Browsing: class

The St. Louis Blues announced their Hall of Fame class of 2026, which features Alexander Steen, Barret Jackman and Al Arbour.

The announcement of the class was made in front of the Enterprise Center crowd during the first period of Wednesday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks.

The team will officially induct the players into the Blues Hall of Fame on Monday, Jan. 12, during a ceremonial dinner at the downtown Missouri Athletic Club. The inductees will then be honored prior to the game when the Blues host the Carolina Hurricanes the following evening at 7 p.m. at Enterprise Center.

Steen, the Blues’ soon-to-be general manager, played 12 seasons with the organization, scoring 195 goals and 496 points in 765 games. The Winnipeg, Man., native won a Stanley Cup with the Blues, playing as a depth forward with veteran leadership later in his career. Steen ranks fourth in Blues history in games played, sixth in assists and points, and 10th in goals. He is also one of five players in franchise history to dress in at least 90 playoff games.

Jackman played 13 seasons with the Blues, skating in 803 games and scoring 28 goals and 181 points. Jackman was a first-round pick (17th overall) of the Blues in the 1999 NHL Draft. Jackman leads all defensemen and ranks second in franchise history overall in games played, while his 1,026 penalty minutes are fourth. In 2002-03, Jackman was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team and became the first player in franchise history to earn the Calder Trophy. Jackman was named the Director of Alumni earlier this season.

Arbour, the first captain in Blues history and was a member of the original Blues team in 1967-68 after being drafted from Toronto in the 1967 expansion draft. Arbour spent four seasons with the Blues, leading them to the Stanley Cup Final in each of the team’s first three campaigns. The Sudbury, Ontario, native was a 1969 NHL All-Star and finished fifth in voting for the Norris Trophy that season. Arbour also served as head coach of the Blues for parts of three seasons (1970-71 to 1972-73), leading them to the NHL Semi-Finals in 1971-72.

Source link

With a few exceptions, the first stop for nearly every Latin American prospect these days is the Dominican Summer League.

So, who are the prospects from the 2025 international class who could be the next Top 100 Prospects or players who will become more prominent names in their organization’s Top 30 prospects in the coming years?

Million-Dollar Signings Who Delivered

Josuar Gonzalez, SS, Giants

For some evaluators, Gonzalez was the best Latin American prospect in the 2025 class when the Giants signed him out of the Dominican Republic for $2,997,500. Since then, he has looked as advertised— if not better—and has already become a Top 100 Prospect. Heâ€s a bouncy, quick-twitch athlete with explosiveness to his tools at the plate and in the field.

At 6 feet, 170 pounds, Gonzalez is a switch-hitter with fast hands and big bat speed from both sides of the plate, and he produces hard contact for his age with what projects to be average-or-better raw power. The maturity of Gonzalezâ€s at-bats have been impressive, with the 17-year-old showing a good sense of the strike zone and an accurate barrel. He hit .288/.404/.455 with four home runs, 37 walks and 36 strikeouts, with another level of power he could unlock if heâ€s able to drive the ball in the air with more frequency.

Heâ€s a plus-plus runner who stole 33 bases in 38 attempts and has the quickness, hands, range and above-average arm strength to stick at shortstop.Â

Elian Peña, SS, Mets

Peña signed out of the Dominican Republic for $5 million—the largest bonus for any Latin American prospect this year—but his season started horribly. Through his first nine games, Peña hit .000/.182/.000 in 34 plate appearances. It was a small sample but still a worrisome sign for a player of Peñaâ€s pedigree to be hitless that deep into the season.

After that, Peña rebounded to finish at .292/.421/.528 with 36 walks, 36 strikeouts and nine home runs in 242 plate appearances, looking more like the hitter the Mets were projecting him to be.

Peña has an impressive mix of hitting ability and power. Itâ€s a compact lefthanded swing, and he has been a high-contact hitter. hHs swing can get steep at times, though, which is something that could cut into his bat-to-ball skills at higher levels.

Peña is an offensive-minded shortstop who could continue to get a chance to develop at the position but much more likely is a third baseman in the majors.

Kevin Alvarez, OF, Astros

The Astros paid $2 million to sign Alvarez, a lefthanded outfielder from Cuba who drew praise as an amateur for his offensive polish. His advanced skill set in the batterâ€s box showed in the DSL, where he hit .301/.419/.455 in 192 plate appearances with more walks (23) than strikeouts (19).

At 6-foot-4, 185 pounds, Alvarez has strong bat-to-ball skills and, while itâ€s a hit-over-power game right now, thereâ€s lots of room left to fill out to project bigger power to come.

Gabriel Davalillo, C, Angels

Davalilloâ€s $2 million bonus was the highest among international catchers in 2025, and he looks like the top catcher in the 2025 class after he hit .302/.408/.518 with seven homers, 23 walks and 21 strikeouts in 169 plate appearances in the DSL.

Davalillo is an aggressive hitter with plenty of strength and righthanded bat speed coming out of his 5-foot-11, 210-pound build. He has the hand-eye coordination to deliver both high contact and high impact and grow into being a 20-plus home run threat.

Davalillo has the arm strength, hands and game awareness to catch, but he will need to clean up his blocking and improve his mobility to stay behind the plate.Â

Juan Sanchez, SS, Blue Jays

While technically not a seven-figure signing—Sanchez signed for $997,500—weâ€re going to cheat and count him in this group. Sanchez sticks out right away for his 6-foot-3, 210-pound frame at shortstop. As an amateur, he drew praise for his raw power and defensive skill set—especially for a bigger player—though it came with questions about how much contact he would make against live pitching.

The early returns with the bat have been excellent, however, as Sanchez hit .341/.439/.565 in 253 plate appearances with eight home runs, 26 walks and 41 strikeouts. While Sanchez will expand the zone at times, he doesnâ€t miss much when heâ€s swinging at strikes, and he drives the ball with impact, showing the potential to be a 20-25 home run hitter.Â

Diego Tornes, OF, Braves

The headliner of the Braves†international signing class, Tornes signed for $2,497,500—the highest bonus of the year for a Cuban player. On the surface, Tornes†numbers donâ€t look like a top tier prospect in the DSL. He hit .279/.395/.402 in 147 plate appearances and didnâ€t hit any home runs.

From a scouting perspective in projecting Tornes long term, though, he was one of the leagueâ€s most talented prospects. He turned 17 on July 3, so he was one of the younger players in the DSL, and despite not hitting any home runs, his 90th percentile exit velocity of 105.4 mph ranked fourth in the league among 2025 signings.

Between his bat speed, youth and room left to fill out his 6-foot-2 frame, the switch-hitting Tornes could grow into plus-plus raw power. Thereâ€s some risk his swing-and-miss rate could elevate against better pitching, but he does recognize spin and has a solid sense of the strike zone for his age.

Heâ€s an above-average runner with an average arm who played exclusively in center field this year, showing improvements from early in his amateur days when he looked more like a left fielder.Â

Up-Arrow Signings

Luis Arana, SS, Marlins

We tabbed Arana as a sleeper of Miamiâ€s signing class coming into the season, and his stock has continued to climb after he hit .297/.419/.476 in 227 plate appearances with 30 walks, 18 strikeouts and stole 28 bases in 37 attempts.

Signed from Venezuela for just $30,000, Arana is a switch-hitter who packs a lot of tools and explosive athleticism into his 5-foot-10 frame with plus speed and a plus-plus arm. He showed some sneaky power with five home runs, though his offensive game is more about his high-end contact skills.Â

Hector Ramos, SS, Red Sox

Ramos does a lot of things well. A switch-hitter, he batted .254/.384/.441 in 151 trips to the plate after signing out of the Dominican Republic for $500,000. Heâ€s 6-foot-1, 175-pound with a knack for being on time at the plate to make contact at a high clip and shows a sound sense of the strike zone for his age. He hit four home runs in his pro debut and could grow into average power.

Ramos has the actions, body control and above-average arm strength that give him a good chance to stick at shortstop.Â

Angel De Los Santos, SS, Tigers

De Los Santos, signed out of the Dominican Republic for $387,500, checks a lot of boxes teams look for in a young shortstop. He has the tools to stick at the position with his athleticism, range and arm strength. He was also one of the strongest offensive performers among 2025 signings in the DSL, hitting .370/.465/.543 in 99 plate appearances.

De Los Santos has a promising foundation of strike-zone judgment and bat-to-ball skills from the right side of the plate. He generates good bat speed from his wiry 6-foot-1 frame, and while heâ€s not a huge slugger right now, he drives the ball with surprising authority with a chance for bigger power to come once he layers on more strength.Â

Miguel Hernandez, SS, Cardinals

In 2024, the Cardinals signed Yairo Padilla, who quickly became one of the top prospects in their system and one of the better shortstops they had signed out of Latin America in several years. Hernandez might end up a better prospect.

Signed out of Venezuela for $500,000, Hernandez is young for the 2025 class—he turned 17 on June 2—and hit .281/.408/.444 with five home runs, 25 walks and 35 strikeouts in 169 plate appearances. Heâ€s an athletic shortstop with plus speed, good footwork and soft hands at shortstop, projecting to stick in the middle infield. Arm strength is the biggest question when it comes to whether that will be at shortstop or second base.

A wiry 6-foot righthanded hitter, Hernandez showed some sneaky pop in the DSL but will need to get stronger. That said, he already has a strong offensive foundation between his swing, plate discipline and plate coverage.Â

Teilon Serrano, OF, Twins

After signing for $847,500 out of the Dominican Republic, Serrano looks like a player who would fit comfortably with the seven-figure signings of the 2025 class. Serrano generates whippy, explosive bat speed from the left side of the plate. Itâ€s a strong, athletic 6-foot, 200-pound build that should continue to get bulkier, giving him the look of a future 25-plus home run threat.

Thereâ€s swing-and-miss to Serranoâ€s game—he ran a 25% strikeout rate while hitting .258/.386/.426 in 189 plate appearances—but heâ€s not a free swinger. Heâ€s a plus runner who mostly played center field but could ultimately slide to a corner.Â

Prospects To Watch

Elorky Rodriguez, CF/2B, Rangers

The Rangers†top bonus ($1,097,500) for a Latin American signing this year went to Rodriguez, who hit .337/.473/.506 with six home runs, 39 walks and 38 strikeouts in 226 plate appearances.

Rodriguez has a medium build (5-foot-10, 175 pounds) and a short lefthanded stroke. His ability to recognize pitches, make good swing decisions and maneuver the barrel to make frequent contact are all advanced for his age. While he doesnâ€t project to be a big home run threat, he showed surprising juice in the DSL and could end up a 15-plus home run hitter.

Heâ€s an average runner to a tick better underway. While he doesnâ€t have typical speed for center field, the Rangers also got him exposure at second base, so he could move between second and multiple outfield spots at higher levels.Â

Cris Rodriguez, OF, Tigers

Rodriguez has massive strengths that come with significant holes he will have to address.

The recipient of a $3,197,500 bonus—third-highest among Latin American signings this year—Rodriguez is 6-foot-4, 205 pounds with electric bat speed and raw power that stack up with any hitter in the DSL, including a 90th percentile exit velocity of 108 mph that was higher than any 17-year-old in the league. It translated in games, with Rodriguez hitting .308/.340/.564 in 188 plate appearances with 10 home runs, the most among 2025 signings. Rodriguez can annihilate fastballs and he didnâ€t strike out excessively, but he is a free-swinger who walked at just a 6% clip and will need to improve his pitch recognition and strike-zone discipline to continue his success at higher levels.

Heâ€s a center fielder who has plus speed and an average arm, good enough to stay in the middle of the field for now but with a chance he could slide to a corner given how big he projects to get.Â

Harold Rivas, OF, Red Sox

The Red Sox signed Rivas for $950,000 and got one of the best defensive center fielders in Venezuela. Heâ€s a lean, lively 6-foot-2, 180 pounds with plus speed, a plus arm and the mix of first-step quickness, instincts and range that make him a potentially plus to plus-plus defender.

Rivas had a solid offensive campaign in the DSL, hitting .258/.393/.384 with 35 walks and 35 strikeouts in 196 plate appearances. While his slash line doesnâ€t jump out as much as some other players listed here, he registered consistent quality at-bats without much swing-and-miss and has the space on his frame to grow into more power.Â

Ramcell Medina, SS, Royals

While righthander Kendry Chourio was the star of Kansas Cityâ€s 2025 class on the mound, Medina led the way for their position players, signing out of the Dominican Republic for $947,500 and showing an advanced offensive foundation in his pro debut.

Medina hit .260/.398/.404 with 31 walks and 26 strikeouts in 186 plate appearances, consistently stringing together quality at-bats with good swing decisions and a knack for finding the sweet spot. Medina didnâ€t show much power this year, but his lean 6-foot-2 frame has lots of space left to fill out.Â

Marconi German, SS, Nationals

Signed for $400,000 out of the Dominican Republic, German had the most exciting debut of any Nationals signing this year. He batted .283/.479/.513 with 43 walks and 42 strikeouts in 213 plate appearances, along with 16 hit by pitches that helped bolster his OBP.

From the same program (El Niche) where the Nationals signed Juan Soto, Marconi is a 5-foot-10, 170-pound switch-hitter. He doesnâ€t have one standout carrying tool but shows advanced instincts and a high baseball IQ on both sides of the ball. Itâ€s solid, though not elite contact skills from both sides of the plate with a line-drive approach and mostly gap power. He did, however, show sneaky pop with eight home runs and exit velocities up to 107 mph.

German is an above-average runner with an above-average arm who split time between shortstop and second base.

Liberts Aponte, SS, Reds

Aponte signed for $1.9 million after impressing scouts in Venezuela for his quick-twitch, fluid actions at shortstop and ability to make acrobatic, highlight-reel plays. Aponte projects as a true shortstop who is light on his feet with soft hands, a quick release—albeit without elite arm strength—and a good internal clock.

Aponte’s potentially plus defense was his calling card as an amateur, but there were concerns about his bat coming into the season. He helped answer some of those questions after batting .247/.368/.461 in 193 plate appearances without excessive swing-and-miss and hitting a surprising seven home runs for a player with a slender 6-foot frame.

Juan Cabada, 2B/3B, Cubs

The Cubs signed Cabada out of the Dominican Republic for $1.5 million because of their belief in his bat. He showed a knack for barreling balls to all fields in his pro debut, batting .287/.429/.426 with 20 walks and 31 strikeouts in 170 trips to the plate, including 14 hit by pitches that helped boost his OBP.

A thicker 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, Cabada doesnâ€t have a plus tool or anything that jumps out defensively—heâ€s an offensive-minded player who split time between second and third base—but his bat control and ability to produce consistent quality contact is advanced for his age.Â

Darell Morel, SS, Pirates

Morel is easy to dream on at 6-foot-5, 190 pounds. He’s an ultra-long, lean shortstop with broad shoulders, plus speed underway and the potential to grow into 60 or 70 raw power from the left side once heâ€s physically mature. His pro debut was more solid than spectacular, as he hit .287/.425/.414 in 202 plate appearances with 37 walks, 45 strikeouts and only one home run. He showed a good sense of the strike zone for his age, but he can be susceptible to spin that led to swing-and-miss—something that will probably always be part of his game given his length.

Morel spent all of his time at shortstop. While some scouts look at a player his size and think heâ€s destined for either third base or the outfield, his athleticism and body control give him a chance to continue at shortstop.Â

Dorian Soto, SS, Red Sox

Sotoâ€s $1.4 million bonus was the highest for a Red Sox international signing this year. He hit .307/.362/.428 in 186 plate appearances in the DSL, drawing 16 walks with 28 strikeouts and two home runs.

Soto has significant physical upside at 6-foot-3, 185 pounds, and he can whistle the barrel through the zone with impressive bat speed, giving him a chance to grow into big power. He is a switch-hitter who uses his hands well and is able to keep his long limbs under control to limit his swing-and-miss, though he is also an aggressive hitter who will have to reign his approach and make better swing decisions.

