Sports

Top fantasy baseball prospects

Published

6 months ago

June 23, 2025

A reminder: This is ONLY players who have Rookie of the Year MLB eligibility, and ONLY a look at potential help for 2025.

That out of the way, here’s a look at the top prospects who can help your fantasy roster this season.

1. Chase Burns, RHP, Cincinnati Reds

2025 stats: 12 G, 59 IP, 1.83 ERA, .170 BAA, 13 BB, 82 SO at High-A Dayton, Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Louisville.

For the fourth straight week, we get to cheat. According to C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic, the Reds will select the contract of Burns on Tuesday for his MLB debut against the New York Yankees. First, yes, this is a tough first test. The Yankees have a few players — particularly that really tall guy — who can give players trouble. Also, it’ll come in Great American Ball Park; a park that is well known for being hitter-friendly. That being said, this is a pitcher who can miss bats with multiple pitches and commands them well enough — well enough is an understatement — to have immediate success. The ceiling for Burns is ace, but even if he’s not that in his first taste of MLB action, he’s obviously talented enough to provide fantasy success immediately.

2. Jordan Lawlar, 2B, Arizona Diamondbacks

2025 stats: 52 G, .321/.411/.586, 10 HR, 18 SB, 30 BB, 60 SO at Triple-A Reno; 8 G .000/.175/.000, 0 SB, 3 BB, 9 SO at Arizona.

L8awlar’s average has taken a slight dip since being demoted back to Reno, but he’s seen his slugging percentage go up and had another homer and stole two more bags since our last update. He also drew five free passes, as he’s showing more patience at the plate and pitchers are terrified to throw the former first-round pick strikes. Even with how disappointing his run with Arizona was, there’s doubt in my mind that he belongs on this list. There’s five tools at his disposal, and he offers as much upside as any prospect in the minors — at least at the higher levels. When the Diamondbacks give him another chance this summer, I’d still be willing to make the roster move.

3. Samuel Basallo, C/1B, Baltimore Orioles

2025 stats: 43 G, .264/.371/.588, 15 HR, 0 SB, 28 BB, 46 SO at Triple-A Norfolk.

Basallo added another homer last week, and also doubled over his last two games as he continues to impress in the International League. Since the start of June, the 20-year-old has excelled with a slash of .352/.435/.722 with six homers over his 14 games. Pretty good. He’s also been playing first base nearly as he has been behind the plate, which suggests the Orioles want to see him at both positions both in the short and long-term. Basallo isn’t guaranteed to get a promotion this summer, but it sure seems likely, and his offensive upside competes with any prospects still in the minors.

4. Harry Ford, C, Seattle Mariners

2025 stats: 56 G, .306/.422/.468, 8 HR, 3 SB, 41 BB, 47 SO at Triple-A Tacoma.

Another catcher? And this time one who is in the same organization as the best catcher in baseball in Cal Raleigh? Have I lost my mind? Probably, but I can explain my rationale. Ford has been one of the best hitters in Triple-A over the last month-plus for an offense that has been inconsistent — at best — in that time frame. Ford is also athletic enough to play in the outfield and first base, and Mitch Garver is currently languishing on the Seattle roster. Seattle would be able to find a way to get Ford at-bats, and the tools are there for him to be a fantasy-relevant player once that takes place.

5. Andrew Painter, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies

2025 stats: 12 G, 47.1 IP, 4.18 ERA, .243 BAA, 18 BB, 58 SO at Low-A Clearwater and Triple-A LeHigh Valley.

Welcome to the list, Andrew. Painter’s numbers aren’t overly impressive, on paper, but they’ve been better as of late; including five innings of two-run baseball with five strikeouts against Triple-A Rochester on Saturday. Honestly, the numbers really don’t mean as much here as they do with other prospects. This is a pitcher with three swing-and-miss pitches from a 6-foot-7 frame, and while he’s battled some command issues this year, there’s no concern that he has the ability to throw strikes at a consistent enough level to be a starter at the highest level. The Phillies are going to be careful with Painter because he’s a hurler who missed the previous two seasons, but he’d be someone I’d roster immediately as soon as Philadelphia made that call.

