Sports
PREVIEW: Union Outdoor Track & Field Set for Liberty Leagues
Story Links SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The Union College men’s and women’s outdoor track and field teams will head to Rochester Institute of Technology for the 2025 Liberty League Outdoor Track & Field Championships, hosted at the RIT Track & Field Complex on Friday, May 2 and Saturday, May 3. On the men’s side, junior […]
SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The Union College men’s and women’s outdoor track and field teams will head to Rochester Institute of Technology for the 2025 Liberty League Outdoor Track & Field Championships, hosted at the RIT Track & Field Complex on Friday, May 2 and Saturday, May 3.
On the men’s side, junior Jason Bois looks to defend his conference title in the 110-meter hurdles and enters the championships ranked third in the Liberty League with a top time of 15.02 seconds at the Trinity Invitational. Senior Sam Ahern seeks his first outdoor title after finishing second in the 100-meter dash and third in the 200-meter dash last year; he currently ranks third in the conference in the 100 after a top mark of 10.80 seconds at William & Mary in March, and also enters the weekend fifth in the 200 after a program-record time of 21.58 seconds at Trinity. Juniors Mason Lang and Nick Entner look to be the team’s top threats for All-Conference recognition in the field events, with Lang ranked third in the shot put (14.06 meters at Trinity) and Entner also third in the javelin throw (55.58 meters at RPI).
Other Garnet Chargers vying for All-Conference honors will be sophomore Nate Okwaning, who sits sixth in the conference in the 100 thanks to a season-best 10.87-second finish last weekend at RPI, and senior Ben Neff, who is sixth in the 1500 meters after finishing in 3:53.13 at RPI.
For the women, sophomore Ashley Sheldon looks for a repeat performance in the high jump after winning the conference title outdoors as a first-year, as she enters the weekend with the third-best mark in the conference at 1.57 meters. First-year Kyleigh Record is also seeded third in the 800 meters after her 2:16.25 finish at Trinity, the second-fastest mark in program history.
In the sprints, senior Gabby Baker is seeded sixth in the 400-meter dash thanks to a time of 59.09 seconds at Trinity. First-year Lauryn Johnson is the top seed in the throwing events for the women after her mark of 34.37 meters in the javelin placed her sixth on the conference ledger. Junior Grace Ardito also will look to reach the podium as well in the high jump, entering the weekend with a top mark of 1.51 meters that ranks fourth among conference competitors.
Below is the schedule of events for the championships, along with Union’s tentative listing of entries for each event:
Friday, May 2
Men’s Decathlon – 12:00 p.m.
Men’s Pole Vault – 12:00 p.m.
Women’s Heptathlon – 12:20 p.m.
Men’s Javelin Throw – 12:30 p.m. – Aaron Al-Marayati, Nick Entner, Mason Lang
Women’s Long Jump – 2:00 p.m. – Grace Ardito
Women’s Hammer Throw – 2:00 p.m. – Epephanie LaBoy
Women’s 110m Hurdles (Prelims) – 2:00 p.m. – Ashley Sheldon
Men’s 110m Hurdles (Prelims) – 2:15 p.m. – Jason Bois
Women’s 400m Dash (Prelims) – 2:30 p.m. – Gabby Baker
Men’s 400m Dash (Prelims) – 2:45 p.m. – Aidan Bradley, Drew Hill, Kye Norcross, Aidan Savitt
Women’s 100m Dash (Prelims) – 3:00 p.m. – Madison Brandy, Kat Doran
Men’s 100m Dash (Prelims) – 3:15 p.m. – Sam Ahern, Aaron Binion, Nate Okwaning
Women’s 800m Run (Prelims) – 3:30 p.m. – Cat Dacey, Kyleigh Record
Men’s 800m Run (Prelims) – 3:45 p.m. – Liam Fitzgibbon, Michael Fitzmaurice, Bretton Garrick, Ben Neff, Will Plante
Women’s Pole Vault – 4:00 p.m.
Women’s 400m Hurdles (Prelims) – 4:00 p.m.
Men’s 400m Hurdles (Prelims) – 4:20 p.m.
