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Are You For Real? Surprising MLB Pitcher Starts from Week 23
MJ Melendez Rising Up Minor League Ranks
Kansas City Royals catcher MJ Melendez, the team's No. 3 prospect per MLB Pipeline, had 19 home runs and threw out close to 42 percent of potential base stealers in 2018 in his first full minor league season. With a step forward in his approach at the next minor league level, Melendez could put himself... Read More
George Valera May Be Best Pure Minor League Hitter
Cleveland Indians outfielder George Valera, the team's No. 5 prospect per MLB Pipeline, could emerge as one of the best pure minor league hitters, according to scouts. His season was cut short after just six games in 2018 due to a broken hamate bone, but he has a sweet left-handed swing, an advanced approach, plate... Read More
Deivi Garcia A Very Polished Pitcher For His Age
New York Yankees starting pitcher Deivi Garcia, the team's No. 4 prospect per MLB Pipeline, is extremely polished for a 19-year-old and finished his third professional season at Double-A last year. The Yankees like his high spin rates and a fastball that reaches the mid-90s. If the right-hander continues to show his advanced form on... Read More
Nate Pearson Could Break Out In 2019
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Nate Pearson, the team's No. 4 prospect and No. 76 overall per MLB Pipeline, looked great in the Arizona Fall League and flashed front-of-the-rotation stuff with a great combination of size, stuff and pitchability. Pearson's 2018 season ended after just 1 1/3 innings when he fractured his right forearm after... Read More
Will Grier Meets With Panthers, Redskins
West Virginia quarterback Will Grier had separate dinner meetings on Wednesday with the Carolina Panthers and Washington Redskins, according to NFL Network's Aditi Kinkhabwala. Carolina hasn't drafted a quarterback since taking Cam Newton in 2011, while the Redskins are still looking for another signal-caller after trading for Case Keenum.
Darwinzon Hernandez May Open In Bullpen
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Darwinzon Hernandez, the team's No. 4 prospect per MLB Pipeline, has electric stuff and has been so impressive that the Red Sox might have him start out of the bullpen on Opening Day. The 22-year-old has only six innings of professional experience above Single-A ball, however. In the long term,... Read More
Jesus Luzardo To Miss Several Weeks With Shoulder Injury
Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo (shoulder) was a candidate to open the season in the starting rotation, but he will be shut down for the next four to six weeks with a rotator-cuff strain. If all goes well, he will resume throwing in May. Luzardo is the Athletics' top prospect and was cruising through... Read More
Rasmus Dahlin Moves Past Bobby Orr On Wednesday
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin posted an assist in Wednesday's 4-2 loss against the Toronto Maple Leafs, giving him eight goals and 39 points. He passed Hall of Famer Bobby Orr for the second-most points in a season by an 18-year-old defenseman in NHL history. He trails only Phil Housley, who happens to be his... Read More
Eloy Jimenez Agrees To Record Deal With White Sox
The Chicago White Sox agreed to a six-year, $43 million contract with outfield prospect Eloy Jimenez on Wednesday, sources familiar with the deal told ESPN. Baseball's top outfield prospect has yet to even play a day in the big leagues as a 22-year-old. He's now almost certain to start the year in the middle of... Read More
Dwayne Haskins To Meet With Four More Teams
Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins met with the New York Giants on Tuesday night and has meetings scheduled with the Broncos, Raiders, Dolphins and Redskins, who all have a pick in the top 15 of the first round of this year's draft. NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said that Haskins checks off many of... Read More
Eloy Jimenez Close To Long-Term Deal
The Chicago White Sox are closing in on a long-term deal with outfield prospect Eloy Jimenez on Wednesday. Jimenez is the team's top prospect and No. 3 overall by MLB Pipeline after hitting .337/.384/.577 with 22 home runs and 75 RBI in 108 games with Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte last year. The upside is... Read More
Giants Meet With Dwayne Haskins
The New York Giants brass met with Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins on Tuesday night, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo. Head coach Pat Shurmur, offensive coordinator Mike Shula, vice president of player evaluation Chris Mara, director of college scouting Chris Pettit and assistant general manager Kevin Abrams were in attendance. The Giants have the... Read More
Jacob Nix Has Strained UCL; Padres Rotation Getting Clearer
San Diego Padres starter Jacob Nix (elbow) is reported to have a strained ulnar collateral ligament. The current treatment is a rest period of six to eight weeks before planning next steps. Tommy John surgery is a real possibility. This is a major setback for Nix, who was positioned to compete for a starting job... Read More
Brandon Lowe and Rays Agree To Contract Extension
Tampa Bay Rays utilityman Brandon Lowe agreed to a six-year, $24 million contract extension with the club on Tuesday. He was ranked as the 93rd-best prospect by Baseball America after the 2018 season, in which he slashed .233/.324/.450 with six home runs (148 at-bats). The contract extension comes in the midst of an outstanding spring... Read More
Dane Dunning Undergoes Tommy John Surgery
Chicago White Sox pitching prospect Dane Dunning (elbow), the team's No. 6 prospect and No. 80 overall per MLB Pipeline, had successful Tommy John surgery on Monday. He made 15 starts last year with High-A Winston-Salem and Double-A Birmingham before suffering a moderate elbow strain in June. The right-hander will miss all of the 2019... Read More