Around the minors:

The Mariners have one of the best systems in baseball, and Colt Emerson ranks as the top player in the system. He’s played at that level and then some as of late, as he’s hitting .438/.550/.781 with a pair of homers and two stolen bases over his last 10 games. A first-round selection in 2023, Emerson has one of the best potential hit tools in the minors regardless of level, and he’s beginning to tap into solid — perhaps even better — power as well. He has the ability to stick at shortstop, and of all the quality infield prospects Seattle has, he’s the most likely to stay at that position outside of maybe Felnin Celestin. Wherever he plays Emerson’s bat plays as well, and he could be an everyday option for Seattle by the end of 2026.

Alex Freeland was another player that I considered for the fifth spot in this week’s list, and if he played for a different team, he’d probably be up there. The 23-year-old has forged a solid .857 OPS in 2025, but he’s been even better as of late with seven homers over the last month and a .703 slugging percentage over his last 10 games. Freeland has 55-grade (on the 20-80 scouting scale) hit and power tools, and is a solid defender who could play shortstop and third base. As much as Max Muncy has struggled with the glove, it seems likely that the Dodgers would need an injury before he got a chance to play at the highest level. He seems likely to be the future at that position, however, and is someone fantasy managers should do their best to acquire in keeper formats.

If you’re looking for a pitcher that isn’t getting enough attention — and who isn’t? — then you might wanna take a closer look at Henry Baez. In his 14 starts with Double-A San Antonio, Baez has forged a 2.06 ERA, 69/22 K/BB and 1.04 WHIP over 70 innings. The 22-year-old doesn’t possess a pitch that tops the scales, but everything has a chance to be above-average, and his command should be good enough to allow that arsenal to play as a starter; although it could play up in a relief role. Baez should get a chance to face Triple-A hitting soon — a much tougher test to be sure — and if he handles that level with anything close to the level of his success in Double-A, he could be making appearances for San Diego by the end of the year. More than likely he’s a 2026 play, and one who deserves attention in those keeper formats we mentioned with Freeland.

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Season Preview: Men’s Indoor Track and Field Ready to Build off Previous Seasons

Published

46 seconds ago

December 6, 2025

Your Sports Nation

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. The Hartford Men’s Track and Field team is eager to start the upcoming indoor season. The Hawks come off the heels of a Conference Championship a season ago, as well as a 14th place finish in the NCAA Division III New England Championship. The group looks to build on last year’s success to push themselves even further in the 2025-26 season.

Familiar Faces:

Head coach Connor Green comes back for his third year at the helm of both the Men’s and Women’s Track and Field coach. He welcomes back 34 returners who look to make their mark following a successful season last year. Amongst the top returners is sophomore Aidan Lybarger (South Burlington, Vt.) who last year was honored as USTFCCCA Outdoor Track & Field All-Region in Discus, CNE All-Conference First Team (Discus), as well as becoming a school record holder (Outdoor Discus – 52.49 Meters).

“I think we’re going to have a pretty good season overall, especially from the throwers perspective. We all have gotten a lot better from last year which is amazing.” Lybarger said.

Senior Peter Effinger (Washingtonville, N.Y.) is also a key returner for the Hawks, coming off a CNE Academic All-Conference season, a year ago.

“I’d like to go out and have a good season, set some PRs, and hopefully win another championship. Continue with hard training, making good progress in workouts, and trying to get under those milestones.” said Effinger.

Another key returner is junior Thomas Yonkers (Farmington, Conn.), who last season was honored as CNE Academic All-Conference, College Sports Communicators Academic All-District, School Record (Outdoor Pole Vault – 4.25 Meters).

“I think we’re looking to get back to the CNE and win the conference again, and we’re looking like a good team like last year. I’m most excited to see how the freshmen really develop their spots on the team. We’ve got a couple new vaulters, who I’m really excited to see this year in their first college season. ” Yonkers said.

Season Outlook:

The Hawks will begin their season at the Yale invitational on Dec. 6th. Following that event they will take on the Wesleyan University Invitational on Jan. 24th. They will also compete in the John Thomas Terrier Classic at Boston University on Jan. 31st. The Hawks will close out the indoor track and field season at the NCAA Division III New England Championships in Boston at the New England at the Track of New Balance.

For the latest information on Hartford Athletics follow the Hawks on Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube.

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Sports

Kentucky Track and Field Opens 2025-26 Indoor Season at Commodore Winter Challenge – UK Athletics

Published

17 minutes ago

December 6, 2025

Your Sports Nation

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky Wildcats track and field team is set for the start of a new indoor season this Saturday in Nashville, Tenn. at the Commodore Winter Challenge, hosted by Vanderbilt University.