Women’s Javelin Throw – 4:30 p.m. – Lauren Armstrong, Maggie Buckley, Lauryn Johnson, Sundee Kroyer
Men’s Hammer Throw – 4:30 p.m. – Tony Cocchiaro, Nick Entner, Mason Lang
Men’s Long Jump – 4:30 p.m. – Alan Mackic
Women’s 200m Dash (Prelims) – 4:40 p.m. – Madison Brandy, Kat Doran
Men’s 200m Dash (Prelims) – 4:55 p.m. – Sam Ahern, Aaron Binion, Aidan Bradley
Women’s 3,000m Steeplechase – 5:10 p.m. – Charlotte Knight, Ella McCarthy
Men’s 3,000m Steeplechase – 5:35 p.m.
Women’s 10,000m Run – 6:00 p.m. – Emilie Rosecan
Men’s 10,000m Run – 6:50 p.m. – Liam Dougherty
Saturday, May 3
Men’s Decathlon – 10:30 a.m.
Women’s Heptathlon – 11:30 a.m.
Men’s High Jump – 12:00 p.m.
Women’s 4x100m Relay – 12:00 p.m. – Grace Ardito, Gabby Baker, Kat Doran, Ashley Sheldon
Men’s 4x100m Relay – 12:10 p.m. – Sam Ahern, Aaron Binion, Aidan Bradley, Nate Okwaning
Women’s 1,500m Run – 12:20 p.m. – Cat Dacey, Caroline Kelly
Women’s Shot Put – 12:30 p.m. – Lauren Armstrong, Sundee Kroyer
Men’s Discus Throw – 12:30 p.m. – Aaron Binion, Dylan Boyle
Men’s 1,500m Run – 12:40 p.m. – Ben Neff, Will Plante, Ryan Russell
Women’s Triple Jump – 12:45 p.m.
Men’s 110m Hurdles (Final) – 1:00 p.m.
Women’s 110m Hurdles (Final) – 1:15 p.m.
Women’s 400m Dash (Final) – 1:30 p.m.
Men’s 400m Dash (Final) – 1:40 p.m.
Women’s 100m Dash (Final) – 1:50 p.m.
Men’s 100m Dash (Final) – 2:00 p.m.
Women’s 800m Run (Final) – 2:10 p.m.
Men’s 800m Run (Final) – 2:20 p.m.
Women’s High Jump – 2:30 p.m. – Grace Ardito, Ashley Sheldon
Men’s Shot Put – 2:30 p.m. – Tony Cocchiaro, Mason Lang
Women’s Discus Throw – 2:30 p.m. – Charlotte Knight, Epephanie LaBoy
Women’s 400m Hurdles (Final) – 2:30 p.m.
Men’s 400m Hurdles (Final) – 2:45 p.m.
Women’s 200m Dash (Final) – 2:55 p.m.
Men’s 200m Dash (Final) – 3:05 p.m.
Women’s 5,000m Run – 3:15 p.m. – Annabel Dobash
Men’s 5,000m Run – 3:40 p.m. – Thomas Breimer, Ben Pistiner
Women’s 4x400m Relay – 4:00 p.m. – Grace Ardito, Gabby Baker, Kat Doran, Kyleigh Record
Men’s 4x400m Relay – 4:10 p.m. – Aidan Bradley, Drew Hill, Jackson Klehr, Aidan Savitt
Sports
Patriots turned down draft-day trade offers for their second-round pick – 98.5 The Sports Hub
The Patriots used their second round selection, No. 38 overall, on former Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson. However, insight – revealed in the Patriots’ “Forged in Foxborough” documentary – showed that New England took calls from the Chicago Bears, and another team, who were looking to move up in the draft. The Bears, who […]
The Patriots used their second round selection, No. 38 overall, on former Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson. However, insight – revealed in the Patriots’ “Forged in Foxborough” documentary – showed that New England took calls from the Chicago Bears, and another team, who were looking to move up in the draft.
The Bears, who had the 39th pick, looked to move up just one spot and offered the Patriots No. 39 plus a seventh round pick – presumably to select Henderson. The Pats also received an offer of No. 59, No. 79, and a third-rounder. The Patriots elected to stand pat and select Henderson themselves.
In turn, Chicago decided to remain at No. 39. With their selection, the Bears took wide receiver Luther Burden. Burden was very highly touted entering the draft, and he should become a solid weapon for their young quarterback Caleb Williams. Like the Patriots were with the Henderson pick, Chicago was praised for getting him at that point in the draft.
Now that it is clear how enthusiastic the Patriots were about Henderson – choosing him over more draft assets – it will be interesting to see how he pans out in the 2025 season. To that point, Burden’s performance during the season will also be something to watch out for down the line.
