in their pursuit of Kurtz. The Guardians held the first pick in the 2024 draft, followed by the Reds and then Rockies. All the Aâ€s could do was hope Kurtz was available with the fourth pick. And as the draft happened, members of the Aâ€s scouting department held their breath with every pick announcement.

The Guardians selected Oregon Stateâ€s Travis Bazzana at No. 1 overall. The Reds took Kurtzâ€s Wake Forest teammate Chase Burns with the second pick. When the Rockies chose Georgiaâ€s Charlie Condon at No. 3, a big sigh of relief could be heard in the Aâ€s war room.

“Rarely do things just line up like that,†Owens said. “Baseball is a sport where you’re going to have peaks and valleys. For Nick Kurtz to be there at four was fortunate.

“Yeah, we were holding our breath.â€

– –

Kurtz got the phone call he had been working toward his entire life, surrounded not only by his family but also by the friends and coaches who helped shape his journey. From his early days in Lancaster, Pa., to his development at the Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tenn., to his breakout at Wake Forest, each stop had built toward this moment.

A week later, the Aâ€s flew Kurtz and his family, consisting of his parents Jeff and Marie and his three siblings Logan, Brandon and Grace, to Oakland to sign his contract at the Oakland Coliseum.

The team treated the Kurtz family to lunch, at which a handful of Aâ€s front office staff were present, including GM David Forst, scouting director Eric Kubota and senior adviser Billy Beane. They reasserted the belief in their prize pick to create an impact as the club transitioned from Oakland to Las Vegas.

It was a gesture that went a long way

“That whole first-class treatment made us feel really special,†Jeff Kurtz said. “It was important to them to have us there, and they wanted Nick to know. The whole situation has been run really well . . . We couldn’t be happier with the way it turned out.

“He was drafted by the right team.â€

That trust carried into the start of Kurtzâ€s professional career. When he reported to the Athletics†complex in Mesa, Ariz., he braced himself for a wave of adjustments, including mechanical tweaks, approach changes, the kind of tinkering many young hitters face

Instead, the message from player development was simple

“They wanted me to be me,†Kurtz said. “I like having the freedom to do what I think, and if they find something wrong, they would come to me after the fact. It just shows the trust they have in me as a hitter and what they think I can do.â€

If Kurtzâ€s rookie season was just a glimpse of whatâ€s to come, then baseball fans have plenty to look forward to. Kurtz knows the talent he brings, but heâ€s just as quick to acknowledge the importance of the teammates around him.

Whether itâ€s homegrown players such as Wilson, Lawrence Butler or Tyler Soderstrom or scouting finds such as Brent Rooker or Shea Langeliers, the group around him has pushed Kurtz to elevate his game.

Together, theyâ€ve done more than just compete. Theyâ€ve laid the foundation for what comes next, whether in West Sacramento or Las Vegas. The Aâ€s donâ€t just have players. They have a core.

And in Kurtz, they finally have a superstar to build around.

“You want to be excited to come into work every day,†Kurtz said. “It makes the tough times not as bad. You can come here, spend it with your guys, and (you) are grinding together and getting even closer as time goes on. I think we built a good, tight-knit group and that will pay dividends throughout the future.â€

Highest OPS By Rookie Batters (Min. 450 PA)

nameteamyearPAavgobpslgopsJoe JacksonCLE1911641.408.468.5901.058Aaron JudgeNYY2017678.284.422.6271.049Ted WilliamsBOS1939677.327.436.6091.045Albert PujolsSTL2001676.329.403.6101.013Bernie CarboCIN1970467.310.454.5511.004Ryan BraunMIL2007492.324.370.6341.004Nick KurtzATH2025464.291.384.613.998Wally BergerBSN1930625.310.375.614.990Mark McGwireOAK1987641.289.370.618.987Hal TroskyCLE1934685.330.388.598.987

When Kurtz hit four home runs in one game on July 25, three of those blasts  were hit to the opposite field at Houstonâ€s Daikin Park. In fact, most of Kurtzâ€s 33 home runs this season were hit to left field. The rookieâ€s slugging percentage to the opposite field is the highest of the ball-tracking era, dating back to 2008.

Highest Slugging Percentage To Opposite Field (Since 2008)

playerteamyearABhrslgNick KurtzATH2025164261.061Chris DavisBAL2013202321.030Aaron JudgeNYY2025228361.026JD MartinezDET/ARI201720330.980Jim ThomeMIN201011317.973Ryan HowardPHI200821933.950Aaron JudgeNYY202313224.947Aaron JudgeNYY201914821.946Aaron JudgeNYY201720129.940Ryan HowardPHI200921728.940

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The fourth in an occasional series of profiles on Southern California athletes who have flourished in their post-playing careers.

