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Business Wire
16-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
KKR Releases 2025 Mid-Year Global Macro Outlook
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--KKR, a leading global investment firm, today released its 2025 Mid-Year Global Macro Outlook by Henry McVey, CIO of KKR's Balance Sheet and Head of Global Macro and Asset Allocation (GMAA). In 'Make Your Own Luck,' McVey and his team explain why, despite the turbulent start to 2025 and additional expected market drawdowns, they remain positive in their outlook. They note their strong belief that attractive financial conditions, a global easing cycle, ongoing productivity gains, and lack of net issuance—coupled with compelling, powerful investment themes—will drive this cycle both further and longer than many think. And, while they acknowledge that the low rate, low volatility beta trade that defined 2015-2021 is now over, they advocate that investors stay the course by leveraging the team's long-standing Regime Change framework and investing behind priority macro trends. Against this backdrop, the team suggests investors 'make their own luck' by tilting towards assets that rely on collateral-based cash flows, can adjust to rising input costs, and/or enhance operational improvement—like control positions with operational upside in Private Equity, senior slices of Credit amid wide dispersions, or Real Assets with long-dated, inflation-linked contracts that can reprice alongside rising nominal GDP. The report also examines what has remained constant and what has shifted in the team's thinking since their 2025 Outlook published last December. Consistent with prior thinking, the team believes we continue to see a stellar technical backdrop, capital markets responding favorably to a global easing cycle, and sustained positive earnings momentum despite tariff-induced uncertainty. McVey and his team also share updated asset allocation picks and pans, refreshed expected return forecasts, and new model portfolios they believe are well-positioned to outperform in the continued Regime Change environment. They make several out-of-consensus calls, which include their beliefs that: The technical picture remains much better than investors think—net issuance of IPOs, levered loans, and high yield remain at levels not seen since 2009. We are in a productivity cycle similar to the 1990s, which will drive markets longer and higher than consensus. Lower taxes, higher margins, and higher quality earnings all suggest U.S. markets are reasonably valued vs. overvalued. Europe will perform better for longer, amid a stronger euro, more defense and infrastructure spending, continued interest in renewables, deeper capital markets, and less onerous cross-border restrictions. The oil market will move into larger surpluses over the next six to 12 months, driving WTI oil prices back down to $60 per barrel on average in the second half of 2025 and 2026. The unemployment rate will stay lower for longer relative to prior cycles, even against a modest payroll backdrop with gains increasingly concentrated in just a few sectors. Private Equity will remain a top-performing asset class as it continues to benefit from dispersion and control, allowing investors to lean into operational improvement and accretive M&A activity. There is increased opportunity for private investment in Infrastructure due to government retrenchment amid fiscal constraints, energy transition needs, and geopolitical competition. In addition, the report details the GMAA team's updated views on global economic forecasts, inflation, interest rates, currencies, and capital markets. The report also addresses key investor queries on topics such as how Europe can improve its competitive positioning, the team's outlook for expected returns, and their latest thinking on relative value in Credit and the potential direction of individual retirement accounts (401(k), annuities, etc.). Links to access this report in full as well as an archive of Henry McVey's previous publications follow: To read the full report, click here. For an archive of previous publications please visit About Henry McVey Henry H. McVey joined KKR in 2011 and is Head of the Global Macro, Balance Sheet and Risk team. Mr. McVey also serves as Chief Investment Officer for the Firm's Balance Sheet, oversees Firmwide Market Risk at KKR, and co-heads KKR's Strategic Partnership Initiative. As part of these roles, he sits on the Firm's Global Operating Committee and the Risk & Operations Committee. Prior to joining KKR, Mr. McVey was a Managing Director, Lead Portfolio Manager and Head of Global Macro and Asset Allocation at Morgan Stanley Investment Management (MSIM). Learn more about Mr. McVey here. About KKR KKR is a leading global investment firm that offers alternative asset management as well as capital markets and insurance solutions. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and supporting growth in its portfolio companies and communities. KKR sponsors investment funds that invest in private equity, credit and real assets and has strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR's insurance subsidiaries offer retirement, life and reinsurance products under the management of Global Atlantic Financial Group. References to KKR's investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds and insurance subsidiaries. For additional information about KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE: KKR), please visit KKR's website at For additional information about Global Atlantic Financial Group, please visit Global Atlantic Financial Group's website at The views expressed in the report and summarized herein are the personal views of Henry McVey of KKR and do not necessarily reflect the views of KKR or the strategies and products that KKR manages or offers. Nothing contained herein constitutes investment, legal, tax or other advice nor is it to be relied on in making an investment decision or any other decision. This release is prepared solely for information purposes and should not be viewed as a current, past or future recommendation or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any securities or to adopt any investment strategy. This release contains forward-looking statements, which are based on beliefs, assumptions and expectations that may change as a result of many possible events or factors. If a change occurs, actual results may vary materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date such statements are made, and neither KKR nor Mr. McVey assumes any duty to update such statements except as required by law.