Luke Graham is a digital sports content co-op for 98.5 the Sports Hub. He is currently a sophomore at Northeastern University studying communications and media studies. Read all his articles here, and follow him on X @LukeGraham05.
Sports
Three Big Red set to compete at NCAA Division III Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships
Story Links Granville, Ohio- Seniors Andrew D’Asaro (javelin), Chris Slater (hammer), and Ari Skolnik (110H) of the Denison University men’s track and field team will compete at the 2025 NCAA Division III Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships this week in Geneva, Ohio at the SPIRE Institute. For each event, the […]
Granville, Ohio- Seniors Andrew D’Asaro (javelin), Chris Slater (hammer), and Ari Skolnik (110H) of the Denison University men’s track and field team will compete at the 2025 NCAA Division III Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships this week in Geneva, Ohio at the SPIRE Institute. For each event, the top 22 student-athletes were accepted into the competition.
D’Asaro will be the first to compete for the Big Red on Thursday, and comes into the meet ranked 15th in the country with a throw of 63.05 (206′ 10″). This will be D’Asaro’s third consecutive NCAA National Qualifier appearance, as he finished 11th in 2023 with a throw of 59.78 (196′ 1″) and 15th in 2024 with a mark of 58.10 (190′ 7″) while also earning Second Team NCAA All-American honors. D’Asaro has rewrote the Denison record books, as he holds the all-time record in javelin with a mark of 64.07 (210′ 2″) in the Bison Outdoor Classic in the 2024 season. Since he broke the record for javelin back in 2023 with a mark of 58.88 (84′ 6″), he has broken his own record three times over the course of his Big Red career. This season, D’Asaro has placed first in the Denison Lid-Lifter meet with a 63.05 (206′ 10″) mark and the Division III All-Ohio Championships held at Ohio Wesleyan with a mark of 57.57 (188′ 10″). He has five top 3 finishes in the seven meets he has competed in this season. D’Asaro has had quite the Big Red career, as he has also been selected three time USTFCCCA All-Region, three-time All-NCAC, and three-time NCAC Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week.
Slater will be competing in his second Track and Field Championships, this time being his first in the Outdoor stage in the hammer throw. He comes into the field seeded fifth with a mark of 61.85 (202′ 11″) which he threw at the Denison Lid-Lifter meet. That mark is also the Denison hammer throw school record and he also holds the record in weight throw which was set at the All-Ohio Track and Field Championships back in 2023 (17.71, 58′ 1.25″). Slater has placed first four times this season in the hammer, with wins at the Denison Lid-Lifter, Denison Invitational (59.11, 193′ 11″), NCAC Outdoor Championships (57.04, 187′ 2″), and the SPIRE Last Chance Meet (55.94, 183′ 6″). Slater’s Big Red career has been historic, as he was named 2022 All-Region for hammer, Five-time All-NCAC (3 indoor; 2 outdoor), five-time NCAC Indoor Field Athlete of the Week, and two-time NCAC Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week. He will compete on the last day of the Championships on May 24.
Skolnik will compete in his third Track and Field Championships, as he has competed in the Indoor stage twice, most recently being this season as he finished 15th in the 60 meters hurdles with a time of 8.06 seconds. This time around, he will be competing in the 110 meters hurdles, where he is slated 18th with a time of 14.25 seconds, a time he achieved at the NCAC Outdoor Championships. Skolnik is also the school record holder in the 60 meter hurdles (Indoor) with a time of 8.12 seconds. He has enjoyed several top five finishes across several events, most notably his first place finish at the NCAC Outdoor Championships with a time of 14.40 seconds. Skolnik has also been named three time All-Region, twice in 2024 in the 60 meter hurdles and 110 meter hurdles, and 110 meter hurdles in 2023. He has also been named three time All-NCAC and has been a two time NCAC Champion.
Schedule at the Spire Institute in Geneva, Ohio- Thursday, May 22, to Saturday, May 25
- The javelin will take place at 5:45 p.m. Thursday
- 110 meter hurdles prelims will be held at 2:10 p.m. on Friday | Finals at 1:50 p.m. on Saturday
- Hammer slated for 1:45 p.m. on Saturday
The complete list of qualifiers is available on the following website: https://results.leonetiming.com/?mid=7852
You can watch each day of events for the 2025 NCAA Division III men’s and women’s outdoor track and field championships on NCAA.com.