Before there was Mookie Betts, there was Bill Russell.

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An outstanding outfielder in his first three major league seasons, Russell moved to the infield full time in his fourth year. It was a disaster.

“It was something I lost a lot of sleep over,†said Russell, who led the majors with 34 errors that year. “After the season, I just collapsed for a few weeks.â€

Then he picked himself up and went to work on getting better and in his second year as a shortstop he led the majors with 560 assists, led the National League in defensive WAR and made the first of three all-star teams.

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He went on to play more games for the Dodgers than any player in Los Angeles history.

It was a remarkable career, one that hardly needed a second act. But even after he left the stage, Russell never left the theater. Six months after his last at-bat — he struck out as a pinch hitter in the final week of the 1986 season — Russell was back in uniform as the teamâ€s bench coach.

He later managed in the Dodgers†minor league system, replaced Tommy Lasorda in that job at the major league level and, for the past 13 years, has worked in the teamâ€s community relations department, coaching youth camps and appearing at schools, fan fests and other events. Since 2002 heâ€s also served as an umpire observer, partly because the job gets him a good seat behind the plate at Dodger Stadium.

If the team were to a pick a Mr. L.A. Dodger, someone emblematic of the teamâ€s history and values since moving to Southern California, the soft-spoken, humble Russell, a Dodger for nearly half a century, would have to be in that conversation.

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But it was his dedication to mastering the switch from the outfield to shortstop — becoming the first prominent player since Honus Wagner to make the move — that literally changed the direction of the franchise. If he hadnâ€t made it work, the Dodgers may never have had the courage to turn a minor league outfielder named Davey Lopes into a second baseman, where he became Russellâ€s double-play partner.

If he hadnâ€t made it work, the Dodgers may never have tried pushing a scatter-armed third baseman named Steve Garvey across the diamond to first, opening up the position to Russellâ€s right for Ron Cey. The resulting infield of Garvey, Lopes, Russell and Cey played together for 8 ½ seasons, longer than any quartet in baseball history, winning four pennants and a World Series.

“Each one of us had different talents,†Russell said. “It was tough at first but all of a sudden we started having success. Itâ€s four brothers.â€

From left, Ron Cey, Bill Russell, Davey Lopes and Steve Garvey pose before an old-timers game at Dodger Stadium in 2013. The infield quartet won four pennants and a World Series together. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Now Betts, a six-time Gold Glove-winning outfielder, has mastered the move too, helping the Dodgers to the cusp of their 12th division title in 13 seasons. However if Betts perfected the shift, Russell pioneered it.

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“He was a great athlete,†said Steve Sax, Russellâ€s double-play partner his last five seasons. “He was maybe the fastest guy in the organization. The whole genesis of being able to move guys around was the thought theyâ€re so athletic, why canâ€t they make the transition?

“And he proved that to be true.â€

At 76, Russell is nearly four decades removed from his last of his 2,181 big-league games, all with the Dodgers. But heâ€s still fit, not far off his playing weight of 175 pounds. And while he was once among the fastest players in the majors, he now moves at a purposeful saunter rather than a sprint. Wire-rim glasses crease his once-boyish face and the mop of straw-blond hair he once tucked under his cap has gone white, leaving him looking more like a college English professor than a once-iconic athlete.

“I just enjoyed going to the park and being with the guys. They just make you feel young again,” said Bill Russell, who turns 77 in October. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

What hasnâ€t changed is his love for a game that has been his life and for a team that has become his family.

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“I just enjoyed going to the park and being with the guys. They just make you feel young again,†said Russell, who often wears a wry smile that suggests heâ€s in on a joke no one else knows about.

“Billyâ€s very special,†said Peter Oâ€Malley, the Dodgers†owner and president throughout much of Russellâ€s career.

“He was stable. Popular with the fans for sure. He deserves more credit that heâ€s received.â€

Russell grew up a short drive from both the Missouri and Oklahoma state lines in the kind of nondescript Kansas town where everybody knew their neighbors and hard work wasnâ€t a virtue, it was an expectation.

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The middle child in a family of five children, he attended a high school so small it didnâ€t have a baseball team. So he played basketball during the winter and baseball on sandlots and with American Legion teams during the summer. He was the kind of player scouts once described as “an athlete,†meaning he was smart enough and talented enough to excel at any position, though the Dodgers listed him as an outfielder when they selected him in the ninth round of the second amateur draft in 1966.

