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Forbes
22 minutes ago
- Forbes
Scouting Report On Cleveland Guardians' Prospect, C.J. Kayfus
The Cleveland Guardians promoted first baseman/outfielder, Collin Joseph (C.J.) Kayfus from their Triple-A Columbus affiliate. Kayfus, 23, is another left-handed hitter, playing among the Guardians long list of organizational left-handed hitters. Kayfus made his Major League Baseball debut August 2, 2025, against the Minnesota Twins. Kayfus played right-field, and hit in the nine hole in the batting order. Kayfus got his first MLB hit August 3, in the 9th inning against the Twins. He smoked a double to the right/center gap. In the game, Kayfus went 0/4, with a ground out RBI in the first inning. About C.J. Kayfus: Kayfus is 6-0, 192 pounds, which is not a large frame for a first baseman. ranked Kayfus the No. 4 prospect in the Guardians organization, behind Travis Bazzana, Chase DeLauter and Angel Genao. Even though Kayfus hit very well at Palm Beach Central High in Wellington, Florida, he wasn't drafted by any MLB team after his senior year. At the time, scouts thought Kayfus lacked sufficient power to be an impactful MLB first baseman. It was Kayfus' performances in two years in the highly regarded Cape Cod Summer League that convinced the Guardians to draft him. He was a league All Star in 2022. Kayfus was a third round, 2023 draft pick the Guardians, signing out of the University of Miami. He received a $700,000 signing bonus. While at Miami, Kayfus played three seasons, he played mostly at first base, with a smattering of playing time in left field, and right field. While at Miami, Kayfus hit a combined .293/.395/.525/.920, with 35 homers, and 165 RBIs in 927 plate appearances. Kayfus walked 118 times in college, while striking out in 222 at-bats. Kayfus was placed on the Guardians 40-man roster on August 2, 2025. Now he is wearing No. 63. Scouting C.J. Kayfus: C.J. Kayfus has a nice, smooth, left-handed swing. Kayfus is a natural hitter, with a good approach facing left-handed, same-side pitchers. To this writer, Kayfus has a very credible hit tool, which should lead to a good batting average and impressive on-base statistics. While he didn't show a power stroke in high school, Kayfus has clearly become a power hitting option in the Guardians development program. Kayfus had 927 plate appearances in his minor league development program, hitting 35 homers and driving in 165 runs. In 2024, at Class A Advanced, and Double-A, Kayfus had 17 homers in 481 plate appearances. This past season, playing at both Double-A and Triple-A, Kayfus added another 14 homers, and 54 RBIs. The power is clearly on the rise. Kayfus does not fit the usual Guardians profile of a consistent, high content hitter. There is some strikeout in his game, and scouts have always raised concerns about Kayfus' high strikeout rate. In fact, this year he has whiffed 93 times, while accepting 44 walks. If he can be selective at the plate, Kayfus could provide the Guardians with a budding, emerging, sorely needed home run hitting bat in their lineup. Beginning in his impactful 2024 season, Kayfus began to launch more balls in the air, finding the barrel of the bat with some impressive consistency. If he doesn't hit the ball out of the park, Kayfus can find the right/center gap with pretty consistent pull power from the left batter's box. Defensively, the Guardians outfield coaches will have the opportunity to help Kayfus learn the proper angles, routes, and reads off the bat to balls hit to right, and right center. He is far from a finished product in the outfield. Athletic and quick to the ball at first base, Kayfus can probably offer above average defense at first. He won't make anyone forget the Gold Glove defense of Carlos Santana. But Kayfus is not a liability at the position. It is likely Kayfus and Kyle Manzardo, another left-handed hitter, will be the Guardians duo at first base next year. Unless, of course, Kayfus shines in right field, which is a glaring need of the Guardians. But Kayfus might have a great career with the bat, just like Santana. Scouting Grade: 55 Kayfus' best tools are his hitting ability and his power upside. Both of those are above average, and much needed by this , and future editions of the Cleveland Guardians. Kayfus is average to below average as a runner, a Grade 50 in that category. Overall, Kayfus is an above average, Grade 55 player, who now has a golden opportunity.