Hindustan Times
12-07-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Delhi developer in remote role told to travel to Bengaluru meetings at own expense, post goes viral
A Reddit post by a techie from Delhi has gone viral after he shared his experience about a job. The developer, who has four years of experience, was offered a remote SDE1 frontend role by a startup based in Bengaluru. However, during the final HR round, the company shared some unexpected conditions. A full stack developer's post on Reddit went viral online.(Representational image generated using ChatGPT) The post was shared by @lordarthur77, in which he mentioned that although the role is remote, the company said he would need to visit Bengaluru every quarter for 7 to 10 days. These meetings would be at his own expense, with no travel or accommodation reimbursement. "Is this a common practice: Company asking for quarterly meetups in Bangalore on your own expenses? It's a remote setup though," the caption of the post reads. He further mentions that the company is following BYOD (Bring Your Own Device). 'I have to buy my own laptop, and also asking to install security patches to protect the data as well.' Check out the viral post here: The post was shared on July 10, 2025, since then, it has garnered more than 200 likes and several comments. Here' s how people reacted to this post: Many Reddit users expressed surprise and concern over the company's conditions. Some felt it was unreasonable to expect a remote worker to travel to another city without any reimbursement. Others pointed out that BYOD policies are common, but companies should offer support or compensation. One of the user, @BigDocument2946, commented, 'Scam definitely avoid it. Once you install that software there is no privacy , it's exploitation.' A second user, @Longjumping-Green351, commented, 'Mine is remote too but quarterly visit is expected in the office and no reimbursement for it.' Another user, @Vegetable-Mall-4213, commented, 'At least partial reimbursement should be there.' Several users shared similar experiences and advised the developer to clarify all terms in writing before accepting the job offer.
Hindustan Times
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Of stars and stripes: US Embassy celebrates 249th anniversary of American independence in New Delhi
A festive spirit filled the air as the US Embassy in New Delhi marked the 249th anniversary of American independence on Thursday. Guests arrived dressed in hues of red, white, and blues, creating a visual homage to the American flag. Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas of India and US Chargé d'Affaires, Jorgan K Andrews(Photo: Manoj Verma/HT) US Chargé d'Affaires, Jorgan K Andrews, who is celebrating his first Fourth of July in India, shared his excitement and said, 'For Americans, the Fourth of July is very much a summertime holiday. A holiday of unity, great food, music, and a chance to connect socially but it's also a moment that reminds us of our country's values.' He also added, 'I'm very excited to be able to celebrate here in the world's largest democracy, as we mark the birthday of the world's oldest democracy. For Americans, the Fourth of July is very much a summertime holiday. It's an outdoor celebration — picnics, barbecues, family, community, friends — really a celebration of togetherness.' Chief guest of the evening, Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas of India, said, 'We stand here today commemorating the birth of a nation whose spirit of freedom, democracy, and innovation has inspired generations across the world.' The culinary spread paid tribute to classic American delights like jambalaya rice, mac and cheese to apple pies. Adding a fun, viral twist was the popular BYOC (Bring Your Own Chip) station, where attendees customised chip bags with an array of toppings and sauces — a social media food trend brought to life. The celebration also featured interactive games like life-size Jenga and cornhole, keeping guests entertained in true backyard barbecue fashion. A filmi tribute to friendship The US Chargé d'Affaires shares the song that describes India-US friendship: 'I'd choose Jai Ho (Slumdog Millionaire, 2008) because it's dynamic, exciting, and filled with enthusiasm and joy.' Adding the American songs he would choose, Andrews says, 'I'd pick two iconic classics. First, Born in the USA (1984) by Bruce Springsteen — it has that energy and exuberance, and it captures a celebratory mood while also acknowledging that life can be tough. The second would have to be Jimi Hendrix's rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner (1967) because Jimi taught us that we can all celebrate the Fourth of July in our own unique way, and still be one nation.'
