They are 21-13 on the year and lead the National League Central division by three games The Cubs look like an easy pick to win their division and make it back to the playoffs as one of the top three seeds in 2025 A big part of their success has been their offensive output Chicago leads the MLB in runs scored and they have hit the third-most home runs while owning the best batting average in the bigs there is one glaring hole in the lineup and that is at the hot corner The Northsiders began the season with their top prospect Matt Shaw playing third base. In 18 games played, the right-handed batter slashed .172/.294/.241 with one home run, three RBI and 18 strikeouts. His lack of production at the plate was a reason for the Cubs optioning Shaw to Triple-A a few weeks back Vidal Brujan and Gage Workman at third base Justin Turner has played eight innings at the position but he is mainly a platoon player for first base the Cubs have committed the most errors and they have the second-lowest fielding percentage their current third baseman on the Major League roster have slashed .198/.295/.233 with no home runs The good news is the 23-year-old is close to making a return to the MLB Triple-A hitting coach Rick Strickland has stated that Shaw is ready make his return to Wrigley Field “He’s ready. He's ready to go back," Strickland said, per Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register the former first-round draft pick is slashing .302/.455/.442 with one home run four RBI and seven runs scored in seven games played The best part about his game is he has significantly dropped his strikeout rate as he has went down on strikes just four times it was a lot more of a mental reset than anything mechanical It’s just something that he naturally does So getting him back here a little bit allowed him enough time to catch his break and get it back together I would say nothing special as far as mechanical tricks or things we did It’s really probably just getting that mental reset more than anything," Strickland said Getting the mind right is half the battle in baseball The demotion is something that needed to happen and it seems Shaw has been taking it well and improving his game It is always tough to live up to the hype of being the top prospect and making your debut There is no doubt Shaw felt the pressure in his first taste of big league action But he is showing out in Triple-A and Chicago could have him back in the lineup soon CAMERON ZUNKEL The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER Related: , Recruiting Board See how the prospects performed last night Another day of baseball in the books! See the results below. Check out the previous day’s recap here Game 1 - won 6-1 (BOX SCORE) Sugar Land got on the board in the first on a Matthews double play ball they added on 3 runs on a Sacco 2 run double and Corona RBI groundout Gordon got the start and was solid allowing 1 run over 5 innings with 5 strikeouts the offense added back to back homers from Guillorme and Sacco Dubin and Castro tossed scoreless innings as they closed out game one Game 2 - lost 8-2 (BOX SCORE) Walter started game 2 and was solid allowing 3 runs The offense got on the board in the 5th on a Bastidas 2 run HR Round Rock got some insurance off Robertson in the 7th inning scoring 5 runs and the Sugar Land offense was unable to complete the comeback as they fell 8-2 The Hooks got on the board in the first inning on a Cole RBI single Nezuh started for the Hooks and pitched well the first 4 innings butt then allowed 3 runs in the 5th Santa had another good outing in relief striking out 4 over 2 scoreless innings The Missions added another run in the 8th to extend their lead and the Hooks’ offense was quiet the rest of the way as they fell 4-1 True started for Asheville and pitched well striking out 3 over 5 scoreless innings Asheville got on the board in the 4th inning on a Jaworsky RBI single and a run on a passed ball the offense added 3 runs on a Janek 2 run triple and Gonzalez RBI single Santos went the last 4 innings without allowing a run as he closed out the 6-0 win Note: Jaworsky is hitting .250 this season The Woodpeckers got on the board in the first inning scoring 2 runs on a Holy RBI single and a run on a wild pitch They got another run in the third on an error Tredwell started for the Woodpeckers and went 4 innings allowing 4 runs the offense rallied for 5 runs on a Villarroel RBI double Valencia RBI single and Trimble 3 run double Brutcher added some insurance with a 2 run single Gonzalez allowed 1 run over 4.1 innings in relief and Ras closed it out retiring the final two batters AV: Jose Guedez - 2:05 CT NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah weighs in on wide receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter's potential to play both ways in the NFL With the Tennessee Titans set to make the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft on Thursday night I'm providing my final prospect rankings of this draft season The big move at the top is Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter vaulting Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter for the No I've been thinking about making this change for a while and finally decided to move Hunter up one spot I just think there's something special about Hunter's ability to impact the game on both sides of the ball One other notable move is Missouri's Armand Membou overtaking LSU's Will Campbell as my top offensive tackle in the class I still believe it's highly likely Campbell will be the first offensive tackle drafted on Thursday The change is more of a statement about my belief in the upside of Membou the more I see some similarities to a player I was around during my time scouting for the Philadelphia Eagles And just a reminder, up/down arrows reflect movement within the top 50 from my 4.0 rankings Programming note: Tune in for live coverage of Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft beginning at 8 p.m Hunter is a lean, athletic playmaker who starred on both sides of the ball for the Buffaloes, winning the Heisman Trophy in 2024 He has a narrow frame and is a very smooth-flowing athlete he is creative in his release to escape press as a receiver He is constantly changing gears to keep cornerbacks off balance and he never wastes steps at the top of his route He drops his weight and explodes out of the break He can pluck balls well outside his frame with grace and ease He didn’t take as many unnecessary risks at cornerback relying more on discipline and technique to stay in position He can locate the ball and picked it off seven times over the past two seasons My only concern is the question of how long he will be able to physically hold up if he continues to play WR and CB full-time at the professional level I believe there is a way for him to make an impact on both sides of the ball but I don't see that issue having an impact on his draft status Carter can take over and completely wreck an offensive game plan He demands attention on every snap and that is going to free up everyone else around him Graham is a powerful defensive tackle with outstanding leverage and instincts He’s one of the most consistent players in the draft class he has an impressive short-area burst to attack blockers chucks blockers to the side and collects tackles He has lateral range to make plays down the line He is always in a leverage position and never gets uprooted he has a violent club/rip move and a powerful bull rush it’s easy to identify Graham as a former wrestler He always has a full gas tank and he set the tone for the entire Michigan defense.   powerful defender with length and explosiveness He played both on and off the ball in the Georgia defensive scheme He’s also a weapon when used to spy the quarterback He can mirror the QB’s movement before closing the space in a hurry He dominated in the Bulldogs’ first meeting against Texas during the 2024 season but he can attack and take on blocks or scrape over the top for tackles He has outstanding change-of-direction quickness in space Walker is a tone-setter on defense and UGA coaches rave about his makeup and leadership.  Warren is a massive tight end who carried the Penn State offense this past season He doesn’t generate a lot of separation as a route runner but he walls off defenders when on the move Defenders simply can’t get through his body to make plays on the ball He can track the ball over his shoulder and he can high-point the ball when needed He isn’t a nifty option-route type of player defenders bounce off him or go along for a ride as he drags them for extra yardage he creates space with his power and leg drive He's effective in the run game and looks to finish when possible he isn’t as dynamic as Rob Gronkowski was during his career but Warren is a similar player in a lot of ways He has a tremendous feel for option routes and working in space He can cleanly get in/out of breaks and he presents a big target to the quarterback He attacks the ball in the air and is adept at finishing in crowds he has a smooth stride and possesses a nasty stiff-arm His lack of bulk impacts his ability to stay connected as a run blocker Loveland is equipped to make a lot of catches as a starting tight end in his rookie campaign.  compact quarterback with outstanding arm strength and playmaking ability After spending two seasons apiece at Incarnate Word and Washington State he put up monster numbers at the final stop on his college journey becoming a Heisman Trophy finalist at Miami He plays a very free-wheeling brand of football throws from a variety of arm angles and often falls away from the target upon release of the football He can really power the ball into tight windows but his aggressive nature can put points on both sides of the scoreboard He has very quick hands in the RPO game and he can navigate around free rushers by dropping his arm angle He took the free yards with his legs when voids presented themselves in Miami’s spread attack but he’s a very gifted thrower of the football Membou is a thick/square right tackle prospect with long arms he explodes out of his stance and shoots his right hand to stab opponents before reworking both hands to control He does a good job of staying square throughout the down He will give some ground versus power before settling down and stopping the charge He has knock-back power to uproot defenders over his nose While some teams might view him as a guard I have no doubt he’s a starting-caliber tackle after getting a chance to see him compete in person He is just scratching the surface of his potential and should start at tackle for a decade Campbell is a tall, rangy and explosive linebacker. He was recruited to Alabama as an edge rusher but initially moved to linebacker because of the Crimson Tide’s depth on the edges (SEE: Will Anderson Jr. and Dallas Turner he played both off the ball and on the edge he doesn’t possess elite instincts but offers excellent speed and physicality He can range sideline to sideline and flashes the ability to thump off blockers and collect tackles on inside runs He displays exciting tools in his pass-rush opportunities off the edge He also grew more comfortable in coverage throughout the 2024 season He anticipates routes and positions himself to make plays on the ball Campbell underwent left shoulder surgery this spring and teams are a little bit divided on how that will impact his draft position Campbell expands the playbook for defensive coordinators and his best football is ahead of him he likes to press the hole early before deciding to stay inside or bounce out wide He has enough speed to capture the corner when he gets to the perimeter He’s a loose runner and has make-you-miss ability in space He has an impressive blend of power and balance on contact He will occasionally run up the back of blockers he is quick to sort and attack blitzers with a sharp Hampton has the size and tools to be an effective starter right away.  He spends a lot of time operating out of the slot He can defeat press coverage with quickness or strength He understands how to tempo routes and sets up defenders down the field He can change gears when the ball goes up and he tracks it naturally He does a nice job of staying grounded through the catch when working on crossers He has the utmost confidence in his ball skills he is very strong/sturdy to pull through tackles and he can make defenders miss in space I love his temperament on the field -- he plays with an edge but he’s a natural football player and a quarterback’s best friend Emmanwori is a massive safety prospect with ideal instincts and ball skills He can consistently undercut routes and take the ball away in those roles He had multiple pick-sixes in the games I studied He does have a little tightness that shows up in man coverage He doesn’t see/react as well at that depth he is aggressive to fill and he’s a strong tackler on the front side He will have some run-by misses when chasing from the back side Emmanwori will be a difference-maker provided the team that drafts him deploys him close to the action.  Johnson is a big cornerback with easy/fluid movement skills and excellent instincts. He played outside and in the slot at Michigan. In off coverage, he’s very smooth and relaxed. He doesn’t panic, settles on routes and can find/play the ball. He had an impressive flat-footed read against USC that he turned into a pick-six He has the size/length to press and match up with bigger wideouts The two issues that showed up in his 2024 game tape were inconsistency as a support player against the run and questions about his deep speed He wasn’t ultra-aggressive to attack ball-carriers and he was run over multiple times He did not alleviate any concerns about his speed by declining to run a 40-yard dash at the combine and his workout this spring. Overall Johnson won't be a fit for man-heavy teams but he will be attractive for squads that play a lot of zone coverage He’s still a perfect fit for a gap-scheme team with a power running game McMillan is a tall, rangy receiver with a Drake London-like skill set He lacks ideal suddenness or burst in his release His tape is littered with contested catches Some of that spawns from an inability to consistently create separation but it’s also because he’s so comfortable using his plus size to win 50/50 balls He has outstanding body control and high-point skills His catch radius is a real weapon in the red zone He’s been productive after the catch because of his strength and physicality I thought London played with more urgency as a prospect but McMillan has the potential to provide a similar impact at the next level Sanders is a slightly undersized quarterback with outstanding touch He operates out of the ‘gun and is crisp in his footwork/setup He really keeps his left arm tucked close to his body He relies more on timing and anticipation than pure velocity He isn’t a sudden/twitchy mover when pressured and that’s part of the reason why he took so many sacks over the past two seasons he hangs in the pocket and doesn’t drop his eyes to see the rush but he can find success in an offense based on timing and ball placement Green was an ultra-explosive and productive edge rusher for the Thundering Herd He jumped on the radar with an outstanding performance against Ohio State in September and continued to dominate through the entire campaign He’s continued to add weight over the last year and checked in at over 250 pounds at the Reese’s Senior Bowl he has an excellent get-off and he can convert speed to power He has quick hands and wins with a dip/rip on the edge but he gets a little too reliant on them at times I love his effort to keep working and refuse to stay blocked he knocks back tight ends at the point of attack and he can pop/separate to free himself for tackles Green is a very gifted pass rusher and more than holds his own against the run Williams is a talented edge rusher with rare physical traits he suffered an injury in the opening game against Clemson and played through pain for the remainder of the season he has a dynamic get-off and can win early from the edge or when he’s reduced inside He has extremely long arms and blockers struggle to get to his chest He has a nasty shake/bull move and he also flashes a violent swipe move to generate pressure he still found a way to set a physical edge even when he couldn’t put much weight on one leg because of his injury the 2024 tape isn’t a fair representation of Williams’ talent He has game-changing tools when healthy and locked in.  He generates a lot of pressures but struggles to finish in the passing game That’s why his low sack total (4.5 in three seasons) is misleading He has a very explosive first step and uses his long-arm move to run offensive tackles back to the passer He bends well at the top of his rush for such a big edge defender He has an outstanding closing burst once he clears the tackle He does need to add more moves to his arsenal but I guarantee defensive line coaches are going to be lining up to work with him he can easily set the edge and he has the speed to chase and make plays on the back side I’m sure some will struggle to see past the limited sack total but there is just too much talent here to fall into that trap.  disruptive defensive tackle with excellent instincts he has quick hands to knock away the punch of opposing linemen He also has a club/rip move that helps him collect early wins but I’d like to see more of it because it’s effective he’s very aware and avoids getting displaced by down blocks He can anchor down versus double-teams and he excels at shooting gaps to disrupt and redirect runners Harmon has a great feel for the game and can create a lot of havoc despite lacking an elite trait.  Starks split his time between nickelback and safety in the Bulldogs' defense. When he was in the slot, he showed quick feet with the ability to flip his hips and mirror underneath. To see him at his best, watch him carry a vertical route, stay in phase and high-point a deep ball against Clemson and he’s had wins and losses because of it He was caught flat-footed a few times in the games I studied he takes good angles in pursuit and is a firm tackler in space Sources at Georgia speak very highly of his character His intelligence and leadership ability have blown NFL teams away in meetings Starks didn’t make as many plays this past season as he did in 2023 but he has the versatility to move around the field and provide a lot of value.  Zabel is a versatile offensive lineman with excellent toughness and awareness but he has played four O-line positions during his collegiate career I believe he’s best suited to play guard at the next level His lack of length shows up on the perimeter but he still possesses the core strength and balance to stall their push He shows the savvy to snatch rushers when they get overextended I love his ability to fit up and drive defenders in the run game I see Zabel as a Day 1 starter at guard.  he launches out of his stance and shows the ability to sink and bend his knees He keeps his hands inside and is patient with his punch it’s because he sets up too deep or his feet settle too early but he doesn’t always strain to drive/finish He is nimble to adjust and pick off defenders at the second level and on the perimeter but I like his core foundation of strength/agility.  Nolen is a twitchy defensive tackle who fits best in a penetrating style of defense Ole Miss slanted him quite often in its defensive scheme and he created some early wins versus the run and pass he can really get off the ball with urgency and roll his hips to jolt blockers He flashes a violent hump move and can redirect with ease He needs to improve his vision and awareness He wins a lot of battles but fails to win the war because of his inability to locate the ball he can generate negative plays for the offense by shooting gaps Nolen is extremely talented and disruptive but he hasn’t come close to reaching his potential he could emerge as one of the better players in this draft class.  athletic tight end with excellent quickness but he also flexed out in the slot and took a few reps on the outside hauling in balls above his head as well as below his knees but he is a smooth mover and can find another gear when the ball is in the air he can pull through tackles or make defenders miss in space Taylor has the ability to be a Day 1 starter with high-volume production Ezeiruaku is a compact edge rusher with outstanding length he has a very quick first step and gets on top of blockers in a hurry He excels at prying open the outside shoulder and cornering toward the quarterback He has a full array of moves to complement his speed rush He’s an outstanding finisher (16.5 sacks in 2024) he needs to be more consistent using his length to stack blocks He takes them on with his shoulder too often He shows solid effort on the back side to chase plays Ezeiruaku has an ideal body type to rush the passer and he has all the tricks in his bag to win against good players.  Grant is a massive defensive tackle with intriguing quickness and power He’s very much a work in progress as a pass rusher He flashes quick/violent hands to club/swim for wins but far too often doesn’t have a plan and stalls out He hasn’t learned to harness his strength to bull rush and consistently collapse the pocket That should be at the top of his agenda this coming season I love his effort and awareness to chase down screens If you want to see what Grant is capable of watch Michigan’s game against USC from the 2024 season he couldn’t bottle that performance during an up-and-down season but his physical tools are very loud and worth the investment.  