Elko turning heads with scorching start to campaignMay 3rd CHICAGO -- The statistics produced by to begin the season suggest Triple-A Charlotte’s first baseman would be more than a viable candidate for a promotion to the White Sox He seems to have earned that honor, at the very least. But Elko, like many other Minor League players, lets his on-field work do most of the talking He’s not in the prediction business and making no demands “Whenever that opportunity arises, I'll be ready,” said Elko, during a Friday evening Zoom after being named White Sox Minor League Player of the Month I'm just trying to focus on where my feet are and not look ahead too much “Just try to continue to perfect my craft and be the best player I can be every single day here When that time comes or that opportunity comes But I'm just trying to enjoy where I'm at right now." clearly is enjoying what he’s been doing to date manager Sergio Santos and everyone else in the organization He slashed .367/.448/.711 with four doubles 18 runs scored and a 1.159 OPS over 25 games with Charlotte in March/April He reached base safely in 23 of his first 25 games His specific power output was buoyed by eight homers in a span of 10 games from April 16-27 “It was pretty fun,” said a smiling Elko of the long-ball barrage “I kind of was joking around at the beginning of the week that they come in pairs I was able to get a few more out the rest of that week “Tim's done a great job,” said White Sox director of hitting Ryan Fuller 'I've got to improve the swing decisions being able to make quality contact off of breaking balls.' He's doing that That's what you want all these guys to be able to do We tell them what they do great and areas they need to improve To see him go out and execute at a high level so far this year is really encouraging.” Being able to reduce his swings out of the zone has made Elko even more dangerous on pitches within the zone Honing on where he’s working and being on time makes it easier for Elko to take the bad pitches 250-pound Elko topped the Minors in slugging percentage was tied for the lead in home runs and ranked fourth in OPS and total bases with 64 Selected in the 10th round of the 2022 Draft Elko leads all Minor Leaguers since ’23 with 339 hits is tied for the lead with 199 RBIs and ranks second with 568 total bases While Elko has crushed the ball in the International League, the White Sox rank last in the American League in slugging and OPS and rank fourth from the bottom in runs scored featured a .167/.207/.272 slash line to go with three homers and 12 RBIs entering Friday’s series opener against the Astros but the White Sox are giving him the opportunity to work his way back to form as he has done in previous seasons not pushing the White Sox to find out future possibilities “I don't really dig into that kind of stuff too much,” Elko said “I'm just trying to focus on what I'm doing here now just trying to improve every single day and be the best I can for the Charlotte Knights I'm just trying to focus on who I am right now “I've been able to improve some of my weak areas that I've had the last couple years and I'm just continuing to try to get better every single day … I see the light at the end of the tunnel but I'm just focusing on continuing to try to be the best that I can so when I get my opportunity I can perform.” Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball NC- Earlier today the Chicago White Sox announced their March/April Minor League Player of the Month The recipient was Charlotte Knights first-baseman Tim Elko The White Sox also named Birmingham pitcher Grant Taylor as the Pitcher of the Month recorded a .367/.448/.711 (33-for-90) slash line with four doubles He reached base safely in 23 of his 24 games started and hit safely in 21 of those contests Elko homered eight times in a span of 10 games from April 16-27 led the minors in March/April in slugging percentage tied for the lead in home runs and ranked fourth in OPS and total bases with 64 He also ranked among Class AAA leaders in slugging percentage (1st) total bases (4th) and on-base percentage (5th) who was selected by the White Sox in the 10th round of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft leads all minor leagues since 2023 with 339 hits is tied for the lead with 199 RBI and ranks second with 568 total bases Elko and the Knights are in the midst of a seven-game winning streak The Knights take on the Norfolk Tides this evening at 7:04pm ET Everyone in Oxford knows what ‘The Captain’ Tim Elko can do with a bat in his hands He helped guide Ole Miss to the program’s first National Championship three years ago and has carried that momentum into his professional career For nearly three years Elko has been one of the best power hitters in the minor leagues and the Chicago White Sox organization is finally having to take notice Through 25 games with AAA club the Charlotte Knights Elko is tied atop all of Minor League Baseball in home runs with nine and has a batting average of .367 which is third-best among all MiLB hitters As of April 29 eight of those home runs had come in a 10-game stretch White Sox general manager Chris Getz is starting to get the inevitable questions of when Elko might come up and if a swap at first base is coming “He’s hitting the ball very hard, actually harder than – he’s always hit the ball hard, he’s actually increased how hard he’s hitting it,” Getz said before Tuesday’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers. “And most importantly, how often he’s doing it. He’s certainly leading the organization in home runs, and I think he’s at the top in minor league baseball. Tim’s a special guy, has got tremendous leadership qualities. He impacts others beyond just himself. He was a pretty good defender at first base. He’s putting together all-around quality at-bats. So, we’re really happy with the development of Tim, and know at some point he could join us here in Chicago” The 26-year-old Elko also leads qualified Triple-A hitters in slugging percentage (.732), OPS (1.163), isolated power (.378) and wRC+ (197) through 95 plate appearances. With current White Sox first baseman Andrew Vaughn off to a slow start over a month into the season the calls by fans are getting louder for the organization to make a move and call Elko up to The Show. Vaughn is hitting .157 with three home runs early into his fifth season in the MLB. Top 101Field of 64 projectionPredicting College Baseball Tourney Hot4Trump By clicking "Subscribe to Newsletter", I agree to On3's Privacy Notice, Terms, and use of my personal information described therein. Getz is cautious about making a swap, though, and expecting Elko to be manning first base in Chicago anytime soon might not be such an automatic development. Doug Nikhazy was called up by the Cleveland Guardians and first appearance ended up being his first career MLB start. The Guardians series with the Red Sox saw Friday’s game postponed and Saturday became a doubleheader slate. The former Ole Miss ace was called up to be a bullpen piece but due to the schedule change he got the start in the night cap of the doubleheader. He was off to a strong start with his first career MLB strikeout occurring against the first batter he faced, but then the outing took a rough turn. He worked three innings, allowing six runs off five hits and walked six Red Sox batters and picked up the loss. Moving forward Nikhazy should be a relief role but he has not had another appearance since Saturday. What does Ole Miss baseball have to do in these final two weeks of the 2025 regular season to get a hosting spot?... Despite dropping its second SEC series in the last three weekends Ole Miss held onto a Top 25 ranking in Monday's latest polls.... No. 23 Ole Miss has not been swept in a SEC series all season and that continued with a win in Sunday's finale over No. 21 Oklahoma.... Needing to leave Norman with a SEC series in its back pocket now No. 23 Ole Miss is going to have to find a way to not get swept.... Hunter Elliott had his longest outing of the season but the Ole Miss offense was silenced once again in SEC play.... Ole Miss shortstop Luke Cheng figured he was headed to Illinois once he entered the NCAA Transfer Portal in the off-season.... Ole Miss announced on Thursday that Brayden Jones tore his UCL after getting checked out following Tuesday's outing against Austin Peay.... Ole Miss alum Gunnar Hoglund, like his teammate Doug Nikhazy before him, is headed to MLB. He was recalled by the A's on Thursday.... Play on the field is what results in the turnaround season No. 23 Ole Miss is having but the players credit a tight-knit roster, too.... Wednesday saw the release of the latest Field of 64 projections and No. 23 Ole Miss is still out of the hosting conversation.... Ole Miss slugger Judd Utermark sits down with teammate Luke Cheng for an all-new edition of Judd U, powered by RiverLand Roofing.... With two midweek games remaining Ole Miss does not need to lose one to preserve its NCAA Tournament résumé and didn't on Tuesday.... The rankings were mixed for Ole Miss this week. Despite three wins against SEC opponents this week it stayed steady in D1Baseball's poll.... No. 23 Ole Miss was a win away from going 4-0 on the week. Instead the Commodores avoided the sweep but the Rebels had a bounce-back week.... No. 23 Ole Miss Saturday against No. 9 Vanderbilt matched its combined win total for SEC series wins from the last two seasons.... After a bad week last week No. 23 Ole Miss is a win away from sweeping No. 9 Vanderbilt and five straight wins over SEC opponents.... Hunter Elliott looked closer to his ace form and the Ole Miss bats stayed hot in the 8-3 victory over the Commodores on Friday.... No. 23 Ole Miss has surpassed its win total from last season and goes for its fourth SEC series win this weekend against No. 9 Vanderbilt.... Ole Miss baseball great Doug Nikhazy is headed to MLB. He'll join the Cleveland Guardians for their upcoming series vs. the Boston Red Sox.... After a tough week last week, including a dropped series at South Carolina, No. 23 Ole Miss is on the outside looking in for hosting.... The odds were stacked against Ole Miss baseball in Pearl Tuesday night. The Rebels picked up a much-needed win over Mississippi State anyway.... Trailing by a couple runs in the ninth inning Ole Miss relied on heorics at the plate and on the mound to take win in extra innings.... Ole Miss baseball last week lost three of four games and dropped like a rock in Top 25 polls. The Rebels will try to reverse course in Pearl.... After losing the first two games in Columbia and going 1-3 last week Ole Miss took a sharp fall in Monday's latest Top 25 polls.... After two poor days at the plate for No. 11 Ole Miss the bats came alive in Saturday's finale for 12 runs and four home runs.... Hot4Trump, Saban blastedNIL order ripped On3 is a registered trademark of On3 Media The White Sox named Class AAA Charlotte Knights infielder Tim Elko and Class AA Birmingham Barons right-hander Grant Taylor as their minor-league players of the month on Friday Elko leads Class AAA in slugging percentage and is fourth in batting average He has recorded a hit in 21 of Charlotte’s 25 games including a stretch of 10 games in which he hit 8 home runs “That was a pretty cool feeling,” Elko said of his home run streak “Being able to help us put runs on the board and win games feels even better.” has thrown 6⅓ straight scoreless innings and has not allowed a run in three starts on the road The right-handed hurler says a recent addition to his arsenal has been key to his success “My cutter’s been huge in the last couple of outings,” Taylor said “I’ve been able to use it early and late in the count I feel like it’s been a good weapon for me so far.” Taylor also has not allowed a run on the road this season with nine strikeouts in nine innings of work in away games His success has come through more confidence in himself even in the face of stiff competition so you get away with a lot less,” Taylor said “Better competition always brings out more in you The Double-A hitters hold me a little bit more honest.” his hot hitting has many media members asking if he’s been thinking about a potential call-up to the majors But the first baseman is doing his best to stay locked in on his current team “Whenever that opportunity (to play for the White Sox) arises but right now I’m just staying focused on where my feet are,” Elko said “I’m just trying to improve every single day and be the best I can for the Charlotte Knights right now.” The 26-year-old first baseman homered eight times in a 10-game span from April 16-27 and now leads all minor league hitters with 10 home runs White Sox director of player development Paul Janish spoke Saturday about the strong start to Elko's fourth minor league season "The thing that you have to touch first is the makeup of the player the impact he has on his teammates and even on staff "Just the kind of guy you really root for he’s always been a guy that you just assumed was going to hit a wall he’s played well throughout the minor leagues We talked about earning promotions and that’s what he’s done throughout the minor leagues He’s off to a great start in Charlotte." Janish mentioned the swing-and-miss issues Elko has had at the minor league level such as his strikeout percentage of 41.4% in 2022 29.3% in 2024 and 29.2% through 113 plate appearances this season Despite those potential concerns, Elko's production has sparked conversation about an MLB call-up, which