Soto mostly played shortstop this season, but third base or an outfield corner seem more likely landing spots as he gets closer to the majors.Â

Wilfri De La Cruz, SS, Orioles

The Cubs signed De La Cruz out of the Dominican Republic for $2.3 million—their biggest bonus of 2025—then sent him to the Orioles at the trade deadline for righthander Andrew Kittredge. He hit a combined .258/.465/.400 with more walks (46) than strikeouts (36) in 170 plate appearances.

At 6-foot-3, 180 pounds, De La Cruz stands out for his broad-shouldered frame with lots of room left to add good weight. While he didnâ€t hit any home runs in his pro debut, thereâ€s obvious projection to grow into big power to complement his already-sharp eye for recognizing spin and patient approach, which allows him to draw walks and work himself into favorable counts. A switch-hitter who is more advanced from the left side, De La Cruz also swung and missed less than some scouts had expected for a young, long-limbed hitter.

Heâ€s an above-average runner with a plus arm who mostly played shortstop, though third base could be a landing spot for him higher up.Â

Maykel Coret, OF, Rays

Coret has standout athleticism, tools and physical upside that drew the Rays to sign him out of the Dominican Republic for $1.6 million. He hit .273/.394/.370 in 188 plate appearances with 24 walks, 42 strikeouts and two home runs. It was a debut that wasnâ€t as loud as some of the other players listed here, but thereâ€s still big potential if everything clicks.

Coret is 6-foot-4, 190 pounds with plus speed and strong defensive instincts for his age in center field. His reads, routes and range all give him a good chance to stay in center field, where his plus arm is another weapon.

Heâ€s a potential power/speed threat who makes hard contact—his exit velocities have already been up to 111 mph—and he could end up with plus or plus-plus raw power. Coret did a better job of managing the strike zone than some scouts were expecting, but heâ€s still a long-levered hitter who can still get fooled by breaking stuff. He struck out in 22% of his trips to the plate—an elevated but not egregious rate.Â

Jostin Ogando, 1B/OF, Red Sox

Ogando was a late addition to Bostonâ€s class a couple weeks before the DSL season opened. He ended up one of the more impressive power bats in the league, producing exit velocities up to 114 mph as a 17-year-old.

Ogando is a hulking physical presence at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, and while he doesnâ€t swing and miss much for a player with his power, the lack of loft in his swing limits his game power. When he does get off his “A” swing, he can obliterate baseballs, finishing at .283/.433/.427 with four home runs, 25 walks and 26 strikeouts in 134 plate appearances.

Ogando mostly played first base with some exposure to the outfield corners, so itâ€s his offensive game that will have to carry him.Â

Sami Manzueta, INF, Astros

Manzueta was a later addition to Houstonâ€s 2025 class when they signed him for $847,500 in April. One of the youngest players in the league—he turned 17 on Aug. 21—Manzueta hit .224/.405/.392 in 195 plate appearances. The slash line doesnâ€t leap out, but he walked (42) more than he struck out (36), hit five home runs and put together quality at-bats throughout the season even when hits werenâ€t always falling.

Manzueta isnâ€t that big (5-foot-10, 165 pounds), but he makes good swing decisions and is consistently on the barrel from a simple, balanced righthanded swing. His offensive game will likely lean more on his on-base skills than his power, but he showed some surprising juice in his pro debut, especially for a player who was 16 all season.

Manzueta is a below-average runner with an above-average arm. He played a little bit of shortstop but got most of his reps at second and third base, which are the positions heâ€s most likely to play at higher levels.Â

Kenly Hunter, OF, Cardinals

Hunter was the top prospect out of Nicaragua this year when the Cardinals signed him for $700,000. A former shortstop, he moved to center field before signing and has the tools to stick there with plus speed, a plus arm and good range.

While Hunter didnâ€t face the same level of pitching in Nicaragua prior to signing compared to his peers in the Dominican Republic, he looked comfortable at the plate in the DSL, where he hit .314/.442/.400 in 173 plate appearances with 24 walks and 20 strikeouts.

A lean 6-foot, 175-pound righthanded hitter, Hunter is the best pure contact hitter among the teamâ€s 2025 signings with little swing-and-miss to his game and a good sense of the strike zone. He will need to add significant strength to start driving the ball with any impact after delivering just nine extra-base hits without any home runs this season.

Anthony Millan, OF, Astros

When the Astros signed Millan out of Venezuela for $472,500, he had hit well in games and shown strong defensive attributes. Heâ€s an athletic center fielder who gets quick reads off the bat, moves around with ease, good range and an above-average arm.

Millan hit .279/.409/.419 in 167 plate appearances with 26 walks and 34 strikeouts, using a quick righthanded stroke and typically staying within the strike zone to get on base at a high clip. At 5-foot-11, 170 pounds, Millan isnâ€t that big. However, while he hit just two home runs, he made consistent hard, quality contact with the highest average exit velocity among Houstonâ€s 2025 signings.Â

Breyson Guedez, OF, Athletics

Guedez, signed out of Venezuela for $1.5 million, has a bit of a tweener profile, but he had a strong track record of being able to put the ball in play as an amateur and that continued in the DSL.

Guedez hit .359/.395/.490 in 210 plate appearances with 14 walks and 20 strikeouts. He struck out in just 9.5% of his plate appearances thanks to his compact lefthanded swing and excellent hand-eye coordination. He showed the ability to make contact at pitches both in and out of the zone, a skill thatâ€s both an asset and a potential liability at higher levels because of how often he will swing at pitches off the plate.

Guedez walked in just 6.7% of his trips to the plate, and for a 5-foot-11, 170-pound hitter who doesnâ€t have huge power and is an average runner who spent all of his time in the outfield corners this year, making better swing decisions will be key for his development.Â

Jhon Simon, 3B/OF, Rangers

At 5-foot-11, 210 pounds, Simon has a blocky, physically-mature frame without much projection remaining. He is getting a chance to develop at third base, though he also played left field this season and could end up a left fielder long term. Thatâ€s not typically the most exciting profile for a 17-year-old righthanded hitter, but Simonâ€s combination of hitting ability and power make him a prospect.

Signed out of the Dominican Republic for $497,500, Simon packs a lot of strength and bat speed into a short swing. That mix produced some of the better raw power of any hitter in the DSL. It came without much swing-and-miss, though because of Simonâ€s swing path, he hit just one home run in 105 plate appearances while slashing .315/.419/.427 with 14 walks and 18 strikeouts.

Thereâ€s another level of game power in there for Simon to unlock if he can add more loft to his swing.Â

Sebastian Dos Santos, SS, Cardinals

We labeled Dos Santos as the sleeper of the Cardinals†2025 class coming into the year after he signed for $75,000. He ended up leading their DSL team in OPS by hitting .313/.452/.570 with four home runs, 30 walks and 29 strikeouts in 166 plate appearances.

Part of what made Dos Santos stand out coming into the season was his glove—heâ€s not fast, but heâ€s quick and instinctive with good hands and a knack for playing under control. His offensive game proved to be advanced, as well, with Dos Santos showing excellent plate discipline, recognizing spin well and showing good bat-to-ball skills from both sides of the plate.

There isnâ€t much weight yet on his skinny 6-foot frame, so packing on more strength will be key for his development.Â

Warel Solano, 3B, Rays

There are a wide range of outcomes for Solano, who got $1.05 million out of the Dominican Republic. Heâ€s 6-foot-2, 165 pounds with a lean, high-waist build and wide shoulders. He works with good bat speed to drive the ball with raw power that rivals Maykel Coret for the best among the teamâ€s 2025 signing class.

Solano hit .319/.391/.418 in 207 plate appearances, and while he logged just one home run, he has more present power than the surface-level numbers suggest because heâ€s still learning to maintain his balance and make consistent quality contact. Solano doesnâ€t swing and miss that much—he had a 16.4% strikeout rate—and given how much room he has left to fill out, he could grow into plus raw power.

Solano signed as a shortstop but moved to third base this season. While his offense is ahead of his defense, he has the tools to potentially stick either there or at second base.Â

Haritzon Castillo, SS, Twins

Castillo was a big signing ($947,500) for the Twins out of Venezuela, and he showed excellent barrel accuracy from both sides of the plate in his pro debut. He slashed .283/.395/.428 in 167 plate appearances with 24 walks, 22 strikeouts and had a minute 5.4% swinging strike rate on pitches in the zone—one of the lowest marks in the league.

Castillo is 5-foot-10, 175 pounds with a hit-over-power profile and an offensive game that will lean more on his on-base skills. He spent most of his time at shortstop at second base, with a chance he could move all around the infield at higher levels.Â

Nauris De La Cruz, OF, Nationals

De La Cruz, a $500,000 signing out of the Dominican Republic, batted .294/.448/.450 with nearly twice as many walks (30) as strikeouts (17) in 143 plate appearances.

As an amateur, De La Cruz stood out for his quick-twitch actions in the batterâ€s box and ability to drive the ball well from his 6-foot, 160-pound frame thanks to his bat speed. But in his pro debut, it was his discerning approach and contact skills that stood out more than his power.

Heâ€s an average runner who spent most of his time in center field but likely gravitates to a corner at higher levels.Â

Angel Salio, 3B/SS, Reds

Salio netted a $500,000 bonus from the Reds out of the Dominican Republic and led his team in OPS, hitting .331/.402/.507 in 169 plate appearances with 19 walks and 17 strikeouts.

A lean 6-foot-2, 170 pounds, Salio has a fluid lefthanded swing, an aggressive approach and power that ticked up this year. He has more strength projection left for the potential to start driving the ball with more authority once he fills out.

Salio did get some time at shortstop but mostly played third base, which could end up his long-term home, though he could move around the infield and outfield down the road.Â

Skills & Instincts… But Will Power Come?

Elaineiker Coronado, INF, Blue Jays

Coronado impressed scouts more with his game savvy than his raw tools when the Blue Jays signed him out of Venezuela for $797,500. He regularly registered quality at-bats in the DSL, batting .346/.504/.383 with 57 walks and 27 strikeouts in 248 plate appearances.

Coronado is 5-foot-10, 160 pounds with excellent strike-zone discipline and an accurate barrel from the left side, albeit with minimal power. Heâ€s an instinctive defender who primarily played second base but got time at shortstop and third base too. Second or a utility role are his most likely fits at higher levels.Â

Emmanuel Cedeño, INF, Rays

Cedeño drew four times as many walks (48) as strikeouts (12) in the DSL, hitting .304/.466/.361 in 212 plate appearances after signing for $500,000 out of the Dominican Republic.

At 5-foot-9, 160 pounds, Cedeño has a small strike zone, and he uses it to his advantage by rarely swinging at pitches off the plate. He has a patient approach and a high-contact bat from both sides of the plate, though he will have to get stronger to start to deliver any extra-base impact.

He spent most of his time at second base with a bit of exposure to shortstop and third base long term, likely fitting best at second base, where he has easy actions, good hands and a quick first step.Â

Brayan Cortesia, SS, Nationals

Cortesia isnâ€t a sleeper—the Nationals paid him $1.92 million, their highest bonus of the year—but he fits into this group of high-contact, skillful players who havenâ€t shown the ability to drive the ball with any impact yet.

A righthanded hitter from Venezuela, Cortesia is 6-foot-1, 165 pounds with a short, quick, simple swing and the ability to manipulate the barrel to get to pitches throughout the strike zone. He hit .317/.440/.358 with 25 walks and 25 strikeouts in 150 plate appearances.

Cortesia is a plus runner with the hands, feet and arm strength to handle shortstop, but he will need to get stronger to develop enough power to play at higher levels.Â

Sebastian Blanco, SS, Rockies

Signed out of Venezuela for $600,000, Blanco doesnâ€t have one plus tool, but his instincts both offensively and defensively are advanced for a 17-year-old shortstop. Heâ€s 6-foot-1, 180 pounds with a short righthanded stroke that produced an in-zone swinging strike rate of 6.9% that ranked among the best in the league. Overall, Blanco hit .345/.449/.453 in 248 plate appearances with 33 walks, 34 strikeouts and three home runs.

An average runner and a good athlete, Blanco got nearly all of his playing time at shortstop, where he has a chance to stick, though he could fit at either middle infield spot.Â

Dayber Cruceta, OF, Phillies

At 6-foot-1, 150 pounds, Cruceta has a skinny frame without much power, but he controls the strike zone and makes frequent contact with good bat-to-ball skills from a handsy lefthanded stroke. Cruceta routinely registers quality at-bats, though he lacks the strength to drive the ball with much impact, finishing the DSL with a .291/.438/.373 line with 30 walks and 32 strikeouts.

Signed out of the Dominican Republic for $300,000, Cruceta is an above-average runner who spent most of his time in center field but got exposure to right field, as well.Â

Eybert Sanchez, SS, Diamondbacks

Sanchez showed a high baseball IQ with instincts and savvy both at the plate and in the field when the D-backs signed him out of Venezuela for $300,000. Heâ€s a fundamentally-sound defender at shortstop—he made just six errors in 54 games—and combines impressive athleticism and quickness with a good internal clock, along with above-average speed and arm strength.

Sanchez is 6 foot, 160 pounds without much strength—he delivered just four extra-base hits all season—but his hand-eye coordination leads to a low swing-and-miss rate from the left side of the plate. He finished at .287/.432/.316 in 221 plate appearances with 43 walks and 27 strikeouts.Â

Ricardo Romero, INF, Guardians

Is there a more fun player in the league than Romero?

At 5-foot-5, 160 pounds, he’s a Ronald Torreyes-type player as a smaller Venezuelan infielder who raked in the DSL, batting .312/.415/.476 with more walks (28) than strikeouts (21) in 205 plate appearances after signing for $110,000.

Romero has a sound lefthanded swing with a knack for barreling balls for consistent quality contact in games. He doesnâ€t project to ever hit for big power, but his pitch recognition and contact skills are both advanced for his age.

Romero mostly played second and third base this season with a bit of exposure to left field and shortstop, as well, to get him into the lineup every day. Second is likely his best defensive fit.

Source link

Image credit:
Texas coach Jim Schlossnagle (right) (Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

With fall college baseball now in full swing, plenty of fresh faces have begun to announce their presence at their respective programs.

Texas, which ranked No. 5 in last year’s recruiting rankings, has vaulted to No. 1 after making out particularly well in the draft. Mississippi State, which sits at No. 6, was able to get prized lefthander Jack Bauer to campus. Bauer ranked No. 44 on the final Baseball America 500 and is the highest ranked player on the 500 to make it to campus.

The SEC and ACC both landed a handful of programs on our list, though the Big Ten and Big 12 also landed multiple programs in the ranking.

Baseball America subscribers can find our complete top 25 recruiting rankings below.

1. Texas

The Jim Schlossnagle era is off to a roaring start. In its first year as a member of the SEC, Texas last season captured the conference regular season title and won its fourth-most conference games in program history.

While the Longhorns†season came to an abrupt end in June, Schlossnagle and his staff reloaded over the offseason and head into 2026 with national championship upside. On top of its returning core and big-time transfer portal additions, Texas welcomes a star-studded recruiting class to campus that figures to leave a sizable mark on the program sooner rather than later.

The strength of Texas†recruiting class is undoubtedly its stable of arms. The headliner of the group is Brody Walls. A 6-foot righthander, Walls has a controlled operation and is an advanced strike-thrower. His fastball was up to 95 mph last spring, and he supplements the heater with a high-spin, slurvy breaking ball and a low-80s changeup. Walls†breaking ball is his most viable swing-and-miss offering, though heâ€s comfortable using his “cambio†against lefthanded hitters.

Southpaw Jack McKernanhas a quick arm and is armed with a fastball thatâ€s also been up to 95 to go along with a mid-80s power slider that flashes sharp bite. While he relies heavily on his fastball and slider, McKernan will also deploy a changeup against righthanded hitters.

In addition to Walls and McKernan, keep a close eye on 6-foot-5 righthander Michael Winter. Winter was initially committed to Dartmouth, but he eventually flipped to Texas. At 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds, Winter certainly looks the part and has a clean delivery with a loose arm stroke. His fastball sits in the low 90s and has been up to 95 mph. It’s a pitch he supplements with a high-spin slider that regularly flashes sharp two-plane tilt and lateral life. He rounds out his arsenal with a mid-to-high-80s cutter and a mid-80s changeup. Winter boasts an exciting blend of “now†stuff and upside, and, while it may not be in 2026, he figures to pitch his way into the Longhorns†weekend rotation.