Henderson is a muscled-up runner with elite speed and versatility He is patient to the hole before exploding through with high knees He has long speed to destroy pursuit angles once he gets into the open field his feet stop when met at or near the line of scrimmage He has the lower-body strength to power through if he keeps driving his feet he runs a wide variety of routes with quickness and savvy He is quick to identify blitzers and attack them sometimes well after the ball has been caught down the field The Volunteers moved him around in their scheme and he created havoc from a variety of entry points His first three steps are very explosive when he’s rushing off the edge he can generate a lot of pocket push with his bull rush he exposes the lack of athleticism along the interior of offensive lines They clear the runway for him and he goes to work His pressure rate stands out among his peers in this class he plays bigger than his weight would suggest Pearce has double-digit sack potential and should make an immediate impact in the league athletic cornerback with ideal play speed and fluidity he incorporates a one-hand jam before turning and carrying vertical routes he likes to settle and catch receivers at the break point He’ll need to play cleaner with his hands down the field at the next level he rolled back to play in the middle of the field versus certain formations/motions but he was late to diagnose and react from that alignment He’s willing in run support and is a dynamic blitzer He was limited to seven games this past season due to a shoulder injury He had a very productive 2023 season (five interceptions) but wasn’t targeted much in the games I studied from this past year Hairston offers an enticing blend of movement skills and production Dart has slightly below-average height and a thick/sturdy frame He’s an excellent athlete and was very productive in Lane Kiffin’s offensive system He has the touch to get the ball up and down at the second level He flashed the ability to get deeper in his progression but the first or second option was usually open His eyes work fast and there are occasions where his feet fail to catch up but he has enough to drive the ball outside the numbers without issue His decision-making continued to improve throughout his college career I love his athleticism and competitiveness as a runner He can create off-script and execute on designed QB runs but he possesses starter traits and his competitiveness will endear him to his teammates.   He was having an outstanding 2024 campaign before suffering a season-ending knee injury in October He can easily redirect and plays with a wide/firm base He uses a sharp punch before steering and controlling defenders but he’s nimble enough to redirect and recover stays on his feet and maintains leverage/position What he put on tape this fall should generate plenty of optimism about his chances of becoming a quality starting left tackle in the NFL.  but he’s competent as a screen/checkdown option and he’s aware in pass protection He’s at his best in the four-minute offense He closed out the Penn State game with one punishing run after another but he is a natural runner and he’s built to carry a full load as a starter.   Conerly has an athletic frame with solid bulk and long arms he pops out of his stance with quick feet and is patient with his hands He can cut off speed rushers and effectively redirect versus counters He does have some hip tightness and lacks ideal sink and bend he fits well initially but needs to improve his ability to stay attached and finish He plays under control at the second level and out in space but he has the tools to develop into a solid starter in time Schwesinger is an ultra-instinctive linebacker with range and cover ability dipping underneath and avoiding them with quickness He struggles to free himself when he’s forced to engage blocks He is smooth and fluid in coverage and has the agility to mirror/match tight ends and running backs Schwesinger isn’t the most imposing figure but he’s going to rack up production because of his blend of speed and instincts.  but I was impressed with his overall competitiveness at tackle He is more than functional at that position but I see him as a top-tier guard.   He split five seasons between three different schools (Louisiana leading Ole Miss with 13 pass breakups in 2024 but he plays with excellent instincts and ball skills He can play the ball with his back to the quarterback as well as any cornerback in this draft The only real question I had about his game was his top-end speed and he alleviated those concerns with a 4.43-second 40-yard dash at the combine he utilizes a long-arm move to notch wins in the backfield He has climbed up the rankings this offseason with an awesome performance in the Reese’s Senior Bowl game and an impressive showing at the combine He had a history of strong production before suffering a season-ending injury in October with a fluid pedal and excellent awareness He understands down-and-distance situations settling and closing without wasting any movement He can effortlessly flip his hips and run with vertical routes but he will lose his balance at times and get beat early in the down sticking his chest into ball-carriers to get them on the ground Morrison has the tools to emerge as a quality starting cornerback provided he returns to full health.  He was a highly productive pass rusher at Purdue (10 sacks in 2023) before joining Texas A&M for the 2024 season He also possesses a nifty inside spin and an effective chop/rip move to win one-on-one matchups He is very stout/strong as a run defender and plays with effort he lacks elite traits but he’s very instinctive Savaiinaea was a massive offensive lineman for Arizona playing right tackle for the bulk of the last two seasons I’m projecting him inside to guard at the next level he plays with a wide base and strong/firm hands he is still able to absorb power rushers after giving some ground His issues redirecting at tackle should be mitigated with a move inside he can wash defenders down the line and he’s quick to the second level Savaiinaea is a starting-caliber guard right now and there will be more upside as he continues to develop.  he uses his length to stack and control blockers He plays with balance and he’s adept at throwing his hip at the double team to hold his ground He is an older prospect as a sixth-year senior but I believe he will be a Day 1 impact player on all three downs but he can jolt offensive tackles once he gets to their chest with his length He annihilates tight ends every time he’s matched up with them Tuimoloau is a steady player on tape and should be ready to make an impact right away in the NFL Noel is a compact slot receiver with outstanding quickness and toughness and he can tap into another gear with the ball in his hands I love the overall urgency he plays with in all facets of the game Everyone around the Iowa State program raves about his work ethic and competitiveness Noel has the traits to become a playmaking slot receiver as soon as he arrives in the NFL Seattle third-round quarterback Jalen Milroe entered the NFL with an enticing athletic profile but lingering questions about his accuracy as a passer It's something the rookie is already out to correct The Baltimore Ravens drafted Tyler Loop in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft Longtime kicker Justin Tucker is under investigation for potential improper conduct The Los Angeles Rams remain one of the potential landing spots for star corner Jalen Ramsey Sean McVay didn't downplay the club's interest in a reunion NFL.com keeps you up to date with all of the latest league news from around the NFL Visit NFL.com's transaction hub for a daily breakdown who was facing criminal charges stemming from a fatal car accident in December his attorney and the college confirmed on Sunday A report released by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office said Lacy had been found dead after crashing his car during a pursuit The report said Lacy had apparently taken his own life “It is with profound sorrow that we confirm the tragic passing of Kyren Lacy. First and foremost, we ask that the public and the media give his family the space and time they need to grieve this unimaginable loss in peace,” Lacy’s attorney, Matthew Ory, told ESPN Lacy, who led LSU in receiving touchdowns with nine last season, had declared for this month’s NFL draft. But his sports career had been overshadowed by his alleged involvement in a incident in December that killed a 78-year-old man in Louisiana Lacy was allegedly driving recklessly – speeding and passing in a no-passing zone – when a motorist who was swerving to avoid Lacy’s Dodge Charger crashed head-on into another vehicle Authorities said Lacy fled the scene of the crash without calling for help felony hit-and-run and reckless operation of a vehicle Ory told ESPN that he was “very confident the evidence He added that “we will be demanding a full and transparent review of how this investigation was conducted and why.” encouraged parents to monitor their children’s mental health “Our lives have changed forever and this will never be ok, but God needed my baby more than he was needed here,” Kenny Lacy wrote “This has to be the biggest pill our families have had to swallow but I know the love and compassion in our families will get us through.” Lacy played in 12 games for LSU last season and was second on the team in catches with 58 and yards receiving with 866. He declared for the NFL draft just days after December’s incident but slipped down many teams’ draft boards after the fatal crash and did not play in LSU’s victory over Baylor in the Texas Bowl on 31 December playStephen A.: Cooper Flagg 'is the total package' (1:08)Stephen A Smith and Carlos Boozer give their thoughts on Cooper Flagg declaring for the NBA draft It has been a month since the last update of ESPN's Top 100 big board, and plenty has changed ahead of the 2025 NBA draft, including the final two weekends of the NCAA tournament and the first camp of the predraft process -- the Portsmouth (Virginia) Invitational Tournament International league regular seasons are wrapping up in the coming weeks and European prospects are jockeying for playoff positioning as they are about to play some of the most important contests of their career to this point As the draft's early-entry deadline approaches on Saturday ESPN draft analysts Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo have gotten a better sense of how this class will look after more than a dozen prospects in our Top 100 rankings have signaled their intent to decline entering the draft altogether with more expected to withdraw their names from consideration by the NCAA's withdrawal deadline on May 28 The NBA draft combine in Chicago in mid-May will offer even more insight into how the top 10 picks We've spent significant time on the road in recent weeks alongside scouts allowing us to take the league's temperature and better gauge how front offices view this group overall here's a look at our updated Top 100 rankings Notes: True shooting percentage (TS%) is a formula that blends field goal percentage with free throw shooting and 3-point shooting into one catchall ratio Height: 6-9 | Age: 18.3 | TS%: 60.0% | PR: 1 Flagg declared for the draft Monday which didn't come as a surprise considering his draft projection and that a potential sophomore season could cost him millions on the final year of his NBA career depending on how the league's salary cap evolves over time Flagg had a spectacular season, improbably exceeding every expectation placed on him in the preseason, creating zero questions around whom the No. 1 pick will be on draft night. Just the fourth freshman to win the Wooden Award as the most outstanding player in college basketball Flagg brought exceptional competitiveness and defensive versatility while impacting the game in every facet shouldered significant shot-creation responsibility and made everyone around him better with his passing and unselfishness The only question now is how long it will take for Flagg to turn whichever team is lucky enough to draft him No something we'd bet on happening sooner rather than later based on what we learned about him this past season Height: 6-6 | Age: 19.1 | TS%: 59.3% | PR: 2 Harper enters the predraft process projecting solidly as the No. 2 pick, with NBA teams drawn to his size and all-around skill set. His versatility could make him a good fit even for teams with multiple ball handlers, having drawn comparisons from scouts to Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham Teams in search of star power would likely be thrilled to select Harper after Flagg comes off the board, as he offers both a level of safety as well as significant upside. He fits a high-value mold as a jumbo playmaker who can play in ball screens, finish in the paint and create shots for himself and others. That much was evident despite Rutgers' losing season (15-17) There are areas for Harper to polish -- his jump shooting defensive effort and consistency leave room for growth and will determine what level he can reach But it should be tough to pass on all he brings to the table at No considering his readiness for the NBA relative to the prospects ranked below him play1:06Who does Dylan Harper remind scouts of?Rutgers' Dylan Harper reminds NBA draft analyst Jeremy Woo of Cade Cunningham and Jalen Brunson Height: 6-10 | Age: 18.6 | TS%: 54.0% | PR: 3 Bailey, who was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team and All-Big Ten third team, announced Wednesday he will declare for the draft Where Bailey gets picked will come down in large part to how the lottery shapes up as he is a little more polarizing than some of the other prospects currently slated for the top of this draft class This is due to his extreme contrast of strengths and weaknesses possibly requiring more work to be done on his part in the predraft process Strong workouts and interviews will surely be key components of his sales pitch teams will have to think twice about passing up a big explosive wing in his mold who offers All-Star potential with exceptional shot-making prowess and overall scoring instincts The 18-year-old had ups and downs this season but he is one of the draft's best shooters and brings insatiable aggressiveness and a strong defensive motor Height: 6-5 | Age: 19.7 | TS%: 56.1% | PR: 4 had a largely successful season showing off his explosive physical tools strong intensity and rapidly improving skill level as a ball handler Edgecombe is the most explosive athlete in this class has a real feel for the game and has had exceptional defensive moments giving him significant upside to grow into NBA teams will want to get a better feel for what position he best projects to play in the long term and just how good a shot creator and shotmaker he can become scouts are bullish on what they saw during both his season at Baylor and with the Bahamas senior national team in the FIBA Olympic qualifying tournament in Spain last summer Height: 6-4 | Age: 18.5 | TS%: 57.0% | PR: 7 Fears moves up two spots on our board from our last check-in as he has created significant buzz in NBA circles based on conversations we've had with scouts and executives at recent events such as the Nike Hoop Summit NCAA Final Four and Portsmouth Invitational Fears is rapidly progressing physically and athletically upside and fluidity and creativity with the ball will cause every team in the top seven to want a take a deep look at him in the predraft process to make sure they aren't missing out on significant star potential NBA teams say Fears' star power will be hard to pass up in the middle portion of the lottery even for teams that have established point guard options in place shotmaking and scoring instincts make him one of the draft's most talented prospects either to create opportunities for teammates dishing on the move finish skillfully in the lane or get to the free throw line in bunches Height: 6-6 | Age: 19.1 | TS%: 56.1% | PR: 5 Johnson moved the needle quite a bit for NBA front offices this season coupling high-level shotmaking ability with solid positional tools and a strong competitive nature proving himself as a shooter (39.7% from 3 and 87.1% from the line) at Texas amid a heavy workload There are questions for Johnson to answer in the predraft process that will play a role in where he is selected: Scouts wonder at times how directly his ball-dominant style translates to winning and whether he'll be willing to defer and play more of a secondary scoring role in the NBA Those concerns were abetted by the fact he shot 44.9% on 2-point attempts this season particularly for a player with his usage level placing greater significance on whether Johnson can be efficient sharpen his shot selection and learn to make teammates better Johnson's youth and demonstrable talent will make him an attractive lottery target How he handles the interview and workout circuit will be an important factor in determining whether he can move into the top five Height: 6-6 | Age: 18.8 | TS%: 59.8% | PR: 6 Although Jakucionis' individual play tailed off a bit as the season went on NBA teams remain quite interested in everything he brings to the table as one of the more polished playmakers in the class His adjustment to an enormous role at Illinois as well as the physical and demanding Big Ten schedule His struggles with turnovers and consistency weren't altogether surprising but it's not easy to find young lead guards with his mix of size vision and toughness -- traits that have kept him in the lottery mix Three-point shooting will be one area in which Jakucionis might be able to help himself on the predraft circuit: He has historically been average (31.8% at Illinois; 36% the year before but that might be deflated in part by the number of challenging shots he takes with his excellent free throw shooting perhaps a better indicator of his shooting potential Height: 7-2 | Age: 18.5 | TS%: 74.7% | PR: 8 was named to the ACC All-Rookie team and played some of his best basketball in his final month at Duke His ability to anchor a defense with his 7-foot-6 wingspan and provide vertical spacing as a roller and cutter while sprinting the floor aggressively in transition will be attractive to any team looking for a center to build around long-term Maluach is one of the draft's youngest prospects and has considerable room for growth both physically and skill-wise He plays with tremendous intensity and is beloved by coaches and teammates alike thanks to the unique off-court intangibles he offers which leaves room for optimism regarding his ability to reach his potential Height: 6-7 | Age: 19.7 | TS%: 64.8% | PR: 9 Knueppel's unusual reliability for a player his age and outstanding shooting profile (40.6% from 3 and 91.4% from the free throw line) make him an attractive lottery target with his skill set adding value in most team contexts but he also acquitted himself well in other areas at Duke Teams will be intrigued to see how Knueppel measures physically at the draft combine with concerns about his projection stemming largely from his average athletic profile on the wing Knueppel makes the most of what he has defensively through consistent effort and good instincts but he lacks ideal agility and length by NBA standards He'll also have an opportunity to showcase the breadth of his offensive skills and long-term upside as a scorer in workouts something that wasn't always obvious at Duke because of his role within the offense Height: 6-10 | Age: 20.3 | TS%: 60.0% | PR: 10 Queen established himself as one of the best freshmen in college basketball, delivering a signature moment in March with his buzzer-beating winner against Colorado State to send Maryland to the Sweet 16 There's little doubt about his offensive talent with the ability to handle and create mismatches placing him a cut above the other bigs in this class He has also demonstrated an ever-improving ability to shoot from long range something scouts we've spoken with feel he can develop noting his touch and skill level with the ball The biggest question teams have entering the predraft process hinges on whether they can get more out of Queen on the defensive end and where his size and athletic gifts are below-average by NBA standards He might need to win some teams over in the interview process where front offices will want to get a feel for his personality and the likelihood he can improve his habits on that side of the ball and make a sufficient adjustment in the pros Teams in search of frontcourt help have to think hard about whether to draft him early on play1:42Maryland's Derik Queen announces NBA decisionMaryland big man Derik Queen joins Scott Van Pelt to announce his intention to enter the NBA draft Height: 6-8 | Age: 19.8 | TS%: 64.0% | PR: 11 Murray-Boyles will be an interesting case study for teams drafting in the middle part of the first round because the extreme contrasts between his strengths and weaknesses mean he will be a better fit for certain teams Analytics-heavy teams will be intrigued by how well he rates in their draft models especially since he doesn't turn 20 until mid-June Others might be concerned about his lack of size and 3-point shooting prowess as well as the fact his Gamecocks team struggled in SEC play as they were clearly overmatched from a talent perspective Murray-Boyles told ESPN last week that he has focused on improving his 3-point shooting and has made gains in that department which could alleviate some of the scouts' concerns Height: 6-9 | Age: 19.1 | TS%: 51.3% | PR: 12 Demin ultimately helped his draft stock by deciding to test himself at the college level flashing his high-level passing at his size while playing point guard full time The early-season buzz around Demin cooled because of his struggles as a perimeter shooter and on the defensive end issues that he'll need to address on the workout circuit But he still has fans in front offices drawn to the mix of skills and versatility he might provide over time and the allure of developing a big playmaker who can play multiple positions will keep him front of mind in the early-to-middle part of the first round Height: 6-3 | Age: 19.5 | TS%: 63.2% | PR: 13 It has been quite a rise for Richardson over the past few months with him entering the season not squarely on the one-and-done radar and becoming a consensus first-round pick as his role grew at Michigan State There is a range of opinions on Richardson around the league -- not everyone views him as a strong lottery candidate -- but his heady efficient backcourt play has earned him looks early in the draft Teams will want to get a better feel for his creation skills and ability to play on the ball in upcoming workouts to assess