He gave most of his $14,000 signing bonus to his parents, minus the money he needed to buy a second-hand Chevy like the one his best friend drove.

Russell shot up the minor-league ladder, playing just 221 games before making the jump from Class A Bakersfield to the majors in 1969, doubling in his first big-league at-bat.

The adjustment from the minors to the majors was far easier than the change from the tiny mining town of Pittsburg, Kan., to the technicolor sprawl of Southern California.

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“Coming to Los Angeles, youâ€ve got to be kidding me. A big city like this?†said Russell, who had rarely traveled more than 30 miles from Pittsburg before signing with the Dodgers. “My town was only 10,000 people so I had to grow up fast.

“Iâ€m 20 years old, Iâ€m in the major leagues and the minimum salary is $10,000. It wasnâ€t even $1,000 a month. But that was more money than Iâ€d ever thought of. And Iâ€m playing in Hollywood.â€

After playing 18 seasons with the Dodgers, Bill Russell managed the ballclub from 1996-98. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Playing exclusively in the outfield, too, although Monty Basgall, a fellow Kansan and the former minor league infield instructor who scouted Russell as an athlete, was already plotting the move to shortstop, the most challenging defensive position after catcher.

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“Shortstop is a difficult position,†said Derrel Thomas, a former teammate who played everywhere but pitcher during a 16-year big-league career. “A lot of people donâ€t give Monty Basgall any credit for what he did helping with the infielders.â€

After some preparation in the instructional league and the minors, Russell made his major league debut at shortstop on the final day of the 1970 season, then played 47 games as a middle infielder a year later. But the move didnâ€t become permanent until Russellâ€s fourth season when he replaced an aging Maury Wills.

“I wasnâ€t in a position to say anything, really,†said Russell, who still speaks with a noticeable Midwestern accent.

“I had doubts about it, no question. But I figured my longevity in the big leagues, if I had [any], would come with moving to the infield.â€

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In fact, the move nearly ended his career. Russell made his first poor throw seven games into the season and by the all-star break he had as almost as many errors as extra-base hits. By then, he was also looking over his shoulder, expecting the Dodgers to put an end to the experiment.

“Iâ€m surprised they didnâ€t,†he says now. “The fans got involved too. It wasnâ€t a standing ovation when I was coming back to the dugout after making some errors.

“At that time people brought transistor radios to the stadium. You could hear [Vin Scully] doing the game. I could hear him say something about me at shortstop. Talk radio was just coming on board and they were on me. It was a lot of negative stuff.â€

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Quitting, however, wasnâ€t an option.

“Maybe I was too dumb, I donâ€t know,†Russell said with a shrug. “I never thought about giving up or going back home. What am I going to do back home? I did say to myself, ‘I’m going to show these people I can play this position.â€

“And I did. For 13 years.â€

Through hard work and determination, Russell turned his fielding from a liability into an asset and the Dodgers began to win, reaching the World Series four times over the next nine seasons. And while Russell never won a Gold Glove — he twice led the majors in errors — he finished in the top five in fielding percentage by an NL shortstop three times, was in the top five for putouts four times and in the top three for assists six times.

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He was understatedly brilliant, so much so that Cincinnati Reds†shortstop Dave Concepcion once mocked Russellâ€s critics saying he didnâ€t know who the best fielder was “but I sure watch Bill Russell in the playoffs a lot.â€

“He would never quit. Never,†Oâ€Malley said. “Making that transition at the major league level, he deserves extraordinary credit for that.â€

Almost lost in the focus on his defense was the fact Russell was a tough out, hitting better than .271 six times and excelling in clutch situations.

“That went all the way back to high school,†said Russell, who hit the shot that took his underdog team to the final of the Kansas state tournament. “Itâ€s just a calmness. You canâ€t describe it. You canâ€t teach it. It is something that comes over you and you get a calm feeling that youâ€re going to succeed.â€

As a high school infielder at Arroyo High in El Monte, James Baker was given his choice of uniform numbers. He didnâ€t have to think long before selecting one.

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“I wore No. 18,†he said. “Because of Bill.â€

It was the same number he had worn in Little League and American Legion ball.