Speaking of 6-foot-5 righthanders, Brett Crossland is plenty physical and possesses high-end stuff. His heater has been up to 97 mph to go along with two distinct breaking balls in a mid-80s slider and a high-70s curveball. The former is tighter in shape, while his bender—which is the better of the two—flashes plus with plenty of depth and downward bite. Crossland completes his arsenal with a low-80s changeup that at times flashes serious fade to the arm side.

On the position player side, wiry outfielder Anthony Pack Jr. is the headliner. He has impressive bat and hand speed and does a nice job of staying inside the baseball. Pack Jr. has a line-drive oriented stroke and advanced contact skills—two traits that figure to serve him well both at Texas and beyond. A plus runner and high-level athlete with solid baseball sense, Pack Jr. has a chance to stick in center field long term.

2. Tennessee

Since coach Tony Vitello took the reins of the program in 2017, heâ€s turned Tennessee into a national powerhouse and perennial national championship contender. After capturing the programâ€s first national title in 2024, the Volunteers†2025 season came to an end in the Fayetteville super regional. Tennessee is one of very few programs that falls into the “reload, not rebuild†bucket, and 2026 figures to be yet another exciting season on Rocky Top.

Vitello and his staff are some of the best recruiters in the country, and it shows year in and year out. The crown jewel of the 2025 class is undoubtedly Cameron Appenzeller. A projection lefthander, Appenzeller stands at 6-foot-5 and 180 pounds. He had legitimate top-two round draft interest, though he opted to honor his commitment to the Vols. Appenzeller is a solid athlete with a repeatable delivery and plenty of projection remaining. His fastball has been up to 94 mph with life through the zone to go along with two distinct secondary offerings. His high-70s-to-low-80s slider features two-plane bite and has plus upside, while his mid-80s changeup flashes plenty of fade and is a real weapon against righthanded hitters. Throughout his time in Knoxville, expect both Appenzellerâ€s velocity and pure stuff to continue to tick up.

Catcher Trent Grindlinger was one of the best prep catchers in the 2025 class and getting him to campus was a major win for Tennessee. Behind the dish, Grindlinger has a plus arm and moves well for his size. His contact skills are pleasantly surprising, and he has a sound feel for the strike zone to go with above-average raw power. Grindlinger has yet to tap into his power in-game on a regular basis, though that could change in the hitter-friendly confines of Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

Switch-hitting shortstop Ethan Moore has a lengthy track record with the stick, and he has a direct, line-drive oriented swing from both sides of the plate. He has solid contact skills and is certainly physical, though his operation is not geared towards getting the ball up in the air. Mooreâ€s hitting ability is his carrying tool, and he could move off of shortstop for second or third base. He certainly has a chance to be a high-level performer at Tennessee and a future prominent draft pick.

3. LSU

LSU is one of very few programs—perhaps the only program—that is flat-out dominant across every facet of the game. Coach Jay Johnson and his staff routinely put together premier portal and recruiting classes and do an outstanding job of developing the talent they bring in. The result? Two national championships in the last three seasons. Johnson has cultivated an environment in which there is an unbelievable amount of success at both the team and individual level, and that figures to continue so long as heâ€s at the helm.

This yearâ€s group of incoming freshmen is par for the course, and the Tigers again boast a top-three recruiting class. LSUâ€s draft wins started when prized catcher Omar Serna withdrew his name in the weeks leading up to draft day. At 6-foot-2 and 225-pounds, Serna is plenty physical, and both his arm strength and raw power grade out as plus. In fact, his arm is closer to double-plus than it is plus. Serna has tons of bat speed and is more than capable of driving the baseball with authority to all fields. His hit tool could use a coat of polish, and heâ€ll need to continue to work on his actions behind the plate, but Serna will have top two-round upside coming out of LSU.

Outfielder William Patrick fits the description of a “tool shed†to a tee. A multi-sport athlete in high school, Patrick also played football and ran track. Thereâ€s no shortage of present strength in his 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame, and he has big-time hand speed in the box. While his hit tool lacks polish, he has a chance to develop into plus power.

Patrick’s loudest, most explosive tool is his speed. Heâ€s a double-plus runner whose speed and athleticism allows him to cover ample ground on the grass, and he has the makings of an above-average center fielder. If Patrickâ€s toolset wasnâ€t dynamic enough, he also boasts a plus arm. He has the ability to impact the game in myriad ways, and he figures to do exactly that during his time at LSU.

Righthander Marcos Paz is a bit of a wild card. Paz had Tommy John surgery in 2024 which kept him on the shelf until this past June, but he showed well at the draft combine. Pazâ€s fastball was up to 95 mph, and he has an easy, repeatable delivery. His mid-80s slider has plus potential and is his best pitch, routinely spinning in the 2,800-2,900 rpm range. Paz rounds out his arsenal with a mid-to-high-80s changeup that looks the part of a solid third offering.

Fellow righthander Reagan Ricken is also a name to circle. At 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds, Ricken has a prototypical pitcherâ€s frame and is an advanced athlete. Heâ€s cleaned up his operation over the last calendar year, and he features a fastball that has been into the mid 90s with armside life to go along with a mid-80s slider and low-80s curveball. Both of Rickenâ€s offspeed offerings have the chance to be effective, and he rounds out his arsenal with a high-80s changeup that could be a fine fourth pitch.

Ricken is a moldable ball of clay, and it will be exciting to watch his development under the guidance of pitching coach Nate Yeskie.

4. Virginia

It was a bit of a hectic start to the offseason in Charlottesville, as long-time head coach Brian Oâ€Connor departed to take on the same role at Mississippi State. However, Virginia made a sizable splash of its own by landing former Duke coach Chris Pollard. Pollard and his staff hit the ground running and not only built a standout transfer class, but also an equally impressive recruiting class. Assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Derek Simmons has been an integral piece of each coaching staff heâ€s been a part of to this point, and he will have the same effect in Charlottesville. Whether it be at Indiana, his one-year stint at Duke or this past offseason at Virginia, Simmons has been a true difference-maker at every stop.

As for this yearâ€s class, the focal point is a trio of high-end righthanders. John Paone withdrew his name from the draft, though he had legitimate top five-round interest. The 6-foot-3 hurler attacks from a low three-quarters slot and relies heavily on a power fastball-slider combination. Paoneâ€s heater has been up to 97 mph and routinely gets in on the hands of righthanded hitters, while his slider is a high-spin pitch that flashes plus.

The younger brother of 2012 first-rounder and two-time MLB all-star Marcus Stroman, Jayden Stroman is an athletic, 6-foot-1 righty who blossomed this spring on the mound. He ran his fastball up to 97 mph with carry in the top half of the zone to go along with a mid-80s changeup thatâ€s flashed and a mid-80s curveball.

The 6-foot-5 Noah Yoder has the most powerful stuff of the bunch, and he deploys a fastball thatâ€s routinely touched 99 mph and is on track to be in triple digits before long. Yoderâ€s low-80s curveball has downer shape and could eventually turn into an average offering, while his low-to-mid-80s changeup is a more “under construction†third pitch.

Infielder RJ Holmes has shown well this fall and could be the Cavaliers’ starting second baseman come opening day. Heâ€s an advanced athlete with a quick swing from the right side and is an above-average runner who figures to earn meaningful playing time this spring.

5. Arkansas

Arkansas has been to the College World Series twice in the last four years. While last season ended in gut-wrenching fashion, the Razorbacks reloaded both via the portal and by bringing in another high-quality recruiting class.

Infielder and righthanded pitcher Carson Brumbaugh is one of the class†headliners, and heâ€s already off to a fast start this fall. He has no-doubt plus bat speed and plus raw power, while on the dirt he has a plus arm. Brumbaugh has fared well at shortstop to this point, though his actions might translate better over at third base. On the bump, Brumbaugh has been up to 96 mph to go along with a solid low-80s slider and a firmer upper-80s changeup. Brumbaugh projects as a position player long term, though Iâ€d expect him to log a handful of innings throughout his time at Arkansas.

Fellow infielder Landon Schaeferhas a lean, athletic frame and certainly looks the part. His hit tool will need a couple coats of polish, and his load is on the noisier side, but he has plenty of bat speed and exciting power potential—especially to the pull side. Schaefer has enough arm strength to handle shortstop, but, like Brumbaugh, he could move off the position at some point.

Six-foot-five righthander Jordan Martin is the top pitching recruit for coach Dave Van Horn and his staff, and he deploys a lively fastball thatâ€s been up to 96 mph as well as a slurvy slider. Its shape plays, but it lacks teeth. He rounds out his three-pitch mix with a low-80s changeup, though itâ€s a distant third offering. Martin is on the raw side, but his arm strength, athleticism and upside are all appealing.

6. Mississippi State

As mentioned above, it was announced soon after Mississippi Stateâ€s season concluded that Brian Oâ€Connor would be the new head man for the Bulldogs. It was an outstanding hire, and Oâ€Connor and his staff got right to work

The headlining name here is a biggie, as 6-foot-4 lefthander Jack Bauer is not only Mississippi Stateâ€s top recruit, but also one of the top incoming freshmen in the country. Bauer made waves last spring after becoming the hardest-throwing prep lefthander of all-time after touching 102, but heâ€s not a one-trick pony.Â

On top of his thunderous heater, Bauer routinely spins his sharp breaking ball in the 3,000 rpm range. He is a bit of a spray gun and his lack of control has prevented him from pitching deep into games, but initial reports out of Starkville this fall have been glowing. If Bauer can compete in and around the zone on a consistent basis while flashing his premium stuff, he very well could be a first-round pick when heâ€s next eligible. Bauerâ€s pure arm talent and upside are beyond tantalizing, and he profiles as one of the most exciting freshmen in college baseball this spring.

The brother of 2025 eighth-overall pick JoJo Parker, Jacob Parkeris a physical lefthanded hitter with a pro body. Heâ€s listed at 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds and shows plus raw power. Parker gets to his impact without much effort, though there are some questions about the caliber of pure hitter heâ€s going to be. An above-average runner with an above-average arm, Parkerâ€s entire body of work profiles best in right field.

Righthander Parker Rhodes was a helium name this spring. He deploys a pair of fastball shapes—both of which have been into the mid 90s—as well as a high-spin, low-80s breaking ball and a mid-80s changeup with which he does a nice job of killing spin.

7. Vanderbilt

Under coach Tim Corbin, Vanderbilt has a lengthy track record of retaining the vast majority of its highly-touted recruits. The 2025 class is no different, and it’s led by southpaw Aiden Stillman.

A 6-foot-3 lefthander, Stillman has an appealing blend of strikes and stuff. He has a clean operation that includes a bit of deception and features a three-pitch mix. Stillmanâ€s fastball has been up to 95 mph with life, though, between his present arm speed and remaining projection, its velocity figures to tick up. Stillman relies heavily on his heater, but he also has a solid feel to spin his high-70s-to-low-80s slurvy breaking ball. Its shape varies, and sometimes it will take on more of a slider look with more lateral break than depth and vice versa.

Tyler Baird is a projectable, 6-foot-4 righthander whose fastball has been into the upper 90s to go with a slurvy breaking ball in the upper 70s and a solid, low-80s changeup. Baird has a history of being in and around the strike zone, and his stuff will only improve as he continues to physically mature.

At 255 pounds, fellow 6-foot-4 righty Wyatt Nadeau is almost the polar opposite physically with powerful stuff, to boot. His fastball crept into the upper 90s, and he mixes his heater with a pair of low-to-mid-80s breaking balls and a firmer changeup. Nadeau isnâ€t the strike-thrower that Baird is and could profile best as a reliever long term, but both project as impactful arms for the ‘Dores.

Vanderbiltâ€s not-so-secret weapon is assistant coach Ty Blankmeyer. The son of legendary St. Johnâ€s head coach Ed Blankmeyer, Ty has cemented himself as an ace recruiter and outstanding infield coach. Blankmeyer was also the Brewers’ Northeast area scout and Sal Frelickâ€s signing scout. From this chair, itâ€s a matter of when—not if—Blankmeyer becomes a Power Four head coach.

8. Wake Forest

Throughout his tenure with Wake Forest, coach Tom Walter has transformed the program into a perennial contender. The departure of highly regarded pitching coach Corey Muscara—who this past June was named Dukeâ€s head coach—left a hole in the staff, but the Demon Deacons still welcomed a talented group of recruits to campus this fall.

New Jersey righthander Marcelo Harsch had top three-round interest in this yearâ€s draft, and, at 6-foot-4 and 170 pounds, still has plenty of room to fill out. Harsch has a balanced delivery with a long arm action, and he deploys a fastball thatâ€s been up to 94-95 mph to go with an effective mid-80s slider that flashes late two-plane tilt. Harschâ€s slider is his most effective swing-and-miss pitch, and he rounds out his three-pitch mix with a mid-80s changeup thatâ€s a clear third offering.

Fellow righty Evan Jones didnâ€t necessarily have the same type of draft buzz as Harsch, but he has a chance to really blossom during his time in Winston-Salem. Jones†fastball jumps out of his hand and has been up to 96 mph with armside life out of a low slot. He also works with a low-to-mid-80s slider with solid sweep and a mid-80s changeup.

Infielder JD Stein has a lengthy track record of performance on the travel circuit, and heâ€s hit at a high level at each event. He commands the strike zone well and has standout hand-eye coordination and solid bat speed.

9. Alabama

Alabama last year made a regional for the third-straight season—a feat not accomplished since 2008-2010—and coach Rob Vaughn again has a roster thatâ€s capable of a deep tournament run.

Righthander Myles Upchurch is the most talented of the bunch thanks to an intriguing blend of athleticism and arm strength. His heater has been up to 95 mph, and he also features a sharp mid-80s slider, a curveball that will sometimes blend with his slider and a changeup that has a chance to be a fine fourth offering. Upchurch got touched up a bit this spring, but he has a chance to blossom under Alabamaâ€s coaching staff and player development.

Mammoth third baseman Caleb Barnett has huge raw power, but there are hit tool questions due to his long levers and operation getting long and out-of-sync at times. Barnettâ€s above-average arm plays nicely at third, though heâ€s not the most fleet of foot and could end up in the outfield when all is said and done.

Speaking of thunderous power, Eric Hines has comfortably plus power to the pull side and was able to tap into said power on a regular basis last spring.

While he wasnâ€t the most prominently-ranked recruit in Alabamaâ€s class, lefthander Luke Smyers has a chance to make an immediate impact on the bump. A 6-foot-3 southpaw, Smyers†pitchability is advanced, and he has a strong track record of commanding the baseball. He has an easy, repeatable operation and is consistently in the strike zone with his low-90s fastball and slurvy breaking ball. Smyers ties his arsenal together with an upper-70s-to-low-80s changeup thatâ€s a solid weapon against righthanded hitters.

10. Auburn

Following a down year in 2024 in which it failed to make the tournament for the first time since 2019, Auburn returned to form last season and returned to a super regional for the first time since 2022. Rather than being a flash in the pan, the Tigers are well-positioned for a period of sustained success.

The centerpieces of Auburnâ€s 2025 class are righthanders Justice De Jong and Ethan Bingaman. De Jong has an athletic delivery and is an advanced strike-thrower who features a low-90s fastball that was up to 95 mph, a high-spin curveball and a not-as-sharp high-70s-to-low-80s slider. De Jongâ€s pitchability gives him a chance to start, though both of his secondaries will need to take a step forward.

A two-way player in high school, Bingaman profiles best as an arm long term. His fastball sits in the low 90s and has been up to 95 mph. It plays well in the top half of the zone—where it generates the majority of its whiffs—thanks to its riding life. Bingamanâ€s upper-70s-to-low-80s curveball is a high-spin pitch that takes on a 12-to-6 shape, and he completes his arsenal with an upper-80s changeup. In the box, Bingaman has a strong swing from the right side.