whether he projects as a starter or as more of a utility combo guard in the long run Height: 6-10 | Age: 18.3 | TS%: 61.8% | PR: 18 There's still time to join or create a league in the No Your league starts fresh on the first scoring period following your draft Create or join a fantasy basketball league on ESPN Sign up today! Essengue is nearing the home stretch of his season with four games remaining until the BBL playoffs start He has been notably productive over the past six weeks going 12-for-31 (39%) from 3-point range over the past 10 games which is encouraging considering all the other ways he impacts the game and the fact that he doesn't turn 19 until December Essengue creates matchup problems every time he steps on the floor getting off the floor quickly for dunks and offensive rebounds and often being tasked with guarding point guards thanks to his quick feet and outstanding length finishes effectively around the rim despite his slight frame leaking out in transition and finding teammates with intelligent passes NBA teams are now focusing their attention en masse on international prospects such as Essengue especially when the playoffs start in mid-May Height: 6-7 | Age: 19.5 | TS%: 53.6% | PR: 14 McNeeley enters the predraft process needing to solidify his perimeter shooting in workouts making just 31.7% of his 3-pointers at UConn during an overall solid season passing and positional size are all attractive qualities to slot into an eventual role NBA teams appreciate McNeeley's feel and toughness but without exceptional physical tools for a wing making shots at a high level (something he often did in high school) is imperative to him carving out a solid role at the next level This is something he'll have an opportunity to address as he looks to firm up his candidacy in the late lottery with some teams viewing him as more of a late-first-round option Height: 6-8 | Age: 19.1 | TS%: 53.8% | PR: 15 Riley is viewed by NBA teams as a significant long-term talent He is a versatile scorer with outstanding shot-making prowess from all over the floor who shows impressive flashes of ability creating shots for himself and others He also has polished scoring instincts and creativity as a passer Riley told ESPN he gained 22 pounds last summer and fall before the start of the season and is focused on carefully adding more bulk in the coming months so people haven't quite seen how good of an athlete I actually am yet," Riley said and then back again in the evening." -- Givony Height: 6-11 | Age: 18.4 | TS%: 60.8% | PR: 17 Beringer is in the final games of his regular season in the Adriatic League with Cedevita with some important games scheduled before the playoffs start in mid-May The Slovenian league playoffs will also be conducted between May 7 and June 3 creating a busy calendar for someone who has already played 51 games and counting Beringer has been more impactful for Cedevita than his raw numbers would suggest He leads the Adriatic League in block percentage by a wide margin and has the best on/off numbers of any of his team's big men combined with his ability to cover ground on the perimeter switch onto smaller players and protect the rim especially since he has been playing basketball for only three years Height: 6-5 | Age: 18.8 | TS%: 49.4% | PR: 16 Traore's Saint-Quentin team has hit a recent skid The 18-year-old has been up and down all season but also shows flashes of brilliance with his ballhandling Few players in this class can manipulate ball-screens and make pick-and-roll reads like Traore can at his size and the fact that he makes 3s at solid volume and has made strides defensively leaves room for optimism regarding how he'll continue to evolve He's certainly not ready to carry a heavy load for a winning NBA team anytime soon but he has undeniable talent with the ball in his hands and real scoring and playmaking prowess that can be tapped into long-term Height: 7-0 | Age: 20.9 | TS%: 56.6% | PR: 19 Wolf established himself as one of the most unique players in the college game this season shouldering significant playmaking responsibilities for his size He ignited fast breaks pushing off the defensive glass passed and finished skillfully with both hands creativity and versatility stood out to NBA scouts all season -- raising his standing considerably as a pro prospect Private workouts will now help determine just how high he ends up being drafted but he has quite a few fans both among analytics-oriented evaluators as well as traditional eye-test scouts who appreciate his intriguing skill set play0:16Danny Wolf puts the moves on AuburnDanny Wolf shakes Johni Broome with a slick move and finishes strong to spark Michigan Height: 6-8 | Age: 19.3 | TS%: 59.9% | PR: 20 Bryant is well-positioned as a potential riser over the next couple months with the type of profile that tends to fare well in workout settings He is an above-average athlete with a strong frame for his position and had some strong moments in the second half of the season in a low-usage off-ball role that showcased his improving feel and defensive versatility It might take him some time to become a positive contributor in the NBA but he has plenty of fans in front offices and could work his way closer to the lottery with a strong predraft process Height: 6-11 | Age: 19.5 | TS%: 62.0% | PR: 21 Following a productive season at Georgia that helped showcase his motor Newell will have an opportunity to move up the board via his upcoming workouts Newell was confined to more of an interior role in college leading the Bulldogs in scoring and rebounding but he will likely be best suited physically for power forward in the NBA Becoming more comfortable on the perimeter and improving his outside shooting (29% from 3) will be important areas for him in the predraft process where teams will want to get a better feel for the versatility he might develop Height: 6-7 | Age: 19.2 | TS%: 51.5% | PR: 22 Gonzalez has seen an uptick in minutes in the ACB in recent weeks just as Real Madrid enters the playoff portion of the EuroLeague schedule He has looked the part when given the opportunity but playing time has been difficult to come by as a whole this season for the teenager on one of the most ambitious teams in European basketball It's not difficult to see what made Gonzalez such a highly regarded prospect helping him build a résumé as one of the top prospects in international basketball in FIBA youth competitions and junior club competition He is an explosive athlete with a strong frame who brings defensive versatility high-level intensity and winning qualities on both ends of the floor He wreaks havoc in passing lanes and as a rim protector while moving the ball unselfishly and flying out energetically in transition It's unclear when Gonzalez will be able to complete the mandatory portions of the NBA draft combine with the way Real Madrid's schedule is shaping up as his team could be playing up until days before the draft on June 25 Height: 6-6 | Age: 19.0 | TS%: 52.0% | PR: 23 Ulm and Saraf are attempting to secure first place in the BBL standings as well as home-court advantage throughout the playoffs Finishing on a strong note would be helpful for Saraf struggling at times with turnovers and scoring efficiency against higher-level competition Saraf nevertheless brings an impressive combination of size showing supreme timing and creativity operating in the pick-and-roll His sharp basketball instincts manifest themselves in every part of the game With the college basketball season in the rearview NBA scouts will turn their attention to international prospects such as him especially when the playoffs in the European leagues start in mid-May Height: 6-10 | Age: 19.3 | TS%: 58.7% | PR: 24 At this stage, it appears unlikely Sorber will participate in on-court workouts during the process as he recovers from a foot injury that ended his freshman season at Georgetown. He faces an interesting stay-or-go decision as the NCAA withdrawal deadline on May 28 approaches with limited opportunity to further move the needle in workouts and the option open to return to school and improve his standing for 2026 Sorber's productivity and impact as a scorer and defender earmarked him for NBA teams as a one-and-done candidate particularly those drawn to his analytics profile it could feasibly take some type of first-round assurance to keep him in the draft Height: 6-6 | Age: 20.6 | TS%: 60.9% | PR: 25 Clifford appears well-positioned going into the predraft process and should be a popular workout target for NBA teams in need of plug-and-play depth He stands to benefit from what could be a thin mix of late-first and early-second-round candidates with teams bracing for a wave of players in that range potentially opting to return to college for potentially major NIL earnings Clifford should be able to contribute defensively and scale down into a useful role on his rookie contract and the dearth of reliable two-way wings in this class adds to his appeal is 'a bucket getter'Seth Greenberg and Kendrick Perkins examine Walter Clayton Jr.'s future as a professional basketball player Jonathan Givony is an NBA draft expert and the founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com a private scouting and analytics service used by NBA Jeremy Woo is an NBA analyst specializing in prospect evaluation and the draft He was previously a staff writer and draft insider at Sports Illustrated PHOENIX − What if he never hits a home run his entire major league career What if he never drives in more than 50 runs in a season But….what if  Chandler Simpson changes the complete baseball landscape exploiting his surreal speed and uncanny ability to get on base allowing us to view and appreciate the game as if we’re turning the clock back a quarter-century ago “I feel like God gave me the gift to motivate and inspire other generations that come after me I’ve heard it my whole life about the little power I have But you don’t have to hit home runs in this home-run era There’s other stuff that I can do well on the field that can make make up for it “I want to prove that you can make it to the big leagues And, oh, does Simpson ever know speed. Simpson, called up to the major leagues with the Tampa Bay Rays last week He has already turned routine ground balls to second base and one-hoppers to first base into hits He once scored from second base on a routine sacrifice fly in college He was timed running to first base in just 3.88 seconds by scouts last week He stole 104 bases last season in 121 attempts at Class AA and Triple-A becoming the first player to steal 100 bases in a minor league season since 2012 and only the third to accomplish the feat in the last 20 years “It gets me real hyped because I know that when I get on there actually may be one way to keep him from stealing … “We were sitting around talking about how we can keep him from stealing bases if he gets on,’’ Arizona Diamondbacks veteran reliever Shelby Miller said “We decided the best way may be to just throw over to first base three times it’s just a balk and doesn’t count as a stolen base.’’ who faced him last week: “He’s an absolute game-changer with his speed He’s like (three-time batting champion) Luis Arraez with speed This guy is going to be pretty fun to watch to go where no player has gone since Vince Coleman in 1987 the six-time All-Star and five-time stolen base champion speed is starting to get back into the game thanks to him and people understanding just how important it is this young man can bring it back and show people just how important it is in the game It’s time for baseball to praise and support guys like him not just the home-run guys all of the time.’’ If baseball wants to only talk about home runs and power Simpson may never have his name mentioned again the remainder of his career Simpson went to the plate 1,119 times during in his three-year minor-league career It was an inside-the-park home run on June 7 Simpson merely slapped a ball past third baseman Brock Wilken which then got away from left fielder Zavier Warren and by the time Simpson sped around the bases and slid into home when hit the only homer of his collegiate career a grand slam against Gardner-Webb for Georgia Tech “The right fielder went up to catch it,’’ Simpson said who entered high school at just 5-foot-5 and 130 pounds and is now 5-11 proudly recalls that he did hit one home run at St Pius X Catholic High School in Atlanta during his senior season where his mom is the principal who grew up playing against Simpson since they were 6-year-old kids in Little League and played as rivals during their summer travel leagues remembers being a witness for the historic moment with Simpson sprinting around the bases so fast that his own teammates had to tell him to slow down considering Simpson’s absence of home-run power pretty easy for the guys back home to provide good natured teasing He’s not a guy who’s going to try to hit homers He knows he can get on base and make an impact with his legs.’’ who played with Simpson in the minors: “Dude is electric He hits the ball hard and it’s a double or triple the pitcher is worrying because he's going to take second base at some point Louis Cardinals center fielder Victor Scott one of Simpson’s closest friends who also grew up in Atlanta They finished in a dead heat in a foot race in 2023 − the year Scott and Simpson each stole 94 bases in the minors Scott had a career .264 batting average and .344 on-base percentage with 17 homers in his three minor-league seasons Simpson has a career .324 batting average and .389 on-base percentage “When he got called up and he FaceTimed me,’’ Scott said “I think I was more excited than when I got called up He was willing to go up against anybody who went against the grain of what his ideology was Not everybody is blessed with an insane amount of power hitting the ball with an exit velocity of 110-mph-plus “But guys like Chandler and myself can be trailblazers for the game There’s more than one way to play this game creating havoc on the basepaths during an inning can be just as alluring than spending 20 seconds to round the bases after a home run “Whenever I step to the plate,’’ Simpson says They’re going to have to worry about putting me on base They’re going to have to worry about me on base and its going to be a problem pitching to other people in the lineup I want to be that guy who is feared by pitchers and fielders as well.’’ who didn’t even play the outfield until he was drafted in the second round of 2022 playing shortstop and second base his entire life doesn’t want to be known simply as a speedster Speed can be negated in the big leagues if you can’t get on base and can’t play defense He has much bigger aspirations than being the next Terrance Gore or Billy Hamilton He watches videotape of hitting champions Rod Carew Michael Johnson to determine what mechanics he can incorporate into his own game seeking advice and what he learned from his father the eight-time batting champion who died in 2014 all of his hitting mechanics to be a better hitter,’’ Simpson says “I feel like (Arraez) definitely doesn’t get the recognition that he deserves winning three batting titles in a row with three different teams or becomes a modern-day version of Ty Cobb who won five batting titles and led the league in stolen bases same season “He plays differently than what people are accustomed to seeing in this modern era of baseball,’’ Rays pitcher Pete Fairbanks says “I think in some ways it’s a breath of fresh air to see somebody that has tailored their approach to their skill set I think that anytime you see somebody that has that unique of a skillset you’re going to see a lot of people buy into it.’’ Says Rays infielder Brandon Lowe: "The Aaron Judges of the world are few and far between But I think the Chandler Simpsons will probably be few and far between I don't know that I've ever seen anybody float the way that he floats.’’ The only real question is whether he can terrorize the opposition in the big leagues just as he did in the minors proving everyone wrong at each level he played “I think all of us have some questions about how's his skill set going to play up here “People are curious to see how major league infielders again him You can get a lot of infield hits in the minors Says Rays GM Eric Neander: The speed is top of the scale but it’s that bat-to-ball skill that is unique He puts the ball in play at an extremely high rate If successful, who knows, Simpson says, maybe the best athletes may start turning to baseball again, and the increase in young Black players will finally start to rise after being stalled at 6% on this year’s opening-day roster “I feel like there were a lot of Black players but then it kind of dropped off,’’ Simpson says ≻ Walt Jocketty, who passed away Friday at the age of 74 There have been few executives more beloved than Jocketty the architect of World Series championship teams in Oakland and St Louis while also leading the Cincinnati Reds to the postseason “He’s tied for first,’’ Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa said “with the finest person I’ve ever known.’’ ≻ The San Diego Padres pulled off the best trade never made this winter The Padres told every team in baseball that closer Robert Suarez is available with their money crunch going 10-for-10 in save opportunities with a 0.00 ERA and 0.455 WHIP They have begun work on the Athletics’ $1.75 billion Las Vegas ballpark site The groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for June The stadium is scheduled to open before the 2028 season ≻ What story evaporated more quickly this season The torpedo bats or the Los Angeles Dodgers ruining baseball with their mammoth payroll The Dodgers are a sub-.500 team since opening the season 8-0 and the Yankees have discovered that it wasn’t the torpedo bats, but the Milwaukee Brewers pitching that caused their power surge already are keeping a close eye on Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley who will likely be dealt by the trade deadline the Phillies are adamant they will not include top prospects Andrew Painter or Aidan Miller in any trade ≻ Scouts have been in awe by Diamondbacks reliever Juan Morillo who was discarded by the Dodgers and signed as a minor-league free agent by the D-backs has been lighting up the radar gun at 100-mph and has yet to give up an earned run “That will be the greatest minor-league free-agent signing of the year ≻ The Brewers would love to have a mulligan and not expose pitcher Shane Smith to the Rule 5 Draft. The Chicago White Sox nabbed Smith with the first pick in December going 1-1 with a 2.30 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP in his first five starts ≻ The Yankees realized they have no choice but to take Devin Williams temporarily out of the closer’s role with his 11.25 ERA this season but remain confident he’ll soon be back to being an All-Star caliber closer “When you go from a small market to New York it’s a different animal,’’ one executive said ≻ The Brewers were planning to pounce on free agent first baseman Paul Goldschmidt this winter if Rhys Hoskins opted out of his contract believing he’d have a huge bounce-back season after having the worst season of his 15-year contract Goldschmidt has been everything the Yankees hoped for ≻ You think the Dodgers’ new home clubhouse is fancy it’s the first one that comes equipped with eight state-of-the-art who was trying to decide where to sign this winter and told the Dodgers it would help persuade him to come their way with the new toilets “It sounds like a joke,’’ Sasaki told the Orange County Register ≻ No one has been crushed with more injuries to their outfield than the Tampa Bay Rays who have four outfielders on the injured list and only three true outfielders on the roster with Christopher Morel and rookies Chandler Simpson and Kameron Misner They acquired Travis Jankowski from the White Sox to give them a veteran reinforcement ≻ The Toronto Blue Jays are still looking for a return on their 5-year $92.5 million investment on outfielder Anthony Santander He is hitting .182 with two homers and a .537 OPS ≻ Remember when Kyle Tucker opened this spring by going 0-for-20 with the Chicago Cubs No one has made more money this first month of the season than Tucker whose free-agent value has skyrocketed from $300 million to perhaps more than $500 million ≻ Scouts are raving about D-backs prized infield prospect Jordan Lawler and predict that he could be their everyday second baseman next season while moving injury-prone Ketel Marte to first base ≻ Atlanta is in no hurry to call up veteran closer Craig Kimbrel whose fastball has been clocked at only 91-92 mph in his first two outings at Triple-A ≻ Considering that Baltimore Orioles assistant GM Sig Megdal used to be an engineer at NASA is it any surprise that the Orioles’ analytics department is working with engineering researchers to create AI technology to modify how pitchers are scouted and developed “We’re in the American League East with some very-large-market teams,’’ Mejdal told the Baltimore Sun To ignore a potential like this would be foolish.” ≻ Future Hall of Fame pitcher Justin Verlander just one shy of the longest drought of his career who refused to give up after surgeries and injuries derailed his career since 2021 returning last week with the Cubs for his first MLB appearance since August ≻ Prayers to Minnesota Twins legends Tony Oliva who are recovering from having strokes within days of one another two weeks ago but there was Liam Hendriks finally stepping on the mound for the Boston Red Sox after recovering from Stage 4 non-Hodgkins lymphoma and Tommy John surgery ≻ The most emotional moment on the field this week came at Angel Stadium where Pirates starter Andrew Heaney 45 this season in honor of his late best friend pitched six shutout innings in the Pirates’ 3-0 victory “It is a number that has meaning to me,” Heaney But I’m wearing it because it was his number.” ≻ While the Rays have no idea where they’ll be playing in a few years after pulling out of their deal in downtown St the folks in Orlando announced they have received pledges of $1.5 billion towards a stadium project to lure the Rays ≻ Has there been a better multi-year