For the first event of the new season, the Wildcats will send 45 total athletes to Nashville, competing across 21 separate events. The travel list for the weekend’s event is highlighted by returners Camden Bentley, Hannah Douglas, Sharmelle Holmes, Stacey Onyepunuka, Kate Powers and Emmi Scales on the women’s side and Grayson Brashear, Patrick Faust, Miles Jones, Devin Sealey and Anthony Waterman on the men’s side.

The Wildcats welcome 40 total newcomers to the 2025-26 roster, including 22 on the men’s side and 18 on the women’s side. Of the 40 new additions, 30 feature as true freshman, looking to make their collegiate debut this weekend for the Wildcats.

During the indoor portion of the 2025-26 schedule, the Wildcats will compete in eight meets, beginning with tomorrow’s event in Nashville. Following the turn of the calendar, Kentucky will host the Rod McCravy Memorial on Jan. 9-10 at the Norton Center in Louisville, Ky.

The final stretch of the regular season for the Cats consists of the Crossroads of America Invitational (Jan. 23-24), Razorback Invitational (Jan. 30-31) and the David Hemery Valentine Invitational and the Tiger Paw Invitational on Feb. 13-14.

For the second consecutive season, the Texas A&M Aggies will play host to the 2026 SEC Indoor Championships at the Fasken Indoor Track & Field Facility in College Station, Texas on Feb. 26-28. The 2025-26 indoor season will conclude on Mar. 13-14 in the Cats’ second trip to Fayetteville, Ark. for the NCAA Championships.

On Saturday in Nashville, Kentucky will compete against fellow SEC programs Tennessee and host Vanderbilt, as well as Arkansas State, Austin Peay, Belmont, Chattanooga, Lipscomb, Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky.

Competition for the Commodore Winter Challenge in Nashville is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. ET, starting with Meagan Ewers, Gwyneth Lori, Kate Powers and Addison Stadsholt representing the Wildcats in the women’s weight throw event.

Event Schedule

Commodore Winter Challenge: Saturday, December 6: ALL TIMES IN EASTERN TIME
Women’s Weight Throw	9:30 a.m.	FINAL	Meagan Ewers, Gwyneth Lori, Kate Powers, Addison Stadsholt
Women’s High Jump	9:30 a.m.	FINAL	Kemarah Howard
Men’s High Jump	9:30 a.m.	FINAL	Devin Sealey
Men’s Long Jump	11:00 a.m.	FINAL	Kingi McNair
Men’s Pole Vault	11:00 a.m.	FINAL	Grant Harrison, Jack Marek
Men’s Weight Throw	11:30 a.m.	FINAL	Grayson Brashear, Brock Conrad, Cian Crampton
Women’s Long Jump	12:30 p.m.	FINAL	Dahlia Beasley, Julia Gunnell, Kemarah Howard, Skyler Reynolds
Women’s 60m Hurdles	1:00 p.m.	PRELIMS	Dahlia Beasley, Camden Bentley, Julia Gunnell, Kashia Hoo, Kori Martin, Rukia Nusra Omulisia, Emmi Scales, Alene Washington
Men’s 60m Hurdles	1:25 p.m.	PRELIMS	Anthony Waterman
Women’s Shot Put	1:30 p.m.	FINAL	Dahlia Beasley, Meagan Ewers, Julia Gunnell, Gwyneth Lori, Addison Stadsholt
Women’s 60m	1:45 p.m.	PRELIMS	Briley Cline, Sharmelle Holmes, Naseera Efua Quansah, Briana St. Louis
Women’s Pole Vault	2:00 p.m.	FINAL	Kaylee Daniel, Annie Murphy, Chelsea Wetzel
Men’s 60m	2:00 p.m.	PRELIMS	Coy Hyre, Miles Jones, Jack Marek, Zyrie Stewart-McLaren, Oscar Baltan Vivero
Men’s 60m Hurdles	2:45 p.m.	FINAL	TBD
Women’s 60m Hurdles	2:55 p.m.	FINAL	TBD
Men’s 60m	3:05 p.m.	FINAL	TBD
Women’s 60m	3:15 p.m.	FINAL	TBD
Men’s/Women’s Triple Jump	3:30 p.m.	FINAL	Theo Mudzengerere
Men’s Shot Put	3:30 p.m.	FINAL	Grayson Brashear, Brock Conrad
Women’s 300m	3:35 p.m.	FINAL	Dahlia Beasley, A’Laji Bradley, Briley Cline, Tressia Davis, Hannah Douglas, Julia Gunnell, Kashia Hoo, JahQueen McClellan, Rukia Nusra Omulisia, Emmi Scales, Briana St. Louis, Alene Washington
Men’s 300m	3:55 p.m.	FINAL	Tyrique Johnson, Brandon Nyandoro, TK Pahuwa, Zyrie Stewart-McLaren, Oscar Baltan Vivero
Women’s 600m	4:15 p.m.	FINAL	Vanice Kerubo Nyagisera
Men’s 600m	4:35 p.m.	FINAL	Patrick Faust
Women’s 4x400m	5:05 p.m.	FINAL	Kentucky
Men’s 4x400m	5:20 p.m.	FINAL	Kentucky