Shortstop Ty Thompson presents an athletic look on both sides of the baseball. Heâ€s an aggressive hitter with above-average contact skills who fares particularly well against heaters. On the dirt, Thompsonâ€s a plus runner with enough arm strength to potentially stick at shortstop long term. With Ryne Farber and Chris Rembert making up the middle of Auburnâ€s infield in 2026, it will be interesting to see where Thompson factors in. Regardless, he could be in line for a prominent role as soon as 2027.

11. Texas A&M

2025 was quite the season in College Station—but for all the wrong reasons. Texas A&M entered the year as the No. 1 team in the country and national champion favorite, but the wheels fell off in rather short order, and the Aggies failed to make the tournament for just the second time since 2006. Thereâ€s no doubt that 2026 is a big year for Texas A&M, and coach Michael Earley spent the offseason reloading as such.

The crown jewel of Texas A&Mâ€s recruiting class is undoubtedly shortstop/righthanded pitcher Nico Partida. Partida was one of the better two-way players in the 2025 class and he has a chance to be an impact player on both sides of the baseball. Starting with his ability on the bump, Partidaâ€s fastball has been clocked as high as 98 mph, and he does a good enough job using it to up the zone. Partidaâ€s mid-70s curveball is an average secondary that varies in shape. He completes his three-pitch mix with a low-80s changeup that flashes fade to the armside, though he has the tendency to slow his arm down when delivering it.

As a hitter, Partida has a solid hit-power blend at the plate, though neither tool is all that loud. He has above-average contact skills, and while on the dirt, his actions and arm strength are adequate at shortstop. However, his lack of twitchiness could make him a better fit over at third base. Partidaâ€s ability at the plate is a bonus, as he looks the part of a pitcher professionally.

Speaking of third basemen, the physical Boston Kellner has above-average power—especially to his pull side—though he has more of a hit-over-power look in games. Though he is susceptible to swing-and-miss against spin, he has the offensive tools to hit for both average and power at the next level. Kellner has a plus arm over at the hot corner—where heâ€s likely to stick—but it also profiles well in a corner outfield spot.

12. Florida

Like its Sunshine State counterpart in Miami, Floridaâ€s outlook in early April also appeared bleak, as it looked as if the Gators would miss the tournament for the first time since 2007. However, the team’s sweep of Missouri served as a “get right†series, and it proceeded to win each of the last six SEC series. Coach Kevin Oâ€Sullivan and his staff would like 2026 to be far less stressful than this past spring, and they have the personnel to accomplish that and then some.

Minjae Seo is the Gators†highest-ranked recruit. The slightly-undersized righthander features a low-90s fastball, though its shape and movement profile allow the pitch to play up. Seoâ€s high-70s slider has a slurvy look, and it flashes above-average with more sweep than depth at times. He throws his low-80s changeup sparingly, and heâ€ll need to improve his command and control to stick in the rotation long term.

The centerpiece of the Gators’ position player group is shortstop Nicolas Partridge. A lean, wiry infielder, Partridge has a direct swing and hitterish look in the box with an advanced approach. An undoubtedly hit-over-power profile right now, heâ€s also flashed some sneaky thump to the pull side. However, Partridge will need to put on a considerable amount of strength to be an average power threat. He will get a chance to stick at shortstop, but his actions and arm strength could profile better at second base.

13. TCU

The Horned Frogs missed the NCAA tournament in 2024, but they bounced back with a strong season and returned to the postseason this past spring. While they failed to make the College World Series, the team’s 39 overall wins and 19 conference victories were both impressive marks. Led by its loaded group of returners and strong recruiting class, TCU has Omaha upside in 2026.

Lefthander Uli Fernsler had real top two-round interest in this yearâ€s draft, and getting him to campus was a major recruiting win for coach Kirk Saarloos and his staff. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, Fernsler is an advanced strike-thrower whose deception helps his entire arsenal play up. His fastball sits only in the high 80s/low 90s, but his delivery and flat vertical approach angle allow it to play up. Fernslerâ€s low-80s changeup and low-80s slider are both viable secondary weapons with above-average upside, and he completes his arsenal with a mid-70s curveball. Fernsler was just 17-years-old on draft day, and between his strikes, pure stuff and underlying traits, he has a chance to soar at TCU.

Speaking of pitchers who were just 17 on draft day, righthander Aiden Barrientesis a bit undersized, but his fastball velocity has consistently ticked up. His bread-and-butter pitch is a low-to-mid-80s slider that he spins in the 2,800 rpm range. His slider has plus potential, and heâ€ll also throw a distinct high-70s curveball and a low-80s changeup.

The biggest fish in TCU’s recruiting class this year, however, is shortstop Lucas Franco. At 6-foot-3 and 185 pounds, Franco certainly looks the part. He has an aesthetically pleasing swing from the left side, and his approach and pitch recognition skills are both polished. Francoâ€s glove work at shortstop stands out, and he has good footwork with smooth actions and an above-average arm. Having demonstrated comfort attacking the baseball and throwing from different slots, thereâ€s a chance Franco will be able to stick at the position.

14. Stanford

Letâ€s cut right to the chase: 2026 is a big year in Palo Alto.

After three-straight College World Series appearances from 2021 and 2023, Stanford has failed to make the tournament in each of the last two seasons. The Cardinal lost two-thirds of its weekend rotation in righthanders Matt Scott and Joey Volchko to the transfer portal in addition to a handful of key offensive pieces, but one thing that has remained unchanged over an extended period of time is coach Dave Esquerâ€s ability to recruit at a high level. Stanford has arguably the best retention rate of recruits of any program in the country, and I can count on one hand the number of recruits the team has lost to the draft over the course of the last decade.

Itâ€s hard to not be excited when talking about outfielder Brock Ketelsen, who this summer flashed his tantalizing toolset in the West Coast League by slashing .328/.467/.458 with 10 extra-base hits, 27 RBIs, 35 stolen bases and 29 walks to just 19 strikeouts. As a cherry on top, Ketelsen surrendered just one run and collected 19 strikeouts across 8.2 innings on the mound. Ketelsenâ€s a good athlete on the mound whoâ€s armed with a low-90s fastball and a downer curveball, though his future is as a hitter.Â

In the box, Ketelsen has present bat speed with his highest quality of contact coming to the pull side. At 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, he has room to fill out and figures to grow into at least above-average power. Even though heâ€s long-levered, Ketelsen has flashed above-average bat-to-ball skills—especially against fastballs—to go with a sound approach. A plus runner with an above-average arm, he also has a chance to stick in center field. Ketelsen is on his way to earning a spot in Stanfordâ€s opening day lineup and has Freshman of the Year upside.

Not to be outdone, Brock Sell ranked as the No. 55 overall prospect on the BA 500 this summer and had serious draft buzz of his own. Sell has a short, contact-oriented stroke from the left side, advanced bat-to-ball skills and polished approach. He consistently puts together quality at-bats and is a nuisance—both in the batterâ€s box and on the base paths—for opposing pitchers to deal with. A comfortably plus runner and high-level athlete with a solid arm, Sell is a safe bet to stick in center field.

15. Oklahoma State

After extending its postseason streak to 12-straight seasons in 2025, the Cowboys lost a considerable amount of firepower from last yearâ€s squad. Even so, coach Josh Holliday will again field an ultra-competitive team in 2026.

While undersized, 5-foot-11 outfielder Danny Wallace has strength packed into his compact frame. His bat-to-ball skills are perhaps a tick above average, and he also has plus bat speed and impressive raw power. Wallace is an above-average runner whose speed and plus arm translate well in center field, though his defensive skillset might be best suited for right field.Â

Sebastian Norman is a toolsy, 6-foot-2 outfielder with serious raw power and big-time hand speed. He has a fairly short swing, and his crouched stance is rather unique. Norman is plenty physical and could end up at first base when all is said and done. If that ends up being the case, it would only add pressure to his bat.

16. Miami

Miami got off to a slow start and appeared dead in the water in early April, but the Hurricanes righted the ship, played their way back into the field of 64 and made their first super regional since 2016. The 2026 squad will look different than this yearâ€s group, but there are still plenty of reasons to be excited about Miami baseball.

The cornerstone of the Hurricanes†recruiting class is outfielder Dylan Dubovik. At 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, Dubovik has a smattering of above-average or better tools and is capable of impacting the game in lots of ways. He has plenty of bat speed, though his swing can get long, and his hit tool lacks polish. He also has plus raw power, though heâ€ll need to show he can make contact on a consistent enough basis to get to it regularly in games. Dubovik is an above-average runner who has a chance to be an effective basestealer, but his loudest tool is his arm. Itâ€s a 70-grade bazooka that plays quite well in the outfield, where heâ€s able to handle all three positions.

Sticking with the theme of “tool sheds,†Mason Greenhousealso stands out. Greenhouse is way more raw than Dubovik, but he has plenty of room to fill out his 6-foot-4 frame. He has no-doubt plus bat speed, runs well and has one of the best arms of any true freshman in the country. Greenhouseâ€s hit tool will need to take a major step forward, but heâ€s a plus runner whoâ€s touched triple digits from the outfield. While heâ€s a ways away from achieving it, Greenhouseâ€s upside is immense.

17. UCLA

The 2025 campaign served as a return to form for UCLA, which captured the Big Ten regular season title in its first year as a member of the conference en route to its first College World Series appearance since it won the national championship in 2013. As the calendar flips to 2026, UCLA has one of—if not the most—talented rosters in the country and returns the vast majority of its production on both sides of the baseball from last season. While the Bruins†returners will again take on most of the workload, they bring in a trio of exciting freshmen who are in line to be high-impact players.

Angel Cervantes was selected No. 50 overall by the Pirates in this yearâ€s draft, but the two sides were unable to reach a deal, meaning the true freshman will compete for a spot in UCLAâ€s weekend rotation. A 6-foot-3 righthander, Cervantes doesnâ€t turn 18 until August and has an appealing blend of starter traits and advanced pitchability. He has a simple, repeatable delivery in which he attacks from a three-quarters slot with plenty of arm speed. His fastball sits in the low 90s and has been up to 95 mph, and his ability to command it stands out. Cervantes can locate it to both sides of the plate and the quality of his strikes is impressive.Â

Cervantes’ low-80s changeup was one of the best in this yearâ€s class, and itâ€s a no-doubt plus pitch. He does a nice job of maintaining his arm speed, and it gets great separation off his heater. He has a high-level feel for the pitch and can both locate it in the bottom half of the zone for strikes and consistently generate whiffs with it. Cervantes rounds out his arsenal with a pair of high-spin breaking balls in a low-80s slider and a high-70s curveball. Theyâ€ll blend together in shape at times, but they both have above-average potential. Cervantes ties his four-pitch mix together with plus control that helps his entire arsenal play up.

Also on the mound, 6-foot-2 righthander Zach Stricklandhas an easy delivery and deep pitch mix. Stricklandâ€s high-spin heater has been up to 96 mph with spin rates between 2,500 and 2,600 rpm, and he also has a rather advanced feel to spin both of his breaking balls. Theyâ€re distinct in shape from one another, and Stricklandâ€s slider sits in the mid 80s, while his curveball sits in the mid 70s. Stricklandâ€s low-80s changeup is more effective due to its change of pace off his fastball than for its pure shape, though itâ€s still a useful fourth offering against lefthanded hitters. Stricklandâ€s pitchability will need to improve, but the building blocks are in place for him to be a starter.

Last and certainly not least, Dominic Cadiz was one of the best performers in the West Coast League regardless of class. A 15th-round pick by the Brewers, Cadiz lit up the WCL to the tune of a .345/.454/.628 slash line with 14 doubles, nine home runs, 36 RBIs and a walk-to-strikeout ratio of 25-to-21. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound infielder has a compact stroke with plenty of bat speed, which he uses to hammer the baseball to all fields.Â

18. Oklahoma

Coach Skip Johnson and the Sooners are fresh off another successful season that culminated in their fourth-straight tournament appearance. While it’s advanced to a super regional just once since 2013, it feels like Oklahoma is on the cusp of a return trip to the College World Series.

From a pure athlete standpoint, Alec Blair was one of the best in the 2025 class. On top of his ability on the diamond, he was also a four-star basketball recruit and is slated to play both sports at Oklahoma. While his swing can get out of sync and isnâ€t the most fluid looking, Blairâ€s power upside is monstrous. If he fills out physically, thereâ€s a chance he grows into true plus power before too long. For someone of his size, Blair moves quite well and has turned in plus run times. His length, athleticism and speed allow him to cover plenty of ground in center field, though if he were to move off the position, it will likely be to left field given his fringy arm.

The centerpiece on the mound is Vaughn Neckar. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, Neckar filled out physically with no shortage of strength in his lower half. His pure stuff is loud, but his delivery requires some effort, and his command can be scattered. Neckarâ€s cut-ride heater has been into the mid 90s, while his two distinct breaking balls—a low-80s slider and an upper-70s curveball—have both shown the ability to generate empty swings.Â

19. Ole Miss

Ole Miss failed to make a regional in both 2023 and 2024, so it goes without saying how big its 2025 return to form was for the program. Coach Mike Bianco and his players did an outstanding job of blocking out the noise and winning 43 games en route to hosting a regional. While they were eliminated by Murray State, the 2025 season was far more indicative of Ole Miss†identity than 2023 or 2024 were.

In whatâ€s become the norm under Bianco, Ole Miss again has a quality recruiting class. 6-foot-4 righthander Blake Ilitch presents a physical look on the mound with a four-pitch mix. His heater sits in the low 90s, and his best offering is a high-spin, upper-70s curveball that flashes sharp, downward bite. Ilitchâ€s low-80s slider is shorter in shape and not as sharp as his curveball. He completes his arsenal with a low-80s split-change that looks the part of an effective offering against lefthanded hitters.

Fellow righty Noah Allen stands at an even more imposing 6-foot-7, though he has more room to fill out than Ilitch does. Allen relies heavily on his two-pitch mix that consists of a low-90s fastball and a 12-to-6 curveball that flashes solid depth. Allenâ€s stuff and velocity should tick up across the board as he matures physically, though his extension already helps his heater to play up. In what is the case for any pitcher of his size, the key for Allen will be keeping everything synced up and connected throughout his operation.Â

20. Oregon

Coach Mark Wasikowski has done a remarkable job since taking the reins in Eugene prior to the COVID-shortened 2020 season. Heâ€s led the Ducks to five-straight tournament appearances for the first time in program history and two regional titles in the last three seasons. It feels as if Oregon is mighty close to breaking down the door to the College World Series.

The big fish of Oregonâ€s 2025 class is Brayden Jaksa, who ranked No. 76 on the final BA 500 and will compete for meaningful playing time from the get-go. At 6-foot-6, Jaksa is ultra-tall for the catcher position. He has above-average arm strength, but heâ€ll need to continue working hard at refining his overall defensive skillset to stick at the position. Even if heâ€s unable to remain behind the dish, Jaksa could be a nice fit in right field. At the plate, Jaksa has above-average power, though it could eventually grade out as plus as he continues to add strength. Jaksa has minimal moving parts in his swing, and heâ€s a patient hitter with a feel for the strike zone.

Hawaii native Malosi Mataâ€Afa-Alferos is a glove-first shortstop whoâ€s a smooth defender with a plus arm and good hands. He looks the part of someone who could stick at the position long term, and could be the Ducks†everyday shortstop in 2027 after Maddox Molony is drafted. His overall offensive skillset will need a rather heavy coat of polish, though. There are some moving parts in his swing from the left side and, along with having below-average power, Mataâ€Afa-Alferos is susceptible to both whiff and chase.

21. Georgia

While Georgia has not made the College World Series since 2008, this yearâ€s portal class certainly gives the Bulldogs Omaha upside in 2026. The Bulldogs boast the No. 1 Newcomer Classin the country due in large part to their transfer portal haul, though there are also a few high-profile freshmen that figure to leave their mark on the program.