“He was Mr. Clutch,†Baker, 61, said of Russell. “He was the dean of the infield.â€

“The great thing about Bill Russell,†added Rick Zubiate, 57, Bakerâ€s brother-in-law “is he wasn’t flashy. He made all the plays he was supposed to. Not only that, he had a presence and he commanded everybody around him to be better and expect more of themselves.â€

Russell may be little more than a face on an old baseball card to Generation Z. But for children of the ‘60s like Baker and Zubiate, he remains the archetypal Dodger, one with a Dodger Blue resume that is unassailable. Which is why Baker and Zubiate braved rush-hour traffic last week to drive to Ontario, where Russell was appearing at an event for the Dodgers†newest minor league affiliate.

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“I loved him,†Baker said after asking Russell for an autograph.

And whatâ€s not to love? He played more games and has more World Series at-bats than any player in L.A. Dodger history. He trails only Willie Davis and Garvey in hits and only Clayton Kershaw has matched Russellâ€s 18 seasons at Dodger Stadium.

Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda, right, hugs Bill Russell in the dressing room after the Dodgers beat the Phillies, 6-5, in Game 3 of the 1977 NLCS. (Associated Press)

But he also managed in the teamâ€s minor league system, was the bench coach under Lasorda for seven years, then managed the big-league team for parts of three seasons, posting the fourth-best winning percentage by a manager since the franchise left Brooklyn. And he still pulls on his old uniform — with the bright red 18 over his Dodger blue heart — several times a year to join former teammates including Garvey, Sax and Steve Yeager in reminiscing with fans at fantasy camps and clinics.

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“We have fun out there,†he said. “People come from all over the country. [Itâ€s] like youâ€re still involved in the whole scene of being a major league player.â€

If the speed and power of Willie Mays is synonymous with the San Francisco Giants and the style and grace of Ted Williams is emblematic of the Boston Red Sox, Russellâ€s blue-collar work ethic and country-boy humility is the embodiment of the Dodgers since they moved to Southern California.

“Quintessential Dodger?†Oâ€Malley said. “Absolutely right. From start to end, he deserves the credit. He was respected and liked by everybody.â€

Russell stood out, Oâ€Malley said, partly because he blended in.

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“He was quiet,†he said. “But keen sense of humor. If he wanted to make a point or be heard, he could nail it with a comment. It was pretty darn funny.â€

Yet Russellâ€s silent excellence often went unappreciated. A .263 lifetime hitter who had fewer home runs in his career than Shohei Ohtani has this year alone, he received just three Hall of Fame votes the only time his name appeared on the ballot. For a time, even his loyalty to the Dodgers went unrequited; for years after his last game as manager Russell felt unwelcome at Dodger Stadium, the result of a toxic stew of bruised egos, Machiavellian maneuvering and corporate mismanagement.

It began midway through the 1996 season when Lasorda, the manager who had groomed Russell in the minors then won with him in the majors, had a heart attack. A month later Lasorda stepped down and Russell took over on an interim basis, guiding the Dodgers to a playoff berth.

That earned him the job full time but it didnâ€t earn him unquestioned support throughout the organization. The low-key Russell was a striking contrast to the colorful and bombastic Lasorda, more Mr. Rogers than Bobby Knight.

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“Heâ€s named the manager following Tommy. Thatâ€s not easy,†Oâ€Malley said. “And he did it in his own way.

“But things didnâ€t work out. Following Tommy was not an easy task.â€

Critics who had preferred hitting coach Reggie Smith, Mets manager Bobby Valentine or triple A manager Mike Scioscia — all former Lasorda pupils — over Russell quietly worked to undermine him and 74 games into his second full season as manager, Russell was fired by the teamâ€s new overlords at Fox, who also sacked general manager Fred Claire, replacing him with Lasorda.

By then a major rift had developed between Russell and his former manager, who privately questioned Russellâ€s performance to management and publicly questioned his qualifications to manage. As a result many pointed fingers for the firings at Lasorda, who strongly denied being involved.

Bill Russell observed umpires on behalf of MLB during Sunday’s Dodgers-Giants game at Dodger Stadium. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Either way, the relationship was irrevocably broken.

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Russell left with a .537 winning percentage over parts of three seasons, a better mark — albeit over a far shorter span — than the one that took Lasorda to the Hall of Fame. After firing Russell, the Dodgers never made the playoffs under Fox, with the seven-season postseason drought matching the teamâ€s longest since the late 1960s-early 1970s.

The hard feelings have softened some with the passing of both time and Lasorda, who died in 2021. (Russell, pointedly, was not invited to the funeral; Scioscia, Valentine, Garvey and Cey were.)

“I knew him better than anybody. I was like his son,†Russell said earlier this month, sitting at a patio table near the neat two-bedroom Valencia house where heâ€s lived for 20 years.