Forbes
22 minutes ago
- Forbes
Seneca Nation Acquires Rochester Knighthawks Pro Lacrosse Franchise
The Seneca Nation, a federally recognized Indian tribe based in western New York, has acquired the Rochester Knighthawks, a National Lacrosse League franchise. Seneca bought the franchise from the Pegula family, which announced in June that it would sell the team team after owning it since 2019. The Seneca Nation is believed to be just the second Indian tribe to own a professional sports franchise outright, joining the Mohegan Tribe, which has owned the WNBA's Connecticut Sun since 2003. The Boston Globe reported on Saturday that a group led by Boston Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca had agreed to acquire the Sun for $325 million and move the team to Boston, but Pagliuca said a day later that the WNBA Board of Governors still needed to approve the transaction. The Hartford Courant reported on Monday that another investment group offered more than $300 million and would move the franchise to Hartford, Conn. The Mohegan Tribe also owned a stake in the New England Black Wolves of the NLL before selling the franchise in 2021. Terms of the Rochester deal were not disclosed, but NLL commissioner Brett Frood said 'from a league perspective, we are pleased with the trajectory of the enterprise value of our member properties.' The NLL consists of 14 franchises (eight in the U.S. and six in Canada) that play so-called box lacrosse, an indoor version of the sport that has different rules than the outdoor version. The Seneca Nation purchased the professional franchise through Seneca Holdings, LLC, a subsidiary formed in 2009 that invests in non-gaming businesses. Seneca Holdings' largest business focuses on federal government contracting. It also recently acquired CI Azumano, a travel agency, and operates Seneca Environmental, a renewable energy project company. The Seneca Nation also owns the Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino in Salamanca, N.Y., the Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino in Niagara Falls, N.Y., and the Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino in Buffalo through its Seneca Gaming Corp. subsidiary. J. Conrad Seneca, president of the Seneca Nation, said in an interview that the Knighthawks are the tribe's first sports investment. However, he added that the Nation has deep roots in lacrosse and has numerous leagues for its more than 8,600 enrolled members, ranging from youth organizations to competitions for older adults. Several members of the Seneca Nation have gone on to play in college, including Zed Williams, a former University of Virginia star who now plays in the NLL for the Colorado Mammoth. 'This is a new avenue for our Holdings team,' Seneca said. 'They've done a great job with regards to vetting this, doing our due diligence, working with our business council and preparing in negotiations with everybody involved. I think it's a great opportunity.' Seneca said the Knighthawks will retain their name, uniforms, colors and other marks for this season, which begins in late November and runs on weekends through April, followed by the playoffs that last through May. While Seneca said that 'we'll decide on what kind of changes we may make' after the season, he emphasized that the team will remain in Rochester. The Seneca Nation is about 100 miles southwest of downtown Rochester. The original Knighthawks had played in Rochester before moving to Halifax, Nova Scotia in 2019. That year, the Pegulas acquired the team's intellectual property and re-launched the team in Rochester. Terry Pegula, who has a net worth of $7.6 billion according to Forbes, and his family will continue to own the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres as well as the Rochester Americans' minor league baseball franchise and the Buffalo Bandits of the NLL. 'The league has worked closely with the Pegula's management team on ideal targets to take over ownership of this franchise,' Frood said. 'It became clear that the Seneca Nation, with its myriad of synergies, quickly became a priority conversation for us. We have spent the last couple months nurturing the relationship, walking through the potential of partnership, and ultimately agreeing that the Nation is a phenomenal fit for the NLL and the community of Rochester.' J. Conrad Seneca, who once owned a stake in a semi-pro indoor lacrosse team, said it was important for him and the Seneca Nation to acquire the franchise due in part to keeping the franchise in Rochester. He remembers the NBA's Buffalo Braves leaving the city in 1978 and relocating to San Diego, where it became known as the San Diego Clippers. 'It was a tough thing to fathom,' he said. 'It was a tough thing to accept that our team was gone. I know the feeling of that, and I think this opportunity that's presented itself to the Seneca Nation and with our commitment to the game of lacrosse, we have a lot to bring to the table…We look forward to being a part of that community and building our relationships in the community of Rochester.'
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Zverev to meet Khachanov in ATP Toronto semi-finals
Alexander Zverev reached his 21st Masters 1000 semi-final on Monday by ending the Canadian title defence of Alexei Popyrin 6-7 (8/10), 6-4, 6-3 at the ATP Toronto Masters. The final game, with Zverev serving at 5-3, was interrupted by shouts from an unruly fan who was tossed out by security. The distraction ended a run of 14 consecutive points on serve, with the seed double-faulting once he was able to continue serving. He finished off the evening with a sharp volley winner at the net on his first match point. Zverev completed his 40th win of the year in just over two and a half hours. The world number three won the tournament in 2017 but had not been past the quarter-finals in Canada since. "After losing the first set, I had to tell myself we were both playing well," the holder of seven Masters trophies said. "I had one or two mistakes at the end of the first, but it was a high-level match. "I felt that if I kept playing well, I would get my chances -- and I did. I can't complain about the second and third sets." Zverev will bid for the oddly scheduled Thursday final against three-time semi-finalist Karen Khachanov, who dismissed young American Alex Michelsen 6-4, 7-6 (7/3). "It was a very close, competitive match," Khachanov said. "I had to come back from some tough situations. "How you handle that mentally is important. I was glad to close it out in the second set. "I had to try and not give him the opportunity to step in and attack; that's what I did today." Zverev has won five of the seven matches he has played against Khachanov. Popyrin and Zverev duelled throughout the evenly matched 71-minute opening set as it went into a tiebreaker. Zverev was unable to convert on two winning chances, but Popyrin came good on his own second opportunity with a net cord winner that caught his opponent stranded at the baseline. The German began to turn the tables in the second set, taking a 4-1 lead only to see the Aussie level at 4-all. Zverev pulled away to level the match at a set apiece, breaking for 6-4 as Popyrin sent a volley wide. The top seed began the final set with a 3-0 lead on his way into the tournament final four at the pre-US Open event. Popyrin remains winless against Zverev after losing all four of their matches. str/js