Starting on the mound, the 6-foot-5 Joe Nottingham is a projection righthander whose fastball has been up to 95 mph with life through the zone. He pairs his heater primarily with an upper-70s-to-low-80s slider that will occasionally flash above-average, though itâ€s more slurvy in shape when itâ€s on the lower end of the aforementioned velocity range. Nottinghamâ€s changeup also sits in the upper 70s/low 80s and could be a viable third offering. While Nottinghamâ€s pitchability will need to take a step forward and there are some pieces to clean up in his delivery, he has an intriguing foundation in place.

On the other side of the baseball, Ty Peeples is a lean, athletic outfielder with room to add physicality. He has a smooth lefthanded stroke with above-average bat speed and above-average or better raw power. Peeples has shown he can ambush mistakes in the zone and hammer them to his pull side, but his lack of bat-to-ball skills give reason for pause. Defensively, he projects best in a corner outfield spot.

Fellow outfielder William Johnson has a hit-over-power profile and a clean swing from the left side. He has a rather lengthy track record and stands out for his bat-to-ball skills and sound approach. Johnson roved center field in high school, but heâ€ll likely move off the position in college. Furthermore, his arm strength and overall defensive package could profile best in right field.

22. Arizona

Itâ€s hard to articulate how great of a job coach Chip Hale has done since taking over ahead of the 2022 season. The departure of Jay Johnson left Hale with impossibly large shoes to fill, yet heâ€s somehow been able to accomplish exactly that. The Wildcats have made the tournament in each of his four seasons at the helm, captured back-to-back conference tournament championships in the Pac-12 and Big 12 and made their first trip to the College World Series since 2021. Now, Hale and his are in a prime spot to continue the programâ€s success, and there are a pair of key freshmen on which to keep a close eye.

Six-foot-six Jack Lafflam is tall and projectable righthander with ample room to fill out his frame. He has a unique operation on the mound and deploys a high-spin fastball thatâ€s been up to 97 mph with gloveside life. He pairs it with a high-spin, mid-80s sweepy slider that regularly flashes above-average. Lafflam also throws a curveball in the mid 70s, though it lacks the bite that his slider has. To round out his arsenal, Lafflam possesses a high-80s changeup that will flash both tumble and fade. Thereâ€s some reliever risk that stems from his delivery and whether or not heâ€ll throw enough strikes.

Righthander Dylan Wood also has his fair share of delivery deception to go along with a loud pitch mix. While there are plenty of moving parts in his operation, Wood still manages to do a nice job commanding his low-90s fastball. Itâ€s not overwhelming from a velocity standpoint, but Woodâ€s release traits and ability to command the pitch help it play up a bit. Woodâ€s mid-to-upper-70s curveball is inconsistent in shape, and he ties together his arsenal with a low-70s changeup that flashes plenty of tumble.

23. Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech is fresh off an excellent season in which it took home its first ACC regular season title since 2011. Incoming first-year coach James Ramsey is off and running, and he did an outstanding job both in the transfer portal and on the recruiting trail to round out his roster.

Charlie Willcox stood out in my look at him in Jupiter last fall. The 6-foot-3 righthander has a strong, athletic frame with an easy operation in which his athleticism is evident. Willcox has run his heater into the mid 90s, though his best pitch is a high-spin curveball that flashes both depth and teeth. Interestingly enough, Willcox features two different changeups. The first is a mid-80s offering that flashes fade at times, while the second is a true split-change with which Willcox does a fantastic job killing spin. The spin rates on Willcoxâ€s split-change regularly dip below 1,000 rpm and it looks the part of a mighty effective offering to round out his arsenal.

Listed at 6-foot-3 and 170 pounds, Cooper Underwood is a classic projection lefthander. His fastball has ticked up over the course of the last calendar year, and last spring it was in the low 90s on a more frequent basis than it was in 2024. It has above-average ride through the zone, and itâ€s a pitch he pairs with two distinct, high-spin breaking balls in a low-80s sweepy slider and an upper-70s curveball that takes on a noticeably bigger shape. Underwood will also occasionally throw a low-80s changeup, and he is an above-average strike-thrower.

24. Maryland

Maryland is perhaps the most surprising name to appear on the rankings, but coach Matt Swope has the Terrapins headed in the right direction. They havenâ€t made the tournament since 2023, but theyâ€ll look to return to the postseason in 2026.

The cornerstone of Marylandâ€s recruiting class is undoubtedly Austin Weiss. The 6-foot-1 lefthander has a drop-and-drive delivery, and his low slot makes for an uncomfortable look for opposing hitters. His fastball has made encouraging strides over the last two years, as it topped out at 95 mph with armside life last spring. Weiss†mid-to-high-70s sweeper has frisbee-like life and itâ€s a particular weapon against lefthanded hitters. One of the biggest keys for Weiss going forward will be the continued development of his low-80s changeup, as heâ€ll need an additional weapon against righthanded hitters.

Also a running back on Marylandâ€s football team, Johnathan “Bud†Coombs stands out for his high-level athleticism. While heâ€s undersized at 5-foot-10, Coombs has tons of strength and physicality packed into his frame. His hit tool is a major question mark, but Coombs does have above-average power and is also a plus runner.

Another name to circle is infielder Ty Kaunas. Nothing here jumps off the page from a tools or physical standpoint, but Kaunas†baseball sense is evident on both sides of the ball. He has solid bat-to-ball skills and a sound approach, while on the dirt he boasts a good internal clock.

25. Florida State

Florida State did most of its rebuilding this offseason in the transfer portal, but coach Link Jarrett and his staff did a nice job putting together another quality recruiting class.

Infielder John Stuetzer also starred on the gridiron in high school, and heâ€s a double-plus runner who has experience both at shortstop and in the outfield. While Stuetzerâ€s handled both spots, his defensive skillset profiles best on the grass. Stuetzer has demonstrated the ability to generate quality contact, but heâ€ll need to shore up his hit tool in order to be able to do so on a consistent basis.

Kelvyn Paulino Jr. is a 6-foot-1, 190-pound physical infielder who has present bat speed to go along with good bat-to-ball skills and a polished approach. He has above-average power, especially to the pullside, and his arm and actions make him a good fit over at third base.

Source link

Welcome back to our offseason scouting series for the 2026 draft class. In this series, weâ€ll be examining some of the top players in the class by getting into the weeds with video, data and reporting as we prepare for the 2026 spring season. You can find all of our previous offseason scouting installments here. Today, weâ€re taking a look at Texas high school shortstop Grady Emerson.

Emerson is the top-ranked high school player in the 2026 class and No. 2 overall, behind only UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky. He has a lengthy track record of high-level performance with Argyle (Texas) High, but transferred to Fort Worth Christian High in North Richland Hills, Texas, for his senior season. This summer, Emerson became the first USA Baseball player to play for two 18U national teams and two 15U national teams. He helped lead the 2025 18U national team to a gold medal as the teamâ€s leadoff hitter and starting third baseman. Originally a TCU commit, Emerson flipped to a Texas commitment in November 2024.Â

Body & Swing

Listed at 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, Emerson is a lean and projectable lefthanded hitter. He has some present strength in his lower half, but looks like a player who is going to add plenty of good mass in the coming years. Heâ€s a high-waisted player with a narrow frame, and he doesnâ€t seem likely to add the sort of strength that would eventually force him off an up-the-middle position.Â

Emerson has an extremely balanced and repeatable swing. He has a slight crouch and a slightly open setup with his feet, and he features very little movement with his hands in his pre-pitch load and during the swing itself. Emerson starts his hands around his back shoulder and takes a simple, small leg kick to get started with his lower half. His hands make a bit of a down and back move in his load before firing the barrel through the zone with a slightly uphill path.

In two-strike counts, Emerson gets marginally wider and deeper into his lower half, but his swing is remarkably consistent from pitch to pitch and when looking at BP or game film. His head is incredibly steady throughout the swing, showing no up-or-down movement that would otherwise disrupt his timing or vision. He consistently finishes his swing in control with good balance.Â

Overall, Emersonâ€s swing is direct and repeatable with no wasted movement. He looks like a natural hitter.Â

Approach & Contact

Emerson amplifies his smooth hitting mechanics with strong swing decisions and above-average hand-eye coordination.

He recognizes pitches out of the hand at a high level and understands the strike zone. Emerson has consistently walked more than heâ€s struck out throughout his career, and heâ€s confident spitting on pitches just off the plate. He rarely swings and misses and has shown an impressive ability to barrel the baseball in any quadrant of the zone. He uses the entire field and is both capable and willing to hit the ball where itâ€s pitched.Â

In 297 plate appearances logged by Synergy Sports, Emerson has managed an 18% miss rate and 18% chase rate. When looking at only 2025 logged events, it’s a 23% miss rate and 17% chase rate.Â

Like most high school hitters, Emerson will need more reps against consistent 90+ mph velocity. His miss rate jumps against pitches in this category, and in a 106-pitch 2025 sample, he slashed .207/.324/.276 with a 27% miss rate against those pitches. However, at the 2025 Area Code Games—not accounted for in this sample—Emerson looked entirely unfazed against mid-90s velocity.Â

Emerson has traditionally been a patient and selective hitter who gets on base at a high clip. With the 2025 18U National team, he hit .346/.526/.423 with a team-high eight walks and four strikeouts.Â

Power

While Emersonâ€s pure hitting ability stands out more than his raw power, he has made strides in this department in recent years.Â

Almost all of the power Emerson does show comes to the pull side. He will flash solid pullside power in batting practice, and he also finished second in the 2025 high school home run derby. In games, however, heâ€s more of a gap-to-gap hitter who will collect more doubles than home runs.

Overall, this is the piece of Emersonâ€s game that requires the most projection. He should be able to grow into at least average in-game power production—roughly 19-22 home runs over the course of a full pro season—thanks to his physical projection, bat speed and feel for the barrel.Â

Speed

Emerson is a solid runner, but not a burner. Heâ€s been a plus runner at times, and when underway, he can turn in impressive run times. At Perfect Gameâ€s National showcase, his 60-yard dash was good for 23rd among 226 total runners.

Throughout the summer, many of Emerson’s in-game home-to-first times clocked around the 4.20-4.25 second range, which are average to fringe-average run times for a lefthanded hitter. Occasionally, he’ll take a few steps to get going out of the box.Â

Fielding

Emerson has experience all over the infield, but heâ€ll begin his career as a shortstop and should have the tools to stick there and be a good defender. Heâ€s an instinctive shortstop with soft, reliable hands and the ability to make impact plays going to both his left and right.

Emerson’s internal clock is advanced. He understands when he has time to set and fully load up for throws and when he needs to get rid of the ball quickly. His exchange is quick and deft, and his footwork around the field is rock solid. He takes good angles to the baseball on slow-rollers and has also done a nice job positioning himself effectively to make plays while ranging to his arm side deep in the 5-6 hole.

Emerson is not the flashiest defender youâ€ll see at the position, but heâ€s extremely reliable and does have the sort of athleticism that allows him to make an occasional highlight-reel play while diving on a ball up the middle.Â

Arm

Emersonâ€s arm looks like a clear plus tool.

His ability to generate velocity on throws across the infield from a spot deep in the hole is advanced for his age and level. He gets great carry on his throws when he needs to and has the requisite arm strength to make throws from any position on the infield. At third base, heâ€s made a number of impressive throws while working away from the first base bag to his arm side.

Emerson seems equally comfortable throwing while on the run for slow rollers or while ranging up the middle from the shortstop position. He can throw from multiple arm slots when necessary and is adept at throwing accurately while on the run or after making a spin on a challenging ball that pulls him far towards his glove side.

In Summary

Emersonâ€s pure hitting ability drives his profile. He possesses one of the most impressive hit tools in the 2026 class, and it gives him a chance to be a legitimate plus hitter. But heâ€s also an advanced, instinctive and well-rounded player without many clear holes in his game.

The largest disagreements about Emerson could revolve around his power projection and questions about how much impact heâ€ll get to at physical maturity.

Still, itâ€s hard to not see a hitter who will be able to provide batting average and on-base value while sticking at shortstop. Next in an impressive line of recent Dallas-area prep shortstops that includes Bobby Witt Jr. (2019, 2nd), Jordan Lawlar (2021, 6th) and Jett Williams (2022, 14th), Emerson should go in a similar overall range on draft day next summer.

Source link

Today, weâ€re taking stock of debut performances from players taken in the 2025 MLB Draft.

Who played well? Who struggled? Which players flashed loud tools or showed interesting traits after checking out some under-the-table data?

Below you can see our top 10 overall standouts, data leaderboards and notes on 13 more players from the 2025 draft class who took part in official pro games this season.

A few notes on data: Advanced hitting data includes games through Sept. 12 and advanced pitching data includes games through Aug. 29. I also reference a 50 plate appearance threshold throughout this piece. For context, 116 of the 160 hitters to debut in official games hit that 50 plate appearance threshold. You’ll find the complete data table on these hitters at the bottom of the story.

Top 10 Standouts

1. Dax Kilby, SS, Yankees

Kilby is the clear winner among 2025 draftees to debut this summer. He slashed .353/.457/.441 with more walks than strikeouts, a 159 wRC+ and terrific batted-ball data. His surface-level performance and batted-ball data stands out among all hitters, but when factoring in his age, too, it creates an exciting picture of a talented and well-rounded young shortstop.Â

Kilby showed an approach advanced beyond his years and led all hitters with 50+ plate appearances with a 7.6% chase rate. While he did swing at just a 34.1% rate, it wasnâ€t entirely the product of passivity, as his 26.5% chase-minus-swing rate was good for seventh among 50+ PA hitters.Â

Kilby also hit the ball hard. His 91.9 mph average exit velocity was fourth among 50+ PA hitters. On top of his hitting exploits, he went 16-for-17 on the bases and finished third behind only Mitch Voit (20, Mets) and Nolan Sailors (17, Royals) in total stolen bases.

There were only eight teenage hitters from the 2025 draft to hit the 50 plate appearance threshold, and Kilby essentially topped them all in every meaningful offensive category—both traditional and under-the-hood batted-ball data. Perhaps most impressive is his .385 xwOBA, which was the top mark by any hitter in our data set.

2. Kane Kepley, OF, Cubs

Kepley got plenty of playing time with Low-A Myrtle Beach, and his 131 plate appearances ranked fourth among 160 debut hitters. He slashed .299/.481/.433 with two home runs, three triples and a double while showing excellent plate discipline.

Kepleyâ€s leadoff skillset comes from his understanding of the zone and willingness to exploit his 5-foot-8 frame to take a walk more than it does his contact skills. His 16.5% chase rate was a top 20 mark among 50+ PA hitters, and his .481 OBP was second behind only Luke Nowak (.554, Royals).Â

3. Trevor Cohen, OF, Giants

Cohen primarily played center field in 28 games with Low-A San Jose and had impressive performance across the board. He hit .327/.438/.402 with one home run, one triple, three doubles and more walks (20) than strikeouts (15).Â

Cohenâ€s under-the-hood metrics are strong, as well. His .373 xwOBA was good for third among 50+ PA hitters. Of that group, he ranked seventh in miss rate (15.3%), eighth in in-zone miss rate (9.2%) and 38 in 90th percentile exit velocity (102.7 mph).Â

Cohenâ€s approach and swing seem oriented towards an all-fields approach with lots of low line drives and ground balls, but there could be a bit more in-game power potential if he can turn on a few more fly balls in the future.Â

4. Luke Stevenson, C, Mariners

Stevenson is one of the youngest college hitters to debut from this class. He acquitted himself nicely in 22 games with Low-A Modesto, hitting .280/.460/.400 with one home run, one triple, four doubles and more walks (23) than strikeouts (19).