“I donâ€t want to bad mouth him but he wanted to keep managing. He just couldnâ€t accept not being there. Thatâ€s just the way it was.â€

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The slight wounded Russell, who took off his Dodger uniform for what he thought would be the final time. Oâ€Malley, who was in the room when Bob Graziano, the former banker Fox put in charge of the team, fired the manager, invited Russell back to the stadium later that season. But the place where he had grown from a boy to man wasnâ€t the same.

So he went on to work as an advisor with a team in Taiwan, spent a season as bench coach in Tampa Bay and managed in the minors for both the Rays and Giants.

None of it felt comfortable.

“I was in the Dodger organization 30 years,†he said. “To go somewhere else, it wasnâ€t right.â€

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After managing the Shreveport Swamp Dragons to a last-place finish in the Texas League in 2001, he returned to Southern California — and Dodger Stadium — as an umpire observer for Major League Baseball, a job that lets him sit behind the plate and watch games.

As if he could imagine doing anything else.

“Heâ€s brought a different perspective because he played at the highest level and he managed,†said Matt McKendry, MLBâ€s vice-president of umpire operations. “But, you know, Bill loves being at the ballpark and if he wasnâ€t doing what heâ€s doing for us, I think heâ€d be at Dodger Stadium almost every night anyway.â€

Because for Russell itâ€s never been a stadium. Itâ€s home.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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(Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Southeastern Conference enters 2026 as the unquestioned standard-bearer for college baseball. Last spring, 13 of its 16 programs reached the NCAA Tournament, a record that reflected both the leagueâ€s depth and its sustained grip on the sport. LSU carried the banner all the way to Omaha, winning its second national title in three years and extending the SECâ€s streak of champions that dates back to 2019.

Against that backdrop, the conferenceâ€s coaches gathered this month to discuss the state of the game and issues shaping its future. Topics ranged from rule tweaks and player welfare to the ever-evolving balance of technology in dugouts.

Here is a look into those discussions and how they could shape SEC baseball—and the broader landscape of the sport—in the years ahead.

ABS Challenge System Gaining Traction

Across the country last fall, players experimented with the automated balls and strikes challenge system.

Pitchers tapped the tops of their caps, hitters tapped their helmets and catchers gestured behind the plate—all invoking technology to dispute an umpireâ€s call. For most programs it was less about competition than education, a chance to help players grow comfortable with a strike zone no longer subject solely to human interpretation.

One coach described it as simply making his hitters “more familiar with the strike zone.â€

But what once felt like a novelty is edging closer to permanence in college baseball. After trials in the minor leagues, spring training and the All-Star Game, MLB will be bringing its ABS challenge system online full-time in 2026. The SEC is already laying the groundwork to follow, though not on the same timeline.

“I have been vocal in saying that my ambition for us is to be in close follow when Major League Baseball implements that fully,†an SEC official told Baseball America. “We implemented the action clocks a year after Major League Baseball, so Iâ€ve used that as kind of the barometer for us for the ABS. When commissioner (Rob) Manfred said theyâ€re going to seek to start to employ that through the challenge system starting next year, 2026, for them, that caught my attention.â€

For the SEC, the target is 2027, though even that goal comes with caveats.

“Thatâ€s kind of the target date,†the official said. “But even standing here today in September 2025, I would tell you Iâ€m not naive. I think even thatâ€s ambitious for us, given the significant commitment to resources thatâ€s involved with that.â€

The official explained that the league is working to set up the foundation now, from the technology infrastructure to the logistics of training and implementation. But those steps will take time, and the runway is long. The target date of 2027 reflects both a desire to shadow MLBâ€s model and the recognition that the cost of outfitting stadiums, wiring broadcast feeds and retraining umpires will be substantial.

Itâ€s why the SECâ€s approach mirrors how it handled the introduction of the action clock in 2023—waiting a season to observe how the professional game adjusted, identifying pressure points and only then installing its own version with lessons already learned.

“I thought it was valuable for us to observe it at the major league level and to see what issues, if any, they identify, and kind of let them be the test case,†the official said. “And then for us to try to follow as soon as possible thereafter.â€

With MLB flipping the switch on ABS challenges for 2026, SEC ballparks could see the challenge system the following spring. Though the ambition is clear, the league is under no illusions: Adapting the game at college scale is a massive undertaking.

The First Base Bag Debate Continues

First base remains a point of contention.

The SEC has discussed whether to move from the double bag now in use to the larger “pizza box†base MLB adopted. Coaches see value in aligning the college game with the professional standard, but the path is complicated and highly unlikely to be uniform across the country based on conversations with SEC sources and several from outside the league.