Sports
Three Waves Earn MPSF All-Academic Nods
Story Links SEATTLE, Wash. – Three members of the Pepperdine men’s volleyball team were named to the MPSF All-Academic team, as announced by the league office on Tuesday. James Eadie, Aidan Tune and Brendan Read earned academic recognition for their performance in the classroom. Eadie graduated this spring with a 3.6 […]
SEATTLE, Wash. – Three members of the Pepperdine men’s volleyball team were named to the MPSF All-Academic team, as announced by the league office on Tuesday.
James Eadie, Aidan Tune and Brendan Read earned academic recognition for their performance in the classroom. Eadie graduated this spring with a 3.6 GPA and a bachelor’s degree in sport administration. Read also graduated, earning a degree in integrated marketing and communications with a 3.7 GPA. Tune completed his junior year while maintaining a 3.7 GPA in business administration.
As a team, the Waves averaged a total 3.6 GPA with 18 members above a 3.0 and 14 above a 3.5 GPA.
To qualify for MPSF All-Academic honors, student-athletes must hold at least a 3.00 cumulative GPA (including the most recent fall term), be at least a sophomore academically, have completed one full academic year at their institution, and competed in 50 percent or more of their team’s competitions during the season.
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Keep up with all things Pepperdine Athletics by following the Waves on X and Instagram and find more on PepperdineWaves.com.
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Jeff Tedford Highlights 2025 Cal Athletic Hall of Fame Class
The 2025 Cal Athletic Hall of Fame induction class includes eight men and women representing seven sports, headlined by Jeff Tedford, the program’s all-time winningest football coach. Tedford, 63, coached the Bears to 82 victories in 11 seasons through 2012, guided them to eight bowl games (including seven in a row) and lifted the program […]
The 2025 Cal Athletic Hall of Fame induction class includes eight men and women representing seven sports, headlined by Jeff Tedford, the program’s all-time winningest football coach.
Tedford, 63, coached the Bears to 82 victories in 11 seasons through 2012, guided them to eight bowl games (including seven in a row) and lifted the program to a top-10 national ranking five times.
He took over a program that has suffered five consecutive losing seasons, including a 1-10 mark in 2001, the year before he arrived. Twice the Pac-10 Coach of the Year, Tedford led the Bears to the 2006 Pac-10 co-championship.
The Bears posted winning records in Tedford’s first eight seasons, and he was the coach when they enjoyed their most recent winning record in conference play, 5-4 back in 2009. He was fired after a 3-9 season in 2012, the Bears’ second losing campaign in three years.
Others who will join Tedford in the 2025 Hall class include basketball star Layshia Clarendon and football lineman Alex Mack.
Here are capsules on all eight inductees, courtesy of Cal Athletics:
LAYSHIA CLARENDON – Women’s Basketball (2009-13)
Clarendon carried the combination of athletic and academic prowess that is a model of the Cal student-athlete. She earned All-American status as a senior after leading the Bears to their only Final Four appearance in program history and was also a three-time All-Pac-12 selection. She went on to become the ninth overall pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft and played 11 years in the league with one All-Star appearance. Clarendon was also the 2013 Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year and winner of the Tom Hansen Pac-12 Conference Medal.
HANA CUTURA – Volleyball (2006-09)
The only conference player of the year in program history (2009), Cutura also is the Bears’ all-time leader in career kills with 2,004. Cutura was a three-time All-American – including a pair of first-team nods – who led Cal to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, including the team’s first-ever appearance in the Final Four in 2007. A three-time All-Pac-10 selection, she also ranks second on the program’s single-season kills list with 628 as a senior.
DAMIR DUGONJIC – Men’s Swimming & Diving (2007-11)
Dugonjic won seven NCAA championships, including three consecutive individual titles in the 100-yard breaststroke. His final breaststroke crown contributed to the Bears’ team championship in 2011. Dugonjic set the NCAA record in the 100 breast as a sophomore and was an eight-time All-American. He represented his native Slovenia in the Olympic Games in 2008, 2012 and 2016 and registered a pair of top-20 finishes in the 100 breaststroke.
DONNA FONG – Field Hockey Head Coach (1976-94)
Fong was the first head coach in program history who led the Bears to three straight NorPac championships from 1992-94 and was also selected as the NorPac Coach of the Year in all three of those seasons. Fong coached four conference players of the year and two Olympians. In 2020, field hockey became the first women’s sport at Cal to have its head coaching position endowed – Donna Fong Director of Field Hockey.