As a career .267 hitter with a 22.3% strikeout rate in college, Stevensonâ€s primary questions have long revolved around his hit tool and in-zone contact. Those will remain until Stevenson performs against upper-level pitching, but his first look at pro ball didnâ€t elevate those concerns at all. His 19% strikeout rate is a solid mark given his background, while his 21.4% overall and 15.1% in-zone miss rates are both encouraging numbers.Â

He also still showed his typical power/patience blend with a 104.9 mph 90th percentile exit velocity (15th among 116 50+ PA hitters) and a 15.8% chase rate (13th among 116 50+ PA hitters).Â

5. Henry Godbout, 2B, Red Sox

Godbout has a smaller sample than many of the hitters weâ€re highlighting, but heâ€s also one of the few players who exclusively played at the High-A level or above. The second-rounder hit .341/.473/.477 in 13 games with High-A Greenville, logging six doubles and walking nine times compared to six strikeouts. His .950 OPS ranked fifth among 50+ PA hitters overall and was tops among those qualified players with any exposure to levels above Low-A.

Godbout’s results were strong, and his process numbers were impressive across the board. He made plenty of contact overall (16.9% miss), made lots of contact within the zone (10.9% in-zone miss) and swung at pitches inside the zone at a high clip (13.8% chase). Godbout is a contact hitter first, and his exit velocity data isnâ€t exceptional—but itâ€s also not anemic.Â

He was roughly middle-of-the-pack among 50+ PA hitters with an 87.4 mph average exit velocity (46th), a 100.7 mph 90th percentile exit velocity (72nd) and a 107.4 mph max exit velocity (62nd).

6. Bryson Dudley, RHP, Royals

Standing out in any capacity the year a pitcher is drafted is a real challenge. The later draft date and cool down/ramp up period it necessitates means most pitchers donâ€t throw in any official game capacity until the following year. Just 89 pitchers threw in official games, and of that group, only 15 threw 10 or more innings.Â

Dudley was one of the most impressive of that group. He pitched as a reliever in nine games (13.1 innings) with Low-A Columbia and posted a 1.35 ERA. He led all debut pitchers with 22 strikeouts and had a 43.1% strikeout rate and 7.8% walk rate.Â

Coming out of the draft, we noted that Dudley sat north of 93 mph with his fastball and used a mid-80s slider as his go-to secondary. In his pro debut, Dudley averaged 93.7 mph, touched 96.3 and paired the fastball with solid riding life (17.4 inches IVB) and a -4.54 vertical approach angle. BAâ€s internal Stuff+ model put a 112 on his fastball, and he used the pitch to generate a 35.7% miss rate.Â

The slider remained Dudley’s primary non-fastball. It sat in the upper 80s with short gyro shape, and he used it as an effective in-zone strike pitch and swing-and-miss offering. He also has a curveball in the low 80s with more depth and a firm, upper-80s changeup for which he lacks feel.

7. Ethan Frey, OF, Astros

Freyâ€s impact with a wood bat was as impressive as any debut hitter. And among the most impressive power bats of the class this summer, Frey also backed that up with strong performance. In 26 games with Low-A Fayetteville, he hit .330/.434/.470 with three home runs and five doubles.Â

Among 50+ PA hitters, Frey ranked No. 1 with a 94.8 mph average exit velocity, No. 4 with a 108.3 mph 90th percentile EV and No. 4 with a 113.8 mph max EV. He also had a 25% barrel rate, which was good for No. 10 among 50+ PA hitters.Â

Frey is big and strong at 6-foot-6, 225 pounds and clearly has translated his power to a wood bat with no problems. Thatâ€s also come without huge swing-and-miss questions, as evidenced by a solid 19.8% miss rate and 20.5% strikeout rate. Frey also played 14 games in center field and nine games in right field.Â

8. Landyn Vidourek, OF, Dodgers

Vidourek stood out in college thanks to a loud collection of physical tools and exit velocity data that jumped off the page. Thatâ€s still the case in pro ball. The third-rounder hit .313/.378/.463 with one home run, one triple and five doubles in 16 games with Low-A Rancho Cucamonga.

Vidourek’s 110.3 mph 90th percentile exit velocity was the best mark of any 50+ PA hitter, narrowly topping other physical collegiate mashers like Nolan Schubart (110.1), Jared Jones (108.9) and Ethan Frey (108.3). He also led all hitters with a 33.3% barrel rate, making him the only hitter of a meaningful sample to cross the 30% threshold in this category. Vidourek hits the ball incredibly hard, and he also gets the ball in the air to his pull side with great frequency. Only Andrew Fischerâ€s 35.8% flyball pull rate was better than the 35.7% rate Vidourek managed.

To capitalize on this impact potential as he progresses, Vidourek needs to make more contact. He struck out 33.8% of the time and also had a 35.2% overall miss rate.

9. Devin Taylor, OF, Athletics

Taylor hit for plenty of impact in his 20 games with Low-A Stockton. He led all draftees with six home runs and 51 total bases, slashing .264/.388/.481 with a 134 wRC+, a 16.3% walk rate and 28.7% strikeout rate.

Taylor’s home run power was distributed to all fields. If there was ever a question about whether his power would translate to wood bats—and that would be surprising given his collegiate summer history—there shouldnâ€t be now. He clearly has the strength to leave the yard from foul pole to foul pole.Â

And while Taylor did show a discerning eye (16.7% chase rate), he also showed enough underlying contact questions to wonder how often heâ€ll tap into that power at higher levels. Taylor missed at a 30.3% rate overall and had a 25% in-zone miss rate.

10. Andrew Fischer, 3B, Brewers

Like Godbout, Fischer was assigned directly to the High-A level and performed well there. In 19 games with High-A Wisconsin, he hit .311/.402/.446 with one home run, one triple and five doubles.Â

There are some interesting things going on under-the-hood with Fischer. For starters, he’s an extreme flyball pull hitter with a steep swing. His 35.7% flyball pull rate was the highest of any 50+ PA hitter. His 24.9 degree average launch angle was the steepest of any hitter, as well.Â

While he has the angles that should produce tons of pullside power, Fischerâ€s exit velocity data was a bit lighter than you might expect for a first-round college corner infielder coming off a 25-homer season in the SEC. His average EV (87.7, 42nd), 90th percentile EV (99.9, 86th) and max EV (106.3, 79th) were all middle-of-the pack figures.Â

While his impact will be something to monitor moving forward, the Brewers did commit to playing him at third base. All of his games in the field came at the hot corner in his pro debut, and he played 129 errorless innings there.

Other Notables

The one pressing concern with Hollidayâ€s offensive profile coming out of high school was his pure contact skills. His pro ball stint only reinforced that question mark, as Holliday struck out at a 39.3% clip in 84 plate appearances with Low-A Fresno. Among 50+ PA hitters, that was the fifth-worst strikeout rate. His 42.8% miss rate ranked 113th of 116, and his 39.2% in-zone contact rate ranked dead last. Yes, Holliday is at an advanced level for his age and ,yes, his contact quality was impressive when he did connect. But heâ€ll need to make far more contact than this.Â

Donâ€t let Dumesnilâ€s underwhelming slash line (.203/.390/.288) with Low-A Lakeland fool you—his process stats were quite good. In fact, only Dax Kilby topped Dumesnilâ€s .374 xwOBA among 50+ PA hitters. The difference between Dumesnilâ€s xwOBA and his actual wOBA (.323) is the third largest of 50+ PA hitters.

Wetwiska was a two-way player in junior college, but the Tigers drafted him as a pitcher. He averaged 93.7 mph and touched 95.8 in his pro debut, and the pitch has excellent riding life and extension. He averaged 18.9 inches of induced vertical break and an elite 6.84 foot extension. The 120 Stuff+ grade on his fastball was the best mark of any fastball in our data set.

• Anthony Silva(SS, Guardians) was better than his stats indicate.

Silva was the leader in xwOBA (.342) minus wOBA (.270) among 50+ PA hitters. He slashed only .231/.321/.255 in 24 games with Low-A Lynchburg, but he hit the ball quite hard and made a lot of contact. He does need to rein in his swing decisions, as his 30.3% chase rate is on the more extreme side of aggression.Â

Compton led all 160 debut hitters with a 114.9 mph max exit velocity. For those who followed him in college—or simply watched him take batting practice at any point—that is probably unsurprising. Heâ€s a big, broad and barrel-chested hitter with huge juice. Contact remains a question heâ€ll need to answer, however, as he struck out at a 32.7% clip with High-A Beloit.

Van Dyke posted a 2.57 ERA over five starts and 14 innings with Low-A Palm Beach, striking out 12 and walking three. No pitcher who debuted had a better overall Stuff+ score than Van Dykeâ€s 126 according to BAâ€s internal model. His 80-85 mph sweeping slider is a carrying factor here and averaged around 14 inches of horizontal break with around 2,800 rpm of spin.Â

• Jared Jones (1B, Pirates) has a boom or bust offensive profile.

Jones was exactly the hitter we would have expected given his LSU career. He has scintillating power—he had a 108.9 mph 90th percentile EV and 114 mph max EV—but red flag contact questions, too. He struck out at a 44.8% clip in 15 games with High-A Greensboro and led all 50+ PA hitters with a 46.8% miss rate. That wonâ€t be sustainable.

• Luke Hill (3B, Guardians) has an advanced approach.

Hillâ€s 30.3% swing-minus-chase rate was the best of any 50+ PA hitter. That simple stat attempts to illustrate swing decisions and control for hitters who are simply being passive and taking a lot of pitches. Hill swung nearly half the time but still managed a sub-20% chase rate, indicating he understands which pitches to swing at. This reinforces the idea we had pre-draft of his approach at the plate.

• Clay Edmondson (RHP, Padres) is now a favorite to be first from this class to the majors.

Edmondson was a relatively unheralded 14th-round pick out of UNC Asheville, but the Padres have put him on the fast track. He made six appearances with Low-A Lake Elsinore before being promoted to Triple-A El Paso on Sept. 12. Heâ€s one of only two players from the class to reach the Triple-A level already. Overall, Edmondson posted a 4.26 ERA in 12.2 relief innings with 11 strikeouts and five walks. Heâ€s a submarine reliever with a heavy-running fastball around 90 mph and a sweeping slider around 80 mph who presents a unique look out of the pen.

• Zane Taylor(RHP, Athletics) is the other favorite to reach the majors quickest.

Taylor would have been a more conventional pre-draft pick as a quick-to-the-majors prospect. He was one of the top senior prospects in the class and paired an elite strike-throwing track record with an impressive uptick in pure stuff this spring. He made just one appearance after signing, but it came with Triple-A Las Vegas. He struck out four of the eight batters he faced and sat in the mid 90s with his fastball.

• Liam Doyle (LHP, Cardinals) was the highest-drafted arm to debut.

Doyle was the fifth-overall pick, which makes him the most prominent arm from the class to make his official pro debut this summer. He made one abbreviated start with Low-A Palm Beach then moved straight to Double-A Springfield, where he threw another. Overall, he threw just 3.2 innings with six strikeouts and two walks. Doyle continued to attack hitters with a heavy diet of fastballs in this stretch. Of the 72 pitches he threw, 48 were fastballs (67%).Â

Sailors was another member of our top 100 senior sign target list before the draft because of his contact ability and speed. His 17 steals were second to Mitch Voit (20) among debut draftees this summer. He hit .283/.412/.368/ with five doubles and a pair of triples with High-A Quad Cities in 32 games. Sailors displayed a sound approach, good contact skills and plus speed out of the box that puts a lot of pressure on infield defenses. He showed an ability to bunt for a hit and also played all his games in center field after manning left field with Creighton during the spring.Â

It was a debut to forget for Southisene. The Braves first-rounder hit .219/.242/.297 in 15 games with Low-A Augusta and had a brutal 27:1 strikeout-to-walk rate. Among 50+ PA hitters, Southisene ranked dead last with a .157 xwOBA. He was one of the most aggressive debut hitters with a 53.5% swing rate and a 37.5% chase rate. When he did hit the ball, it was often on the ground. The silver lining here is that Southisene’s contact quality was loud. His 105.4 mph 90th percentile exit velocity was second among all teenagers, narrowly behind Ethan Holliday (105.5).Â