general manager Chris Getz commented on prior to Tuesday's game Janish shared his thoughts on the situation Saturday "He is controlling what he can control In terms of when that opportunity will come "There’s needs and other circumstances that influence going on to the major-league level for him He has adjusted and has hit the ball even harder He has a better two-strike approach right now He’s getting big hits in certain situations against tough right-handed pitchers which is something he’s going to have to do the makeup of the player and the numbers on the field speak for themselves "He’s putting himself in a position to be considered We’ll have to wait and see when his opportunity presents itself in terms of the major-league level." Elko has played 25 games at first base and two as Charlotte's designated hitter Andrew Vaughn leads the White Sox with 24 appearances at first base Bobby Dalbec and Nick Maton have appeared there in at least five games Vaughn entered Saturday's game with a .162/.208/.265/.473 slash line with three home runs and 12 RBI in 125 plate appearances/ Maton played a team-high 14 games at designated hitter before being designated for assignment clearing waivers and being outrighted to Charlotte The role has otherwise been handled by-committee with 10 players logging between one and six appearances as the White Sox designated hitter JACK ANKONY 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 but Elko had the best individual performance in the system March/April record 14-15 Overall record 14-15 67 at-batsColson Montgomery .149/.223/.255 March/April record 12-10 Overall record 12-10 finishing the month two games better than .500 The Barons only averaged 3.86 runs per game but only 10 of Birmingham’s games were played there even if every game was played at Regions Field only allowing 3.45 runs per game across 22 games would be impressive It is no surprise that this month’s MVP is a pitcher but it may be a surprise that the award is going to a reliever could hardly have performed any better than he did opposing hitters only slashed .093/.170/.163 against him Dalquist played all of 2024 with the Barons posting a 3.06 ERA and 3.44 FIP in 47 innings Dalquist took his performance to another level this month it will not be long before he is in Charlotte March/April record 9-14 Overall record 9-14 The Dash are not expected to have a good record in 2025 as they started the season with only one player in the organizational Top 30 the Dash had a +11 run differential in April despite the 9-14 record won a tight race for team MVP with his strong performance on the mound Gordon posted a 2.28 ERA across five starts as he provided the Dash rotation with a much-needed boost who slightly edged out Gordon in terms of ERA Gordon edged out McDougal in strikeout rate a middle infielder who nonetheless cranked out seven homers Sam Antonacci’s .457 OBP also turned some heads and he added 10 stolen bases in 12 attempts March/April record 13-10 Overall record 13-10 69 at-bats (promoted to Winston-Salem on April 29) 54 at-batsLyle Miller-Green .262/.384/.475 The Cannon Ballers got off to a strong start, edging out the Barons for the best record in the organization. Braden Montgomery, 22, a key component of the Garrett Crochet trade, earned the Kannapolis Player of the Month award. The Red Sox drafted Montgomery in the first round in 2024 Montgomery led Kannapolis with three homers Montgomery will not win this particular award again as he has earned a promotion to Winston-Salem Well done to Montgomery on his excellent month A network of correspondents providing impartial news reports and analysis in 33 languages from locations around the world Up-to-the-minute news and analysis from around the world and in Chicago Hosted by WBEZ's Mary Dixon and NPR's Steve Inskeep Newshour is the award-winning flagship program of the BBC World Service the world’s largest news gathering operation 1A convenes a conversation about the most important issues of our time smart reflection on world news as it’s happening innovators and artists from around the globe with news from Chicago from WBEZ’s Lisa Labuz Reset digs into how the news has moved since you left the house discussing and unpacking the biggest stories and issues in Chicago and beyond right in the heart of the day Fresh 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ideas and practical advice: Code Switch features fearless and much-needed conversations about race—and Life Kit offers practical advice on things in life no one prepared you for Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX Reveal is public radio’s first one-hour radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting A weekly program presented by the New Yorker magazine’s editor killer beats and the edgiest new talent in storytelling come together for a weekly show that straps audiences into an audio rollercoaster Radiolab is known for its deep-dive journalism and innovative sound design Created in 2002 by former host Jad Abumrad the program began as an exploration of scientific inquiry Over the years it has evolved to become a platform for long-form journalism and storytelling Radiolab is hosted by Lulu Miller and Latif Nasser First baseman Tim Elko is hitting .357/.434/.704 at Triple-A Charlotte He was named the Sox’ minor-league player of the month for April One of the biggest questions on the minds of White Sox fans these days is why Tim Elko is slugging home runs in the minors instead of hitting in the middle of the major-league lineup ‘‘Birmingham’s not a very hitter-friendly park,’’ Sox utility player Brooks Baldwin who played with Elko in Double-A last season ‘‘and I saw him hit some balls that I haven’t seen hit that hard ever.’’ But Elko remained in Triple-A Charlotte gear during a media session Friday spurred by his election as the Sox’ minor-league player of the month considering Elko’s ridiculous offensive numbers at Triple-A: a .357/.434/.704 slash line to go with 10 homers in his first 27 games Sox first baseman Andrew Vaughn is struggling mightily with a .162/.208/.265 slash line and only three homers after a 7-3 victory against the Astros Considering it’s a further slide for Vaughn in terms of production after he was basically a league-average hitter in 2023 and 2024 Sox fans itching for some hope are wondering: ‘‘But right now I’m just trying to focus on where my feet are and not look ahead too much Just try to continue to perfect my craft and be the best player I can ‘‘I see the light at the end of the tunnel but I’m just focusing on where I am right now on continuing to try to be the best that I can Elko was perhaps never supposed to factor much into the Sox’ plans He starred in college for an Ole Miss team that won the NCAA championship in 2022 but he was only a 10th-round draft pick of the Sox that summer the Sox already had a first baseman in Vaughn who carried franchise-cornerstone expectations as the No making it more and more difficult for the Sox to keep him in the minors Given the Sox aren’t expected to contend this season there’s little rush to move anyone up ahead of schedule But as general manager Chris Getz & Co they might find Elko helpful as they construct a culture from the ground up ‘‘He’s a really good baseball player,’’ Baldwin said It’s somebody you like to have in a clubhouse every day ‘‘He’s got the nickname ‘Captain’ for a reason and they said he’s been the same way ever since they started playing with him in college.’’ Building for the future is everything for these Sox that has included a lot more behind-the-scenes changes than on-field ones with the big-league team’s win-loss record still ugly the results of that work is perhaps a little easier to see ‘‘We are having a lot of fun down here,’’ Elko said but there are great guys at the other levels We are having fun here trying to win some games and I think we are building a great culture throughout the minors and the big leagues ‘‘It’s just fun to play together and just to be able to compete every night with some of your best friends Terms of Use • Privacy Notice • Cookie Policy • Terms of Sale Read through the obituaries published in Elko Daily Free Press peacefully passed away at the age o… Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Texas A&M's 2025 football season will be under the national microscope, as head coach Mike Elko enters his second season with the program after finishing his inaugural campaign 8-5 including a disappointing 1-4 finish that resulted in a bulk of the Aggie fan base feeling uninspired heading into the offseason who served as James Madison's defensive coordinator last season who will (hopefully) fix A&M's technical problems at cornerback with a clear focus on Texas A&M's late-season struggles and the lack of success in the passing game "While we stumbled over ourselves to applaud Elko’s efforts during his first season something interesting happened: His team lost four of its last five Elko’s eight-win debut holds up as an acceptable start The Aggies still must develop their pass game a holdover theme from the Jimbo Fisher era Texas A&M attracts enough talented players to accelerate but can Elko develop a strong SEC quarterback especially with the additions of wide receivers KC Concepcion and Mario Craver from the transfer portal if Reed struggles in the pocket next season these questions and comparisons to Jimbo Fisher will continue to surface Eliah Drinkwitz (Missouri) and Shane Beamer (South Carolina) were positioned 1-8 Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced the open house and dedication dates for the Elko Nevada and Grand Junction Colorado Temples A media day for the Elko Nevada Temple will be held Wednesday and invited guests will tour the temple on Thursday A public open house will run from Saturday Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will dedicate the temple on Sunday The dedicatory session will be broadcast to all units in the temple district Church President Russell M. Nelson announced this temple during the April 2021 general conference “Temples are a vital part of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in its fulness,” he said then “Ordinances of the temple fill our lives with power and strength available in no other way.” many Latter-day Saints moved from Utah to Nevada in search of better economic conditions Church members also moved to northern Nevada the state is home to more than 180,000 Latter-day Saints in over 340 congregations A media day for the Grand Junction Colorado Temple will be held Monday and invited guests will tour the temple on Tuesday A public open house will run from Thursday President Jeffrey R. Holland Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will dedicate the temple in one session on Sunday President Nelson announced this temple in April 2021 Colorado in the Intermountain West of the United States is home to nearly 150,000 Latter-day Saints in 310 congregations The first mission of the Church in Colorado was established in 1896 The first official congregation was formed only a year later Latter-day Saints consider each temple a house of the Lord and the most sacred place of worship on earth Temples differ from the Church’s meetinghouses (chapels) All are welcome to attend Sunday worship services and other weekday activities at local meetinghouses The primary purpose of temples is for faithful members of the Church of Jesus Christ to participate in sacred ceremonies such as marriages and proxy baptisms on behalf of deceased ancestors who did not have the opportunity to be baptized while living You are about to access Constant Contacts (http://visitor.constantcontact.com) You are now leaving a website maintained by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints We provide the link to this third party's website solely as a convenience to you and security practices that differ from those on our website By referring or linking you to this website we do not endorse or guarantee this content If you would like to stay on the page you are viewing please click Cancel To download media files, please first review and agree to the Terms of Use. Download a photo or video by clicking or tapping on it. To download all photos or videos related to this article, select the links at the bottom of each section. White Sox fans are beginning to grow restless while they wait for 1B prospect Tim Elko to make his way to Chicago Given his .362/.440/.691/1.131 slash line and nine home runs in AAA Charlotte this season, it’s tough to make a case for why the 26-year-old is stuck in the minors and not ready or deserving of an MLB call-up Hearing White Sox GM Chris Getz talk about Elko a few days ago before the current homestand did nothing but reinforce my opinions of Elko and make me wonder what the Sox are waiting for Getz on Elko pic.twitter.com/W6C5KBNoEn “He has always hit the ball hard but he has actually increased how hard he’s hitting it and most importantly, how often he’s doing it,” Getz said to the media on Tuesday.  “He’s leading the organization in home runs and I think he’s at the top in minor league baseball He’s putting together all around quality at-bats.” and would have a positive off-field impact on the big league clubhouse But in order for the Sox to give Elko his shot they’ll need to find a corresponding move that makes sense for the organization Factoring in each player’s minor league options and what I simply find to be more realistic, here are the easiest ways for the Sox to make room for Elko on their 40-man roster and call him up Bobby Dalbec is out of minor league options and currently taking up a spot on the 40-man roster Designating him for assignment would immediately clear up a spot on the 40-man and give other teams 10 days to claim or trade for Dalbec Dalbec has some positional versatility, but he’s primarily a first baseman that will serve no purpose in a world where Elko is promoted and Josh Rojas returns from injury.  