ALEX MACK – Football (2005-08)
Mack was a two-time First-Team All-American who went on to become the 21st overall pick by the Cleveland Browns in 2009. During his time with the Bears, Cal shared the Pac-12 championship in 2006 and went to four consecutive bowl games. A three-time All-Pac-12 First Team pick, Mack also won the prestigious Draddy Trophy that is given to the top football student-athlete in the nation. Mack went on to play 13 seasons in the NFL and was selected to seven Pro Bowls. He was voted into the College Football Hall of Fame earlier this year.
IVAN RACKOV – Men’s Water Polo (2008-11)
Rackov was named the 2010 winner of the Peter J. Cutino Award, given annually to the top player in NCAA water polo. He was also named the 2010 ACWPC National Player of the Year. Rackov ranks fourth on the program’s all-time scoring list with 235 career goals and fifth on Cal’s single-season list with 79 goals in 20120. Rackov led the Bears to the NCAA championship game in 2010.
JEFF TEDFORD – Football Head Coach (2002-12)
Tedford is Cal’s all-time winningest football coach with 82 victories and led the Bears to a school-record seven consecutive bowl appearances. He was twice named the Pac-10 Coach of the Year and led Cal to the 2006 Pac-10 co-championship. Under Tedford, the Bears finished the season ranked in the top 25 four different times. Cal also cracked the top 10 five times at one point during the season with Tedford at the helm.
MICHAEL WEAVER – Men’s Golf (2009-14)
Weaver became Cal’s first-ever NCAA regional champion when he took co-medalist honors at the 2013 NCAA Pullman Regional. He led the Bears to the 2013 Pac-12 championship, taking individual runner-up honors in the process. Weaver was named a First-Team All-American in 2013. He also placed eighth individually at the 2011 NCAA Championships, tied for the second-highest finish ever by a Golden Bear.
These eight and the 2024 class will be inducted together during the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame weekend next Oct. 17-18. They will be recognized during the Friday night, Oct. 17 football game vs. North Carolina, with the Hall of Fame Gala scheduled for Saturday night.
Tables for the gala can be reserved here. Single tickets go on sale Aug. 1.
Follow Jeff Faraudo on Twitter, Facebook and Bluesky
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Liberty League Performers of the Week for May 19
Story Links Women’s Track & Field – Track Performer of the Week – Laura Suppa Laura Suppa highlighted the AARTFC championship for the Bombers as she won the 100-meter hurdles with a finals time of 13.86 seconds. That time moved her up to No. 4 on the Division III list and set a new […]
Women’s Track & Field – Track Performer of the Week – Laura Suppa
Laura Suppa highlighted the AARTFC championship for the Bombers as she won the 100-meter hurdles with a finals time of 13.86 seconds. That time moved her up to No. 4 on the Division III list and set a new school record. She also ran a leg on the record-setting 4×100-meter relay team that finished third with a time of 47.51 seconds.
Softball Pitcher of the Week – Anna Cornell
Anna Cornell helped the Bombers to a runner-up finish in the Ithaca Regional. The senior tossed a pair of complete games across 15.2 innings pitched where she collected 19 strikeouts, including six looking and posted a 3.13 ERA.
Softball Performer of the Week – Belle de Oliveira
Belle de Oliveira had a productive regional as the graduate student hit .400 (4-for-10) and earned a place on the All-Tournament team. De Oliveira scored a run while driving in two RBI, while playing perfect defense in center field with eight putouts and an assist.
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30 MLB Prospects With Improved 90th Percentile EV, Miss Rates & Chase Rates In 2025
Baseball is a constantly-evolving sport, in part because it’s the one game where players can change their entire archetype in a single offseason. Adjustments to swings, approaches and physical strength can see players return to play out of the offseason new and improved. We’re now around a quarter of the way through the minor league […]
Baseball is a constantly-evolving sport, in part because it’s the one game where players can change their entire archetype in a single offseason. Adjustments to swings, approaches and physical strength can see players return to play out of the offseason new and improved.
We’re now around a quarter of the way through the minor league season in 2025. Many of our metrics have standardized at this point, giving us some signal to identify true skill gainers.
Below, we’ll take a look at 30 players who have improved their miss rate, chase rate and 90th percentile exit velocity the most. The sample size for each category is a minimum of 50 plate appearances, and all of the names listed have samples larger than that in each of the last two seasons. While imperfect, this sample does give us some understanding of how players adjusted over the offseason.