free agent signing than Nick Pivetta of the Padres They signed him in spring training to a four-year $55 million contract that is so backloaded that he’s making just $1 million this season and a whole lot of other teams wish they had taken the plunge ≻ The scariest part of the New York Mets’ torrid start for the rest of the NL East is that they are doing this without starters Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas ≻ No one outside their own clubhouses believes the A’s or Marlins will be actual contenders in September because of their pitching flaws but scouts have been quite impressed with their potent offenses and firmly believe the A’’s will be in the postseason before they depart for Las Vegas in three years Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale Swedes opening their mailboxes in hopes of greeting cards instead got a chilling reminder of the troubled times they live in A 32-page brochure mailed by the authorities to the country’s 5m households urged citizens to consider how they would behave should Sweden come under attack “In Case of Crisis or War” is full of practical advice should an unspecified foe stage an invasion: how to stem severe bleeding (apply firm pressure on the wound) where to find reliable information (tune in to public radio rather than social media) and useful tips on nuclear fallout (radiation levels will fall drastically after a couple of days Illustrations of forlorn-looking Swedes sitting in civil-defence shelters ram home the point that war is not something that happens only to other people This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “Europe’s 72-hour test” Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents There are five luxuries it can no longer feasibly afford Friedrich Merz’s career is one of unforced errors and puzzling missteps. But he is serious about Europe Both Donald Trump and Ukraine’s diplomats will consider it a success Donald Trump’s insults have soured the continent on its cousins  playWhat happens to the Browns if they pass on QB with No (1:19)Louis Riddick joins "NFL Live" to adamantly explain why the Cleveland Browns need an elite quarterback to have success in the future Prospect X faces one sideline and then flips his hips a sharp 180 degrees to make a back shoulder catch catching each ball his college quarterback sends his way Then he jogs to the line of scrimmage and quickly takes up a ready stance It's sunny and 70 degrees -- a beautiful spring afternoon at his home stadium and his cheeks are already pink from the work his voice echoing through the empty stadium and asks the coach if he'd ever been to this part of the country before this NFL coach has come nearly 1,500 miles for a 30-minute workout with Prospect X And that's because X didn't play much slot receiver in college His body type demands an adjustment in the eyes of NFL evaluators so his role will be changing as he enters the NFL and this coach's team needs to get a better understanding of exactly how they could use this versatile speedster X is full of detailed questions for the coach as he explains each route X's advisor within his challenging major says that he was never satisfied with just being told an answer in class "Under what situations is that assumption valid?" X would ask him "There's a difference between understanding something and knowing something," the advisor says Because X hasn't trained much as a slot receiver X completes a speed cut on a 10-yard out route and then takes four steps back inside and they'll send the video back to the club X thought this might be an hour-long workout He's cut like granite and could run into the wee hours of the night if anybody asked him to the coach asks him to take a walk around the field so they can talk out of earshot of X's coaches X asks the coach for any advice he has for him and remember that any team who takes you knows that you're not a finished product This is welcome news for a sub-power 4 prospect who's been fretting a bit over learning a new job last-minute and being judged on what he knows right now It's the reason he didn't get any offseason attention -- no combine invite or all-star game appearance -- because no one knew quite where to put him A blistering 40 time at his pro day has attracted much more NFL attention in recent weeks "How do you know about my sleeper?!" one NFL special teams coordinator asked ESPN spent the past few months on a hunt for the most overlooked prospect in the 2025 NFL draft watching tape and thinking like a general manager we landed on a player who we believe is the draft's best-kept secret readers of this series have made their best guesses as to X's identity which will be revealed in a follow-up story after the draft But for now -- for the sake of the NFL teams in hot pursuit -- he is "Prospect X." Illustration by ESPNAFTER HE'S SHOWERED and has watched the film of his afternoon workout X heads downtown with his girlfriend to one of their favorite restaurants "Thank you so much for everything you did for [X's COLLEGE] football." He can't go anywhere in his hometown or college town without someone stopping him he gets two extra scoops of homemade ice cream with dessert and he isn't charged for the burrata appetizer "This happens all the time," his girlfriend says X's girlfriend says her family freaked out when she told them about her new boyfriend Of course they'd known about him since he was a high school player in a historic town his younger sister name-dropped him to get into a frat party X appreciates all the kind words, but he really doesn't love all the attention. He's the quiet, serious, studious type. He's such a rules-follower that he didn't even drink coffee in college because he knew caffeine in high amounts is an NCAA-banned substance "He's very strict with himself," his mom says "He doesn't do well with free time," says dad He doesn't even particularly like going out to eat where nobody will know who he is for a while He spent two months training for his pro day at a facility in another state and he says it was "so refreshing" to not be known there and "have that feeling that you have to earn everything again." X's head coach says he was an "afterthought" to scouts at the start of this past football season who came calling on his school to check on a couple of other players we'll keep an eye on him," the head coach says The head coach is respected by NFL personnel for his track record of producing players and his office wall features a signed jersey of a current NFL starting quarterback one that the coach who worked out X has also coached The director of strength and conditioning for X's school says one NFL team that recently hired a new general manager sent a scout to campus in October who was by that point well on his way to a career season "Aren't you going to ask about X?" the strength coach asked play1:08Cowboys 3-round mock draftCheck out how Mel Kiper Jr and Field Yates have the NFL draft shaking out for the Cowboys in their latest three-round mock draft you don't know what you're doing," he told every scout He repeatedly messaged clips of X to a popular college football analytics Twitter account that features the fastest players of the week He asked them to please test X's MPH so he could be featured "He never really put crazy miles per hour out there because his first three steps he separates so much that he doesn't have anybody that's actually pushing him to his highest velocity," the strength coach says But because he'd been timing X in 5-yard builds and 10-yard flys for his entire college career he knew exactly what 40-yard speed X was capable of and he told everyone who would listen that X was going to run extremely fast The kind of time that gets a player drafted he told scouts he'd "bet his house on it." "Bring your popcorn," he told an NFC West scout ahead of the pro day But every coach and agent says their players will run fast So the strength coach's bet didn't mean much and scouts were late to get on board because X had performed so many different roles in college -- whatever his team needed -- that he didn't land at the top of any one position "The first three years of his body of work was "I don't know that anybody would have looked at him enough to say that kid's gonna run [fast at his size] There's some plays in the past where you'd say that kid's really fast and his strength coach was able to keep his home "You know it's a good time when the scouts all smile at each other and then show each other their watches," the strength coach said "He eats the turf," says an assistant coach the NFC West scout told him: "We're gonna try to go after him." his head coach noticed the scouts maintained an iron-clad focus "Sometimes when there's different drills being done you can just see the intentionality of the [scouts] watching fall off a bit," he said X had talked to only one NFL special teams coordinator one other assistant coach and one NFC West scout he has had phone calls with two NFC position coaches and two AFC assistant coaches and he met with another AFC special teams coordinator and position coach on a visit to an NFL facility "And so everyone's kind of jumping on the scene right now." X's head coach says he's been asked by many teams recently -- what position does he see X playing in the NFL "He's probably a little bit of a [last-minute] panic conversation," the head coach says "He's a wild card that you want to have," the special teams coordinator says "You don't know exactly what you're going to do with him yet until you get him here." He's back home for the first time in months to fulfill an NIL obligation he also needs the kind of basic life skills help only parents can provide "Do you know where I could go find those immunization records?" he asks his mom The NFL team that is bringing him in on a '30 visit' in a few days has sent him some paperwork to fill out to release his medical information and he needs to know the dates of all his vaccinations Each NFL club is allowed to bring up to 30 prospects into their facility for a pre-draft visit and since he wasn't invited to the scouting combine The team requesting his records will be able to share those His draftability depends on tracking down this information "I'll have to look for your pediatrician records," his mom says Would it not be in MyChart?" his sister asks "but I don't know if I can even log in anymore." He sits down on a recliner in the living room and stares at his phone screen His mom disappears and comes back with his baby book and a box of mementos including stacks of newspaper clippings covering his high school football exploits He printed out or clipped every article about his grandson and took copious notes on yellow legal pads of X's individual stats and the team's performance X's grandpa was a popular youth football coach and he's the one who first taught X about the game Before X was old enough to play tackle football the two spent hours together in the basement Grandpa explained strategy to X while he tried it out on Madden X graduated high school with 12 varsity letters and was asked to be the sixth grade commencement speaker at two elementary schools Neither mom nor dad have any idea where his relentless drive comes from "it's like he wills himself to do something," his mom says X made a list of four big goals for the 2024 college football season and he checked three of the four off his list But he didn't have any NFL-related goals last year It felt too far ahead and he preferred to stay in the moment As a high school junior, X thought his football days were almost over, because he hadn't been recruited by anyone, anywhere. Those few months after his junior football season were a "darker time," he says. He'd read that Bills quarterback Josh Allen got his opportunity to play at Wyoming by emailing his tape to dozens of college coaches He emailed every FBS school in his region but didn't get any traction When he went to the junior day at the closest FBS program Each coach introduced themselves to the kids and parents and listed their recruiting areas though multiple coaches were dedicated to covering smaller and more populated counties of a neighboring state So X wound up at a smaller school that he chose for its academic offerings X's mom leaves him in the living room to finish his forms "He can't hear us," she whispers as she walks down the stairs into their cold basement decorated with dozens of copper plaques he's earned for both academics and football in high school and college X couldn't attend his college graduation because he had football practice so he sent his parents to accept the department's top senior award on his behalf X's mom says one of his professors told her that X was so smart that a professor had to ask another professor for help reviewing a paper he turned in because they weren't familiar with the mathematical models he'd used in it a professor sent his paper to the head of the department to make sure that X really wrote it "They thought that in such a busy schedule researching and writing an outstanding paper?" the department head said "The guys literally look at him like he's a machine," says his strength coach "You have to remind guys that he's a human being He's "a walking computer," one of his assistant coaches says X's coaches said he didn't stand out in the way he does now and was trying out a few positions he hadn't played before His coaches didn't realize his full potential until the postseason -- when he got a real jump in playing time and became the spark on offense that his team was sorely missing "I suppose the rest is history," his head coach says X CHECKED TWO new states off his list when he visited an AFC team one week before the draft X and his girlfriend researched all the teams' coaches so he'd be familiar with their background and they watched YouTube videos about the city Although the team consistently ranks far from the gold standard on the NFLPA's report card grades for its facility X was impressed by all the amenities available to players stuff that he didn't even have the vocabulary to describe "These zip-up compartments that help with sleep and recovery," he said He'd turned in his forms on time and got his scans and X-rays done right in the building They watched his tape and then spent a lot of time watching a current NFL player to whom many teams compare him -- an all-purpose player that can help on offense and special teams X says the coordinator got into granular detail on the team's vision for him Their conversation spilled into dinner at the team cafeteria where they ate build-your-own-burrito bowls 'I just can't help but see similarities that you can exceed some certain abilities that [current player] has,'" X says he walked around the neighborhood near the facility and admired how clean and green it was an AFC West team called to confirm they had the right number for him on draft day The conversation was so quick that X didn't even get the name of the scout He's also talked with an AFC South team's assistant coach who connected him to the team's injured player that he'd likely replace They talked for an hour about what the role entails and X was stunned the injured player was so helpful The first NFL coach to talk to him in the draft process was a veteran special teams coordinator who reached out during the scouting combine and left him a kind voicemail: "You have a ton of film The coordinator has strong connections to X's college conference and he says recruiting in the NFL is an "underrated" tool He's known about X "for a while," and he hopes that being the first NFL coach to acknowledge him as special will count for something on Saturday of the draft an ex-NFL player now working for a rejuvenated franchise scheduled a private workout with him This former player first called X the day after his pro day and when X saw the area code for the player's former team He found all the pro day training and scripting to be a little bit like "a glorified pageant," and he'd much rather respond to actual coaching than show up to perform a hand-picked set of routes "I am just going to go out there and move how I would move as an athlete and take advice from a great receiver like him." One scout said half the scouts at X's pro day think he will be drafted The other half see him more as a priority free agent X's agent said a special teams coordinator told him he doesn't think X makes it past the fifth round The agent posted an unlisted two-minute highlight video of X to YouTube and distributed it only to NFL personnel the team he visited has only one late-round pick X didn't even think about making any draft day plans until this past week His parents bought tickets to a concert Saturday in Las Vegas months ago before they understood it was NFL draft weekend and before they realized their son may have some important incoming calls They had a whole trip planned with a big group of friends they decided to sell those tickets because they want to be there at their family home with X on his big day to see him get drafted or sign as a priority free agent Quarterback prospect Trae Taylor, one of the top passers in the 2027 recruiting class, announced his commitment to Nebraska on Thursday Taylor chose the Cornhuskers over Illinois, LSU and Texas A&M He is the son of former Eastern Illinois running back J.R who ran for 51 touchdowns as a college teammate of four-time NFL Pro Bowl quarterback Tony Romo from 1999 to 2002 Trae Taylor threw for 3,061 yards with 20 touchdowns and 7 interceptions as a sophomore at Carmel Catholic High School last fall. His commitment comes days after he spent time with Huskers quarterbacks coach Glenn Thomas and starting quarterback Dylan Raiola during his latest visit "Sitting down with Coach Thomas and getting into the offense seeing how he coaches Dylan and how he can prepare me for the next level -- I really just can't wait," Taylor told ESPN it's kind of hard committing too early because I have to wait so long to get there." Despite his early pledge, Taylor has had a lengthy recruitment -- with him estimating he's visited as many as 70 campuses since attending college camps as a sixth grader. Taylor received his first Division I scholarship offer from Maryland a year later A smooth throwing motion and standout footwork and accuracy later turned Taylor into one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2027 class He told ESPN that the attention he received from the Huskers immediately after he visited the Aggies -- paired with Nebraska's offensive scheme under coach Matt Rhule -- was part of the connection that ultimately helped sway his commitment to the Huskers Coach Thomas and Dylan [Raiola] every day for the next two weeks before I decided this was where I needed to be," he said "Everybody in that building has made it clear that they want me Their offense fits me the best -- very pro-style Any quarterback who wants to go to the NFL can be successful there." Terms & Conditions FAQ Privacy Policy 4.1 rebounds and one assist on 42.6 per cent shooting from the field with the South East Melbourne Phoenix in NBL25 3.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists on 59 per cent shooting on the way to the Championship The prospects invited to the G League Elite Camp were voted on by team executives The list of players indicates those with the highest odds of being selected or signed as undrafted free agents with teams after the NBA draft on June 25-26 The top players from the G League Elite Camp will be invited to participate in the NBA Draft Combine on May 11-18 Ben Henshall and Rocco Zikarsky among other top prospects in this year’s class.  