Estevan Florial To Be In Cast For Weeks
A follow-up MRI exam and visit to a hand specialist on Monday resulted in New York Yankees outfield prospect Estevan Florial (wrist) being put in a cast for "a few weeks," according to manager Aaron Boone. The MRI also revealed a second break to a separate bone in Florial's right hand. Both bones are expected... Read More
Kyle Wright, Bryse Wilson Could Make Opening Day Roster
Atlanta Braves pitchers Kyle Wright and Bryse Wilson may have positioned themselves to open the year on the Opening Day roster. Wright is the most likely candidate to fill Mike Foltynewicz's rotation void to begin the season. Wilson allowed three runs in four innings against the Yankees on Monday night and has impressed this spring.... Read More
Forrest Whitley Looks Ready For Majors
Houston Astros starting pitcher Forrest Whitley, baseball's best pitching prospect, looks ready for the major league rotation and has struck out 15 and allowed only nine baserunners and two earned runs in 12 spring innings. The right-hander is only 21 and has just 137 1/3 innings of professional experience, which makes him likely to start... Read More
Jacob Nix Out Indefinitely With Arm Soreness
San Diego Padres starter Jacob Nix (arm) has been shut down indefinitely due to arm soreness after tossing four frames last Tuesday. Further tests revealed no structural damage. Padres manager Andy Green postulates Nix could miss anywhere from a few days to a “considerable period of time”. The Padres No. 19 prospect was competing for... Read More
Carter Hart Sparkles In Keystone-State Rivalry
Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart allowed just one goal on 42 shots in Sunday's 2-1 overtime victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Hart was about to take a hard-luck loss until James van Riemsdyk netted the game-tying goal with 19 seconds left in regulation to force overtime. Hart was able to keep the score sheet clean... Read More
Rasmus Dahlin Posts Assist, Ties Hockey Royalty
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin picked up an assist with a plus-one rating, four shots on goal and two hits in Sunday's 4-3 shootout victory against the St. Louis Blues. The helper was his 38th point of the season, moving him into a tie with Hall of Famer Bobby Orr for the second-most points in... Read More
Ryan Preece Leads All Rookies At Auto Club 400
JTG Daugherty driver Ryan Preece ended up in 23rd place during Sunday's Auto Club 400, and he ended up being the leading Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate in what turned out to be a tough run for inexperienced wheel men. Front Row Motorsports driver Matt Tifft was 26th after ending up a season-best 20th... Read More
Garrett Hampson Returns To The Field
Colorado Rockies prospect Garrett Hampson returned to the field on Saturday after sitting out for a week due to a minor hamstring concern. Hampson seemed to be back to full health, although it likely won't end up earning him anything more than a fifth infielder role. Hampson brings a speed and contact approach to the... Read More
Brendan Rodgers Sent To Minor League Camp
Colorado Rockies top prospect Brendan Rodgers was officially optioned to the minors on Saturday after an impressive spring. Widely considered one of the top 10 prospects in the game, one of the only knocks on Rodgers has been his high strikeout rate and impatience at the plate. That was exemplified last spring training when Rodgers... Read More
Estevan Florial Fractures Wrist
New York Yankees top prospect Estevan Florial will miss the start of the minor league season after he suffered a non-displaced right wrist fracture in Saturday's spring win over the Blue Jays. The outfielder is the No. 57 overall prospect by MLB Pipeline, but he collided with the outfield fence while pursuing a fly ball... Read More
Elias Pettersson Shines in Loss, Gets Little Support
Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson scored a power-play goal in Friday night's shootout loss to the Devils. Pettersson was also the lone goal scorer for Vancouver during the shootout that lasted seven rounds before Damon Severson clinched the victory for New Jersey. After a four-game pointless streak, Pettersson has picked up points in three of... Read More
Daulton Varsho Making The Most Of His Opportunities
Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Daulton Varsho, the team's No. 4 prospect per MLB Pipeline, is making the most of his opportunities this spring by hitting .417/.462/.833 with one home run and two doubles in 12 Cactus League games. The 22-year-old played in just 83 games last year due to a broken right hamate bone, but he... Read More
Colton Welker Stands Out In Camp
Colorado Rockies third baseman/first baseman Colton Welker, the team's No. 2 prospect and No. 95 overall per MLB Pipeline, didn't remain in big league camp for long, but he stood out in his 18 at-bats by slashing .556/.556/.944 with 10 hits (two homers and a double). With Nolan Arenado signing a long-term extension, Welker will... Read More
Keston Hiura Continues To Hit This Spring
Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Keston Hiura, the team's top prospect and No. 20 overall per MLB Pipeline, has three home runs in his last four spring games and is tied for the team lead with 10 RBI. He reached Double-A in his first full season in 2018 and hit .293/.357/.464 with 52 extra-base hits and... Read More
Ke'Bryan Hayes Inching Closer To The Big Leagues
Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes, the team's No. 2 prospect and No. 46 overall per MLB Pipeline, has not been overwhelmed in big league spring training and is slashing .333/.346/.833 with two home runs, seven extra-base hits and nine RBI in 24 at-bats. If Colin Moran doesn't get the job done in Pittsburgh, the... Read More