Dalbec is 3-for-15 at the dish with one RBI Jacob Amaya is on borrowed time in the major leagues It’s actually shocking that he managed to survive all of April without being DFA’d Amaya is 4-for-52 this season. That’s a batting average of .077. His OPS is .201 and his fWAR is sitting at -0.7. That’s 1,006th out of the 1,012 players registered on FanGraphs. Hilariously, Andrew Vaughn is dead last, 1,012th Amaya has played in 17 games and reached base only twice and every day the White Sox pretend otherwise is an insult to the fanbase and those in the organization deserving of an opportunity With Lenyn Sosa, Brooks Baldwin, Chase Meidroth, and Miguel Vargas on the team and Josh Rojas returning soon They can afford to swap out Amaya for Elko I’ve seen a lot of White Sox fans asking for Andrew Vaughn to be sent down to AAA when Elko is called up It makes a lot of sense given Vaughn's -1.0 fWAR and .479 OPS The White Sox need to make room for Elko on the 40-man roster before they can activate him While Vaughn has minor league options remaining and could be outrighted to Charlotte he’d still be on the 40-man roster if he was in the minor leagues I already felt like Vaughn being sent down was unrealistic because of the team's investment in his development but it‘s even more far-fetched when you consider that it would inconvenience the Sox and force them to release an additional player to make that the corresponding move for Elko It’s far more likely that Elko gets called up while Dalbec is DFA’d and then splits time with Vaughn at first base © 2025 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands Given his .362/.440/.691/1.131 slash line and nine home runs in AAA Charlotte this season, it’s tough to make a case for why the 26-year-old is stuck in the minors and not ready or deserving of an MLB call-up Getz on Elko pic.twitter.com/W6C5KBNoEn “He has always hit the ball hard but he has actually increased how hard he’s hitting it and most importantly, how often he’s doing it,” Getz said to the media on Tuesday.  Factoring in each player’s minor league options and what I simply find to be more realistic, here are the easiest ways for the Sox to make room for Elko on their 40-man roster and call him up Dalbec has some positional versatility, but he’s primarily a first baseman that will serve no purpose in a world where Elko is promoted and Josh Rojas returns from injury.  Jacob Amaya is on borrowed time in the major leagues Amaya is 4-for-52 this season. That’s a batting average of .077. His OPS is .201 and his fWAR is sitting at -0.7. That’s 1,006th out of the 1,012 players registered on FanGraphs. Hilariously, Andrew Vaughn is dead last, 1,012th With Lenyn Sosa, Brooks Baldwin, Chase Meidroth, and Miguel Vargas on the team and Josh Rojas returning soon I’ve seen a lot of White Sox fans asking for Andrew Vaughn to be sent down to AAA when Elko is called up How the Chicago White Sox can easily make room on their roster and call-up surging prospect Tim Elko The four-star edge rusher by way of Columbus, Georgia, recently caught up with ONSI's director of recruiting, Brooks Austin, where he gave an update on his recruitment. The Carver High School product revealed that he is set to visit USC, Tennessee, Florida State, and the Texas A&M Aggies All four of those schools were named as his finalists back in April he is seemingly set to take his visits before deciding on where he will commit Givens mentioned Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko as a big factor in his recruitment we're pretty close," Givens said of his relationship with Elko "And then some coaches on the coaching staff USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko speaks with a game official during the second quarter against the Auburn Tigers at Jordan-Hare Stadium Mandatory Credit: John Reed-Imagn Images / John Reed-Imagn ImagesIt is those relationships that are a big reason why they were among his top-four schools 9 edge rusher in the 247Sports composite rankings 8 in Georgia and is considered the 76th best player nationally his official visit to Tennessee on June 13 is the only one that has a public date available that could change in the coming weeks as he officially schedules his visits to the other schools The Aggies' recruiting class currently ranks No Texas A&M already has two edge rushers committed in Jordan Carter and Samu Moala HARRISON RENO Elko firefighters inspect the ultralight aircraft that crashed at Franklyn Building Supplies on Monday ELKO — A small airplane crashed in a lumber yard shortly after taking off from a runway parallel to Idaho Street on Monday morning received minor injuries but was awake and aware when he was rushed to Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital who was among the first responders to converge at Franklyn Building Supplies where the ultralight aircraft went down and crashed into a large garbage bin An ultralight aircraft crashed at Franklyn Building Supplies on Monday about 10 a.m crash was about a block west of Elko Fire Station 1 off Idaho Street and firefighters were among the first responders to arrive and by what the witnesses say the engine started to sputter,” Daz said and then next thing they knew it came down here in the parking lot of this business.” and came to rest upside-down abutting a large trash bin “But he was coherent when he left,” Daz said There “doesn’t appear to be any damage to the property,” Daz said “I don’t know if that Dumpster has any damage.” Daz said those who don’t need to be near the crash site to stay away or to not stop but Franklyn Building Supplies remained open after the crash An ultralight aircraft crashed at Franklyn Building Supplies on Monday about 10 a.m. It appears the plane took off from Runway 6 veered to its right and immediately crashed once crossing Idaho Street Airport officials were at the crash site assessing the situation and planned to report to the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board An airport spokeswoman said there was no impact on airport operations and the facility remains open The aircraft is blocked off as investigators go over the crash site but was last certified for flight in September 2023 It received its air worthiness certification in July 2007 It uses a two-cycle engine not unlike those on lawnmowers It is considered an experimental aircraft because it likely was built from a kit initially It was unclear if Cody was the person flying the aircraft Attempts to reach him Monday morning were unsuccessful Keith Kohn is editor of the Elko Daily Free Press. Reach him at kkohn@elkodaily.com Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter Email notifications are only sent once a day was booked into the Elko County Jail on one felony count of assault with a deadly weapon A McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act for homeless youth in Elko County has lost its federal funding from the Nevada Department of Education Felony and gross misdemeanor arrests from April 21 to April 27 was arrested on Thursday and charged with one felony count of embezzlement exceeding $100,000 When a placental tissue is donated through the new program in Winnemucca Elko establishing himself as a White Sox Minor Leaguer to watchApril 22nd BOSTON -- If the name is not familiar to White Sox supporters then they might want to pay closer attention to what he’s doing currently at Triple-A Charlotte 250-pound first baseman has been hitting since joining the White Sox as a 10th-round pick in the 2022 Draft and it’s not just offensively,” White Sox director of player development Paul Janish told me this weekend during an interview at Fenway Park “Tim does a really good job defensively at what can be an overlooked position he’s doing exactly what he needs to do right now to keep his name on the front of everybody’s mind.” Elko is slashing .361/.443/.607 over 17 games in his second season with the Knights He has knocked out four home runs and three doubles At 26, Elko is above the unofficial pure prospect age, and you won’t find his name on MLB Pipeline’s White Sox Top 30 Prospects list But he has value across the field and off the field you have to talk about the makeup and how good of a human he is,” Janish said “How much he impacts the people around him and it’s not just juice with him,” said Bobby Dalbec Elko’s teammate at Charlotte before joining the White Sox on Monday Gets down the line pretty quick and can run.” It appears in Charlotte for the immediate future Andrew Vaughn is ahead of him at first base at the Major League level Manager Will Venable has not gone with a set designated hitter which would be another spot possibly fulfilled by Elko “This game is a little bit of you are a victim of circumstances with regards to opportunities,” Janish said we dang sure know he’s going to show up and give us what he’s got he plays well when he gets that opportunity.” “He’s got a good head on him,” Dalbec said “Excited to see what he’s going to do in his career.” There were no home runs for Elko during Charlotte’s 14-11 loss to Nashville on Sunday, leaving him as one of the few who didn’t go deep, with 13 long balls in total. Colson Montgomery, the No. 4 White Sox prospect, and No. 36 overall had one of those home run swings and extended his hitting streak to six games during which he is 9-for-28 with two homers and three RBIs It’s a major step forward for the shortstop after a rough 4-for-45 open He would be very honest with you and tell you the same thing “We are going to ask him to have success at the Major League level at some point These are the kind of things he has to work through He’s trending in the right direction and hopefully the next month we will see him get hot.” Madeline Clark from University of Nevada Las Vegas a part of the Rural Health Outreach Project is new and only received its first funding earlier in the year The program was going to begin working with youth in Elko County this summer associate professor and field experience coordinator in counseling and human services at the University of Nevada “The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act is a law that allows any student who is unhoused to go to their home school and the school district provides transportation,” Clark said the homeless assistance program would provide mental health services “to any student who is identified as homeless by Elko County Schools and our partner communities and schools,” Clark explained “We no longer have the ability to provide that The program covers Elko County and Humboldt County serving “any student who meets McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act standards of homelessness,” Clark said Clark said that through working with the Nevada Department of Education they estimated there are about 75 students in Elko who meet the McKinney-Vento unhoused standards “We were hoping to provide services to about 30 of those students “We had hired some graduate assistants through the UNLV PRACTICE to provide those services and get the necessary supervision.” “That funding stream is no longer available Clark said they would love to pursue more grant funding in the future these are kids with instability and often trauma We want them to have the mental health services to be successful in school “We’ll continue to look for opportunities to be good stewards of funds to provide those services to kids.” Clark said she has always been interested in researching poverty and social class issues “I have a specific interest in making sure kids have equitable access to mental health care and education.” Clark said that with her background in working with individuals starting a program to help homeless youth in northern Nevada seemed like a natural fit “The Department of Education had reached out to us and talked about this as a possible funding opportunity We wrote the proposal and jumped on it really quickly because we are well-positioned here as a large public institution to provide services to folks with our graduate assistants and our partnership with Communities in Schools,” she said “We were ready to get that started in August.” ELKO — Federal cuts to the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health’s community mental health services block grant are hitting home in … he actually hit two on Sunday and raised his season total to nine – at least two more than anyone in the minor leagues The Charlotte Knights' 26-year-old first baseman also leads qualified Triple-A hitters in slugging percentage (.732) TIM ELKO DOES IT AGAIN!!Elko Launches a 2-run HR on the first pitch he sees! Knights take an early 2-0 lead! pic.twitter.com/6rQCl5mair the White Sox fell to an American League-worst 7-21 Sunday with a 3-2 loss to the Athletics in extra innings First-year manager Will Venable's club ranks 25th or worse in MLB in runs Reaching the playoffs wasn't a preseason expectation and it's certainly not one now as the White Sox have a 0.0% chance to do so One player doesn't come close to changing that But that wasn't the goal this season anyway one year removed from losing a modern day MLB record 121 games The 2025 Chicago White Sox season