Within the conference, there is reluctance to implement the bigger bag for conference games only, knowing teams would then toggle between two sets of rules in midweek and postseason play.Â

“If you want to call it experimental in which we employ for conference competition only, I think thatâ€s probably too much for our programs,†the SEC official said. “Is it feasible? Yes. Is it something that you want to do? Probably not.â€

The challenge is that while SEC schools could handle the cost and logistics of switching, many smaller programs may not.

One mid-major administrator told Baseball America it would cost in excess of $4,000 just to drill new holes in a turf field for the larger bag plus several more thousand dollars to adjust the bag locations at second and third. Even within Division I, resources vary enough that smaller conferences might not be able to keep up with those kinds of costs.

That disparity underscores a central tension in college baseball: the SECâ€s commitment to preparing players for pro ball by mirroring MLB standards vs. the broader NCAA ecosystem in which lower-budget Division I programs hold equal sway in rules decisions.

“It is a good illustration of the challenges that we face in this sport,†the official said. “Our players want to play 162 games a year at the next level. So, we try to take pride in preparing them as best as we can, including playing the game in the same type of way.â€

For now, the pizza box bag remains on the wish list rather than in the rulebook. Unless the NCAA moves toward uniform adoption—including at the tournament level—the SEC is hesitant to go it alone. But the conference has made clear that if consensus builds among power four leagues, it will push hard for the bigger base.

Pace Of Play Back On The Table

The SEC has prided itself on staying close to Major League Baseball when it comes to pace of play, but coaches were reminded this fall that progress is fragile. After three straight years of average conference games finishing under three hours, 2025 saw game times climb back to 3:10.

An SEC official said the trend concerned both the league and television partners.

“That three-hour line kind of seems arbitrary, but itâ€s actually pretty impactful,†the official noted.

The culprit, in part, is hitters gaming the action clock—stepping in with their heads turned and waiting until the countdown nears zero before engaging.

One proposal was to mirror MLBâ€s 15-second and 18-second pitch clocks. Coaches pushed back, arguing hitters need more control, but the league made clear that adjustments—either to clock rules or umpire instructions—could be coming.

“Weâ€ve got to figure out a way to curtail that,†the official said. “If a hitter gets in the box and they have enough time to just stand there and watch the clock tick down, that tells me thereâ€s too much time on the clock.â€

Exit Velocities On The Rise

One trend the SEC is keeping a close eye on is the continued climb in exit velocities across Division I baseball. Between 2022 and 2025, the average jumped from 82.5 mph to 86.1 mph, while 90th percentile averages have climbed from 96.5 mph to just under 102 mph to mark the first time the sportâ€s peak output has cracked triple digits in the data-tracking era.

Administrators and coaches in the SEC have discussed the issue, but no clear answers have emerged. The league is wary of calling it a safety problem yet acknowledges the trend is significant enough to monitor.Â

“Exit velocities in college baseball are objectively up right now,†an SEC official said. “Itâ€s something that weâ€re following and at least having conversation about ways in which that may be explored.â€

The likeliest starting point is the ball itself, but even that idea is at a very early stage. For now, the conversation remains just that—a conversation.

More Quick Hits

Roster Cuts On The Horizon

The SEC is helping coaches navigate the first mandatory roster declaration, which requires teams to be down to 34 players by Dec. 1. The timing is awkward, with the winter transfer portal window opening the very next day.Â

“Youâ€re going to declare your roster on one day and then the next day weâ€re going to invite the opportunity for anybody on that roster to enter into the portal,†an SEC official said. “It seems quite impractical and illogical, at least to me.â€

The league has encouraged coaches to step back and look at roster management holistically, recognizing how many overlapping dates—draft, portal windows and signing periods—now complicate the process.

Staff Size Flexibility

Baseball coaches want the same staff freedoms football and basketball recently received. Prior to the 2024 football season, the NCAA allowed analysts and other non-designated staffers to provide on-field instruction, eliminating what had become an archaic rule often ignored in practice. With staffs growing and more programs investing in analytical specialists, SEC coaches are lobbying for similar latitude.Â

As one official put it: “This is high-level competitive baseball—you should have the ability to put somebody out there. But because of these antiquated NCAA rules, youâ€re just hamstrung in what you can do.â€

Uncertainty Around New NCAA Committee

The NCAAâ€s new baseball oversight committee officially began work Sept. 1, but its role and influence remain unclear.Â

The SEC is pressing for clarity on how the group will operate, how it will be staffed and what authority it will carry in shaping the sport. Several coaches admitted they donâ€t yet understand its responsibilities, reflecting the uncertainty across the league.