50+ PA Hitter Data

PlayerTeamPAMisszMissChaseSwingavgEV90EVMaxEVBarrel%LAxwobaDax KilbyYankees8115.0%7.7%7.6%34.1%91.9104.2108.910.5%-0.70.385Nick DumesnilTigers7924.8%16.5%23.3%42.7%89.5103.6106.922.2%5.80.374Slate AlfordAngels12528.3%19.8%25.4%44.4%87.4104108.413.8%6.10.373Trevor CohenGiants13015.3%9.2%23.8%43.2%89.6102.710818.2%10.373Henry GodboutRed Sox5516.9%10.9%13.8%39.5%87.4100.7107.418.4%18.20.368Luke StevensonMariners10021.4%15.1%15.8%36.3%86.3104.9107.814.8%13.10.365Luke NowakRoyals8322.7%15.1%24.5%40.7%84.298.7102.217.9%13.70.365Kane KepleyCubs13116.7%14.4%16.5%36.4%88.1100.3104.719.8%14.30.363Kien VuReds9128.2%20.4%24.7%44.8%88.6103.2108.725.9%11.20.36Jack WinnayRed Sox6119.0%14.1%13.5%42.6%86.110110618.8%17.40.358Zach DaudetAstros13118.5%13.3%10.3%35.1%88.2100.5104.215.3%13.10.358Chase HeathCardinals5831.8%29.9%22.4%45.5%8399.1103.312.1%16.90.351Nolan SchubartGuardians6643.6%37.6%18.9%38.7%89.6110.1112.525.9%15.50.349Ethan FreyAstros12219.8%15.4%19.2%37.6%94.8108.3113.825.0%10.20.349Jake CaseyBlue Jays8226.0%16.9%21.8%40.7%85.8103.6109.617.8%18.20.348Gavin TurleyAthletics12529.1%23.2%18.6%46.5%87.7103.4107.823.6%16.90.348RJ AustinOrioles6820.4%13.3%22.0%41.0%87.4101.5107.316.3%120.348Riley NelsonGuardians6522.6%11.6%24.8%48.7%91.8101.310715.2%5.60.348Devin TaylorAthletics12930.3%25.0%16.7%41.1%86.5103.5111.423.2%14.90.345Anthony SilvaGuardians5618.8%12.3%30.3%43.0%86.7101.8108.923.5%70.342Lorenzo MeolaGiants7024.8%24.4%29.9%43.7%85.6103.6107.726.1%50.341Austin SmithBlue Jays9917.4%5.1%25.5%45.5%83.297.7106.113.0%17.50.34Nick RodriguezAngels10818.1%10.8%19.6%44.1%86.9102.3110.116.4%2.20.338Tanner ThachRockies8027.5%17.8%42.6%52.8%85.4102.8109.621.3%14.60.329Anthony DePinoWhite Sox12825.8%19.4%13.4%41.0%90.1105.2110.417.8%10.10.327Ely BrownWhite Sox12216.7%10.9%16.2%37.0%85.199.7108.73.7%-0.90.325Kerrington CrossPadres6135.3%27.7%15.2%34.4%87.1101.3108.914.3%11.10.324Aiden TaurekMariners12417.3%12.5%22.2%50.8%88.8102.1107.89.4%5.20.321Paxton KlingRangers9329.7%18.5%30.7%51.0%87.3103.2107.918.2%16.70.32Luke HillGuardians6226.9%23.2%19.5%49.8%84.7100107.912.5%9.40.32Chris ArroyoMarlins7930.7%21.0%24.1%44.2%91106.9109.113.5%11.10.319Eli WillitsNationals5817.2%13.8%22.7%46.8%83.197.2100.37.9%150.319Dixon WilliamsBraves11431.2%21.3%22.1%45.9%88.6101.3106.127.1%20.30.318Colin YeamanOrioles7223.7%14.9%23.3%45.4%88.3100.8106.917.9%10.70.317Maximus MartinRed Sox10529.9%22.7%21.6%39.2%87.1100.711220.0%17.80.316Ethan PetryNationals10135.8%29.2%22.5%47.6%90.5107.111119.4%1.50.315Wehiwa AloyOrioles9031.2%27.8%28.8%44.0%88.1105.2109.819.6%10.70.315Nolan SailorsRoyals13324.8%16.0%17.9%42.0%85.3100.2110.86.3%-2.30.315Chase CallAstros12930.6%26.8%18.1%38.0%90.6104.8109.121.3%18.90.313Cody MillerBraves11828.8%18.4%27.9%50.4%85.8100.810621.3%120.312Kyle LodiseWhite Sox11325.0%13.7%21.2%41.4%88.6101.1108.518.1%13.80.311Eric SnowBlue Jays1048.9%6.1%29.4%49.7%86.299.6109.28.2%3.40.311Landyn VidourekDodgers7435.2%25.5%21.6%42.2%92110.311433.3%15.40.31Josiah RagsdaleBrewers9213.9%7.1%19.2%36.9%84.1102.2104.97.4%0.20.31Jack GoodmanTigers5228.1%17.7%23.7%43.6%89.9101.7107.117.6%12.70.31Kaleb FreemanWhite Sox7119.6%14.5%11.0%28.4%85.9103.2107.620.0%110.309Cam CannarellaMarlins9521.8%14.9%22.0%44.4%89.6101.9108.525.7%6.80.308Damian BravoGiants9825.7%19.6%36.1%56.3%86.8101.1107.811.4%11.40.308Jake MunroeAngels5622.1%15.6%25.7%48.8%83.7100.1105.516.7%8.70.308Robert PhelpsPhillies5320.8%12.0%19.5%37.1%85.396.3106.70.0%6.80.307Brent IredalePirates7431.1%20.0%16.1%41.0%86.6102.6107.318.9%16.60.304Ethan HollidayRockies8442.8%39.2%24.7%41.5%90.3105.5109.826.3%8.80.302Bobby BoserAthletics14434.9%29.1%21.7%40.4%84100.7105.611.4%11.50.302Michael DattaloCardinals6513.5%4.2%28.8%41.6%85.7100.31058.7%4.30.302Justin ThomasAstros6225.6%21.3%14.2%33.2%88.1103.2107.78.8%40.301Cameron MaldonadoGiants7127.4%14.9%23.9%43.2%88.4102.9107.425.6%8.50.301Jaxson WestBlue Jays6115.2%10.0%16.8%40.0%86.6100105.72.3%7.40.3Camden TroyerYankees8721.0%14.1%21.9%37.7%83.5100103.86.6%17.70.3Ryan SprockTwins8620.4%16.7%21.1%42.4%89.8101.5104.813.7%5.50.299Nick HollifieldNationals8119.8%14.4%19.1%38.8%88.5102.410815.1%11.90.296Connor McGinnisYankees6429.8%21.7%18.3%38.5%83.5101.6105.815.8%10.60.295Tyriq KempRoyals7218.9%15.4%10.6%36.8%83.599.5101.813.3%6.60.294Andrew FischerBrewers8731.3%26.1%23.8%46.6%87.799.9106.317.0%24.90.293Brayden SmithOrioles6828.4%24.1%18.2%39.5%89.6100.7107.118.4%14.50.292Skylar KingRed Sox10324.0%8.8%29.6%46.8%84.999.6106.211.4%8.50.29Bryce Martin-GrudzielanekYankees8525.3%22.6%22.7%46.6%89.6103.8107.822.2%90.286Kyle WalkerAstros9717.2%8.3%22.8%43.0%80.499.1109.94.7%11.10.286Hayden FrieseBraves9121.4%14.5%9.3%34.5%82.499109.16.3%40.286Max WilliamsMarlins7822.5%9.5%25.2%50.6%90.5102.5106.812.3%12.80.285Jonathan VastinePadres7942.4%34.4%25.3%51.7%87.398.4108.36.8%11.10.284Aiva ArquetteMarlins11726.2%18.1%18.0%36.0%89.4104.9110.215.5%10.70.283Aaron WaltonGuardians7127.5%17.2%26.8%48.2%84.8102.2109.39.5%15.20.283Drew FaurotMarlins9723.5%13.6%27.6%50.4%88.4101.5105.912.9%-0.60.282Ethan HedgesRockies8923.0%17.3%21.6%39.0%86.3100.810715.0%8.20.279Antonio JimenezMets11020.4%13.1%29.9%50.8%83.8102106.911.0%10.60.278Richie Bonomolo Jr.Yankees7124.0%15.7%13.3%42.5%84.498.8100.614.3%13.30.275Matthew MiuraCardinals9112.3%10.7%18.3%37.9%84.497.2104.14.8%-6.30.274Emilio BarrerasMarlins6923.6%24.7%22.7%38.1%83.496.810210.0%11.40.274JP Smith IITwins10128.9%19.2%38.1%55.7%83.9101.8108.713.2%21.80.273Logan BraunschweigBraves10120.0%12.0%20.1%44.2%82.799.5105.94.5%6.10.272Brady EbelBrewers6626.2%23.3%25.2%44.7%8596.8108.69.8%9.80.272Core JacksonYankees10832.4%24.0%22.0%41.9%90.7103.2109.819.4%6.60.27Nick MonistereAstros11425.7%16.2%26.3%43.4%86.2101.91109.9%2.60.27Kaeden KentYankees10621.5%15.3%36.4%57.5%83.497.8102.612.5%13.10.269Luke HansonRangers7732.5%23.6%26.3%44.0%82.997.9103.47.3%10.268Brandon ComptonMarlins11337.1%29.0%21.2%40.8%90.7107.5114.919.6%11.90.267Will VierlingPhillies5632.3%17.2%26.0%43.6%84.4102.2103.114.7%12.80.267Mason NevilleReds9041.5%34.5%23.1%44.5%91107.610923.9%24.80.263Ryan WidemanPadres11234.0%21.6%38.0%52.3%85.3102.2107.78.1%-3.50.261Josh TatePirates7017.9%10.2%34.4%46.8%85.398.7101.313.5%16.30.261Ike IrishOrioles8125.4%22.0%20.1%43.4%90.4106.7109.512.7%7.10.26Mitch VoitMets9928.6%22.0%29.9%48.2%88.21031079.8%10.80.258Dylan GregoPadres13827.0%20.0%31.1%49.9%82.4100106.79.9%100.258Jared JonesPirates5846.8%38.5%34.9%47.0%86.6108.911426.1%15.90.257Marek HoustonTwins11018.3%16.2%23.7%43.3%84.699.7109.59.3%10.60.257Mason WhiteRed Sox11325.2%19.3%30.8%49.2%87.3102.710715.1%15.10.256Wyatt HenselerNationals8933.3%17.6%34.9%53.6%84.2100.7106.318.8%19.40.255Jacob WalshNationals9331.7%27.0%23.9%48.7%93.4105.9107.818.0%10.60.254Truitt MadonnaPadres6042.7%36.8%27.4%46.6%86.3102.1107.66.9%-4.80.25Bryan ArendtAthletics7130.4%20.0%27.2%44.7%78.798.7108.45.1%1.70.25Ryan WeingartnerCardinals9028.5%20.3%14.0%39.3%8799.7102.922.2%8.60.246Jack GurevitchCardinals9936.3%25.9%26.9%49.5%86.3103.2108.69.8%8.60.238Sam RobertsonMets6841.2%27.1%28.2%43.5%82.394.896.30.0%-0.40.237Alex LodiseBraves10932.8%27.5%31.3%55.3%88.3101.9109.918.0%15.30.236Colby SheltonWhite Sox11526.4%19.5%27.0%48.9%84.6100.7105.612.2%10.80.233Kade SnellCubs11220.2%13.6%22.1%41.7%85.4102.7109.210.1%9.50.232Max BelyeuRockies9033.3%27.0%31.5%48.5%88.3102112.16.7%19.70.23George BileckiPadres5337.6%31.6%22.7%48.8%83.496.1105.86.7%19.50.226Jalin FloresCardinals10535.3%26.2%32.1%48.4%88.3103.810718.0%170.225Kayson CunninghamD-backs5222.0%9.4%26.4%39.4%86.397.7100.96.1%-1.10.223Justin StranskyCubs5121.0%15.8%25.0%40.5%83.398.4102.13.0%6.80.22Matthew FerraraPhillies6443.6%31.1%26.3%39.3%83.799102.812.9%210.219Wilson WeberMarlins7238.5%31.0%28.7%43.9%80.9103.31106.5%9.30.208Cardell ThibodeauxPadres7429.2%23.5%22.4%41.0%86.898.5104.110.4%16.20.194Easton CarmichaelPirates5425.0%18.7%35.4%55.9%83.494.499.10.0%24.40.183Tate SouthiseneBraves6640.1%33.0%37.5%53.5%88105.4109.210.8%8.10.157

Source link

Two more Knockouts division legends have been confirmed for the TNA Wrestling Hall of Fame class of 2025.

It was announced today that The Beautiful People (Velvet Sky & Angelina Love) will be inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame at Bound for Glory on Sunday, October 12. They join Mickie James as members of the 2025 class.

The announcement was made in a video where TNA President Carlos Silva surprised Sky & Love with news of their induction. Silva thanked Sky & Love for all they’ve contributed to the promotion.

EXCLUSIVE: TNA President @carlossilva joined @THETOMMYDREAMER‘s interview with @ActualALove and @VelVelHoller to surprise them with the announcement that The Beautiful People will be inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame at #TNABoundForGlory! pic.twitter.com/AOMw06cz9C

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) September 24, 2025

“We’re excited that this will preserve and promote your legacy forever,” Silva said.

“Thank you so much,” an emotional Sky responded. “That means everything.”

Love & Sky were both multi-time Knockouts World Champions for TNA. They told Silva that the induction means the world to them, and they believe the Knockouts division holds a significant place in wrestling history as the place where the women’s revolution really started.

“Angelina Love and Velvet Sky were the original members of The Beautiful People, characters inspired by Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie,” TNA wrote. “The arrogant blondes had one goal: to cleanse the TNA roster ‘one ugly person at a time.’”

Bound for Glory 2025 is being held at the Tsongas Center in Lowell, Massachusetts. Trick Williams vs. Mike Santana for the TNA World Championship will headline the PPV, which is also set to feature a Tag Team title bout between The Hardys and Dudleys. It’s the final time those two legendary teams will ever face each other.

Here’s a look at every TNA Hall of Fame inductee since the honor was established:

• 2012: Sting
• 2013: Kurt Angle
• 2014: Team 3D (Bully Ray & D-Von)
• 2015: Jeff Jarrett, Earl Hebner
• 2016: Gail Kim
• 2018: Abyss
• 2020: Ken Shamrock
• 2021: Awesome Kong
• 2022: Raven
• 2023: Mike Tenay & Don West, Traci Brooks
• 2024: Rhino, Bob Ryder
• 2025: Mickie James, The Beautiful People (Angelina Love & Velvet Sky)

previous story

Source link

Two more Knockouts division legends have been confirmed for the TNA Wrestling Hall of Fame class of 2025.

It was announced today that The Beautiful People (Velvet Sky & Angelina Love) will be inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame at Bound for Glory on Sunday, October 12. They join Mickie James as members of the 2025 class.

The announcement was made in a video where TNA President Carlos Silva surprised Sky & Love with news of their induction. Silva thanked Sky & Love for all they’ve contributed to the promotion.

EXCLUSIVE: TNA President @carlossilva joined @THETOMMYDREAMER‘s interview with @ActualALove and @VelVelHoller to surprise them with the announcement that The Beautiful People will be inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame at #TNABoundForGlory! pic.twitter.com/AOMw06cz9C

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) September 24, 2025

“We’re excited that this will preserve and promote your legacy forever,” Silva said.

“Thank you so much,” an emotional Sky responded. “That means everything.”

Love & Sky were both multi-time Knockouts World Champions for TNA. They told Silva that the induction means the world to them, and they believe the Knockouts division holds a significant place in wrestling history as the place where the women’s revolution really started.

“Angelina Love and Velvet Sky were the original members of The Beautiful People, characters inspired by Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie,” TNA wrote. “The arrogant blondes had one goal: to cleanse the TNA roster ‘one ugly person at a time.’”

Bound for Glory 2025 is being held at the Tsongas Center in Lowell, Massachusetts. Trick Williams vs. Mike Santana for the TNA World Championship will headline the PPV, which is also set to feature a Tag Team title bout between The Hardys and Dudleys. It’s the final time those two legendary teams will ever face each other.

Here’s a look at every TNA Hall of Fame inductee since the honor was established:

• 2012: Sting
• 2013: Kurt Angle
• 2014: Team 3D (Bully Ray & D-Von)
• 2015: Jeff Jarrett, Earl Hebner
• 2016: Gail Kim
• 2018: Abyss
• 2020: Ken Shamrock
• 2021: Awesome Kong
• 2022: Raven
• 2023: Mike Tenay & Don West, Traci Brooks
• 2024: Rhino, Bob Ryder
• 2025: Mickie James, The Beautiful People (Angelina Love & Velvet Sky)

previous story

Source link

Predicting the future of amateur pitchers when theyâ€re 16 or 17 is one of the more imprecise exercises in scouting.

Thereâ€s an enormous amount of uncertainty with pitchers who are that young and that far from the majors. Their stuff and control can quickly change, and they have to prove they can stay healthy enough to reach MLB and sustain a career there. Itâ€s why teams largely avoid spending big money for young international pitching prospects and why so often there are all-star pitchers from Latin America who signed for smaller bonuses.

The Dominican Summer League offers an effective first filter to help us identify who the top pitchers are from the 2025 class that signed starting this year on Jan. 15. Some of them were players who received bonuses on the higher end of the scale for a pitcher, while others were players who didnâ€t get as much but were already starting to generate buzz at top pitchers in their class leading into their signing dates. Others still were more under the radar and used the DSL to make a bigger name for themselves.

Today, weâ€re breaking down 20 of the top pitchers from the 2025 international signing class. Weâ€ve broken these players down into four categories:

Best Of The Best: These were the elite pitching prospects in the class. These players combined high-end stuff with feel for pitching and performance.Â

Pitchers Trending Up:These pitchers all impressed in different ways. Some are power arms, some are high-end strike throwers. These players arenâ€t in the same tier as the elite arms, but they are all quality pitching prospects who raised their stock in 2025 and are emerging as some of the better pitching prospects in the lower levels of their organizations.Â

Stuff & Projection, But Control Needs Work:These are pitchers who showed great stuff and/or high-level physical projection with traits to like but struggled throwing strikes. While it’s a risky group, with players who were pitching at 17 or even 16, we can see players make big strides with their control once they get more experience and more body control when they stop growing. Frankie Montas spent two seasons in the DSL when he was 17 and 18 and had a combined 30-30 K-BB mark in 34.1 innings with a 7.60 ERA, so there are success stories from this group.Â

Small-Sample Arms:These are pitchers who stood out and are definite prospects to follow but werenâ€t able to log many innings this season.Â

Best Of The Best

Kendry Chourio, RHP, Royals

Chourio came into the season with big expectations. He signed out of Venezuela for $247,500 in January, though by that time, he already looked like one of the best pitchers in the 2025 class. At 6 feet, 165 pounds, Chourio wasnâ€t that big, but he had long stood out for his control and pitchability. As his signing date approached, he started to throw harder, reaching 96 mph.

Now, Chourio combines power stuff with feel to manipulate his secondary stuff and outstanding polish for a 17-year-old. It led the Royals to promote him from the DSL to the Rookie-level Florida Complex League to the Low-A Carolina League in one year. He posted a combined 3.51 ERA in 51.1 innings with 63 strikeouts and five walks for a minuscule 2.3% walk rate.

Chourio sits at 93-96 mph and touches 98. He also has a high-spin curveball at 2,600-2,800 rpm and feel for a changeup. Beyond prototype size, Chourio has everything else that would make him fit with the high-end high school pitchers in the 2026 draft who are his peers, except that Chourio next summer could finish his year in High-A or Double-A.

Kevin Defrank, RHP, Marlins

Defrank pitched nearly the entire season as a 16-year-old, but he looked like a man among boys at 6-foot-5 with a strong, physically-mature build and a fastball he ran up to 100 mph.

Defrank signed out of the Dominican Republic for $560,000—the third-highest bonus for a Latin American pitcher in 2025—and he looked the part of an elite pitching prospect between his stuff and performance, which saw him post a 3.19 ERA in 31 innings with 34 strikeouts and 10 walks.