was always going to be about figuring out which players could help build the next winning team however many years down the road Elko has earned the opportunity to prove whether he can be part of that It's only a matter of time until he gets his shot and that should be as soon as the six-game homestand beginning Tuesday some may wonder why Elko isn't already with the White Sox he entered the season with just 48 games played at Triple-A which would be a small amount for anyone before being called up to the big leagues The sample size is extremely small at 12 at-bats but Elko struggled in spring training with five strikeouts and a .083 batting average He's also been strikeout-prone throughout his career After joining the White Sox organization as a 10th round draft pick in 2022 out of Ole Miss Elko had a strikeout percentage of 41.4% in 2022 just 17 MLB hitters have a strikeout percentage of 30% or higher He'd be facing even better pitchers at the MLB level and the White Sox seem hesitant to move off of Andrew Vaughn 3 overall pick who's in his fifth MLB season Third on the team with 109 plate appearances Vaughn is off to a woeful start with a .157 batting average and a .476 OPS he's between the 75th and 88th percentile in MLB in expected slugging percentage hard-hit percentage and squared-up percentage That suggests he's getting unlucky and could soon see a spike in production His expected batting average of .243 is in the 40th percentile Even if the White Sox still want to give Vaughn everyday at-bats moving forward The team recently designated Nick Maton for assignment and he cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Maton led the White Sox with 14 games at designated hitters and nine other players have appeared there through 28 games HMMM, I WONDER WHAT TIM ELKO JUST DID....Knights within one at 4-3 in the 6th inning pic.twitter.com/xoGn32KYXc Recently called-up catching prospect Edgar Quero will take some of those at-bats at designated hitter and his .868 OPS warrants plate appearances But Elko has earned a chance to show what he can do and the other options aren't too intriguing from a short or long-term standpoint there's not much risk involved because the White Sox will be in the same position they're already in just further into a season without any expectations to win that's a step forward in the rebuilding process JACK ANKONY (KUTV) — Dates for a public open house and dedication have been announced for the Elko Nevada Temple by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Church officials said in a news release Tuesday that the public will be invited to tour the temple beginning on Saturday August 30 and run for two weeks until Saturday Tours will be available every day of the week but Sundays Officials said the temple will be dedicated on Sunday Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles They said it will be broadcast for ward buildings within the temple district The Elko Temple was first announced by President Russell M Nelson at the April 2021 general conference “We are thankful for the blessing of a temple in Elko who for many years have traveled great distances to other temples to receive sacred ordinances,” said Elder Paul Pieper of the Quorum of the Seventy in the dedicatory prayer at the groundbreaking in May 2022 Officials previously announced the single-story structure would be around 10,000 square feet making it among the smallest temples in the Church the Elko Nevada Temple was the third temple announced for the Silver State Nelson announced a fourth temple in Nevada - the Lone Mountain Nevada Temple It would be the second temple in the Las Vagas area church members in Elko had to drive 300 miles west to attend the temple in Reno or 230 miles to the east to attend the Salt Lake Temple The Deseret Peak Utah Temple in Tooele County was closer The Elko Nevada Temple is about 6 miles closer than the Deseret Peak Utah Temple for church members in Wendover According to a release issued by the Church Tuesday More than 180,000 church members live in Nevada The White Sox are in that position to a certain degree as Triple-A Charlotte Knights first baseman leads all minor leaguers with nine home runs The 26-year-old also leads qualified Triple-A hitters in slugging percentage (.732) isolated power (.378) and wRC+ (197) through 95 plate appearances actually harder than - he's always hit the ball hard he's actually increased how hard he's hitting it," White Sox general manager Chris Getz said before Tuesday's game He's certainly leading the organization in home runs and I think he's at the top in minor league baseball He was a pretty good defender at first base He's putting together all-around quality at-bats we're really happy with the development of Tim and know at some point he could join us here in Chicago.” White Sox first baseman Andrew Vaughn is off to an unproductive start in his fifth MLB season He's slashing .157/.202/.275/.476 with three home runs six walks and 23 strikeouts in 109 plate appearances is Elko a threat to take away at-bats from Vaughn “We're more focused on supporting Andrew right now," Getz answered "He's been one of the more unlucky hitters in baseball I know he wants greater results for the White Sox and for himself And our job is to get the most out of each player and we know that there's more on the tank for Andrew But we also know there are players throughout the organization that at some point could step up and get that opportunity And you want to make sure that they're well-positioned to do so.” Getz is referring to how Vaughn's expected stats compare to his aforementioned underwhelming numbers Vaughn ranks between the 75th and 89th percentile among all MLB hitters in expected slugging percentage (.485) hard-hit percentage (51.2) and squared-up percentage (31.2) good for the 40th percentile – was 86 points higher than his actual batting average entering Tuesday's game Determining whether expected stats will equate to actual results is something every team considers where a player may have poor expected stats get lucky with soft contact falling for hits or receive fortunate ball-or-strike calls but he's also noticed things the 27-year-old needs to fix "There's some areas in which mechanically But the results that he's gotten at the surface level we know that it's a little deceptive," Getz said "And so we certainly want him to stay the course and stay hungry But we also know that there is some work that needs to be done in terms of improvement but we know that Andrew's going to fight and we know that he's going to be more productive here and hopefully in the near future.” The White Sox entered the season with the No. 6 farm system, per MLB.com and there can be a desire from fans to see those emerging players be called up especially with the big league club isn't successful and Getz explained what goes into determining the right time to make those moves "Primarily we're focused on players in our system that we feel like are going to be part of our future and really their development is the priority "Now we do have players that are on our major league team that have been productive at the major league level and help support this team as we navigate this season Most importantly we want to put players in the best position to come up here and succeed Obviously there does need to be opportunity and we'll wait for the right time to do it There are different variables that go into making that decision but most importantly it's if they're developmentally ready to come up here." The White Sox entered Tuesday's game with a 7-21 record, worst in the American League and 29th in MLB ahead of the 4-24 Colorado Rockies. That's in line with what this team was expected to do going into the year as its win total over/under was set at 54.5 Getz understands the sentiment from fans that comes with losing but he also knows turning the team around won't happen immediately "We know that they're frustrated and they're hungry for us to stack more wins in the win column But we need to be disciplined in our process," Getz said "We need to develop these guys at an appropriate rate We can't just put everyone on the major league club and expect us to get the most out of that group We're working daily on trying to find ways to improve players and improve this team There's a lot of good things going on in this organization and we have faith that better days are ahead." COLLEGE STATION — As the Texas A&M football program enters the second half of spring ball many players are still adjusting to new roles and opportunities Perhaps the biggest change on the Aggies roster belongs on the defensive line have turned their attention to pursuing NFL careers The three's absence has created several holes along the defense which the Aggies have addressed aggressively since the 2024 season concluded A&M added four pieces in the portal and another four from the high school ranks Here's what Hicks and head coach Mike Elko said after the Aggies' practice Wednesday: More: How Bucky McMillan could transform Texas A&M basketball after Buzz Williams' departure Hicks came to A&M as a highly touted prospect in the 2023 class He was rated a five-star prospect and ranked in the top 15 by three major recruiting services (247Sports There may have been a lot of places where Hicks could have stepped in and played right away But staying with the Aggies was something Hicks felt benefited him it's difficult," Hicks told reporters about not playing much early "It's hard coming in as a highly-regarded recruit Hicks has appeared in 24 games over the last two seasons "He's not feeling his way through things anymore," head coach Mike Elko told reporters of Hicks "He knows what it means to be a college football player He got enough of a taste of it for sure last year." More: Texas A&M football: Transfer portal addition Jordan Shaw turning heads at CB Hicks drew attention during Wednesday's availability for a disturbing comment he made about a motto his teammates say Hicks mentioned "C.B.O." as a standard of play he and his teammates aspire to uphold "(Last year's defensive line group) really showed us how to be the best D-line we can be with their work ethic and the way they went about their daily business," Hicks said still trying to stay our motto 'C.B.O.,' that's what we stand for..." Elko was stern in opposition and stated it would be "handled." "It's conveying something that shouldn't be conveyed so we'll get that handled and addressed," Elko said "That's absolutely ridiculous that that was stated." It's unclear how Elko will address the comment Spring practices are valuable and something Elko has mentioned as a key point in time for Aggies' development the Aggies head coach refrained from making grand proclamations about what they've learned during the first nine practices I'm confident that we're making the next step I'm confident that we'll get there," Elko said I'm happy with the development and improvement." The Aggies are allotted 15 total spring practices and have six more scheduled before their spring game on April 19 A&M's 10th spring practice is Thursday morning The media will be allowed to view the first 30 minutes of practice Andrew Vaughn was not the reason the Chicago White Sox lost 3-2 in 10 innings to the Athletics yesterday he was a huge reason why the Sox tasted defeat A baserunning gaffe made by Vaughn in the sixth inning cost the White Sox the chance to break a 1-1 tie Then the Pale Hose finally got the lead in the 10th with the opportunity to pour on more runs and Vaughn grounded into an inning-ending double play Vaughn just does not seem to be produce when it matters most, at least this season, as evidenced by his .185 average with runners in scoring position. but Andrew Vaughn has only grounded into 3 DP's Maybe it's because it's always at very important times At some point, you have to think the franchise should give him the Spencer Torkelson treatment It worked for the Detroit Tigers to finally get their once highly touted highly drafted first baseman to finally hit like the impact player that was envisioned on draft day Continuing to be patient with Vaughn has to stop especially since this is another season where he has gotten off to a putrid start Vaughn's .476 OPS currently ranks 170 out of the 175 qualified batters to be ranked in that category That means he is currently the fifth-worst hitter in baseball While it is getting hard to be patient with Luis Robert Jr. at least he showed signs that he will eventually break out of this funk with a home run on Saturday along with driving in the lead-taking run in the 10th yesterday Vaughn essentially grabbed a bat and killed that rally in that same inning He had another multi-home run game yesterday for the Charlotte Knights and he is the toast of the White Sox world right now Tim Elko since Thursday: 5 HRsAndrew Vaughn since September 16th 2024: 4 HRs#StatsThatExistAndMatter Yet, the front office quietly tells you what they think about the 26-year-old prospect by not calling him up Maybe Elko is just another Yermin Mercedes or Matt Davidson and at least more entertaining in a lost season A summer of Elko hitting home runs like Davidson did in 2017 and 2018 would be a dream compared to the nightmare all of us have had to endure watching Vaughn continue to produce what ranges from terrible to replacement-level production Vaughn really has not tried much to shake out of this doldrum Even Miguel Vargas has tinkered with his swing His career numbers do support that he will hit sometime by June the season will be on a collision course with losing 125 games That is why it is time to do something drastic with this former cornerstone piece A demotion for Vaughn and a promotion for Elko might do the trick ","https://fansided.com/",{"alt":"6o","src":"6p","url":"6q"},{"type":"6n","value":"6r"},"link","Minute Media","https://www.minutemedia.com/",{"text":"6u","url":"6v"},{"type":"6t","value":"6w"},"All Rights Reserved Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands so he is a huge Golden Eagles hoops fan too.