90th Percentile Exit Velocity Gainers
One of the stickiest exit velocity metrics, 90th percentile EV gives us an idea of a hitter’s high-end power by looking at their top 10% exit velocities. This correlates to game power and, ultimately, slugging percentage.
Below is the list of the 10 hitters who increased their 90th Percentile EV the most:
| player | org | age | level | bats | 2024 90% EV | 2025 90% EV | 90% EV Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Peoples | WSH | 20 | Low-A | S | 105.7 | 114.2 | 8.5 |
| Lyle Miller-Green | CWS | 24 | Low-A | R | 103.3 | 110.6 | 7.3 |
| Davis Diaz | ATH | 22 | Low-A | R | 97.1 | 104.2 | 7.1 |
| Adrian Rodriguez | AZ | 21 | Low-A | R | 96.2 | 103.2 | 7 |
| Dillon Lewis | NYY | 21 | Low-A | R | 102.4 | 109.3 | 6.9 |
| Dante Nori | PHI | 20 | Low-A | L | 94.5 | 101.3 | 6.8 |
| Eddie Micheletti Jr. | TOR | 23 | High-A | L | 98 | 104.8 | 6.8 |
| Drew Gilbert | NYM | 24 | Triple-A | L | 100.7 | 107.3 | 6.6 |
| Luis Peña | MIL | 18 | Low-A | R | 99.9 | 106.5 | 6.6 |
| Caden Powell | HOU | 21 | Low-A | R | 103 | 109.4 | 6.4 |
Our biggest EV gainer is the Nationals Low-A outfielder Nick Peoples, a 2022 12th-round pick who’s struggled over the first three seasons of his professional career. Peoples has shown absurd raw power early, but it has not come with production, as he’s hitting just .200/.273/.389 on the season.
Luis Peña has been one of the true breakout stars of 2025. After a strong showing in the Dominican Summer League last year, Peña has shown a significant increase in power in 2025. This portends well for future power development, as Peña boasts strong plate skills to go along with this newfound power. It’s a perfect combination of traits for a burgeoning prospect.
We covered Mets prospect Drew Gilbert last week and noticed his much-improved data in 2025. More than any hitter listed in this section, Gilbert has turned his added EV into increased production. He is not only showing improved exit velocities but also excellent angles on contact and plus plate skills. He’s been very unlucky on balls in play, but taking a look under the hood, I anticipate Gilbert’s numbers will begin to climb in the coming weeks.
Astros 2024 sixth-round pick Caden Powell cracks the list, as the juco standout has put together a very solid showing in his professional debut, albeit against Low-A competition. While swing-and-miss is very much a concern, there’s legitimate impact in Powell’s bat, and his .200 isolated slugging is a testament to that.
Miss Rates Improvers
Despite the influx of advanced information made available for player evaluation in modern baseball, at the end of the day, the ability to simply get the bat on the ball is still an important foundational skill. While one doesn’t need to be an elite contact hitter to be a productive or even star player, there is a baseline of contact important for all archetypes of hitters.
Below, we’ll look at 10 hitters who are making more contact at the highest rates in 2025:
| player | org | age | level | bats | 2024 miss% | 2025 miss% | miss% diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vance Honeycutt | BAL | 21 | High-A | R | 42.70% | 26.20% | 16.50% |
| Jordan Sprinkle | CWS | 24 | High-A | R | 30.00% | 15.90% | 14.10% |
| George Wolkow | CWS | 19 | Low-A | L | 46.70% | 32.70% | 14.00% |
| Braden Barry | TOR | 23 | Low-A | R | 31.90% | 17.20% | 14.70% |
| Yordys Valdes | CLE | 23 | Triple-A | S | 36.00% | 21.50% | 14.50% |
| Bernard Moon | CIN | 20 | Low-A | R | 31.50% | 17.10% | 14.40% |
| Jorbit Vivas | NYY | 24 | Triple-A | L | 25.00% | 11.10% | 13.90% |
| Kaden Hollow | SD | 24 | Low-A | L | 28.80% | 15.00% | 13.80% |
| James Tibbs III | SF | 22 | High-A | L | 32.10% | 18.90% | 13.20% |
| Tommy White | ATH | 22 | High-A | R | 29.00% | 16.50% | 12.50% |
This list features a trio of day-one 2024 draftees: Vance Honeycutt, James Tibbs and Tommy White. Of all the players on the list, the added bat-to-ball ability for Honeycutt might be the most welcomed sign. That said, it has not led to a reasonable strikeout rate, as he is still striking out in 37.1% of his plate appearances. Of the three, only White has turned his skill gain into production, as he’s hitting .299/.390/.467 so far in 2025.