The National Basketball League acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we work present & emerging as well as all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Community so that's an achievement that won't be missed by us but we know we've got three more games to keep building on that." Northampton Saints found a way of beating the fabled Jacques Nienaber blitz and inflicting another 'horrific' Champions Cup loss on the Leinster giants Mie Honda Heat will join Urayasu D-Rocks in the post season relegation series after they were beaten 38-30 by Toyota Verblitz in today’s crucial bottom-of-the-table clash in Japan Rugby League One Steve Hansen’s side chose a good moment to produce one of their best halves of the season rocking Heat with five tries in the first half to establish what proved an insurmountable 24-point lead Joseph Manu’s 11th try of the season featured among the blitz, and while ex-Wallaby fullback Tom Banks scored twice for the home side, with Springbok second rower Franco Mostert also contributing the head start Honda had conceded proved fatal Eleventh-placed Heat can no longer catch Verblitz on the standings The slim playoffs hopes of Yokohama Canon Eagles were also dashed after they self-destructed with three yellow cards in this afternoon’s 47-29 loss to Kobelco Kobe Steelers Yesterday’s big ‘winners’ were Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath and Toshiba Brave Lupus who both made important moves towards finalising the playoffs equation Sungoliath confirmed their qualification after a magic 28-point performance from Springbok Cheslin Kolbe led his side to a 43-34 win over TJ Perenara’s Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo but his artistry will be best remembered for a stunning try where he collected an errant pass and rocketed around three defenders before stabbing the ball ahead at speed and winning the race to the goal-line to score The try was the first of the 31-year-old’s two for the afternoon which coupled with the ill discipline of the Black Rams who conceded three yellow cards ensured Suntory achieved the outcome they needed Brave Lupus produced an unusual scoring pattern during their win over Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars being held scoreless in each of the first and last 20 minutes but scoring 45 points in-between The 45-28 success allowed the defending champions to return to the head of the standings at the expense of the Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights and Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay who each dropped a place following their thrilling 29-29 draw While he won a title for the Waratahs by kicking a long-range penalty goal in injury time, Bernard Foley can’t seem to get his accuracy right when it comes to the same circumstances against the Wild Knights The 2014 Super Rugby winner was astray with a conversion in the game’s final act having missed a late penalty attempt when Saitama won by two points earlier in the season Although Shizuoka Blue Revs have marched into the playoffs on the back of an expansive all action approach, hooker Shunsuke Sakuta was Saturday’s star with three tries during a madcap 62-52 win over Urayasu D-Rocks in front of a bumper crowd at Yamaha Stadium The teams shared a remarkable 17 tries, with internationals Samu Kerevi and Nathan Hughes both scoring for D-Rocks Just as you thought the game was likely over Moana Pasifika's replacement halfback Melani Matavao proved to be the hero charging down a Robinson clearing kick and scooping the ball up to score in the corner Pellegrini crucially converted the try from out wide putting the game out of reach for the Highlanders Watch USA Eagles Women v Canada Women live and for FREE on the RugbyPass app Fantastic to see two top teams coached by red and black legends Todd Blackadder and Robbie Deans Todd played over 100 games for Canterbury leading us to 2 titles in 1997 and 2001.He was captain of the Crusaders Over 100 games for Canterbury and numerous point scoring records ,mainly through his goal kicking feats Most famously in Canterbury’s greatest Ranfurly Shield era 1982-85 Robbie saved the day many times.Most notably in our first defense The match drawing penalty kick against Counties So you make the Japanese competition all about Canterbury Join free and tell us what you really think Northampton Saints found a way of beating the fabled Jacques Nienaber blitz and inflicting another 'horrific' Champions Cup loss on the Leinster giants Warren Gatland forged a sense of togetherness in his 2013 Lions but faced personal 'vitriol' after leaving out a legend The Welsh legend may have played his last game for his beloved Ospreys but the tributes will come from far and wide when he steps away Agree on Tizzano I would now pick him over Fraser…and I’m a Qlder He has taken over the mantle of the great WF champion Matt Hodgson His involvement in the game is way higher than Fraser’s and he just so much harder to shift from over the ball Fraser has the edge as a running and supporting player Depends really what Schmidt wants from his 7 Thanks for the article all give Northampton full credit for the win It just beggars belief that Leinster did not go for the penalty attempt at the death Also beggars belief they started the game without either Jordie Barrett I listened to a very good podcast on the two semis during last week and one view expressed was that Northampton would start well and be capable of scoring then…first 15 mins or so That was when Leinster needed their best XV on the field I just don’t see how Andy Farrell can now pick Sam Prendergast for this Lions tour Surely the Fin(n)s are the two top 10 picks now and I would think Marcus should go as well as a utility/10 That loss has hurt the chances of a swathe of Leinster players The day I realized I had been scammed was a Friday night that I had been eagerly looking forward to I had planned to go out with friends to unwind and enjoy some well-deserved free time I logged into my account to complete a simple peer-to-peer (P2P) exchange I intended to convert some USDT to Dollars a process I had done countless times before without a hitch I discovered that the 25,000 USDT I had just transferred was gone instantly How could I ever recover that much cryptocurrency The idea of recovering stolen crypto seemed almost impossible unsure of 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world was restored TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY provided me with exceptional recovery services and turned my loss into a success story     VISIT TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY FOR SPECIAL HELP TO RETRIEVE YOUR LOST USDT     WhatsApp OR CALL  +.1.5.6.1.7.2.6.3.6.9.7 There appears to be some reasonable news about the injuries from Australia Hopefully they will both be available for the World Cup Her importance is in publicizing women’s rugby not what she brings to Bristol or The Eagles Difficult to judge Canada on that performance The litmus test is how well they can dispose of Australia and deal with NZ in the next few weeks USA look dogged and will battle for 80 minutes BIL have to win the series 3-0 A first half of defensive failures is a problem That left them with a points-difference mountain to climb and spent minutes at the end of the game three points adrift Forget anything else that happened in the game … top teams convert that and sharpen their focus for those moments that matter And the question for fans is simply one of why their team could not do this patiently and accurately retaining possession while creating a scoring opportunity Different teams would have done different things with that penalty A dominant scrumming team might have called the scrum a successful mauling team might have gone for the lineout a team with a rock star kicker and a sense of late game superiority might have taken the kick for goal and a another team might have set a Rassie-esque midfield maul to allow an easy dropped goal But don’t pick an option involving forwards smashing into gainline tackles if you have less than 100% confidence in your ball retention In the end it all came down to whether Leinster could convert that penalty to points and it was time for the killer blow (to mix a few metaphors) The coaching team need to stare at those few minutes of tape 1,000 times and ask themselves why the team could not land that winning blow It is a question of attitude and Big Match Temperament You write like our Fijian friend Rugby RedWarrior has never said anything wrong and is always right The Irish are the most humble and best in the world while South Africa together with NZ are the most arrogant That will pretty much summarise everything he posts Oh and I almost forgot about some ex ref named Doyle that said something about the intent of the bench was a 5-3 split Agreed hard to get consistency when injuries throw a spanner in the works … Mate you're the one that brought up financials saying they have to run a 12 month season to make ends meet If they were in the SRP they would be struggling more financially If you think financials don't have an impact a teams competitiveness I would argue different More money means more capacity to retain and develop talent to develop rugby pathways and most importantly keep the lights on during the ebb years Secondly if we are calling SRP and URC a domestic comp I feel like we're colouring well outside the lines But if we are drawing parallels to SRP and URC “domestic” comps and you're question of dominance I'd point out that SA have had 3 teams in each quarter final since they joined and either won or been a runner up to the tournament every year subscriptions or bums on seats and CC is still ahead on the fanbase vs SRP the benefit of a rugby nation with double the population of AU Other than financials the benefits of URC are also as you mentioned more games but also more teams and players getting exposure to professional rugby (it's actually 5 teams if you include the repechage of the SA teams) With the schedules and competition setup all URC teams are required to have enough players to field 2-3 teams across the season Previously under the SR you had 5 teams being forced into 4 squads with minimal change between squads week in week out See the thing about the SR or URC being better for competitiveness falls over pretty quick when you understand its a too way street Arguing that SA is better or worse off because they left the SRP implies that AU and NZ aren't impacted and that they some how stay sharp without outside competition All teams are worse off in the regard that they are no longer exposed to the different playing styles But When you consider RWC I would argue that being in the URC is a benefit to SA because they are far more likely to face a European team in the pool stages than AU or NZ Wizard James remains your greatest bet for retrieving bitcoin that has been scammed A bitcoin trade and investment program I discovered on Instagram cost me £240,000 of my trading and investing strategy I kept investing more money as I began to see profits coming in and ultimately I became a victim of deception I began to have my suspicions after making unsuccessful attempts to withdraw and looking at the plan they claimed was because of Brexit I sent the reports to Instagram and my bank I found a bitcoin website where I saw a widow tell how she recovered her husband's retirement money 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Contact Information for Support at: Wizardjamesrecovery(@)usa.com   Wizard James remains your greatest bet for retrieving bitcoin that has been scammed I’m sure it will be a great read when I can Nick but what did you think of Jordie reverting to type I think he must have carted the ball up on about 3 occasions Much needed impetuous at that point or just his own personal belief for how best to contribute I really thought the attack needed some life at that point Ahh I see you’re/alterative title when viewing you’re articles in list far more accurate and informative to the discussion You can even view French players being rested from club and country alternatively as ‘sabbaticals’ Like this idea of Jordie taking a rest during the 6N (were some weeks there was still footy right?) was a sabbatical from his sabbatical lol idea’s like introduced in the article widen and enhance the mean for a lot of nations It really is the most hotly contested and shared sport on the world and sabbaticals are just one strange way to try and make it work Well Nick I have a theory why Leinster seem to lose so often at this stage of the season and it has to do with the Six Nations and what happens after that In all of the seasons Leinster have come up short they have dominated going into the 6N Then after that with Irish players coming out of camp they have some breathing space in the URC so they rest the lads The SA tour almost always follows between week 12-16 of the URC Leinster send weakened teams and have lost all games but one against the Sharks this year They invariably ship one more in the URC regular season to an Ulster or a Munster and this year it was the Scarlets They usually do so when starting weakened sides or teams that are half baked with a few of their internationals and their bench strength in what can be described as some kind of odd trail mix The Irish lads come back battered and some come back injured They also spend time in Irelands camp training within Irish systems with the coaches and these are slightly different to what they do at Leinster and in the last 2 seasons have been massively different on D In the last 4-6 weeks of the URC the boys coming back from the Irish camp are not featuring They are managed either side of the knockouts in the Champions cup They sometimes play just 3-5 games over a 10 week period They go from being battered and bruised to being underdone and out of whack They lose all momentum with the losses they accrue and doubts start to set in they make mistakes and they just cant deal with the pressure At this time the weather also turns from cold Suddenly the tempo is lifted on fields and conditions that are great for attractive rugby Leinster start to concede points and dont put in the shift they used to When will the coaching staff realise that they need to do something different at this point They keep trying to manage the players and their systems in the same way every season when the boys come back from Ireland duty and its always the same result A disaster in the last 3-4 weeks of the season With 2 rounds left in the URC they can focus their attentions Perhaps thats where Leinsters attention needs to be anyway They need to reclaim their bread and butter competition title before pushing onto the next star Pablo Feijoo is not spanish coach Donald spews an inordinate amount of ignorant 💩. He really is a SH rugby supporter at heart Lions win the tour 3-0 or we don’t let Farrell come back to the NH Head down to the Good Friday Festival and enjoy a day of fun and local market treasures for the whole family Looking for Easter fun for the whole family Look no further than the brand-new Good Friday Festival landing at Prospect Oval and Prospect Memorial Gardens this Good Friday The festival adds to the list of fantastic and all-inclusive events held in Prospect making it a must-do over your Easter long weekend The festival promises a full day of entertainment and activities starting from 11am just in time for you to enjoy your hot-cross bun and head on down Enjoy a feast of flavours from local food trucks and browse the array of eclectic market stalls that feature talented local artisans and small businesses It’s the perfect spot to find a unique gift or handmade treasure and a great opportunity to spruce up your Easter gifts – let’s face it There will be plenty of fun activities to keep the kids busy Parents can relax on the grass and soak up the festivities while enjoying the live music set to play all day there will be footy games playing live on the big screen in the Gardens Good Friday Festival has the perfect backdrop and start your Easter long weekend off with a very good Friday The festival is proudly presented by RM Williams and the North Adelaide Football Club WHAT: Good Friday Festival WHEN: Friday 18 April 11am – 6pmWHERE: Prospect Memorial Gardens & Prospect Oval, ProspectFor more info, click here. Over 100 South Australian wine producers are showcasing their best to international importers this.. South Australian councils can now apply for a share of $1.4 million in funding.. Enjoy a fun and interactive dining experience where you can make your own Okonomiyaki.. We think we've found Adelaide's first guinea pig cafe Cosmo’s Pizza is opening beneath Hindley Street Music Hall this May relaxed contemporary dining and polished retail quite like King William Road.. Glam Adelaide is a news website dedicated to bringing you the best of South Australia we pride ourselves in supporting local business We would like to acknowledge the Kaurna people as the custodians of the lands and waters of the Adelaide region Get the latest SA news for free via our iPhone app here: https://apps.apple.com/au/app/glam-adelaide/id1626204930 Get the latest SA news for free via our new Android app here: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=glam+adelaide&c=apps&hl=en&pli=1 Glam Adelaide has today launched an app for readers all over SA Following a viral video showing tensions in the community Adelaide has become home to many a High Tea spots that are perfect for.. Stephen Noonan is bringing his much loved show The Boy and the Ball to.. 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Stay on current site or go to US version The 2025 NBA draft is less than two months away (June 25-26) and now that we know who might be hearing their names called out it's time to look at how the top 30 prospects project statistically let's get to the top 30 projections among players currently ranked in ESPN's top 100 after the deadline for early entrants to declare Luka Doncic is the only other player to rate better in terms of my consensus model Flagg is the lone player in this year's draft who doesn't rate 15% worse than the average NBA-bound college prospect at his position in any of the categories I use to determine strengths and weaknesses Having Flagg's teammate just behind him is a more surprising outcome more in line with where he ranks in the top 100 (No Knueppel had the strongest projection of any prospect who participated in the Nike EYBL AAU competition in either 2022 or 2023 He posted a .642 true shooting percentage on 35% usage in 2023 suggesting more shot creation potential than we saw alongside other talented prospects at Duke Edgecombe is the second prospect in this year's class who ranks in the top five by both my stats-only model and the top 100 Although Edgecombe's offensive efficiency in his lone season at Baylor was middling (50% shooting on 2s and 34% on 3s) Edgecombe projects at least 15% better than the typical NBA-bound college shooting guard in terms of rebound That defensive potential should give Edgecombe a high floor while his development as a shooter will define his upside Harper is on the flip side of the comparison with Knueppel 4.6 RPG and 4.0 APG on fine efficiency given his large role in the Rutgers offense (29% usage rate) Yet Harper wasn't quite as effective in EYBL play and incorporating those stats flipped Knueppel ahead shooting 57% on 2-point attempts -- best of any perimeter one-and-done prospect Evans averaged 13.8 MPG off the bench for the Blue Devils yet my model is excited about his potential as a shooter That's got relatively little to do with Evans' 42% 3-point accuracy since the small sample (149 attempts) means his NBA projection is regressed heavily to the mean the 12 3-point attempts Evans launched per 40 minutes give him the highest shooting projection of any one-and-done player in my database Given how little Evans contributes beyond shooting he'll have to be elite to be an NBA rotation player he'll return for a larger role as a sophomore and we'll get more data to use His 31.5% usage was highest for any major-conference freshman Fears' ability to score with average efficiency was impressive in order to justify a similarly large role in the NBA Fears will have to improve on 28% 3-point shooting One encouraging sign: Fears shot 85% on free throws an important indicator for NBA 3-point accuracy In a year where the top prospects mostly rated well statistically, Bailey was an exception. In particular, Bailey's shotmaking ability did not translate to good efficiency because of his difficult shot diet. Per CBBAnalytics.com 36% of Bailey's shot attempts were non-paint 2-pointers And while Bailey hit those at a reasonable 43% clip that's far less valuable than the effective 52% he shot on 3s after accounting for the additional point Bailey could emerge as an offensive playmaker but the wrong team might be unable to maximize his skills Now that Essengue has moved into lottery territory but he's still not quite as high as his stats-only projection would suggest as the top international prospect in the draft Essengue has averaged 14.4 PPG and 5.3 RPG in just 23.7 MPG That's come against much older competition making him the second-youngest prospect in the top 100 after Flagg also has six strengths but more weaknesses.) There's a lot to like about Jakucionis offensively Jakucionis' 84.5% accuracy at the foul line suggests he could improve on his 32% 3-point shooting at Illinois to go with his playmaking Jakucionis has a below-average steal rate for a guard and blocked just nine shots all season Demin's combination of court vision and size (6-foot-9) to create passing lanes gives him the third-best assist projection among prospects in the top 100 Demin was also a strong finisher from the backcourt thanks to his size there's less reason for optimism about Demin as a shooter Not only did he make 27% of his 3-point attempts Demin was a hair under 70% at the foul line Johnson's volume scoring is the kind of skill set that tends not to fare well in my projections while Johnson was well below average in terms of rebounding The swing skill is just how efficient Johnson can be as a scorer He faired acceptably at the college level thanks to 40% 3-point shooting but was less effective in EYBL play Johnson shot just 34% on 3s in the 2023 EYBL campaign play2:05Texas' Tre Johnson declares for NBA draftTexas' Tre Johnson joins "NBA Today" to discuss his decision to declare for the draft My top-rated sleeper who's outside the first round of the top 100 Byrd rates well because of his rare combination of steal and block rates just four other draft picks have projected for at least two steals per 100 plays and to block 2% of opponent 2-point attempts: OG Anunoby Although Byrd has shot just 30% from the college 3-point line his 83% accuracy on free throws suggests he could provide enough spacing to stay on the court for his defense The oldest son of longtime NBA guard Jason Richardson came on over the course of his freshman season, rating well statistically. In fact, only Flagg was better among qualifying first-year players by Stathead.com's box plus-minus metric Richardson doesn't rate quite as well by my stats-only metric in part because his strong 41% 3-point shooting gets regressed to the mean and he was somewhat less effective in the 2023 EYBL averaging 15.4 PPG on 63% 2-point shooting and 6.9 RPG Where he sticks long-term in the NBA remains a question mark because Newell projects as a below-average shot blocker for a center but must develop the shooting necessary to play power forward He hit just 29% from the college 3-point line at low volume but was relatively more accurate on free throws (75%) shooting just 41% on 2-point attempts and not well enough on 3s (34%) to compensate His .498 true shooting percentage was the worst for any top-100 prospect this season Fland rated better in the 2023 EYBL and boasts a high steal rate but I'm inclined to agree with the scouts that his poor shooting makes him a more appropriate second-round pick where he shot 75% on 2-point attempts and an impressive 77% from the line with a relatively large usage rate (16%) for a rim-running big Relative to the typical NBA-bound college center Maluach's 7% block rate was on the low side and he had just eight steals all season the number can't capture Maluach's versatility as a switchable big Bryant hit a promising 37% of his 3-point attempts 59% of his rare 2-pointers and blocked shots at an impressive rate for a perimeter player Only one non-post (Nolan Traore) in the top 100 has a superior block projection Clayton's rise in the top 100 moved him closer to where he'd been all along in the stats-only model My model valued Clayton's strong sophomore season at Iona Clayton should have been more productive than the younger prospects ahead of him but