After topping out at 95 mph coming into his signing, Defrank sat in the mid-to-upper 90s this season. He threw his fastball for strikes at a high clip, too, showing heâ€s more than just a raw thrower. He throws a hard mid-80s slider with short break along with a firm changeup at 88-90 mph that has good fade and could be his best secondary pitch long term.

Some scouts had durability questions with Defrank when he was an amateur, but he has the potential to be a high-end starter if he can handle the workload. Â

Santiago Castellanos, RHP, Twins

Castellanos signed with the Twins for $247,500, though by the time he signed, his stuff was already trending up to where he looked like one of the better pitchers this year from Venezuela. He has a medium 5-foot-11 frame that limited some of the attention he got as an amateur, but heâ€s a good athlete with excellent arm speed.

Castellanos pitches at 92-94 mph and can touch 97 with good carry. He shows feel to spin a breaking ball that projects to be an above-average or better pitch. He will mix in a changeup he has some feel for, but it is behind his breaking stuff.

Castellanos only turned 17 on July 17, so he was one of the youngest pitchers in the DSL, where he posted a  2.79 ERA with a 36-9 K-BB mark in 29 innings.Â

Pitchers Trending Up

Freddy Contreras, RHP, Royals

Coming into the year, we had big expectations for Royals righthander Kendry Chourio to be one of the best pitchers in the DSL. While Chourio flourished, Contreras ended up being a pleasant surprise, too.

Signed out of the Dominican Republic for $147,500, Contreras is physically unassuming at 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, and he came into the year with a fastball that would top out in the low 90s. It was a different story in the DSL, where he parked in the mid 90s and reached 98 mph with good carry, averaging 20 inches of induced vertical break.

Contreras did that all as one of the youngest 2025 signings—he turned 17 on Aug. 10—and got lots of swinging strikes on both his curveball and changeup. He finished with a 3.30 ERA in 30 innings and a 37-13 K-BB mark.Â

Carlos De La Rosa, LHP, Giants

The Yankees signed De La Rosa for $400,000—their biggest bonus for a pitcher this year—then moved him to the Giants in the trade deadline deal that brought righthander Camilo Doval to New York. De La Rosa, 17, finished the DSL season with a 51-10 K-BB mark in 32.1 innings and a 4.73 ERA.

The 5-foot-11, 180-pound lefty was up to 93 mph coming into the season, but during the year, his velocity jumped to sit 91-94 mph and reach 96. The pitch has excellent carry, averaging 20 inches of induced vertical break. De La Rosa filled the zone with his fastball and a low-80s slider that he shows feel to spin with good lateral break.Â

Pedro Montero, RHP, Marlins

Montero signed for just $35,000 this year and quickly looked like a bargain. He was a previously-eligible player in 2024, so he turned 18 in July, but itâ€s high-end stuff for his age from the wiry 6-foot-1 righthander who finished the DSL season with a 3.00 ERA and a 44-14 K-BB mark in 36 innings.Â

That stuff has only gotten better over the past year, as Montero threw 94 mph when he signed and is now reaching 97 with 19 inches of induced vertical break. He has good feel to spin a sweeper (his best secondary pitch) that will get above 15 inches of horizontal break at times. While his changeup isnâ€t as advanced, itâ€s a pitch he shows feel for, as well.

Adriano Marrero, RHP, Marlins

Marrero was one of several prominent pitchers the Marlins signed in their 2025 class, with Marrero getting a $350,000 bonus. The Cuban righthander pitched well in his first season with a 3.82 ERA, 35 strikeouts and 12 walks in 33 innings.

Marrero is listed at 6-foot-3, 185 pounds and has a fastball that inched up to touch 94 mph with more likely in the tank. His lively stuff breaks wide to both sides of the plate, with lots of armside run on his two-seamer and lively fade on his changeup going the same way. His sweeper spins above 3,000 rpm and breaks 23 inches the other way.Â

Geremy Villoria, RHP, Twins

Villoria emerged as one of the top pitchers in Venezuela by the time he signed with the Phillies for $425,000. Traded to the Twins along with outfielder Hendry Mendez in the deadline deal for outfielder Harrison Bader, Villoria had a cumulative 3.68 ERA, 24 strikeouts and seven walks in 22 innings.

Villoria was one of the youngest pitchers in the DSL—he didnâ€t turn 17 until Aug. 14—but he showed advanced stuff and feel for pitching with a starter look. Heâ€s 6-foot-3, 180 pounds—a projectable frame to add more velocity to a fastball up to 94 mph that he controls well. He has feel to spin a curveball around 2,600 rpm thatâ€s a potential above-average pitch and ahead of his nascent changeup.Â

Kevin Martinez, RHP, Rockies

Martinez, 17, signed with the Rockies for $200,000 out of the Dominican Republic after standing out for his pitchability. He came as advertised in his pro debut, maintaining a 2.15 ERA with 40 strikeouts and just seven walks in 46 innings. Among 17-year-old pitchers signed in 2025 with at least 20 innings, Martinez ranked third in the league with 1.4 BB/9 thanks to his ability to repeat a sound delivery and throw all three of his pitches for strikes at a high clip.

At 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, Martinez doesnâ€t have the raw stuff of some of the other top pitchers in the DSL. His fastball sits at 87-91 mph and tops out at 92, though it has good riding life. His low-80s changeup is an advanced pitch for his age and helps him disrupt hitters’ timing, while his curveball is a pitch he has some feel for but is more notable for his ability to control it than its raw movement.Â

Wilner Berroteran, RHP, Angels

The Angels signed Berroteran out of Venezuela for $220,000 and the 17-year-old pitched effectively in his pro debut with a 1.64 ERA, 23 strikeouts and eight walks in 22 innings

At 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds, he sports a frame with room for growth that should allow him to add velocity to a fastball that sits at 89-92 mph and touches 93. Heâ€s a good athlete who repeats his mechanics to throw strikes and shows feel to spin a slider.Â

Stuff & Projection, But Control Needs Work

Kelvin Zapata, LHP, Orioles

When teams were scouting Zapata as an amateur, he was a wiry 6-foot-1 lefty with a fastball that scraped 89 mph. The Orioles signed him for $287,500, and his velocity has spiked since signing.

Zapata, 17, now sits in the low 90s and reaches 96 mph from a low release height with the look of a pitcher who should be able to squeeze out a few more ticks to reach the upper 90s. He has good feel for a mid-80s slider that spins in the 2,400-2,700 rpm range and misses a lot of bats. His upper-80s changeup comes in firm off his fastball, but its sink and fade make it an effective pitch.

Zapata has bat-missing stuff—he struck out 48 in 39 innings—but he will need to improve his control after walking 39 with a 4.62 ERA.Â

Anderson Diaz, LHP, Tigers

The highest bonus for a Venezuelan lefthander this year was the $447,500 the Tigers paid Diaz, who had a 9.00 ERA in 24 innings with 30 strikeouts and 25 walks. Despite the bloated ERA and high walks, there were still plenty of promising traits evident with Diaz this year.

Diaz stands in at 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, giving him a projectable frame to grow a fastball thatâ€s already up to 94 mph as a 17-year-old and features good extension that helps it play up. His ability to manipulate multiple bat-missing secondary weapons also stands out, led by a high-spin curveball (2,500-2,800 rpm) with huge depth and a lively changeup.

If he improves his control, the other pieces are there for Diaz to be a starter, but the strike-throwing is still raw.Â

Carlos Alvarez, LHP, Padres

Thereâ€s a lot to dream on with Alvarez—a 17-year-old whose $1 million bonus was the highest of any lefthander this year—even though the results werenâ€t good.

Alvarez touched 93 mph before signing, then in the DSL sat in the low 90s and reached 95 with a mix of four- and two-seam fastballs. Heâ€s 6-foot-5, 200 pounds—a huge frame that screams projection for a pitcher who should eventually get into the upper 90s to go with long limbs that help him generate good extension.

Alvarez’s breaking ball was his most effective offspeed pitch as an amateur, but in his pro debut he leaned more on the changeup, which got better results with lively fade. Thereâ€s more upside for his changeup to improve once he mirrors his fastball release point more consistently.

The stuff and projection with Alvarez stand out, but he had more walks (31) than strikeouts (23) in 23 innings and a 9.78 ERA, so thereâ€s still a long way to go in terms of touch and control.Â

Omar Damian, RHP, Astros

Damian had a 5.17 ERA in 38.1 innings with 24 walks, six hit batsmen and threw 19 wild pitches. He will need to dial in his control, but there were a lot of things still to like with what Damian showed this year.

Signed out of the Dominican Republic for $397,500, Damian is on the younger end of the class—he turned 17 in July—and has lots of space left to fill out his wiry 6-foot-2 frame. He already has seen his fastball rise from tickling 90 mph coming into the year to now sitting in the low 90s and reaching 95. Thereâ€s another gear that should be in there with his fastball, which already plays well thanks to 20-plus inches of induced vertical break. His changeup is a potential plus pitch thatâ€s ahead of his curveball.Â

Raudy Reyes, RHP, Braves

Reyes emerged later in the scouting process throwing north of 100 mph as a 16-year-old with a physically mature 6-foot-4, 210-pound frame. With a huge fastball and shaky control, he drew a $1,797,500 bonus from the Braves, making him by far the highest-paid Latin American pitcher this year.

Reyes looked about as expected in the DSL, where he pitched at 94-98 mph and touched 100 with good carry on his fastball. Some scouts had concerns about Reyes†secondary stuff as an amateur, but the progress of his mid-80s slider, which spins around 2,600 rpm, has been encouraging.

Reyes pitches with a lot of effort and is figuring out how to repeat his release point to throw more strikes. He had a 3.67 ERA and struck out 35 in 27 innings, but he also walked 29 and uncorked 11 wild pitches. There’s a high probability he ends up a bullpen arm.Â

Diego Perez, RHP, White Sox

On the surface, Perez didnâ€t have a standout year, as he logged a 5.12 ERA and 33-22 K-BB mark in 31.2 innings. But he was one of the younger signings this year—he turned 17 on July 3—and threw one of the better curveballs in the DSL.

A later addition to the White Sox class and signed for $80,000, Perez is a wiry 6-foot righthander who pitches off a riding fastball thatâ€s up to 93 mph. The separator for Perez is a big-breaking curveball that has tight rotation, good depth and misses a lot of bats. He also throws a changeup thatâ€s still in its infancy.

Small-Sample Arms

Adrian Torres, LHP, Dodgers

For some scouts, Torres was the best lefthander available in the 2025 international class when the Dodgers signed him out of Panama for $362,500.

After pitching in the upper 80s for much of the scouting process as an amateur, he coming into his signing date reaching 96 mph, and in the DSL, he hit 97. Itâ€s already a huge fastball for a 17-year-old lefty and thereâ€s room for him to add more velocity as he fills out his 6-foot-3 frame.

Torres throws a high-spin slider (above 2,800 rpm at times) with good depth and sweep to project as a potential out pitch. Control, however, plagued him in the DSL, where he had a 7.71 ERA with more walks (15) than strikeouts (9) in 9.1 innings over five outings.Â

Adrian Peña, RHP, Marlins

Do you like 6-foot-7 righthanders who throw 99 mph at 17? Peña should be throwing north of 100 soon with lots of space left to fill out his lanky frame and add to an already-electric fastball that shows good carry from his high arm slot.

Signed for $400,000 out of the Dominican Republic, Peña is still developing feel for his secondary stuff and will need to throw a lot more strikes—understandable for a pitcher his age with extremely long limbs heâ€s still learning to coordinate—after he walked 13 batters in 8.2 innings.Â

Sadbiel Delzine, RHP, Red Sox

Delzine made just three starts in the DSL, but there was a lot to like in his brief look.

Signed for $500,000—the top bonus for a Venezuelan pitcher this year—Delzine is 6-foot-6, 200 pounds with a fastball that sat 93-95 mph, touched 96 and should have upper-90s or better velocity in his future. Itâ€s a good combination of size, athleticism and power stuff with feel to spin a curveball in the 2,400-2,700 rpm range along with a shorter slider and a changeup to give him a starter look.Â

Yordan Rodriguez, RHP, Athletics

In Cuba in 2023, Rodriguez led the countryâ€s 15U national league with 58 strikeouts in 47.1 innings. Signed this year for $400,000, Rodriguez has good physical projection remaining in his 6-foot-3, 190-pound frame and starter traits, but the Aâ€s used him judiciously in a relief role. The 17-year-old posted a 2.93 ERA with 20 strikeouts and eight walks in 15.1 innings, pitching off a fastball that had reached 92 mph coming into the year but was up to 96 in the DSL.

Rodriguez has a low-effort delivery with good extension and tight rotation on a slider he spins at 2,500-2,800 rpm to miss a lot of bats when heâ€s able to corral the pitch.

Source link

PITTSBURGH — Scotty Bowman and Ron Francis headline the Pittsburgh Penguins†Hall of Fame class of 2025.

Bowman, the NHLâ€s all-time winningest coach, and Francis, the leagueâ€s fifth all-time leading scorer, were both important members of the Pittsburgh teams of the early 1990s that claimed the franchiseâ€s first two Stanley Cups.

The duo, both of whom are in the Hockey Hall of Fame, will be joined by forward Kevin Stevens and former coach/general manager Eddie Johnston during an on-ice ceremony when the Penguins host Columbus on Oct. 25.

All four inductees played a role in Pittsburgh becoming one of the leagueâ€s marquee attractions during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Johnston was the general manager when the Penguins drafted Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux with the first overall pick in 1984 and later served as the clubâ€s head coach from 1993-97.

Bowman was Pittsburghâ€s director of player personnel during the 1990-91 season, during which he helped the club bring in a series of veterans – including Francis – to round out a roster ready to compete for a title. Bowman took over as head coach in 1991 after Bob Johnson was forced to step down because of a brain cancer diagnosis shortly after leading the Penguins to a championship.

Pittsburgh won its second straight Stanley Cup in 1992 with Bowman behind the bench. He then guided the Penguins to the Presidents†Trophy in 1992-93 but exited the following offseason in a contract dispute.

Francis spent eight seasons in Pittsburgh after coming over in a trade with the Hartford Whalers. He scored 164 goals to go with 449 assists with the Penguins, adding another 100 points in the playoffs.

Stevens was a three-time All-Star across his two stints in Pittsburgh, scoring 260 goals and adding 295 assists in 522 games with the club.

Source link

Sep 23, 2025, 08:35 PM ET

PITTSBURGH — Scotty Bowman and Ron Francis headline the Pittsburgh Penguins’ Hall of Fame class of 2025.

Bowman, the NHL’s all-time winningest coach, and Francis, the league’s fifth all-time leading scorer, were both important members of the Pittsburgh teams of the early 1990s that claimed the franchise’s first two Stanley Cups.

The duo, both of whom are in the Hockey Hall of Fame, will be joined by forward Kevin Stevens and former coach/general manager Eddie Johnston during an on-ice ceremony when the Penguins host Columbus on Oct. 25.

All four inductees played a role in Pittsburgh becoming one of the league’s marquee attractions during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Johnston was the general manager when the Penguins drafted Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux with the first overall pick in 1984 and later served as the club’s head coach from 1993-97.

Editor’s Picks

2 Related

Bowman was Pittsburgh’s director of player personnel during the 1990-91 season, during which he helped the club bring in a series of veterans — including Francis — to round out a roster ready to compete for a title. Bowman took over as head coach in 1991 after Bob Johnson was forced to step down because of a brain cancer diagnosis shortly after leading the Penguins to a championship.

Pittsburgh won its second straight Stanley Cup in 1992 with Bowman behind the bench. He then guided the Penguins to the Presidents’ Trophy in 1992-93 but exited the following offseason in a contract dispute.

Francis spent eight seasons in Pittsburgh after coming over in a trade with the Hartford Whalers. He scored 164 goals to go with 449 assists with the Penguins, adding another 100 points in the playoffs.

Stevens was a three-time All-Star across his two stints in Pittsburgh, scoring 260 goals and adding 295 assists in 522 games with the club.

Source link