\n\nHe also supports the Milwaukee Bucks and Brewers.\n\nTodd is the host of the Locked on White Sox podcast.\n\nTodd is the current site expert of BlackhawkUp.com along with being a long-time contributor to SouthsideShowdown.com and DaWindyCity.com.\n\nTodd has covered the Milwaukee Brewers Vaughn just does not seem to be produce when it matters most, at least this season, as evidenced by his .185 average with runners in scoring position. At some point, you have to think the franchise should give him the Spencer Torkelson treatment Vaughn's .476 OPS currently ranks 170 out of the 175 qualified batters to be ranked in that category While it is getting hard to be patient with Luis Robert Jr. Tim Elko since Thursday: 5 HRsAndrew Vaughn since September 16th 2024: 4 HRs#StatsThatExistAndMatter Yet, the front office quietly tells you what they think about the 26-year-old prospect by not calling him up NC- The Charlotte Knights showed toughness and resilience on Wednesday night in their 11-7 extra inning loss to the Nashville Sounds The Knights battled back from an early 5-0 deficit and took the lead in an emphatic fashion late in the game tied the score and came out on top in extra-innings The Sounds took advantage of a Knights error in the top of the first inning and plated the contest’s opening run Nashville kept the early pressure on with two runs in the second inning and another two runs in the third settled in with a scoreless fourth inning and the Knights offense began to chip away Tim Elko clubbed a two-run Home Run in the bottom of the third that put the Knights on the scoreboard Bobby Dalbec followed Elko’s blast with a solo Homer of his own in the bottom of the fourth Bryan Ramos shot an RBI single into left field that plated Kyle Teel and Dalbec leveled the game with an RBI double to right-centerfield Dalbec finished 3-for-4 with three extra-base hits Elko struck again in the bottom of the seventh The Charlotte first-baseman demolished a 428-foot The blast gave the Knights their first lead of the contest at 7-5 Nashville mounted a two-out rally in the top of the eighth inning that resulted in a pair of runs A walk followed by back-to-back singles brought the visitors to within a run A Charlotte error then loaded the bases and another walk tied the game up 7-7 Neither team scored in the ninth which set the stage for Charlotte’s first extra-inning game of the season The Sounds went to work in the top of the 10th and scored four runs that included a two-run Home Run The Knights were unable to bring the tying run to the plate in the bottom half and suffered their eighth consecutive loss this is the only game during Charlotte’s losing skid where they have lost by more than three runs even though the extra inning was needed to decide a winner Elko ended the game 3-for-5 with a season-high four RBI and James Karinchak all recorded a scoreless appearance out of the Knights bullpen Nashville’s offense was a balanced attack that saw six players finish with two hits The White Sox keep throwing challenges at him First Baseman6´4´´250 poundsAge: 262023 South Side Sox Top Prospect Ranking 812024 South Side Sox Top Prospect Ranking 392024 High Level Charlotte (AAA)Age relative to high level -1.3 yearsSSS rank among all first basemen in the system 1Overall 2024 stats 139 games ⚾️ 18 HR ⚾️ 73 RBI ⚾️ .289/.346/.439 ⚾️ 42 BB ⚾️ 173 K ⚾️ .993 FLD% Known as “The Captain” in Oxford, Miss., Elko led Ole Miss to its first-ever Men’s College World Series championship in 2022 As one of the most accomplished players in program history Elko became a folk hero during the 2021 season after tearing his ACL and playing on one leg 33 days later with a special brace on his injured knee the senior came in to pinch-hit and blasted a three-run bomb It conjures up images of Kirk Gibson hobbling around the bases Curt Shilling pitching with a bloody ankle and the fictional Roy Hobbs smashing the lights in one final moment of greatness despite bleeding from his gut the first baseman decided to rehab his leg and play a fifth COVID year in 2022 with Ole Miss He was a vital component of the school’s national championship slashing .300/.407/.642 while crushing 24 bombs and driving in 75 The university even honored Elko by building and dedicating a statue to their hero in February 2024 You can see why the White Sox were intrigued by Elko and drive in the face of adversity are all characteristics this organization lacks and desperately needs 311) of the 2022 draft with a $35,000 signing bonus small but common for a senior with no leverage The first baseman got a few ACL games under his belt and then headed to Kannapolis where he played in 17 games and hit .271/.292/.414 with a .706 OPS — a nice start to his professional career The 2023 season saw Elko hit his way through three different affiliates: Kannapolis it’s safe to say he was proving himself to be a player to watch 2024 kicked off with a spring training invite and a chance to experience big league camp and get a taste of mingling with and learning from major league players hitting .289/.338/.420 with a .758 OPS and nine dingers in 91 games for the Barons the dark horse just continued to do his thing for the Knights you can see why we included him on our All-Star team despite playing in 139 games in 2024 and 270 over his first two pro seasons filling a first-base slot in the Arizona Fall League for the Glendale Desert Dogs; to no one’s surprise he clubbed a two-run bomb in his first game for the DDs In addition to all of his positive qualities headlined by light-tower power and clubhouse leadership one which could prevent Tim from ever seeing the South Side: contact ability he’s hovered around five Ks for every walk Improvements were made in 2024 (mostly in taking more walks but in Elko’s current state a jump to the majors will end up Adam Dunn-like .. So if you’re looking for a reason Elko has stalled in our ratings (he’s the second player so far to duplicate his ranking from one year ago) Elko’s Baseball Cube player ratingsPower 88 (-3 compared to last season)RBIs 83 (-3)Durability 75 (+4)XBH 74 (-6)Hitting 71 (+3)Runs 70 (-8)Speed 33 (-3)Contact 22 (+1)Average 64.50 (-4.50) It’s pretty clear that there’s plenty of potential here and on a team with no hope of fewer than triple-figure losses for a third straight year you’d think there would be an opportunity for Elko to get a little time in the bigs in 2025 Given an unsettled situation at almost every position if The Captain gets on a good run and can cut back the Ks USA; Chicago White Sox Tim Elko (84) poses for a photo on media day at the team’s spring training facility in Glendale Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Tim Elko’s exceptional performance has stirred excitement within the organization igniting conversations about his future at the highest level With a blend of refined skills and undeniable determination the 26-year-old first baseman has carved out a moment in time that commands attention from fans and decision-makers alike Posting an impressive .367 batting average with an on-base percentage of .448 and a slugging mark of .711 he produced a staggering 1.159 OPS during his time with the Triple-A Charlotte Knights In a remarkable 10-game stretch from April 16 to 27 he homered eight times—propelling him to lead all minor league hitters with 10 home runs Such output is not just a testament to raw power but a demonstration of refined skill honed over years of competition Every great athlete not only excels in statistics but also elevates the spirit of the team Observers have noted that what sets Elko apart is his character and competitive fire His influence on teammates and staff transcends the numbers on the stat sheet Mentions of his tenacity echo in locker rooms and gripping dugouts alike suggesting that his presence may be as pivotal in a game’s momentum as his club-winning hits Balancing Striking Challenges with Consistent Growth While concerns have been raised over his prior swing-and-miss issues—evident in past strikeout percentages—Elko’s continuous improvement is hard to overlook With a marked reduction in strikeout rates compared to previous seasons his ability to adapt at the plate is clear Teammates express confidence that his refined approach positions him well for an eventual call-up as he is “putting himself in a position to be considered” for major league opportunities The competition for infield spots in the organization remains robust and Nick Maton sharing responsibilities at first base and designated hitter roles the team’s depth further accentuates the significance of every standout performance Elko’s rise amidst this competitive backdrop underscores his determined climb and emphasizes the importance of seizing every opportunity the implications of Elko’s surge extend far beyond minor league milestones His performance not only challenges organizational depth charts but also hints at the possibility of a major league call-up In an environment where every swing and every hit may redefine career trajectories his journey serves as a reminder of how consistent grit paves the way for elevated opportunities The ongoing narrative of improvement carries with it the promise of greater contributions leaving a lasting impression on the broader future of the club moments like these illuminate the painstaking effort and resilience required to make the leap to the next level Elko’s story is one of not just personal achievement but also of inspiring the team ethos—a reflection on the continual evolution of athletes striving for excellence A Promising Turn in Dodgers’ Journey In a dramatic twist that underscores the unpredictable nature of baseball a fresh talent is set to step into the limelight A Game Held Hostage by Nature An unexpected bout of severe weather has draped the farewell festivities of a ballgame in uncertainty A triumphant return to the mound often captures the spirit of resilience and this season’s Mariners have a story of determination unfolding A Milestone in the Making In a season brimming with promise and electrifying performances a celebrated figure on the diamond is inching closer to rewriting baseball lore The setback of a recurring knee injury has thrown the spotlight on the future of one of baseball’s most revered talents leaving his team grappling with both immediate.. © 2025 M Sports - Premium news & magazine M Sports Please enter your username or email address to reset your password © 2025 M Sports - Premium news & magazine M Sports And that uncertainty doesn't just pertain to college football with the ongoing anti-trust lawsuit against the NCAA and the power-five conference still awaiting a settlement That settlement was seemingly set to be reached on Monday US District Court Judge Claudia Wilken declined to make a final decision on the proposed settlement that would have brought about changes to college athletics like revenue sharing and roster limits for college football even with the legal process still unsettled the Aggies must continue preparing for the season like business is as usual Despite things not being business as usual "It is relatively crazy, considering we are knee-deep into preparations for the season, and we do not even really know what the roster rules are for the season that we are about to play," Aggies head coach Mike Elko said of the ongoing legal case "But the people behind the scenes are doing what they can do to get those answers as quick and as fast as they can." USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko celebrates a 52-10 win against the McNeese State Cowboys at Kyle Field Mandatory Credit: Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images / Dustin Safranek-Imagn ImagesA lot is riding on the conclusion of the case Clarity is expected to be provided on the future of college football as roster limits will be put in place with those roster limits could also come some restrictions on how team's build their rosters The potential biggest is a potential cap in terms of how teams pay their players If schools are allotted just 105-player rosters - which would allow 20 more scholarship players than what is currently allowed - then decisions on how much a player gets from the revenue share will be a major change from the current landscape where school's don't have to deal with a cap But even with the potential for the installation of a cap Does it just include the money from the revenue share These are all questions that all of college athletics and particularly those in college football the Aggies must continue going through the spring Texas – Mike Elko enters his second season as head coach at Texas A&M with his program hoping to make the jump into SEC title contention The Aggies started 7-1 last year with their lone loss coming in the opener to a Notre Dame squad that eventually played for the national championship Elko’s crew limped to the finish line however losing their last four to Power Four competition including its bowl game to USC.  