he outpaced plenty even accounting for age play1:01Most Outstanding Player Clayton Jr praises Florida's toughnessWalter Clayton Jr highlights the Gators handling adversity so well all season and credits his teammates for stepping up in Florida's championship win over Houston McNeeley was an inefficient scorer at UConn but there's reason to believe that could improve over time McNeeley hit 37% of his 3s in the 2023 EYBL and was an 87% foul shooter at UConn The combination of solid rebounding and shot blocking already made Fleming a standout in statistical models before his breakout in 2024-25 as a scorer Fleming also made a career-high 39% of his 3s demonstrating the stretch ability that will be necessary for him to play power forward in the NBA shifted Jones to an on-ball role in 2024-25 after he'd thrived playing off the ball with Kolek Jones more than doubled his assist rate to 5.9 per game while increasing his scoring and was a consensus All-America pick as a senior Strong finishing (59% career on 2s) and high-volume 3-point shooting (9.0 career attempts per 40 minutes) are indicators Jones could excel as a creator off the bench Brea brings a clear value proposition with his 43% career accuracy beyond the arc and enough size (6-foot-6) to get off his shot against NBA defenders The right team could probably get more out of Brea's ability to shoot on the move He shot an effective 59% coming off screens last season but got just 31 of those shot attempts in Kentucky's offense Coming off the bench on a deep Auburn team that started five seniors, Pettiford was the third-leading scorer behind NBA prospects Johni Broome and Chad Baker-Mazara as a freshman having shot just 49% on 2s as an undersized point guard prospect but an assist-to-turnover ratio near 2 was promising hitting both 2s (49%) and 3s (34%) at career-low rates but he was exceptionally efficient as a junior and a career 90% foul shooter The question with Sandfort is how much of his success was a product of Fran McCaffery's offensive system Iowa has produced four draft picks since 2021 and only No 4 pick Keegan Murray has developed into a consistent rotation player After starring in last year's Nike Hoop Summit Traore passed on college hoops to play professionally in his native France An instant standout in the French LNB playoffs Traore entered the year fifth in the top 100 but declined with his play Traore has the best assist projection for any top 100 player after averaging 5.2 per game in just 22.8 minutes his inefficient scoring (43% on 2s and 28% on 3s) dropped him out of the top 30 in the stats-only model Although Coward played just six games for Washington State after transferring from nearby Eastern Washington, and under a different coach, the success of NBA Rookie of the Year contender Jaylen Wells coming from the same program could help his stock shooting a remarkable 72% on 2s and 39% on 3s He also projects as an above-average rebounder and distributor for a small forward The Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year for his high-usage play (24%) coming off the bench as a freshman Riley will have to improve his 3-point shooting to stick in an NBA wing role He hit 33% at Illinois and just 31% in the 2023 EYBL though he's been relatively a bit better at the foul line (72% in college) After starting on UConn's back-to-back national champions, Karaban stuck around while the rest of the team's starting five headed to the NBA. Karaban wasn't able to take the step forward as a scorer he might have hoped, seeing his accuracy on both 2s (54%) and 3s (35%) decline in a slightly larger role. Karaban did show more playmaking chops, nearly doubling his assists to 2.8 per game, and also blocked shots at a career-high rate without Donovan Clingan around to protect the rim. 03:09Peter Dutton accepts 'full responsibility' for defeat as Labor secures victoryFederal Election 2025 playKevin Clark: Cam Ward is closest prospect to Patrick Mahomes (1:42)Domonique Foxworth disagrees with Kevin Clark's comparison of Cam Ward to Patrick Mahomes The Tennessee Titans are nearly on the clock at No. 1 to kick off the 2025 NFL draft. It will be the first of 257 total selections across seven rounds from Thursday to Saturday Which late-round prospects could rise up the board But let's start with a basic question -- how to watch the draft this week The 2025 draft will be held at Lambeau Field in Green Bay More: How Green Bay prepared for the draft There will be 257 picks in this year's draft. The Titans have the first selection, while the Chiefs currently have the final spot to take Mr. Irrelevant The 49ers and Ravens have the most picks in the draft with 11 each while the Vikings have the fewest with four selections so every team is currently set to make a selection on Day 1 More: Full draft order ... Draft needs for all 32 teams (ESPN+) ... Big questions for every team (ESPN+) Scouts Inc.'s top 10 prospects: Scouts Inc.'s top five quarterbacks: play0:50Colston Loveland's NFL resumeCheck out some of the numbers that make Michigan's Colston Loveland a top NFL prospect Here are the latest mock drafts from our analysts going into the first round (and in some cases The 2025 draft class looks a lot different than last year's class The 2024 draft featured six quarterbacks in the first 12 picks for the first time ever I'd estimate a maximum of four quarterbacks will go in the first round this year but I can plausibly see a scenario where just two are selected (Ward and Sanders) there is also a smaller number of blue-chip players than 2024 especially at wide receiver and offensive tackle My top 200 prospects include 26 edge rushers Teams that are flush with draft picks this year will happily navigate the boards in Rounds 2-4 and feel strongly about the potential of finding quality starters More: Has DT become a premium position? ... Will we ever see a RB go No. 1 again? For teams more interested in waiting to pick a QB, Syracuse's Kyle McCord and Ohio State's Will Howard could be solid options in the third or fourth round There's no way he doesn't play on both sides of the ball but the Colorado standout should absolutely see plenty of action at cornerback hands and instincts to be a true difference-maker at both positions Hunter saw an incredible 1,458 snaps last season and 10 pass breakups and four interceptions at CB but Hunter would simply have to be on the field in key spots is it really going to leave Hunter on the sideline during an opponent's final few drives Hunter is just too much of a baller to limit him to offense or defense More: Bailey on Hunter Michigan CB Will Johnson to the Falcons Johnson has a playmaking element to his game posting nine interceptions and three defensive scores at Michigan Atlanta needs that kind of turnover production Iowa RB Kaleb Johnson to the Bears The Bears could target Johnson early on Day 2 to pair him with D'Andre Swift in the backfield He's a linear glider with the north/south acceleration to create big plays he rushed for 21 touchdowns and added 43 carries of 10 or more yards Johnson would be a good fit for the outside zone scheme that new coach Ben Johnson has run in the past And with an uptick in usage in an NFL pass game he'd produce on screens and backfield releases for Chicago More: Sanders' best fits (ESPN+) Tai Felton I have Felton projected in the fourth round and he has been mentioned often by NFL scouts as a riser thanks to his speedy play and ability to stretch the field as a vertical receiving option He's seen as a strong candidate for a WR3 role in his rookie season with the skills to add to his plate once his route tree expands 183 pounds) caught 96 passes for 1,124 yards and nine scores last season Nick Martin Martin is another late-rounder seen as a potential riser thanks to his predraft process 221-pounder has the speed to chase down running backs and quarterbacks from the middle of the field A late Round 3 selection wouldn't be a surprise Rylie Mills As a potential 5-technique at the next level at 6-foot-5 and 291 pounds, Mills has a ton of intrigue for teams given his first-step quickness. He was banged up in 2024, which limited his predraft process, but games like his performance against Florida State -- when he posted three sacks -- are the type of résumé builders that could get him inside the top 100 picks More: College coaches pick sleepers (ESPN+) ... Biggest risers of the year Only one quarterback will go in the first round I always view QB draft hype with a doubtful eye and while last year was big for late quarterback risers this class doesn't hold a candle to that one Giants and Saints all have a long staring contest that ends with nobody trading back up into the first for a passer only Cam Ward will hear his name called in the first round while Hampton is piling up easy yardage behind that Broncos' offensive line there's no doubt that Loveland and Tyler Warren are the cream of the crop Loveland is a common mock draft fit to the Chargers at No 22 in part because of his connection to ex-Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh But older brother John could commit some Harbaugh-on-Harbaugh crime by trading up from No 27 to leapfrog the Chargers and draft Loveland NFL national reporter: My conversations over the weekend lead me to think there could be a run on pass rushers earlier than expected in the first round the spots where league executives think pass rushers could be selected include the Raiders at No teams that aren't enamored with the receivers in this class could default to taking talented guys who can get after quarterbacks NFL national reporter: Teams around the league are closely watching New Orleans which appears to have a disgruntled quarterback in Derek Carr The team hasn't selected a first-round passer since Archie Manning in 1971 and new coach Kellen Moore needs a young passer with whom to build 9 pick will go to another position -- offensive line is among the team's needs -- but the 40th selection could be a sweet spot for the second tier of quarterbacks While Colorado's Shedeur Sanders and Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart are in the first-round conversation Louisville's Tyler Shough and Alabama's Jalen Milroe could get pushed up into the early second or even late first round as a result The Saints should stay nimble with that pick in case they love one of those signal-callers the Saints have kept a level of mystery throughout this process Teams legitimately don't know what they are planning To give you a glimpse of which players could pan out to be the best, NFL analyst Aaron Schatz projected the top prospects and picked comps Schatz projected the top running backs via BackCAST edge rushers using SackSEER and wide receivers using Playmaker Score He capped things off projecting the top quarterback prospects Which prospects have particularly interesting paths to the draft Our Draft Day Predictor is a tool that uses expert mock drafts, Scouts Inc. grades and team needs to forecast pick probabilities for prospects. We can predict when the best players will get picked and the chance they will be available at certain slots. Additionally, our NFL draft simulator gives users the opportunity to make picks and conduct trades More: Draft Day Predictor settles 10 debates TAMPA, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Rays promoted speedy prospect Chandler Simpson on Friday before their game against the New York Yankees He stole 104 bases and led all minor league players with a .355 batting average in 2024 Simpson transitioned from infield to outfield after the Rays selected him in the second round of the 2022 draft Simpson isn't in the lineup for the second game of the four-game set against New York at the Yankees' spring training park Simpson spent spring training with the big league team To make room for Simpson, the Rays placed outfielder Richie Palacios on the 10-day injured list with a right knee sprain The move comes one day after Palacios tied a career high with three hits and stole a base in a 6-3 loss to the Yankees on Thursday The Rays created room for Simpson on their 40-man roster by transferring RHP Alex Faedo (right shoulder inflammation) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL Global copper miner First Quantum Minerals (TSX:FM) is making a strategic investment of $15.2 million in Prospect Resources (ASX:PSC) which will assist in exploration work at the Mumbezhi Copper Project in Zambia First Quantum will acquire 101.06 million shares at $0.15 per share which represents a 36% premium to the last closing price of $0.11.  First Quantum will obtain a 15% stake in Prospect and will have the right to nominate an appointee to the company’s board.  Prospect has agreed to apply at least US$2.5 million ($3.95 million) of the amount raised towards agreed exploration work at Mumbezhi.  will test further prospective regional targets at Nyungu North The program aims to target further growth in the recently reported resource estimate for Mumbezhi which contains 107.2 million tonnes @ 0.5% copper for 514,600 tonnes of contained copper.  Prospect CEO Sam Hosack says the investment offers considerable funding coupled with regional exploration expertise to continue advancing the planned exploration at Mumbezhi.  “Bringing first Quantum into the fold as both a strategic cornerstone shareholder and technical partner offers exceptional value-accretive opportunities for both parties,” Hosack says.  “Mumbezhi is hosted in a similar regional geological setting to First Quantum’s existing Zambia operations at Sentinel which is located proximal to the Mumbezhi Project.  “This investment strongly validates our conviction for scale at Mumbezhi as well as 2024 works which recently culminated in the delivery of a significant maiden 515,000 tonnes contained copper mineral resource across just the Nyungu Central and Kabikupa deposits.” Hosack adds that the investment also shows a robust belief in the growth potential on offer across the broader Mumbezhi tenure which covers two granted mining leases.  Prospect has also executed a separate subscription agreement with privately held Eagle Eye Asset holdings to raise $2.8 million Eagle Eye will maintain its $15.3% stake in the company through the issue of 18.86 million shares at $0.15 per share.  Prospect says the funds through the investment will also be applied to ongoing activities at Mumbezhie and general working capital.  Prospect Resources is an Australian battery and electrification metals developer focused on advancing the Mumbezhi Copper Project in Zambia.  Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au    Unico Silver makes ‘multiple new discoveries’ at Cerro Leon Unico Silver (ASX:USL) says the final results from phase-two diamond drilling at.. Dateline Resources pursues OTCQB listing in US North Bay advances gold production optimisation  Gilded market: Has jewellery demand lost lustre? ASX ends winning streak as energy sector... Critica readies to drill satellite rare earths... Metro on track to hit 2025 bauxite... ASX shifts down a gear Stay Informed on up-to-the-minute mining news Get the best articles straight to your inbox ASX ends winning streak as energy sector tumbles05 May Military Metals discusses antimony exploration in Slovakia05 May Unico Silver makes ‘multiple new discoveries’ at Cerro Leon05 May Critica readies to drill satellite rare earths targets    05 May All the fun of the fair is returning to Blackfriars Blackfriars will host the Prospect Road Autumn Fair with thousands of people expected for a day of family-friendly fun Blackfriars’ Director of Development Patrick Kelly said the Prospect Road Autumn Fair – an official Adelaide Fringe event – was one of the highlights of the annual school calendar “Blackfriars is so proud to be part of the Prospect community and host this annual event,” Mr Kelly said “With our recent completion of the Albert Centre the school’s grounds are looking better than ever and we can’t wait welcome everyone here on Sunday “Our school is more than just a place of learning – it’s a hub for our community Hosting the Prospect Road Autumn Fair allows us to celebrate our shared values strengthen connections and create lasting memories for students families and the wider Prospect community.” plenty of games and activities for the children and more Street Band and The Dropkicks will be on hand to entertain the crowds Blackfriars’ Parents & Friends Committee will make sure people are well fed throughout the day Members of the school’s Vietnamese community will also run a food stall P&F Chairwoman Natalie Galkowski said the fair was a fabulous community event “The forecast for Sunday is looking absolutely perfect so we’re sure it’s going to be an amazing day,” Mrs Galkowski said “It is such a great opportunity to showcase the school and celebrate everything that makes the Prospect community great.” Blackfriars’ front oval –  Padnpadninya Tapa – will showcase fabulous designers artisans and creators at dozens of market stalls The Markets in Prospect team will have more than 60 stalls a tastings section to experience locally made sauces And we are thrilled to welcome back Fibre Feast South Australia’s premier fibre and yarn-craft event Fibre Feast brings together an amazing range of craft people and traders to showcase the skill and expertise in the industry and inspire the crafting community of SA guilds and charity groups from across Australia will display Keep up-to-date with all the happenings in and around Blackfriars on our socials A Blackfriars student has been named the City of Prospect’s Young Citizen of the Year for 2025 in recognition of his significant commitment to end-of-life care Year 3 student Spencer is running 75km during November to raise money as part of the Starlight Children’s Foundation’s GO BIG Challenge Blackfriars has celebrated the blessing and opening of the Albert Centre on the Feast Day of St Albert the Great the Open A water pol team is taking part in Laps for Life a fundraising initiative to support youth mental health Inspired by a desire to assist people receiving end-of-life care student Nathan Bishop has launched Pals for Palliative Care a new community group dedicated to supporting the work of The Mary Potter Foundation The Chicago Cubs have optioned top prospect Matt Shaw to Triple-A Iowa after a disappointing start to the rookie third baseman's career is just 10-for-58 with one homer and three RBIs He has 18 strikeouts in 68 plate appearances "We want to get a productive player back," manager Craig Counsell said before the Cubs' 2-1 extra-inning win against the San Diego Padres on Tuesday night "Sometimes you have to take a step back to do that At this level it's production and the point we're at obviously you give guys time to work through it but we just thought we saw enough where we kind of needed to take a break from this level and get some at-bats at Triple-A." said it's normal for young hitters to struggle "He's just been up against it a little bit to start the year," he said "Sometimes it is just some success that kind of reframes it some and gets you good feelings back and good vibes back and gets you back to being that offensive threat." Left-hander Luke Little and right-hander Daniel Palencia were recalled from Triple-A before Tuesday's game Palencia threw a scoreless inning of relief in Tuesday's win Counsell said Morgan felt something in his elbow Monday night The team will figure out what's next when it returns to Chicago after Wednesday's game Morgan, acquired from Cleveland in November He went 3-0 with a 1.93 ERA in 32 appearances last season for the AL Central champion Guardians who had the best bullpen in the majors in 2024 The Cubs are leading the NL Central at 12-8. They recently lost ace Justin Steele to a season-ending left elbow injury Information from The Associated Press was used in this report Prospect Hotel & Cellars celebrated its long awaited opening on Friday after the announcement that the popular food and drink stretch would finally get a pub Prospect Hotel & Cellars celebrated its long awaited opening on Friday after the announcement that the popular food and drink stretch would finally get a pub The bustling stretch of Prospect Road between Fitzroy Terrace and Regency Road has been the place to go for a stroll and a bite to eat for a number of years now there has been a noticeable pub-shaped hole in the Prospect Road strip’s hospitality landscape three hospo heavyweights set out to change this Business partners and long-time friends Marc Huber and Dale Wostikow opened the doors to the brand-new Prospect Hotel & Cellars on Friday The hotel will be open seven days for lunch and dinner “I’ve called Prospect and its surrounding areas home for over a decade I’ve always dreamed of opening a hotel here.” “I feel incredibly fortunate to have been approached by Dale and Josh to collaborate on this venture We share strong values and a common vision of hospitality believing that a pub serves as the heart of a local community we’re excited to contribute to Prospect’s already vibrant and thriving character.” The venue will accommodate around 200 patrons across multiple spaces and Prospect Cellars – a boutique bottle shop accessible from the rear car park On the food menu you’ll find everything from chicken and plant based schnitzels But why hasn’t Prospect had a pub before now It seems that a dispute spanning nearly a century involving planning authorities and the Methodist Church’s historically strong presence in the area left a lasting impact on the suburb’s ability to establish a pub The Empire Hotel is the closest pub on Prospect Road a ways further north of Prospect and well out of the suburb’s main stretch Good Prospects Group has been killing it in the hospo scene with Sideways Liquor on Prospect Road and Adelaide Wine Markets already under its belt. With the new inner-northern suburbs venture the group is doubling down on its vision to keep growing in Bowden and Prospect’s buzzing hospitality scenes Prospect Road is an absolute hotspot for brunch with incredibly popular spots like Bottega Bandito It also offers some of the best dining with Sunny’s Shop and Mr Chan (Rosemont Hall) You can even go out for a classy drink at Sideways Liquor or Wassail Wine Bar but having a pub will totally elevate the energetic stretch of pedestrian-friendly road Where: 85 Prospect Road, Prospect 5082When: Now open seven days for lunch and dinnerFor more information, click here playColin Granger skies for big flush (0:25)Colin Granger skies for big flush (0:25) CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Carolina Panthers on Monday signed a big project to develop as a tight end Colin Granger has signed with the Panthers as a tight end prospect after five years playing Division I basketball most recently for Coastal Carolina. Grant Halverson/Getty ImagesBecause he is five years removed from high school He was eligible to be drafted by any team last year 315 pounds) to be a hybrid tackle/tight end Fant has played seven seasons with Seattle, the New York Jets and the Houston Texans Fant has been working with Granger and told the Panthers about him The difference is Granger hasn't played football since the eighth grade The Panthers are hoping Granger will follow in the footsteps of Tony Gonzalez, Antonio Gates, Jimmy Graham and others who have gone from college basketball to the NFL as successful tight ends Despite the noise and drama since I started—four prime ministers a general election and all the rest—it’s striking how little has changed It was clear from the summer of 2022 that the Tories were cooked out of ideas and trapped between its old voting coalition and the very different type of older working-class voters attracted by Brexit.  