Follow Kentucky Track and Field and Cross Country on Facebook, Instagram, X, and UKathletics.com.

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Cyclones meet St. Thomas for NCAA Volleyball Championship first round – Iowa State Daily

Published

18 minutes ago

December 6, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The Iowa State volleyball team will return to the NCAA Tournament after missing out last season. The No. 23 Cyclones (22-7, 12-6 Big 12) will face the St. Thomas Tommies (21-9, 11-5 Summit League) in the opening round.

“This is the first time I get to experience something like this, and I’m just really happy I get to experience it with this group of girls in this program,” senior middle blocker Tierney Jackson said. “I’m ready to have a long run in Minnesota.”

Iowa State will be participating in its 18th NCAA Tournament, while the Tommies are making their first appearance in program history.

This is the first postseason St. Thomas is eligible to compete in after elevating to the Division I level for the 2021 season. The Tommies won their first Summit League Tournament, making them undefeated in Division I postseason play.

The Tommies secured their NCAA Tournament berth by claiming the Summit League title. St. Thomas defeated No. 1 seed South Dakota State in the Summit League Tournament championship.

The Tommies are the only team to defeat the Jackrabbits over the past two seasons, winning in 2024 and 2025.

The Summit League champion has not won an NCAA Tournament match for 28 seasons. The last tournament victory for the conference came in 1977 — a five-set win for Oral Roberts over Arizona.

The Big 12 does not hold a conference tournament, giving its automatic NCAA bid to the regular-season champion.

No. 8 Arizona State (26-3, 17-1 Big 12) had a near-perfect conference schedule, their one loss coming to the Cyclones on Oct. 31. The Halloween victory was Iowa State’s biggest win of the season.

“I am super excited to make the tournament and continue on our run with my favorite group of girls, and we’re excited to go to Minnesota,” senior setter Morgan Brandt said.

Iowa State team in huddle after loss against Kansas State, Hilton Coliseum, Ames, Iowa, Nov. 29, 2025. (Jaxon Carr)

Brandt was the Big 12 Setter of the Year and leads all active Big 12 players with 3,736 career assists. She also led a Cyclone offense that topped the conference in assists at 13.03 per set.

Iowa State occasionally switched from a 5-1 to give sophomore setter Ava Martin opportunities.

St. Thomas had an impressive nonconference schedule, with its best win coming against Big Ten opponent Northwestern. The Tommies won seven straight matches after defeating Northwestern, a program best since joining Division I.

The match will be played at Minnesota’s Maturi Pavilion, a venue where St. Thomas has already taken a set this season. The Tommies took a set from then-No. 11 Minnesota on Aug. 31, the first set victory against a ranked opponent in program history.

While the Cyclones are favored in this matchup, they have lost their last two matches, while the Tommies have won five straight.

These teams have met once before. In 2021, Iowa State swept St. Thomas in the same building as part of the Diet Coke Classic. The only active player from that match is Iowa State redshirt senior defensive specialist Paula Krzeslak. She has appeared in 94 matches across her Cyclone career.

Both head coaches have led their programs for more than 20 years. Christy Johnson-Lynch is in her 21st season with Iowa State, and Thanh Pham is in his 23rd season at St. Thomas. Pham coached the Tommies to a Division III national championship in 2012, while Johnson-Lynch has guided Iowa State to two Division I regional finals (2008, 2011).

“We never want to take the day for granted,” Johnson-Lynch said. “So we’re excited to get up there and get going.”

St. Thomas will play Iowa State at 4:30 p.m. Friday at Maturi Pavilion and will stream on ESPN+. The winner will advance to face either No. 4 seed Minnesota or Fairfield in the second round Saturday.