After putting together a nice 2024 in spite of concerning strikeout rates, George Wolkow is showing far more reasonable swing-and-miss in 2025. It hasn’t culminated in improved production, however, as he’s still only hitting .203/.288/.341, but Wolkow’s strikeout rate is down from 40.3% in 2024 to 31.3% in 2025. This improvement shows in the contact rates, as Wolkow went from having swing-and-miss that was a true dealbreaker to showing enough contact for his power to play. That’s yet to happen, but time till tell if the improved contact unlocks more game power for the 6-foot-7 slugger.
Jorbit Vivas has seen time in 15 games with the Yankees this season, and while the production in the majors has been underwhelming, he’s showing improved contact skills this season in Triple-A. He’s walked in 12.9% of his plate appearances while striking out in just 6.9%. This outlier strikeout-to-walk ratio is exactly what Vivas needs to take another step towards a future full-time MLB role.
Chase Rate Improvers
While power and bat-to-ball ability are important, the ability to identify balls and strikes while attacking the right pitches is paramount. Often, the biggest gains in production year over year are the product of an improved approach. While chase rate doesn’t fully capture all the elements of approach, it does give us a good idea of which hitters are aggressive and which are passive.
Below, we’ll look at 10 hitters who have improved their chase rates the most in 2025:
| player | org | age | level | bats | 2024 chase% | 2025 chase% | chase% diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilman Diaz | LAD | 21 | High-A | R | 33.30% | 16.10% | 17.20% |
| Christian Moore | LAA | 22 | Double-A | R | 29.20% | 13.00% | 16.20% |
| Tre Richardson | STL | 23 | High-A | R | 26.10% | 10.70% | 15.40% |
| Emaarion Boyd | MIA | 21 | High-A | R | 33.20% | 18.30% | 14.90% |
| Robert Moore | PHI | 23 | Double-A | S | 28.70% | 13.80% | 14.90% |
| Tommy White | ATH | 22 | High-A | R | 38.80% | 24.00% | 14.80% |
| Adrián Sugastey | SF | 22 | Double-A | R | 45.70% | 31.00% | 14.70% |
| Victor Rodrigues | LAD | 20 | Low-A | R | 28.10% | 13.70% | 14.40% |
| Ivan Brethowr | CHC | 22 | High-A | R | 29.90% | 15.50% | 14.40% |
| Ryan Ritter | COL | 24 | Triple-A | R | 34.90% | 21.00% | 13.90% |
After two years of sub-10% walk rates for Emaarion Boyd, he’s showing a much-improved approach in 2025. With the improvement in chase rate, he’s seen his year-over-year walk rate increase from 6.8% in 2024 to 14.5% in 2025. This gain in approach has resulted in a 114 wRC+, a 20-point increase from last season.
The son of former Royals president of baseball operations Dayton Moore, Robert Moore was a standout at Arkansas who took some time to find his sea legs as a professional. This season, Moore is enjoying a career year to start with Double-A Reading, hitting .235/.353/.439 for a 125 wRC+. His 15.7% walk rate is a direct result of improved swing decisions, and it’s having a positive impact on his production despite poor luck on balls in play.
Tommy White makes his second appearance in this article, as his swing decisions have improved tremendously this season. White’s approach was a pock mark on his profile entering the draft, but in his first full professional season, he looks to be answering those questions emphatically.
On a team loaded with stars, the Dodgers’ Victor Rodriguez is enjoying an under-the-radar breakout season. He’s hitting .253/.431/.360 with a 22.5% walk rate to a 12.7% strikeout rate. While the power has been underwhelming, Rodriguez’s ability to get on base is noteworthy.
One of the more under-appreciated prospects in the upper minors at the moment is Ryan Ritter. A strong infield defender, Ritter can play all over the dirt, and over the last two seasons, he has shown improvements at the plate, too. Year-over-year, Ritter has improved his swing decisions tremendously, and it’s showing up in his production. Over 40 games with Triple-A Albuquerque, he is hitting .265/.397/.503—good enough for a 122 wRC+. He’s walking at the highest rate of his career while striking out at the lowest rate. Everything is clicking for Ritter at the moment, as he is showing above-average plate skills and power at the highest level of the minors.
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