But two years on it remains the only truly ambitious part of their agenda policing—where the poverty of ideas has been most apparent.  Rachel Reeves did increase tax and spending in her first budget but only by enough to negate the obvious impossibility of the plans she inherited given promises not to increase the main personal taxes for anything new and further cuts are imminent.  Even the biggest Starmer fans would struggle to elucidate what his beliefs are But perhaps the bigger problem has always been Starmer himself develop clear objectives and communicate them to his staff was always going to be a major liability: “The only way for prime ministers to cope in our system is for those around them to be so clear about their beliefs that they can act on their behalf knowing it will be in line with expectations… If Labour is to be a successful government Keir Starmer and his top team need to decide—and communicate—what they really believe There’s no amount of detailed planning that can compensate for that.” Ten months on I think even the biggest Starmer fans would struggle to elucidate what his beliefs are.  I suggested that maybe Starmer’s first chief of staff would help him negotiate the transition to government election campaign director Morgan McSweeney consolidated his power and took her job Which has led to a more coordinated Number 10 machine but one that’s no closer to dealing with Labour’s problem of strategic drift.  it seems to involve shifting to increasingly socially conservative positions on immigration and welfare in the hope of holding off Reform perhaps worse as it will alienate the base even faster They are currently losing more of their 2024 vote to the Greens and Liberal Democrats than Reform Both main parties have ended up marooned between the full-fat populism of Farage and the rest of an increasingly despairing population for whom public services and the economy are the priority With Trump’s tariffs reducing the chance of any economic brightening a nasty spending review coming up and little to look forward to the big question remains: how long will Labour MPs put up with the status quo?  If things continue as they are it can only be to the benefit of smaller parties more out of voter desperation than enthusiasm The Lib Dems will continue to thrive in the south as the only party willing to appeal to people who can’t stand Reform or Trump Farage will continue to benefit from the main parties’ fear of him that Labour and the Conservatives find some courage looks like he could be a superstar in the future and that has been on display early this season After reaching High Single-A last year, it has taken just 24 games during this campaign for the Yankees to promote him to Double-A Somerset, per Jeff Passan of ESPN Lombard has slashed .329/.495/.488 with a homer 13 RBI and just 22 strikeouts compared to 23 walks and in the midst of only his second full one New York has decided to aggressively move him through their pipeline The 2023 first-round pick, who was selected No. 26 overall, comes from a baseball family. His dad, George Lombard, played in the MLB for six years before he got into coaching, where he currently serves as the bench coach of the Detroit Tigers has impressed at times during the early stages of his career but he's taken his game to the next level in 2025 "More confident, stands straighter," a talent evaluator said, per Brendan Kuty of The Athletic (subscription required) "Looks like he has a plan for when he goes up there There's a presence to him — you already know he was a high pick It doesn't seem like the plan is for the Yankees to get him to the Majors this year He's only played 147 professional games to this point So taking the next step up in competition will be Lombard's first test to see if he'll be on a rapid promotion plan again or if he needs more time on the farm and there's a chance he could be the next star infielder of this franchise if he continues developing at the rate he already has College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects – Baseball America According to a report from ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the Yankees have made the call to promote shortstop George Lombard Jr. to Double-A Somerset the son of the former big leaguer of the same name has been one of the better hitters in the minor leagues this season the Florida prep product was hitting .329/.495/.488 with a home run and more walks (23) than strikeouts (22) After conquering the Class A levels, Lombard Jr. will now get to test his mettle against best the upper levels have to offer. At his best, Lombard has a flat path and enough strength to predict a player capable of shooting line drives from gap to gap. He shows hints of power that should become more frequent as he adds strength to his still-growing frame and loft to his swing. Lombard is a sound defender at shortstop with sure hands, an above-average throwing arm and average range. He’s not the flashiest player, but he has a strong internal clock and intangibles forged from years around the game. The Future: Lombard’s youth, tools and intangibles still give him plenty of runway toward his ceiling as an above-average big league shortstop with a well-rounded set of skills. To reach that ceiling, he’s going to have to make more contact. Scouting Grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 50 | Run: 55 | Field: 55 | Arm: 55. The Giants knew Dakota Jordan had power. Now they want to accentuate the 2024 fourth-rounder’s speed and defense. Yankees first-round pick Ben Hess stood early in the season as a member of the High-A Hudson Valley rotation. Acquired at the trade deadline last year, Robby Snelling showed up to Marlins camp this year with improved stuff. This week, RoboScout combines 2025 early-season performances with 2024 standouts to see if it can identify breakouts. Notable Minor League pitchers to watch at every level for Sunday, May 4. On this week’s Prospect Podcast, Geoff Pontes and J.J. Cooper are taking a look at basement dwellers in the AL and NL. BA college writers Jacob Rudner & Peter Flaherty break Chris Lemonis’ surprise firing at Mississippi State and lots more. On this week’s Fantasy Podcast, Geoff Pontes & Dylan White highlight prospects who could be playing themselves into the Fantasy Top 100. On this week’s Hot Sheet Show, we talk about Shedeur Sanders’ NFL Draft slide and why it wouldn’t happen in the MLB Draft. Ben and Carlos talk about Red Sox and Yankees pitchers with physicality and stuff who are off to hot starts in 2025, plus plenty more. On this week’s episode of the Baseball America Draft Podcast, Carlos and Peter hop on to briefly talk about their relationship to the NFL draft… Read the newest magazine issue right on your phone CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Carolina Hurricanes on Friday signed top prospect Alexander Nikishin to a two-year entry-level contract that begins immediately Nikishin, 23, got his first NHL contract hours after he and his KHL club, SKA Saint Petersburg, mutually terminated that deal. SKA did the same with Montreal's Ivan Demidov earlier this week "We are grateful for Alexander's time with SKA which helped him develop into one of the top prospects in hockey," Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky said in a statement "His size and skill have allowed him to have a record-breaking career in the KHL and we believe he will be an impactful player in the NHL." It was not immediately clear when Nikishin would join the Hurricanes, who are locked into second place in the Metropolitan Division and a first-round matchup against the New Jersey Devils had 46 points in 61 games and is the franchise's all-time leading scorer among defensemen Carolina drafted him in the third round in 2020 and Nikishin helped the Russian Olympic Committee team reach the Olympic final in Beijing in 2022 ATLANTA -- Luke Keaschall had a major league debut to remember The 22-year-old went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI, a run scored and a stolen base during the Minnesota Twins' 6-4 loss to the Atlanta Braves on Friday who arrived in Atlanta earlier in the day from Triple-A St Paul after a rash of injuries left the Twins short-handed but we'll bounce back tomorrow and we'll be ready to go." Keaschall, the Twins' No. 3 prospect according to MLB.com, batted eighth and was the designated hitter. In his first at-bat, he lifted a slider into right field over a drawn-in infield to score Ryan Jeffers "I wanted to hit the ball in the air," Keaschall said "I didn't really swing at the right pitch to do that I was just trying to get the ball to the outfield and I barely did." In the fourth inning, he pulled a hard line drive just inside the third-base bag for a double and later scored on a sacrifice fly, diving across home to beat the throw from Michael Harris II Keaschall was drafted out of Arizona State in the second round in 2023 as an outfielder but Tommy John surgery last August has limited him to playing DH and second base with St That will continue indefinitely with the Twins until he builds up the arm strength required to get back in the outfield "His arm strength is coming along," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said "He's getting a bunch of reps at second base but hasn't really started in the outfield at this point We're going to get him a lot of work early in the day every day which should get him ready as soon as possible." When Keaschall was told he was joining the Twins all of whom came from California for the game and his girlfriend's parents were also in attendance They took photos on the field together after the game "I feel I can do damage up here and help this ball club win So more just (feeling) excitement to be here and see what I can do Seeing so many of the top 2024 DSL performers become the top prospects to watch in the Complex Leagues gave me an idea while also listing theTop 10 prospects for each full-season level we’ll also take a look at who RoboScout identified as level leaders on this date last year to see how this crop compares Despite very little power and a BABIP above .400, Marlins prospect Andrew Salas continues to dominate the Low-A rankings We took the 2024 Low-A performance through May 4 2024 and combined it with RoboScout for this year with the performance date listed and 2024 names bolded the current crop of performances are better than in 2024 the top 2024 names are pretty solid with a number of top prospects listed such as Lazaro Montes even without considering that he’s the youngest hitter in the league is already impressive based on the last two years Wondering why Blue Jays righty Khal Stephen doesn’t appear on this list despite a 0.94 WHIP and 1.82 ERA with a 31% strikeout rate because Stephen should be dominating at Low-A as a college pitcher he should appear near the top of the High-A rankings once he arrives at the level Here’s the combined list with 2024 data through May 4 So far, Sean Linan’s 2025 performance surpasses even Guardians LHP Matt Wilkinson and Mets RHP Jonah Tong from 2024 despite both enjoying torrid starts a year ago Wilkinson and Tong went from unranked on their team’s prospect lists to No their first 20 innings at Low-A heralded their ascension 24 on the Cardinals’ preseason list in 2024 to second by the end of the year while comfortably ranking inside Baseball America’s Top 100 From this track record, I think Marlins righty Liomar Martinez, despite the high walk rate, and A’s lefty Wei-En Lin despite the relative lack of grounders and eye-popping stuff Not much has changed here over the last few weeks. Leo De Vries still has a huge gap between him and everyone else on the list De Vries’ performance is still worlds above the next-best High-A hitter Please note that Red Sox lefty Brandon Clarke would rank third on this list if he qualified after his 4.2-inning High-A debut He’s a top 100 fantasy prospect and rising quickly Mullins has huge extension and impressive pitchability suggesting back-of-the-rotation potential if he can remain healthy Baseball America identified Rangers righty David Davalillo as a sleeper earlier this year and he also ranks prominently so far While he’s the top High-A pitcher so far in 2025, Bishop Letson ranks fifth over the last two years with a lower strikeout rate than the pitchers above him His big extension and his solid groundball rate project to a sub-4.00 ERA in the major leagues so far in the early going his early-season line looks a lot like what Zebby Matthews did in 2024 Brewers righty Tyson Hardin is another interesting one. Geoff Pontes wrote about Hardin and his impressive extension in April It might be surprising to see Ethan Salas so high on this list with only a 76 wRC+ RoboScout likes that Salas is just 19 years old in Double-A with a 12% strikeout rate and a 15% walk rate We’ll keep an eye on him as he accrues more reps Interestingly, after showing up in the 2024 High-A list, Reds outfielder Hector Rodriguez is here in 2025 with a 169 wRC+ and three home runs over 96 plate appearances so RoboScout likes his performance for his age relative to the level namely a 56% groundball rate and a below-average chase rate RoboScout projects Rodriguez to be better-than-league-average with 20-homer pop as a big leaguer This is a great reminder that we were spoiled with exceptional Double-A performances in 2024 Marlins sluggers Agustin Ramirez and Deyvison De Los Santos both had nine homers at this point last year while Cubs catcher Moises Ballesteros owned a wRC+ near 200 as a 20-year-old in the upper minors Twins outfielder Emmanuel Rodriguez was healthy and raking putting them all at the top of the combined 2024 and 2025 list Interestingly enough, despite Sebastian Walcott having a huge lead over the second-ranked player in 2025 though he showed more power at this stage of the season in 2024 Just like fellow Red Sox lefty Brandon Clarke at High-A, Hayden Mullins would rank third here if he hit the innings minimum behind a 42% strikeout rate His peak major league projection includes a 1.24 WHIP and 3.94 ERA Mullins might be yet another feather in the cap of the Red Sox development machine Reds righty Chase Burns leads Double-A with a 34% strikeout-minus-walk rate and a peak major league projection of 1.21 WHIP and 3.72 ERA Don’t be surprised if Burns is pitching in Cincinnati later this season Jack Wenninger was one of Geoff Pontes’ 10 April pitching prospects who stood out Wenninger’s velocity is up and he has a new slider shape The arrow is pointing up for the Mets righthander The top 2024 Double-A pitchers are not the same type of impressive household names that we saw in previous levels of the minors That might be because we don’t have 2025 Stuff+ yet so it hasn’t been added into the analysis the 2024 comparison is solely an apples-to-apples surface performance comparison Mason Adams and Aaron Brown all have 2024 Stuff+ below 100 suggesting that their initial 2024 season performance wasn’t entirely supported by the underlying data It will be interesting to do this same analysis in the next couple of weeks when our minor league stuff model gets folded into the 2025 RoboScout allowing for a more informed analysis Major Leaguers adorn this list, suggesting that ranking near the top of RoboScout’s Triple-A list indicates a likely future big league contributor. A’s slugger Nick Kurtz ranks surprisingly low on this list The issue appears to be his elevated 27% strikeout rate–and those strikeout woes have carried over to his nascent 2025 major league output His 145 wRC+ isn’t all that elite compared to other performances at the same point in the season By that logic, Yankees prospect Jesus Rodriguez looks like a major league bat Whether it’s at catcher remains to be seen but both Austin Wells and Agustin Ramirez have carved out major league roles behind the dish despite poor initial minor league reports Let’s see if Rodriguez is next in that lineage This is essentially a list of big leaguers with Bubba Chandler and Jacob Misiorowski on the precipice of debuts Chandler is showing the best peak pitching projection in the minors based on 2025 performance and looks like he might post a sub-4.00 ERA in 2025 when he debuts Braves righty Nathan Wiles is interesting He has a 27% strikeout-minus-walk rate in 25 Triple-A innings but doesn’t have much prospect pedigree and is already 26 years old From a “will they make it to the major leagues” standpoint Presenting 10 Statcast standouts from the past week of minor league action led by arguably the top pitching prospect in the game 1 team in the College Baseball Top 25 rankings after another wild weekend Now they want to accentuate the 2024 fourth-rounder’s speed and defense Yankees first-round pick Ben Hess stood early in the season as a member of the High-A Hudson Valley rotation Robby Snelling showed up to Marlins camp this year with improved stuff Cooper are taking a look at basement dwellers in the AL and NL BA college writers Jacob Rudner & Peter Flaherty break Chris Lemonis’ surprise firing at Mississippi State and lots more Geoff Pontes & Dylan White highlight prospects who could be playing themselves into the Fantasy Top 100 we talk about Shedeur Sanders’ NFL Draft slide and why it wouldn’t happen in the MLB Draft Ben and Carlos talk about Red Sox and Yankees pitchers with physicality and stuff who are off to hot starts in 2025 On this week’s episode of the Baseball America Draft Podcast Carlos and Peter hop on to briefly talk about their relationship to the NFL draft… FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Inside the batting cages at the Boston Red Sox's spring training complex where the future of hitting is playing out in real time the best trio of position prospects in a generation blossomed is joined by a dozen other standard pitching machines Anthony and Mayer are in the middle of everything They're learning modern hitting philosophy applying it in an array of competitions that aim to turn their tools into skills jamming to Bachata and Reggaeton and rap and rock On a small desk inside Cage 4 sit two binders outlining the Red Sox's hitting philosophy: one in English and one in Spanish These binders outline what the organization's hitting coaches refer to as its Core Four tenets: swing decisions "The training environment is the biggest thing with us," said Anthony and it's always that competitive -- friendly but competitive -- environment we set in the cage We really try to get the best out of each other and really beat each other in training And I think it makes us better when we take the field." left-handed-hitting shortstop who fell to the Red Sox with the No weathered injuries and saw his exit velocity spike and strikeout rate dip last year who signed for a well-over-slot $2.5 million bonus after Boston chose him with the 79th pick in the 2022 draft is widely regarded as the best hitting prospect in the minor leagues a fourth-round pick in 2023 as a draft-eligible redshirt freshman the consensus Minor League Player of the Year who went from unheralded to a prospect coveted even more than Anthony by some teams despite an unorthodox swing All three will be in the major leagues sooner than later -- for Campbell, perhaps by Opening Day. They'll bring with them a shared experience they believe will transfer to the big leagues. When they eventually face Yankees ace Gerrit Cole not just because they stood in against him on the Trajekt but because coaches took his best fastballs (100 mph at the top of the zone) added an extra half-foot of rise to them and challenged the kids to hit it "You want to be surrounded with the best," Anthony said "because it makes you want to become the best." Kristian Campbell's breakout 2024 season turned heads both in the Red Sox organization and across the sport. Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty ImagesIN SEPTEMBER 2023 the Red Sox gathered their minor league prospects at their spring training complex for a two-month offseason camp Boston's staff assesses every hitter to form an action plan He made excellent swing decisions and had elite bat-to-ball ability both of which manifested themselves as he hit .376 with 29 walks and 17 strikeouts over 217 plate appearances in his lone season at Georgia Tech Ball flight represented the biggest area of need after his average launch angle during 22 postdraft pro games was just 2 degrees Inside the complex's cafeteria one day in camp Campbell was surveying his options when Red Sox hitting coordinator John Soteropulos meandered by Soteropulos had joined the team after three years as a hitting coach at Driveline Baseball the Seattle-based think tank where philosophies have pervaded the game over the past decade Soteropulos noticed shepherd's pie on the cafeteria's menu and alerted Campbell Download the ESPN app and enable Jeff Passan's news alerts to receive push notifications for the latest updates first. Opt in by tapping the alerts bell in the top right corner. For more information, click here While Mayer entered the MLB ecosystem as a top prospect and Anthony a tooled-up could-be star, Campbell was different. Taken with the compensatory pick the Red Sox received when longtime shortstop Xander Bogaerts signed with the San Diego Padres director of hitting and fellow Driveline alum Jason Ochart and assistant farm director Chris Stasio were empowered by Red Sox management to implement their new systems in hopes of extracting the best version of later-round picks like Campbell -- and if it worked From the moment he arrived in the organization Campbell impressed the staff with his desire to learn And challenging players beyond the perfunctory repetitions hitters take -- the same soft flips in the batting cage the same 60 mph batting practice before every game -- is at the heart of Boston's philosophy Giving them complex problems drives them to adapt If they train in environments that don't take them outside of their comfort zone whether with the Trajekt or with machine balls that fly only when struck on the sweet spot or with slim bats that emphasize barrel control or hundreds of other ways And it's those changes that take a nonexistent or atrophied skill and give it heft "I really wanted to go to a team that could develop me into a great player and that will take the time to help me because I feel like I'm really coachable and I listen," Campbell said it's hard for me to correct and change things." Over those two months, the Red Sox didn't overhaul Campbell's swing as much as they found the best version of it. Thirty years ago, Coop DeRenne, a professor at the University of Hawaii, ran a study on overload and underload training that showed it significantly improved bat speed The industry has mostly ignored its findings but Driveline embraced them and brought them to the Red Sox Campbell trained two days a week with bats that were 20% heavier and 20% lighter than standard 31-ounce bats Though he whipped his bat through the zone with a preternatural ability to stay on plane -- the angle of the bat meeting the angle at which the pitch arrived at home plate -- delivering the barrel with greater force reinforced a tenet Red Sox coaches preach repeatedly: "The bats do the work for you." The bigger challenge was adulterating Campbell's swing to hit the ball in the air who wanted to be known as the greatest hitter who ever lived long advocated for ball flight because he understood a hard-hit ground ball is typically a single while balls struck in the air produce the vast majority of extra-base hits Pulling the ball in the air is particularly important Meeting a ball in front -- which typically allows a hitter to pull -- maximizes the capacity for damage Kiley McDaniel ranks the top prospects and farm systems entering the 2025 MLB season the Red Sox preferred to let his natural athleticism guide him toward a solution Instead of moving his hand position or getting rid of his toe-tap Campbell altered where he wanted to strike the ball reminding himself with every rep to do something counterintuitive: Swing under it "You got to know where your barrel is at all times It was in an odd spot because I was trying to get more elevation on the ball than normal So I feel like I have to swing under the ball to hit it in the air And I really was on plane because I've been so on top of it all these years." Campbell's barrel aptitude improved by taking reps with a fungo bat or a slim 37-inch bat (3 to 4 inches longer than the standard bat) which forced him to meet the ball farther in front of the plate The skills learned in doing so eventually meld with a hitter's' regular bats and variations of drills -- offsetting standard pitching machines to the side mixed-pitch Trajekt sessions -- allow them to be applied in new coaches pitted Campbell and his fellow prospects against one another to see who could hit the ball hardest or most consistently Winners gloated -- "Marcelo talks s--- 25/8," Anthony said -- and those who didn't win returned the next day intent on revenge When last winter's offseason sessions ended the Red Sox were hopeful they would translate into a breakout season for Campbell Even they could not have predicted what transpired over the ensuing months Campbell said he came into 2024 hoping to hit five home runs -- one more than in his lone college season He started the season at High-A Greenville and hit his fifth home run May 9 where he spent two months and whacked eight more homers He was promoted to Triple-A for the final month and added another four finishing the season hitting .330/.439/.558 with 20 home runs 74 walks and 103 strikeouts in 517 plate appearances "He's in the cage with the weirdest swing I've ever seen When Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story first saw Campbell on a rehabilitation assignment in Triple-A he was taken by his ability "to self-organize and learn how to solve problems." "He has a special talent for moving the bat," Story said And then whenever you make a decision to swing best swing on it and make sure you stay somewhat under control while that ball is going on so you can hit the ball as well as possible The way pitches move and how good everybody is nowadays if you take the same swing every time and only can hit certain pitches You've got to be able to adjust to different things and even if all the technology isn't his cup of tea they remind Evans -- who spent 20 seasons in the major leagues "It's almost like they've been around 10 years in the big leagues," Evans said assistant general manager Paul Toboni and farm director Brian Abraham are leaning into the work done by Ochart Five other former Driveline employees dot the player development and Stasio was promoted over the winter to director of major league development a new role in which he will apply the development philosophies to the big league club and maintain the continuity for prospects who ascend to Fenway Park Campbell is in line to be the first -- of many the Red Sox hope -- to crack the big league roster He's in competition for the second-base job this spring a testament to the organization's belief in him Bregman will play third and Devers -- who has received MVP votes five of the past six years and signed a franchise-record $313.5 million contract -- will move to designated hitter a role he said unequivocally he doesn't want to play we rank the elite at every spot on the diamond Olney's Top 10s » The Red Sox see Campbell as worth the potential drama Perhaps it's a function of five playoff-free seasons in six years since their 2018 World Series title but it's likely simpler: Campbell is too good to keep down The competition fostered in Cage 4 -- and the work ethic it demands -- isn't going anywhere Mayer and Anthony had grown close through late-night more traditional than Campbell's in which he waggles the bat pointing it almost directly toward the sky at the swing's launch point Starting from a better place than Campbell hasn't kept either from reaping the benefits of Boston's program "I don't know if I'm hitting the ball harder because it's necessarily bat speed or because I'm working in the gym but both together could only help," Mayer said So all those things tie in and play a big role and lead to success." Mayer and Anthony have spent so much time working with their instructors that they joke that Soteropulos might as well sleep there "It's pretty cool to think about how many spring trainings we've been in there," Anthony said "Looking back at it and being on the big league side just appreciating guys like John and guys on the minor league side that take so much time out of their days to get us better." For all the struggles hitters around baseball have faced the Red Sox believe in their system -- and in this first generation that will serve as a litmus test to its efficacy "I'm committed to the game," Campbell said "I want to be the best player I can be every day I want to play with the team for a long time.' I just knew that I'm going to give all I have to this team that took a chance on me I'm going to make sure it's worth it for them and me." most of which is well away from making it to the Majors short-season rookie league designed for players that are still in the building stages of preparing for a full season affiliate Most of them are high school age and began their careers as international prospects For the Texas Rangers, Yolfran Castillo is one player headed to the ACL for the second straight year and Baseball America believes he is a player to keep an eye on this season Texas signed him for $647,500 out of Venezuela last January MLB.com wrote that part of the reason the Rangers were able to sign the 6-foot-3 outfielder was that other teams ran out of money in their international bonus pool That may benefit the Rangers down the road, as he is the organization’s No. 8 prospect per MLB Pipeline the Rangers sent him to the Dominican Summer League typically the first stop for international prospects He played just 20 games in the Dominican and slashed .414/.552/.471 with no runs and 20 RBI But what stuck out the most was his walks and strikeouts — 22 walks to eight strikeouts The Rangers opted to move him stateside to the ACL It was step up in competition and it didn’t faze him He scored 10 runs and drew five walks against seven strikeouts That left him with a season slash of .377/.481/.415 with 26 RBI He also stole 10 bases and was caught four times he’s a contact hitter with great discipline but not much pop Baseball America’s scouts believe his future in baseball is dependent on one thing “Castillo’s future hinges on the way his body goes,” their scouts wrote “If he can add strength and impact to his 6-foot-3 frame he might begin to tap into his obvious upside.” Castillo is probably a few years away from being in a position to make the Rangers have to make a decision But he has the potential to track that way NEW YORK - One of the Yankees' top prospects The son of ex-MLB outfielder George Lombard, currently the Detroit Tigers bench coach entered Sunday batting .329 with a .983 OPS at Class A Hudson Valley also has 11 stolen bases in 13 attempts during his first 24 games (82 at-bats) at Hudson Valley made an impression at big league spring training with his talent and demeanor just the amount that I've gotten to learn and experience from just being around the guys every single day,'' Lombard Jr Despite the Yankees' current infield needs (Jazz Chisholm Jr is out for at least a month due to an oblique strain Anthony Volpe is dealing with a shoulder issue) does not project to make the majors this year But he could be in the mix to win a job next spring training as a third baseman 88 prospect by Baseball America and was the Yankees' No between outfielders Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones Yankees captain Aaron Judge offered this defensive scouting report of Lombard Jr.: "He's got a great arm was rated the Yankees' best defensive player in their minor league system entering 2025 by MLB Pipeline Omer Mayer, a highly regarded international prospect from Israel, has committed to Purdue "I'm excited and thankful for this opportunity," Mayer told ESPN "I've competed at the highest levels in Israel and Europe and can't wait to help Purdue compete for a championship next season." Mayer is coming off a strong week in Portland excelling in practices and dishing out the ball for seven assists in 19 minutes in the official game as the World Team lost to USA in overtime He was one of the best players at last summer's FIBA U18 European Championship 6.6 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game for Israel which qualified for this summer's FIBA U19 World Cup by finishing in fourth place 215-pound point guard has been developing with Maccabi Tel Aviv posting a career-high 11 points and three assists earlier this month in a win over EuroLeague playoff team Bayern Munich considered the best point guard in college basketball and then assume greater responsibility when Smith graduates next summer Jonathan Givony is an NBA draft expert and the founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service used by NBA, NCAA and international teams. 2025Prospect Hotel & Cellars has opened along the shopping strip of Prospect Road with a “pub meets brasserie” offering Prospect has been begging for a community pub for years But when opening a local watering hole in an area that is bound by community it’s important that the venue can cater to just that Josh Voigt and Dale Wostikow – of Sideways Liquor Bowden Cellars and the Adelaide Wine Markets – are Prospect locals themselves and understand the pub’s importance “I guess it’s something that we all recognised and we wanted,” Marc “Even before I met these guys – I’ve lived in the area for almost 20 years and I always wondered why there’s never any pubs on this stretch of the road “And eventually I tried to open one with Mismatch “I had given up on the idea and then enter the boys: Josh and Dale.” Prospect Council is aware of strong advocacy from the Women’s Christian Temperance Union – which commenced in the 1930s – against the granting of a hotel licence on Prospect Road which Dale says “was able to block hotel license applications” Before Marc joined, Josh and Dale were owners of Sideways Liquor and had a general and hotel licence for that venue. They were able to transfer that pub licence to what is now Prospect Hotel & Cellars in a new building across the road from Rosemont Hall “When the opportunity came up to purchase Sideways Liquor we strategically knew that by getting that venue that we could use that to create this [Prospect Hotel  Cellars] in the future,” Dale says transferred and then were able to create this.” They’ve got brains on them too,” Marc laughs local councillors have wanted a pub on this street for numerous years “You can see that – it’s demonstrated on the street how progressive Prospect is now We definitely wanted to contribute a little part of that,” Marc says “We’re a big believer in that pubs are the heart of the community and I think since COVID everything’s come back to suburbs rather than being in the city I’d say 90 per cent of the people that came to the pub over the weekend are all locals and it’s great to be able to say that.” Subscribe for updatesWhat they wanted to offer at Prospect Hotel & Cellars was “something a little bit different” to the traditional and more of a “pub meets brasserie” offering “People are still looking for that comfort food and we offer that We’ve got our pub classics and what you’d expect but then we also wanted to offer people something they might not expect,” Marc says “That might be coming into here and getting the tuna tartare or the brussels sprouts and stuff like that.” Other menu options range from a wedge salad different steak cuts like wagyu and scotch fillet  – all led by executive chef Justin Penman Chateau Apollo and Midnight Spaghetti group A mainly South Australian alcohol offering is something they’re all proud to present Josh says this gives the team “flexibility and versatility to offer something different” as they also have a cellar at the back of the venue where patrons are able to purchase takeaway bottles “We’ve always been staunch and firm believers that we are so lucky to exist in the state of South Australia so we feel a need and a passion to shine a light on those small-batch boutique brands that don’t necessarily get engagement or a huge marketing presence in other gigantic conglomerates retail sale out there,” Josh says “One thing we really want to lean into is representing and showcasing those really amazing quality wines that you can’t find anywhere else “So we’re here for that and happy to offer that across by the glass as well as for takeaway retail here in the wine shop “We recognise Prospect would really appreciate a diverse offering So we’ve branched out with our cellar and with our pub to have an offering of some more premium imported and domestic options the team offer “styles of products [they] know people will like” The space is also versatile in its choice of interiors, with forest green walls and couches filling the space, designed by Natasha Banhalmi of Snow Studio “The green walls and the ceilings were a bold choice that paid off.” Subscribe for updatesProspect Hotel & Cellars is located at 85 Prospect Road Prospect and is open from Sunday to Wednesday from 11am until 10pm then Thursday to Saturday from 11am until late Connect with the business on Instagram for more. InDaily South Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of country throughout South Australia and recognises their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. Mumbezhi will support Zambia's goal of producing 3mtpa of copper by 2031 Australian exploration and development company Prospect Resources has been granted two large-scale mining licences (LMLs) for its flagship Mumbezhi copper project in north-west Zambia This grant of the LMLs provides 25-year tenure security The licences are a cornerstone for further development financing and long-term operational planning contrasting with the Australian system where a mining licence is typically the final step before development With a substantial maiden mineral resource estimate of 107 million tonnes (mt) grading 0.5% copper for 515,000 tonnes Mumbezhi is poised to support Zambia’s goal of producing three million tonnes per annum (mtpa) by 2031 Prospect Resources managing director and CEO Sam Hosack said: “The rapid grant of the LMLs over Mumbezhi is a testament to both the underlying opportunity presented by this asset as well as the professional and stakeholder-aware approach adopted by our team in Zambia “Like our recent tabling of a maiden mineral resource estimate and development of a substantial exploration target for the project the grant of these licences represents another major milestone in our journey at Mumbezhi delivering the inherent credibility attached to this more advanced and secure form of tenure.” Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis Prospect is also positioned to benefit from Zambia’s mining tax incentives and negotiate additional investment incentives under the Zambia Development Agency framework Prospect’s exploration efforts continue to identify significant potential across the Nyungu Corridor and at Kabikupa With further drilling planned for the second quarter of 2025 the company aims to increase its copper resource base and progress towards a large-scale mining operation Hosack added: “We are also excited about recommencing drilling at Mumbezhi shortly with a particular focus on the regional opportunities across this large prospective ground holding Priority targets for the upcoming programmes include the Nyungu ‘Corridor’ “Located within a world-class geological address as established by the scale and projected life of the surrounding major copper operations delivers us a compelling magnitude of opportunity at Mumbezhi.” Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network After cutting his teeth in the Aussie Home Loans graduate program Jordan Hagicostas is making his name at Aussie Prospect the brokerage brand’s top-performing store He talks about his first year in broking and how he’s managed to already write $60 million in loans To continue reading the rest of this article If you check the box above before you log in you won’t have to log back into the website next time you return even if you close your browser and come back later Ben Squires is a commercial content writer at mortgage broking title The Adviser.He primarily works with clients to deliver promoted and sponsored content – both in print and online – and also writes news and features on the Australian broking industry.As an experienced writer and journalist Ben can write across different mediums but specialises in commercial content that meets client objectives.Before joining The Adviser in 2024 Ben was a commercial content editor at News Corp writing for several titles including The Australian GQ and news.com.au.He’s interested in writing about anything related to finance and technology Become a free member to receive breaking news direct to your inbox each day Do you think that more people are needing specialist finance now than ever before Do you know which lenders are providing brokers and their customers with the best service Use this monthly data to make informed decisions about which lenders to use Simply contribute to the survey and we'll send you the results directly to your inbox - completely free Celebrating 30 years of Prospect’s Twilight Sessions Get ready to dust off your picnic rugs and celebrate—Prospect’s beloved Twilight Sessions are turning 30 this February these free Friday night events have transformed the Prospect Memorial Gardens into the ultimate spot for the community to get together around live music What began as a small community gathering has grown into a local tradition where you can experience the incredible talent of local musicians 2025 is sure to be bigger and better than ever celebrating music from across the decades: each evening will showcase a different mix of sounds making sure there’s something for everyone to enjoy This all takes place against the backdrop of the 30th-anniversary community mural collection that will evolve throughout the month The mural will take shape across the gardens growing week by week—three murals for the past three decades and one to celebrate the one to come The brilliant ArtbyBoky who created the Faces of Prospect mural at the 2024 Prospect Spring Fair is set to return with this unique Attendees will have the chance to contribute leaving their mark on each mural and becoming part of the rich history of Twilight Sessions each evening there will also be a variety of food stalls and kids’ activities for the whole family to enjoy Enjoy this special 30-year celebration of magic Prospect Twilight Sessions Where: Prospect Memorial Gardens, 1 Menzies Cres, Prospect SA 5082When: February 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th, 6pm to 9:30pmCost: FreeFor more information, click here