“Thereâ€s a lot that needs to be addressed there,†an SEC official said. “Iâ€ve encouraged (coaches) to be pretty active and aggressive in asking those questions.â€

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Konnor Griffin (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Baseball America has been awarding a MiLB Player of the Year honors since 1981. In the 45 times we’ve handed out the award, we have honored multiple Hall of Famers (Derek Jeter, Frank Thomas and Joe Mauer) as well as future Hall of Famers such as Mike Trout.

Scan across today’s MLB rosters, and you’ll see it’s an award that’s been given to many of the game’s biggest stars, with Bobby Witt Jr., Gunnar Henderson, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Ronald Acuña among past winners.

So, to commemorate the announcement of Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin as our latest MiLB Player of the Year, we wanted to give our readers useful trip down memory lane. In addition to listing out all of our past winners, we’ve also included the statistics from each award-winning season, so you can compare how Griffin stacks up historically.

We’ve broken up the statistic tables into hitters and pitchers, beginning with Mike Marshall all the way back in 1981.

MiLB Player Of The Year Hitting Statistics

YearPlayerPOSORGAGEAVGOBPSLGABR2B3BHRRBIBBSOSBCS1981Mike Marshall1BDodgers21.373.445.6784671142573413757802181982Ron KittleOFWhite Sox24.345.442.75247212122105014474109531985José CansecoOFAthletics20.333.424.6494448826336127701211101986Gregg JefferiesSSMets18.353.401.5495219632111611144415791987Gregg JefferiesSSMets19.367.423.5985108148520101494326101989Sandy Alomar Jr.CPadres23.306.358.47452388338131014258311990Frank Thomas1BWhite Sox22.323.487.58135385275187111274751991Derek BellOFBlue Jays22.346.424.5324578922121393576927131992Tim SalmonOFAngels23.347.469.6724091013842910591103971993Manny RamirezOFGuardians21.333.417.6134891054403111572103331994Derek JeterSSYankees20.344.410.463540103271156858615081995Andruw JonesOFBraves18.277.372.512537104415251007012256111996Andruw JonesOFBraves19.339.421.6524451152753492609730101997Paul Konerko3B/1BDodgers21.323.407.62148397311371276461231998Eric Chavez3BAthletics20.327.388.6035291044513312654931472002Rocco BaldelliOFRays20.331.370.521478862831971239726132003Joe MauerCTwins20.338.398.434509733025854949302005Delmon YoungOFRays19.315.354.527558922672699299932122006Alex Gordon3BRoyals22.325.427.58848611139129101721132232007Jay BruceOFReds20.319.375.58752187468268947135872008Matt WietersCOrioles22.355.454.6004378822227918276222009Jason HeywardOFBraves20.323.408.55536269254176351511012011Mike TroutOFAngels19.326.414.5443538218131138457633102012Wil MyersOFRoyals21.314.387.600522982663710961140632013Byron BuxtonOFTwins19.334.424.520488109191812777610555192014Kris Bryant3BCubs22.325.438.66149211834143110861621542016Yoan Moncada2BRed Sox21.294.407.5114059431615627212445122017Ronald AcuñaOFBraves19.325.374.5225578831821824314444202018Vladimir Guerrero Jr.3BBlue Jays19.381.437.6363576729120783738332019Gavin LuxSSDodgers21.347.421.607458992582676611021062021Bobby Witt Jr.SSRoyals21.290.361.5754979935433975113129112022Gunnar HendersonSSOrioles20.297.416.5314071012471976791162232023Jackson HollidaySSOrioles19.323.442.49947711330912751011182492024Kristian Campbell2B/SSRed Sox21.330.439.558430943232077741032482025Konnor GriffinSSPirates19.333.415.5274841172342194501226513

And here are the statistics for the pitchers who were our Player of the Year.

MiLB Player Of The Year Pitching Statistics

YrPlayerPosORGAGEWLERAIPHRERHRBBSO1983Dwight GoodenRHPMets181942.501911215853111123001984Mike BieleckiRHPPirates241932.97188162706211881621988Tom GordonRHPRoyals201651.551869636324752631999Rick AnkielLHPCardinals191332.351389843369621942000Jon RauchLHPWhite Sox211642.66166138674914491872001Josh BeckettRHPMarlins211411.541408229248342032004Jeff FrancisRHPRockies231632.21155108423812291962010Jeremy HellicksonRHPRays23922.421147235318291322015Blake SnellRHPRays231541.41134842421753163

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Konnor Griffin (Mike Janes/Four Seam Images)

When Konnor Griffin began his professional career this April, it didnâ€t start on a high note.