Optimism was palpable in our trip to College Station for a sit down with Elko as we prepare the 2025 edition of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football summer magazine The Aggies return Marcel Reed at quarterback and their top seven offensive linemen from an eight-win squad Elko believes Year 2 in the system will help the Wrecking Crew eliminate big plays.  The road to a 10-win season and a spot in the College Football Playoff is bumpier in 2025 Texas A&M must travel to Notre Dame in Week 3 and to LSU Here is Elko on the future of spring games and the importance of making a jump in Year 2.  Question: What do you think the future of spring football is Elko: I like what it is and I’m not really interested in changing it we’ll adapt as the need arises but I think we’re developmental by nature The more opportunities we get to develop our players We’re fortunate here at Texas A&M that we don’t have roster number issues so we’re holding really competitive practices every day If you start playing a spring game against an opponent all of a sudden you have to game plan for it and prep for it If it’s a game where they’re keeping score Nobody in college football just functions in a world where we’re just going to roll the ball out and go play and not make it a big deal who wins and loses It just doesn’t work like that.  Q: What do you think the future of the general manager position is in college football Any thoughts on Andrew Luck being able to fire the head coach?   I think they should call Andrew Luck the athletic director of football That appears the role that he’s taking he’s just doing it with a strictly football mindset We were one of the first to get a general manager when we were at Duke I think having somebody running recruiting every day for 365 days a year matters I think a lot of NFL coaches would tell you they like working hand in hand with their general manager They don't like sitting in a situation where the general manager makes all the decisions There’s always some type of joint effort that needs to go into that I’m not sure that the general manager in college can start firing coaches I think all of us are trying to find ways to supplement what the organization needs and then management of those types of things for this team specifically.  Q: What were some of the things you want this team to improve on from Year 1 to Year 2?  Elko: I think we have to make the natural Year 1 to Year 2 jump I think that’s a critical component to what has to happen around here I don’t think anybody truly appreciates how challenging it is in Year 1 to get everything up and running at the level you want it but progress in your program is measured from year to year a lot of emphasis on improving the downfield passing game on offense That’s something we want to get better at I just think consistency on defense to eliminate explosive plays We gave up way too many explosive plays last year it was one of the best defenses that I’ve had at Texas A&M from an efficiency standpoint The problem was the amount of explosive plays we gave up.  Q: The players talk about improved culture in Year 1 under you How do you go about defining culture in this program?  Everybody in the organization understanding the vision and how we’re getting there culture changes every year and that’s probably why we’re seeing a little bit more peak and valley across the country from teams at times That amount of turnover creates a hit or miss situation I think you have to be a lot more intentional now about how you build it and to make sure everybody’s marching in the same direction.  What do you attribute the difference to?  we were probably somewhere in the middle and that’s where we finished but we put ourselves in position to get on some big stages at the end and we just didn’t handle them well or play our best football There’s some growth and some learning that comes from that It was the first time these kids have been in a situation where they were playing in those types of meaningful games and that requires a bit of a learning curve.  Q: How big of a jump can Marcel Reed take with a full offseason as QB1 and a second year in the same offensive system?  Elko: I think the comfortability in the scheme and the plays that we’re doing will help him tremendously what routes are we actually running on this play so what’s my progression?’ We have a foundation now so it’s about elevating it to the next level I think we’ll see some big growth from him he now understands what it takes to be a successful quarterback in this conference the urgency of really locking in on all those little details.  Q: How do you manage expectations for young 5-star talent like a Terry Bussey or a Rueben Owens when maybe they don’t become All-Americans as freshman?  Elko: I think it is understanding that of all the freshmen who went to college last year there were less than five who had an impact like that That’s the natural progression of college football You’re making a jump into a new level Both of those kids came from smaller schools and made the jump into SEC football They’re both going to have great years for us this season.  Q: How do you go about replacing so much production along the defensive line?  You try to figure out how you can make that group the best it can be and then make sure you build a system around them that allows them to be successful We’re really excited with some of the guys we have back in Cashius (Howell) and Rylan Kennedy It’s DJ Hicks’ time to now step into a big role And then you go and do what you need to do in the transfer portal.  Q: Do you think the biggest improvement on defense will come from growing into Year 2 moreso than from a personnel standpoint?  The hardest thing on defense in Year 1 is that you can’t ever control the variables You defend whatever the offense throws at you and that’s where reps and experience matter If you look at some of the teams that fared better than us in the conference last year they were in established systems and had pretty good comfortability in what they were doing The teams that were a little bit more up and down were new coordinators I just think experience matters a lot on defense Having some guys back that now have a year in the system and know what this is all about will help us tremendously.  We've been the Bible of Texas football fans for 64 years By joining the DCTF family you'll gain access to all of our exclusive content and have our magazines mailed to you The Elko County Sheriff's Office found a large desert tortoise on Thursday and is trying to reunite it with its owner the Sheriff's Office says an Elko County Sheriff’s Office Animal Control Officer responded to a report of a large desert tortoise spotted walking along 3rd Street in Elko around 1 p.m The Sheriff's Office is asking anyone who might recognize the tortoise or know who its owner is to contact the Elko County Regional Communications Center's non-emergency line Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Elko Collects Atlantic 10 Player of the Week Honor03/17/2025 | Baseball Photo by: Evan Pilat/Texas A&M AthleticsElko Gives Update on Eve of Spring Ball Mar 19 Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko reacts against the Southern California Trojans in the second half at Allegiant Stadium as bold strategic decisions redefine the course for Texas A&M’s football program against a backdrop of unexpected financial revelations The Cincinnati Bengals are on the verge of a transformative defensive upgrade and at the center of this evolution stands Trey Hendrickson—a dynamic force whose achievements and impact.. A promising new chapter unfolds for the Panthers’ offense as an unheralded tight end emerges from the draft—one poised to redefine the team’s approach on the field A Dynamic Era Unfolds in the AFC North From the roar of the stadium to the quiet confidence of a well-executed draft A Defining Moment on the Gridiron In an arena where every second matters the stage is set for a nine-player contest that transcends a regular season game Dynamic Move Amidst Scrutiny In a bold statement against critics the Kansas City Chiefs have secured Ohio State standout Josh Simmons—a strategic acquisition designed to fortify their offensive.. coach Mike Elko spoke to the media on Wednesday about the state of the program With programs like Colorado and Syracuse attempting to schedule joint scrimmages and Texas Tech suggesting joint practices with schools in the area, Elko gave his thoughts on the possibility of A&M participating in joint practices Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko looks on in the first quarter against the Missouri Tigers at Kyle Field joint practices are an integral part of the preseason practice regimen for most teams They allow players to see what they have been practicing all offseason against different players and schemes than what they are used to Players are also encouraged to up the intensity since they do not have to worry about hurting one of their teammates “I think it’s extremely challenging in college football to do things like that,” Elko said One of the biggest challenges he listed was Taking the players out of class for a week in the offseason is just not feasible the only opportunity to hold joint would be during spring break “I'd have a heck of a time trying to convince my kids to go to Lubbock or Waco or anywhere during spring break,” Elko said “So I don't know how fired up they would be about any of those opportunities and that's no disrespect to those cities Another challenge that arises is finding a coach that is philosophically similar Elko emphasized his want to pair with a program that has similar beliefs when it comes to protecting players and practice structure He also stressed that joint scrimmages and practices move the focus of spring practice from player development to competition and winning so you're out of the mode of fundamental development fundamental improvement because you immediately have to shift gears into game-planning.” The Aggies will take to Kyle Field on April 19 when they participate in their traditional spring football game The intrasquad scrimmage will begin at 2 p.m Met Council forecasts partly drove changes in the rural town as it prepared for growth which has so far been elusive on the edge of the south metro The two-story elementary school stands alone surrounded by snow-swept fields on the edge of Elko New Market Some of those fields were expected to sprout homes by now according to expectations back when the school district built Eagle View Elementary two decades ago While the city has underperformed the Met Council’s forecasts in the past, city officials say they think the new forecasts may be an undercount, and business owners say times have changed. “This time it may indeed be different,” said Bob Vogel, the chairman of New Market Bank’s board. Vogel grew up in New Market decades before it merged with Elko, and he has represented the area both on the Scott County Board and as a state representative. He has watched development spread beyond the three-block main drag where his grandfather built an earlier location of the bank. For most of its history, Elko and New Market were rural towns with a few homes. Their businesses primarily served farm families who lived in the surrounding area. A railroad stop in Elko brought trains through, but the towns remained small. That changed with the exurban boom late in the last century. “It was a rural farming community and then sometime in the late ‘90s, it really started to grow,” Vogel said. Property in Lakeville got more expensive, and people learned they could trade an extra 5 minutes in commute time for an extra $30,000 in house, he said. Two decades ago, the Met Council approved an extension of the regional sewer service to Elko and New Market. That decision was based on a strategy at the time to limit sprawl and the use of wells by centering development around rural cities — plus the strength of population forecasts. The forecasts, compiled each decade with city input and updated along the way, help set the agenda for city and regional plans. In 2005, Met Council forecasts estimated the Elko New Market area would have 13,000 people by 2020, and 20,800 people by 2030. In 2007, Elko and New Market merged. The outlook for fast growth looked rosy as farm fields turned into housing developments, and the city’s population was multiplying quickly. Then, an unforeseen event: The Great Recession hit, bringing development to a relative standstill. Sewer systems installed to accommodate the elusive growth became a budget burden in Elko New Market and East Bethel, another fast-developing rural area on the northern edge of the metro. Both cities got the Met Council to limit the amount they owed for sewer facilities' construction after the population growth that would have helped pay for the extension didn’t come. Elko New Market is still paying that off, but City Administrator Tom Terry said it’s manageable. “We’re projected to, potentially, be a community of 70,000 to 80,000 in the long, long-term. That connection allows us to go there,” he said. Since the recession, Elko New Market has seen slow but steady population growth, reflected in amended Met Council population forecasts. But locals say there are signs the pace is changing. The lunch crowd was trickling into the Firehouse Grille, one of a handful of restaurants in town, just before noon on a recent Friday. Owner Kate Timmerman, who is also on the City Council, said she’s noticed a slight uptick in lunch customers, partly because of construction