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Pilots Open Indoor Season at BU Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener

Published

32 minutes ago

December 5, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Event: BU Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener
Host: Boston University
Date: Saturday, Dec. 6, 2024
Location: Boston University Track and Tennis Center (Boston, Mass.)
Live Results: PortlandPilots.com
Live Video: PortlandPilots.com

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS & PILOTS’ ENTRIES
• Women’s Mile: 9 a.m (PT) | Rose Perotin
• Men’s 3000m: 11:40 a.m (PT) | Mark Milner
• Men’s 5000m: 4:15 p.m (PT) | Jonas Price

THIS WEEK
• The Pilots are set to compete at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener, hosted by Boston University in Boston. They will be represented in three events.
• Live results and video streaming are available on PortlandPilots.com.

Get Your Tickets Now!
Secure your spot now for any upcoming Portland Pilots ticketed home event by visiting PortlandPilots.com/Tickets or by downloading the Portland Pilots App. For group and fan experience package information, email pilotsboxoffice@up.edu.

Donate Today
Fans interested in making a contribution to the Pilot Athletic Fund can do so by clicking here. Your gift directly helps our nearly 300 student-athletes as they strive to make a difference in our community and achieve academic and athletic excellence. Thank you for support of Pilot Athletics!

Follow Along With the Action
Get the latest news and information about your favorite University of Portland athletic programs by visiting PortlandPilots.com. You can also follow along for the most dynamic coverage and team-centric content by following us on Twitter, liking us on Facebook, and following us on Instagram.

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Craig Announces 2025-26 Track & Field Schedule

Published

49 minutes ago

December 5, 2025

Your Sports Nation

ROCK HILL, S.C. — Winthrop Track & Field Head Coach Raffael Craig has unveiled the Eagles 2025-26 indoor and outdoor schedule on Friday, outlining a slate that begins in early December and runs through the end of May.

“I’m proud of the work they have all put in,” said Craig. “This first meet will be a good opportunity to see where we are at heading into the holiday season.”

The Eagles open the indoor season on Dec. 7 at the Visit Winston-Salem College Kick-Off in Winston-Salem, N.C. Winthrop continues at the Gamecock Opener on Jan. 10 in Columbia, S.C., followed by three meets in Tryon, the Tryon International Classic (Jan. 16-17), the Tryon College Banked Invitational – East Coast Elite (Jan. 30), and the Tryon Mid-Winter Collegiate Invite (Feb. 13-14).

The Big South Conference Indoor Championship is scheduled for Feb. 27-28 in Tryon.

Outdoor competition begins with the Big South vs. Southern Conference Challenge on Mar. 20-21 in Asheville, N.C. Winthrop will also compete at the Raleigh Relays (Mar. 26-27) and the VertKlasse Meeting (Apr. 2-3) in High Point, N.C.

The program will host the annual Winthrop Invitational on Apr. 17-18 at the Irwin Belk Complex. The regular season concludes at the Lenoir-Rhyne Open on Apr. 25 in Hickory, N.C.

The Big South Conference Outdoor Championship is set for May 11-13 in High Point, N.C. Qualifiers will advance to the NCAA Championships East First Round, held on May 27-30 in Lexington, Ky.

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Broncos Produce Strong Results in Season-Opening Meet

Published

1 hour ago

December 5, 2025

Your Sports Nation

ALLENDALE, Mich. — Despite having just four student-athletes in action, the Western Michigan track and field team was able to post some strong results at the GVSU Holiday Open earlier today.

Laurine Elisa Marimon stole the show, earning the sixth best triple jump mark in program history. She finished the meet with a top leap of 12.07 meters. The meet was her first in the Brown and Gold.

Sierra Sommers also impressed in her college debut, competing in both the shot put and weight throw. She opened the meet with a weight throw mark of 12.87 meters. She followed that up with a throw of 14.14 meters in the shot put. That was good enough to win the event and just missed a top-10 mark in program history.

Mickaliliah Vassell made her WMU debut by racing in both the 60-meter dash and 60-meter hurdles. She crossed the finish line in a time of 7.89 in the 60m and earned a time of 9.19 in the 60m hurdles.

To conclude the meet, Shannon Gillahan was great in her season debut. She was able to produce a time of 11:07.28 in the 3000-meter run.

UP NEXT

The Broncos will be off until the start of the new year. WMU will be back in action at the Wolverine Invite on Jan. 10.

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