In his first eight professional at-bats, Griffin struck out six times. It would be the last time that happened, however, as the 19-year-old shortstop and Pirates 2024 first-round draft pick didn’t record another two-game stretch with six strikeouts all season.

“There were some swing adjustments that I had to make,” Griffin told Baseball America.

Adjust he did.

After getting over the rough start, Griffin hit .333/.415/.527 with 21 home runs, 65 stolen bases and 117 runs en route to a historically successful debut season in which he climbed three levels and ascended to become Baseball America’s No. 1 overall prospect.

Now, Griffin has also been named BA’s Minor League Player of the Year for 2025.

Griffin achieved the honor thanks in part to offensive dominance not seen in years. Over the last 20 minor league seasons, he is the only player to produce a season with a .300 average, 20 or more home runs, 60 or more stolen bases and 100 or more runs.

And while the offensive numbers speak for themselves, what set Griffin apart from his top prospect peers in 2025 was the versatility he showed in the field. Drafted ninth overall as a shortstop with plus defense, Griffin also stood out defensively in center field—rare value at two premium defensive positions.

Such was the season for Griffin, who spent 2025 as one of the youngest players on every professional ball field he stepped on while also always being the most talented.

“Itâ€s been a crazy year and a long journey,” Griffin said. “I really didnâ€t know what to expect. Iâ€ve learned a lot about myself and just try and get better every day.â€

As Griffin climbed the minor league ladder, his ability to improve and adjust to each new challenge made his season even more impressive.

After hitting .338/.396/.536 over 50 games with Low-A Bradenton—a line 56% better than his Florida State League peers—Griffin’s numbers got better in High-A. Over 51 games with Greensboro, he hit .325/.432/.510 for a line 70% better than South Atlantic League competition. This trend continued over the final month of the season upon promotion to Double-A Altoona, where Griffin slashed .337/.418/.542 over 21 games to finish with a line that was 75% better than the average Eastern League hitter.

Griffin helped lead Altoona into the playoffs, pushing a talented Erie team to a deciding game three as he he went 6-for-10 with three walks.

Though Griffin, BA’s High School Player of the Year in 2024, was highly touted coming out of Jackson Preparatory School in Mississippi, there were lingering questions about his hit tool as he turned pro. A swing change this offseason that saw Griffin strive to become more fluid and streamlined at the plate helped answer those questions emphatically.

 â€œI had an arm bar in high school, as my hands would be back with my body moving forward,†Griffin said. “I just tried to make everything more simple, shorter, quicker to the ball.â€

The results had people taking notice even before the season began. Still only 18 at the time and without an official professional game on his ledger, Griffin was the talk of minor league spring training in Florida, and his performances on the back fields left scouts plenty impressed.

While evaluators had a hunch Griffin would succeed as a professional due to athleticism and tools that checked every box as a potential breakout, few predicted the dominance that would follow over the next five and a half months. But the seeds of success were there from the start. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, Griffin is an outlier athlete who was an elite performer in pre-draft athletic testing. Those skills were showcased in 2025 by way of his plus-plus speed, plus game power, plus defense at two up-the-middle positions and a hit tool that, despite pre-draft questions, now grades as easily plus.

Griffin’s hit tool quality is backed not only by his .333 batting average and 21.7% strikeout rate but by advanced metrics, as well. His 16.5% in-zone whiff rate this season is quite a bit lower than the minor league average, and he displays a good balance of patience and aggression within his plate approach.

While Griffin’s power was never in question, it has manifested in a more substantial way than anticipated. Griffinâ€s 107.6 mph 90th percentile exit velocity and 115.7 mph max EV are both 80-grade metrics among teenage peers.

What might be even more frightening for opposing pitchers is that Griffin is still learning to optimize his batted-ball angles. That’s perhaps the most exciting aspect of Griffinâ€s season—despite immense success at every level and five plus-or-better tools, Griffin could still geteven better.

At just 19 years old, Griffin heads into the offseason as the No. 1 prospect in baseball and Minor League Player of the Year. And after his breakout 2025 campaign, he joins Paul Skenes in carrying the fortunes of a Pirates fanbase desperate for reasons to be hopeful after a woeful 30 years.

Whether it’s at the start of 2026 or sometime later next summer, Griffin figures to grace the infield at PNC Park in Pittsburgh sooner rather than later as baseball’s next superstar in the making.

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