workers. Across the street, national developer Lennar is building the new Ridgeview Heights community, which advertises new houses starting at $375,000. “Honestly, you get more house for your buck down here than you do in the cities,” Timmerman said. She said people moving to Elko New Market are attracted to good schools, safe neighborhoods and the small-town feel she thinks the city will retain even as it grows. “Everyone is there for each other and we help each other out,” she said. “That’s what community is about and that’s why I love it down here.” The city’s senior planner, Renee Christianson, said more change is coming, noting Lennar is one of three national developers eyeing Elko New Market. “There’s a couple of other nationals we’re working with,” she said. “We don’t have their applications in yet, so I’m going to withhold those names, but they’re big hitters right along with Lennar.” Terry also pointed to other factors that suggest growth, including longtime farms going up for sale. “I think we are also in a position where there is more land available, from a practical standpoint in the community, than there has been for a while,” Terry said. Paul and Peggy Hokeness moved to Elko New Market more than three years ago after selling their longtime home in Minneapolis’ Fulton neighborhood. Both grew up in small Minnesota towns — he in Northfield, she in Tyler. Now retired, Paul said they enjoyed the lakes and trails in the city but were growing tired of commotion and what felt like a rising tide of garage break-ins in their Minneapolis neighborhood. “The traffic and the congestion and the commotion, and then they’re tearing old houses down and building mansions, and it just did not feel right,” he said. They wanted to find someplace where they could look out their back windows and not see another house, Paul said. After looking around the south metro, where they could be closer to their grandkids in New Prague, they settled on Elko New Market. They built a one-story, slab-on-grade house, where their view, depending on the day, might include deer or sandhill cranes. After a career with the Minneapolis parks, Paul joined Elko New Market’s Park Board. That’s helped him meet people, but he still marvels at how friendly his neighbors are — many of them fellow retirees, others young families. “The people that we’re living around, we’ve gotten to know real quickly,” he said. “And there’s a new development, there are a lot of young families.” The same forces at work in Elko New Market are also in play in other rural towns around the metro area that are starting to look more like suburbs. Several of these — including Belle Plaine, New Germany and Watertown — are forecast to be among the fastest growers. “They’ve been just beyond the developing edge of the region‚" said Todd Graham, the Met Council’s principal forecaster. As the growth swings from the urban core to the suburbs, he said, the development is moving out. Some of the cities' growth is still limited by road access, sewer and other infrastructure and their own desire to stay small. “A place like Scandia, Minnesota, is way in the far northeast of the region and does not want to be a suburb,” Graham said. Others, like Elko New Market, have embraced the idea of growth. This time, the forecasts are a little more conservative, but city leaders and residents say the impending growth feels real. Christianson, the city planner, pointed to a map of residential, mixed-use, commercial and park development projects the city is working on. That includes a developer interested in building 153 homes on land across the street from Eagle View Elementary. Greta Kaul is the Star Tribune’s built environment reporter. News & Politics Minnesota’s kindergartners have been below the recommended 95% threshold for years and more parents are getting exemptions for the MMR vaccine Where are children most vulnerable to infectious spread Hennepin County is highlighting salvage businesses in May to encourage residents to reuse construction materials and limit what gets sent to landfills Conservative board members had questioned the content of the books and curricula prompting criticism from the teachers union It's a busy week for Texas A&M football While working the 2025 spring transfer portal they are also preparing for the annual spring football game on Saturday Coach Mike Elko agrees that paying players (NIL) and the importance of the transfer portal in modern college football He also acknowledges the challenges these systems present when assembling a competitive roster for the fall season while offering opportunities to fill key roles in cases of injury can also leave teams vulnerable when depth players depart after months of offseason preparation Despite these hurdles, the Texas A&M Aggies remain committed to navigating the dynamic landscape of college football within the established regulations Coach Elko has expressed satisfaction with the team's progress during spring practices emphasizing player development and retention as critical components of success As the Aggies gear up for their spring game on Saturday Elko is eager to showcase the team's growth in a game-like setting energizing the Aggie faithful and building momentum for the upcoming season Coach Elko spoke to the media during his weekly press conference ahead of the 2025 spring football game Coach Elko speaks on the spring transfer portal window"The biggest thing is adding value you have to constantly be on the look and on the move for value that can improve your program." While it's difficult to manage coach Elko knows no one will feel sorry for them"Nobody wants to hear us complain Nobody wants to hear us whine about what's going on We get paid a lot of money to manage this stuff." "I don't think it makes sense to have these portal windows now and stuff It's probably pulling back on the quality of the game a little bit "There is yet to be a play where all 22 guys have done it completely right I'm pissed off about something not being exactly as it should be." "You should ask Marcel (Reed) if I had any words on how I would handle a similar situation between him and I." "We're all on the same page across the board Everybody agrees that the players deserve freedom Everybody agrees that the current system is not working." With the House settlement being postponed NIL rules are still murky"Until there becomes some clarity on where this thing is going That clarity is not coming with the House settlement That clarity isn't coming for at least another year "If I were a player and I went through 13 practices it would be really cool to go out there in front of fans and play a game." This is for them to be the cherry on top of spring ball to go out "The challenge for Marcel (Reed) is he wants to take the next step as a passer and we want him to take that next step to get where we want to go and what we want to be." "He's getting more and more comfortable throwing the ball He had a really good scrimmage the other day throwing the ball." What happens Saturday will be very similar to what everybody saw last year." Coach Elko believes his team has made great progress and hopes that shows up on the field during the spring game"We've taken really big steps on both sides of the ball in terms of playing clean football and that's what I hope you see on Saturday." "It certainly seems like the free agency model that the professional organizations use works really well for them." "We seem to be the only group that doesn't work like that We start free agency in the middle of the season put the roster together and then have another opportunity for free agency later in the year." The fans will be able to catch a glimpse of the team after being able to get a full off-season when they step on the field on April 19 for the spring game Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X: @whosnextsports1 College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects – Baseball America we’ll highlight 10 players who stood out to us based on their underlying Statcast metrics Data will usually be through Saturday of that week but may include some data from Sunday games but often serve as good early indicators of prospects who might be ready to break out or are demonstrating MLB-ready skills Last week we highlighted a Brewers slugger with eye-popping metrics and talked about one of Matt Eddy’s breakout prospects I’m seeing a trend emerging in baseball: players adding significant power later in their careers We’ve seen a long stretch of time where pitchers have found ways to throw harder with sharper pitches We may be witnessing a new wave in which certain batters are able to train themselves to hit the ball much harder Yesterday, I marveled at how much power Corbin Carroll added I’ll highlight three Triple-A batters that have done just that I love writing about the next wave of baseball talent but I have a special place in my heart for the players who most professional fans don’t know about Elko caught my eye this week with this two-homer game: TIM ELKO ARE YOU KIDDING?!Knights take the lead 7-5 on Elko's second Home Run of the game! pic.twitter.com/blx9UF422i I can’t stress enough that the difference in talent between an average major league hitter and a very good Triple-A hitter is often very small you’re one of the best 2,000 batters in the entire world I’ll step down from my soap box and talk to you about the incredible year-to-year transformation Elko is showing in the early going The 2024 version of Elko showed some promise with great damage on contact His chances of being a major league contributor were at risk as he wasn’t making enough contact with a well below-average 74% zone contact rate (roughly 9-10% under the major league average) And here’s the 2025 version of Elko so far: Elko leads all Triple-A batters in an extremely important metric: average exit velocity on balls hit at a 20-degree launch angle or higher. He leads with a 102.4 mph average, about 2 mph ahead of Roman Anthony it’s no surprise he’s absolutely smoking balls when he connects There’s another nuance to Elko’s analytical profile that is rather important: He is hitting the ball much harder in the air than on the ground his launch angles are considerably higher than when he miss-hits the ball These two metrics go hand-in-hand and strongly suggest an approach that is optimized for flyball-oriented contact but appears to be in sharper contrast this year Elko topped out in exit velocity at 112.7 mph He’s now exceeded that twice so far in 2025 including an eye-opening 116.7 mph groundout and this 114 mph blast against a slider: TIM TIME!!Tim Elko with a two-run Homer and the Knights are on the board in the 3rd inning! pic.twitter.com/qz2mbZ0HoP I probably would have described Elko as having 60 to 65 raw power that would play as 55 to 60 he’s pushing 70 or higher in-game power given the flyball EV and raw exit velocity numbers Swinging harder usually comes at the cost of more swing-and-miss Elko has been able to make massive strides in his bat-to-ball If you scroll back up Elko’s 2024 card you’ll see a lot of purple for his in-zone contact on sliders He was also chasing those pitches out of the zone a lot That meant pitchers could simply challenge him with non-fastballs he’s making a ton of contact against those same pitch types in-zone absolutely crushing them when he puts them in play he has dramatically reduced his chase rates on these pitch types This strongly suggests a giant leap in ability against non-fastballs All of these improvements add up to much better swing decision metrics and a zone contact rate that went from almost 10% below average to 4% above average It appears Elko is making “the leap,” and his early-season 1.078 OPS is fully supported by his Statcast metrics I can’t wait to see what he’ll do against major league pitching He also logged 178 plate appearances in the majors across 72 games between 2022 and 2023 The Red Sox scooped him up with a clear player development plan to increase the chances of him being a major league contributor he’s now in his third season of Triple-A with a wRC+ below 90 It’s because Eaton might provide us some insight into what the Red Sox player development and acquisition teams are doing Eaton demonstrated two carrying tools: the ability to make contact and the ability to hit the ball in the air It stands to reason the Red Sox felt Eaton was a great candidate for bat speed training with the hope that boosting exit velocities and marrying them to his launch angles could unlock a viable major league contributor Given the cost to acquire him was virtually free so they had plenty of time to work with him Source: Utility man Nate Eaton signed a minor league deal with the Red Sox that includes an invite to @MLB camp the MLB side of the contract is $780k.Eaton played 72 games with the Royals over the 2022 & 2023 seasons Let’s take a look at the shocking gains Eaton has made with the Red Sox in 2025: Eaton went from a 90th percentile EV of 102 mph to an above-average 105 mph His maximum exit velocity across 2023-2024 was 109.1 mph which he’s now eclipsed by three mph These two data points point very strongly to bat speed gains developed in the offseason so it’s no surprise his launch angles have regressed to major league average his zone contact has dipped He’s also struggling to make consistent contact The profile here is still likely not a major league-quality player (yet) but it’s highly instructive as to what the Red Sox are doing Eaton is listed at 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds and was able to boost his raw power by at least two grades If the rest of Eaton’s game snaps back to what it looked like last year Murray caught my eye during opening weekend and he’s the third example today of an older prospect who has found a way to pulverize baseballs Murray has two batted balls this year over 112 mph and has eclipsed 110 on six occasions already this season I was curious how this has evolved over Murray’s career so I reached out to BA’s Geoff Pontes who helpfully provided the following breakdown: We see quite clearly that Murray vastly increased his power between 2023 and 2024 going from well below-average to well above-average That’s a leap from roughly 30-grade power to at least 60-grade raw power Murray is also not a huge physical specimen It shows that even the normal-sized humans can make these leaps in power The swing-and-miss will likely limit him somewhat but he’ll more than make up for that with how hard he hits the ball and his ability to handle multiple positions on the infield Chandler’s smooth, athletic delivery had me hooked at the Futures Game last year Not only does he pass the eye test with flying colors when he was averaging 96.8 mph on his fastball and topping out at 99 he’s averaging 98.2 mph and has topped out at an incredible 101.5 mph But that’s only the tip of the iceberg for Chandler his improvements are arguably even more impressive Chandler’s boosted the spin rate on his fastball by about 100 rpm and tweaked his spin axis getting about an inch more vertical ride on the pitch compared to last year it’s helped his fastball go from roughly 0.5 runs/100 better than average to 1.1 runs/100 better than average It’s no surprise the pitch is getting 41.8% whiffs per swing and 18.7% whiffs per pitch—a sharp increase from last season’s 30.5% and 14.8% he gets above-average extension on the pitch Chandler’s primary secondary was a bullet slider at 86-87 last year making it another plus-plus pitch against both righties and lefties It now has slightly more horizontal spin axis allowing it to get an elite 18 inches of horizontal break and more seam-shifted wake movement This pitch also grades out plus-plus from a pure stuff standpoint coming in three mph harder while also dropping more than the 2024 version He’s not getting a ton of chases on the pitch but we only have 23 curveballs to look at so far He’s also upped the spin rate by about 130 rpm which is likely the primary factor behind the added depth Chandler in 2024 was already arguably the top pitching prospect in baseball. Chandler in 2025 has made every single one of his pitches better. When he finally gets promoted—possibly along the same May timeline the Pirates employed with Paul Skenes last year—he could immediately be one of the best pitchers in baseball There are certain analytical profiles that just scream out “high-probability major league bat” and this is a prime example He does a good job at pretty much everything While the zone contact will likely regress some against MLB pitching as he makes tons of contact in and and out of the zone and does a lot of damage whether he chases or attacks in-zone pitches it doesn’t matter all that much that you have above-average chase rates I have but one nitpick: Ballesteros’ batted-ball quality is worse on fly balls in the early going and points to a catcher that could be a 55 hit/55 power guy This offseason, BA tagged Carter as a name to know beyond the Yankees Top 30 And he only averaged 96 mph with the pitch—not nearly enough to wash away shape concerns which is quite inconsistent shape-wise and gets mislabelled as a cutter and a curve The pitch gets a solid amount of seam-shifted wake movement (movement that deviates from what the spin axis would suggest) This tells me he might be a good candidate for a sinker keeping the fastball as mostly a bridge pitch between the two He’d still have an arsenal that would be suspect against lefties but a sinker-sweeper arsenal works great out of the bullpen if he can consistently sit around 98 the analysis on Robertson was straightforward: good pop The power profile is arguably slightly better Robertson has made huge strides in his swing decisions He’s upped his in-zone aggression while reducing his chase resulting in a dramatically improved zone-chase rate but that was the improvement Robertson needed to make himself a viable major league bat If you only looked at McCusker’s size (6-foot-8, 250 pounds) and top-line metrics, he’d look a lot like Aaron Judge as McCusker struggles to make contact against even Triple-A quality fastballs His swing decisions against breaking balls provide some promise but he’ll need to make a lot more contact to make it all work not many players can do what McCusker does If you have 80-grade speed and an 89% contact rate Simpson is going to be a lot fun to watch wreak havoc in the majors I’m going to write a brief blurb about Martinez Jr but I don’t want to crowd out my self-imposed budget of 10 players per week is maintaining elite exit velocities and an optimized average launch angle which he pairs with a zone contact rate north of 90% He’s also now pushing into a more robust sample of 287 pitches through Saturday He’s doing an incredible job fighting off pitches he does chase We’ll check back in next week if he’s still mashing for the Sounds instead of the Brewers we talk about names to know in the upcoming Top 100 Prospects update crown jewel of the 2024 international free agent class tops the Hot Sheet after slashing .533/.667/.867 last week 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 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… Read the newest magazine issue right on your phone When asked about it during his press conference afterward, Aggies coach Mike Elko condemned the phrase Hicks was apparently attempting to censor what the “B” was in “CBO,” according to CBS Sports’ Shehan Jeyarajah A reporter then asked Elko about that version of the motto and the coach made it clear it wouldn’t be tolerated “It’s conveying something that shouldn’t be conveyed, so we’ll get that handled and addressed,” Elko said “That’s absolutely ridiculous that that was stated.” By clicking "Subscribe to Newsletter", I agree to On3's Privacy Notice, Terms and use of my personal information described therein “I see a lot of progress from us,” Hicks said how to be the best d-line we can be with their work ethic and the way they went about their daily business “So I think we still are trying to go through that motto Just trying to follow Coach Spence’s coaching and Coach Tony’s coaching and I think we’re going to make a big step this year.” Texas A&M went 8-5 last season in Mike Elko’s first year as head coach, falling to USC in the Las Vegas Bowl. The Aggies also went 8-5 in SEC play amid a jam-packed year for the league. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F arrives at Reinlander Mennonite Church after a second measles death Health department staff members enter the Andrews County Health Department measles clinic carrying doses of the measles stethoscope and a calendar are seen at the Andrews County Health Department measles clinic One-fifth of states have active measles outbreaks as confirmed cases nationwide keep ticking up Centers for Disease Control and Prevention The CDC's confirmed measles case count is 935, more than triple the amount seen in all of 2024. The three-month outbreak in Texas accounts for the vast majority of cases, with 683 confirmed as of Friday. The outbreak has also spread to New Mexico, Oklahoma and Kansas. Other states with active outbreaks — defined as three or more cases — include Indiana say all three outbreaks are of the same measles strain Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that’s airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines and has been considered eliminated from the U.S Texas state health officials said Tuesday there were 20 new cases of measles since Tuesday, bringing the total to 683 across 29 counties — most of them in West Texas Three counties recorded their first cases: Hardeman has one The state also added two hospitalizations to its count Friday State health officials estimated about 1% of cases — fewer than 10 — are actively infectious Sixty percent of Texas' cases are in Gaines County where the virus started spreading in a close-knit The county has had 396 cases since late January — just over 1.5% of the county's residents New Mexico added one case Friday for 67 total cases Seven people have been hospitalized since the outbreak started Most of the state's cases are in Lea County two in Doña Ana County and one in Chaves County Indiana confirmed two more cases April 21 in an outbreak that has sickened eight in Allen County in the northeast part of the state — five are unvaccinated minors and three are adults whose vaccination status is unknown The cases have no known link to other outbreaks the Allen County Department of Health has said Kansas added nine cases Wednesday for a total of 46 across eight counties in the southwest part of the state The state also reported its first hospitalization Kansas' health department didn't elaborate Wednesday about a discrepancy in the number of new cases at the state and county levels beyond noting that case counts are “fluid as the outbreak progresses." The state's first reported case is linked to the Texas outbreak based on genetic testing has an outbreak of four cases that state health officials say is tied to the Ontario outbreak The state had nine confirmed measles cases as of Friday but the remaining five are not part of the Montcalm County outbreak Montana state health officials announced five cases April 17 in unvaccinated children and adults who had traveled out of state All five are isolating at home in Gallatin County in the southwest part of the state They were Montana’s first measles cases in 35 years Health officials didn’t say whether the cases are linked to other outbreaks in North America Ashtabula County near Cleveland has 16 cases And Knox County in east-central Ohio has 20 — 14 among Ohio residents and the rest among visitors The Ohio Department of Health on Thursday confirmed 33 measles cases and one hospitalization Defiance County in the northwestern part of the state has logged its first case Allen and Holmes counties have had one case each Oklahoma had 13 confirmed and three probable cases as of Friday The first two probable cases were “associated” with the West Texas and New Mexico outbreaks The department is not releasing which counties have cases Oklahoma and Sequoyah counties have had public exposures in the past couple of months There are eight measles cases in Erie County in far northwest Pennsylvania, officials said Friday. The county declared an outbreak in mid-April. The state has said it has 13 cases overall in 2025, including international travel-related cases in Montgomery County and one in Philadelphia Tennessee had six measles cases as of last week Health department spokesman Bill Christian said all cases are the middle part of the state and that “at least three of these cases are linked to each other” but declined to specify further The state also did not say whether the cases were linked to other outbreaks or when Tennessee's outbreak started The state health department announced the first measles case March 21 three more on April 1 and the last two on April 17 but none of the news releases declared an outbreak Tennessee was on a list of outbreak states in a CDC report April 17 North Dakota health officials on Friday announced that state's first measles case since 2011 Cases and outbreaks in the U.S. are frequently traced to someone who caught the disease abroad saw 1,274 cases and almost lost its status of having eliminated measles The best way to avoid measles is to get the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old Getting another MMR shot is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don’t need to be revaccinated but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective measles vaccine made from “killed” virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose People who have documentation that they had measles are immune and those born before 1957 generally don’t need the shots because most children back then had measles and now have “presumptive immunity.” In communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — diseases like measles have a harder time spreading through communities Measles first infects the respiratory tract The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit Most kids will recover from measles, but infection can lead to dangerous complications such as pneumonia so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms prevent complications and keep patients comfortable AP Science Writer Laura Ungar contributed to this report The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation The AP is solely responsible for all content rewritten or redistributed without permission Preliminary data from the CDC says the U.S has seen 8,485 cases of whooping cough in 2025 That's twice as many cases as this time last year Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInLAS VEGAS Nevada (KBTX) - Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko and defensive lineman Cashius Howell spoke to the media following a 35-31 loss to USC in the Las Vegas Bowl Photo by: Ethan Mito/Texas A&M AthleticsElko Aggies Talk Texas at Weekly Press Conference Nov 25 Already have an account? 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