Scroll.in
04-07-2025
- Business
- Scroll.in
A new book suggests ways for professionals to develop AI literacy to thrive in an AI-first world
Some of you would know what BYOD means. Bring Your Own Device refers to a policy that allows employees to bring their own laptops and phones to work, a trend that is a delight to employees, but rankles IT and Security managers who have no choice but to work with disparate operating systems and brands while having to ensure they are safe and secure. It was primarily Apple which ignited this phenomenon as knowledge workers rebelled against the dull uniformity of Windows devices and wanted to bring their cool Apple MacBooks to work. This culture became more widespread in the iPhone and smartphone era, as a proliferation of various models led to fast adoption, the phones' personal nature compelling workers to bring their own phones to work, rather than use the ones issued by corporate IT departments. BYOD was an obvious take on BYOB – where the last 'B' stands for booze – which restaurants and events used to encourage people to bring their own favourites. The 2024 Microsoft and LinkedIn Work Trend Index Report coined the latest acronym in this lexicon – BYOAI, or Bring Your Own AI. The report which polled 31,000 workers worldwide, had a startling revelation: 78 per cent, or almost four out of five, employees were bringing in their own AI tools to work, many times sneaking them in as apps on their smartphones or laptops, even when corporate policy did not allow them to! 46 per cent of employees had started using them six months back, and more than half were reluctant to admit to using AI tools because 'AI makes them look replaceable.' That's not all; the same report stated that two out of three leaders would not hire someone without 'AI skills' and 77 per cent of hiring managers prefer a less experienced candidate with AI skills over a more experienced candidate without them! Correspondingly, 71 per cent of professionals believe AI will lead to early-career talents taking on greater responsibilities. Note that this report is a year old at the time of writing, a lifetime in this age of AI. The numbers would be even greater and more startling now. Regardless, it is clear that AI aptitude or literacy is a central hiring factor, with AI-literate professionals having a clear advantage in the job market and AI literacy a defining factor in career growth. Think of an accountant in the eighties still insisting on using tables, pen and paper to balance their books even as spreadsheets like Microsoft Excel took over the business world, specifically in the world of finance and accounting. The traditional accountant who refused to embrace this new technology would not last a week. In the same way, AI proficiency or literacy is no longer optional; it is as necessary as knowing how to work on a computer or using a spreadsheet or word processor. It is clear that the rapid adoption of AI in the workplace is not just changing how we work; it is reshaping hiring and talent management. Organisations are beginning to prioritise AI skills over traditional experience, recognising that AI-literate professionals bring a competitive advantage. We are on the cusp of a new era – one defined by AI and its rapidly evolving capabilities. AI is no longer a distant, futuristic technology, but an integral part of our daily lives. From chatbots that assist with customer service to AI-powered marketing campaigns and automated legal research, AI has seamlessly woven itself into the fabric of our work and personal lives. Most of us think of AI as ChatGPT, but there is a whole world much beyond it. In fact, ChatGPT, at last count in March 2025, had ten different models and sub-models in its dropdown options. There are new product and feature releases by OpenAI almost on a weekly basis. The stunning Image feature released on March 2025 produces realistic images, which seem to be designed by expert graphic designers. The images, especially those that looked like the ones designed by Studio Ghibli, attracted millions of users, leading to appeals by Sam Altman to slow down since the OpenAI 'GPUS were melting'!2 Beyond ChatGPT are several foundation models from Google, Anthropic, X, Mistral, DeepSeek and many others. Then there are the hundreds and thousands of applications being built on top of these models. But the impact of AI and GenAI go beyond just helping us summarise documents, write poems or design recipes and ad copies. AI and GenAI both promise and threaten to impact jobs, work, society, geopolitics and even humanity. As we wrote earlier, Gartner was prescient when it said that 'AI is not just a trend or technology, but a fundamental shift in how humans and machines interact.' The metatrends of AI described below will hopefully lift you above the noise and speculation to help you understand why AI is the fundamental technology of our time and will impact the very foundational principles of humanity. English is the new coding As Gen X was growing up, especially in countries like India, we were told that learning English was the passport to success. We did that faithfully and were arguably successful in our careers and businesses. Our children, in turn, are told that learning how to code is the passport to success, thus coding has become the new English, leading to 10-year-olds being dragged to code camps to learn Python and JavaScript. With GenAI, this changes: every time we write an English prompt for ChatGPT or any of its ilk, we are actually 'coding', i.e. giving it a set of instructions to perform some task for us, whether a summarisation or a video creation or writing up an article. Except, now we're doing it in our natural human language, rather than the language of the machine. This is a very profound development, as it has the potential to democratize coding with, potentially, every educated person on earth being able to write code in their own natural language. Microsoft's Satya Nadella mused that instead of learning the machine's language, machines would have to learn ours; Jensen Huang of Nvidia was of the same opinion, saying that the true potential of AI is that none of us would have to learn how to code. Thus English, or any other natural language, becomes the new coding. AI is the new UI AI becomes the new user interface (UI). Bill Gates presciently wrote in November 2023: '… you won't have to use different apps for different tasks. You'll simply tell your device, in everyday language, what you want to do.' UI has defined how humans and machines have interacted with each other, evolving from the difficult UIs of machine language and DOS to GUI (Graphical User Interface), search bars, browsers and apps. Simpler and friendlier UI led to a faster, intuitive and more productive interaction with a machine. The AI-driven fundamental shift will lead to voice UI, as the spoken word becomes the new way to interact with machines, similar to interactions with other humans. We will chat with ChatGPT or Gemini to work with them on our day-to-day tasks. Our devices will morph with voice becoming the primary interface, rather than a large screen. The first proto devices are already out, even if not tremendously successful yet, like the Rabbit R1 and the AI Pin. But all in all, an AI assistant is fast becoming the new UI. AI and humans are the new creators GenAI is a cognitive technology, and can perform creative tasks like writing articles and poetry, as well as creating art. This has left many human creators deeply worried about their jobs and vocations, as creativity was supposed to be a uniquely human skill. We believe, however, that GenAI will boost human creativity. Take OpenAI's Sora, for instance: When Sam Altman had teased it to us in 2024, he had invited creative prompts on X to instantly generate videos with the same. Indian entrepreneur Kunal Shah famously gave 'A bicycle race on ocean with different animals as athletes riding the bicycles with drone camera view' and Sora produced a spectacularly creative video. However, it was not Sora, which was being creative but Kunal, who would not have imagined a creation like this, unless he had a tool like Sora or Veo or Kling to manifest his innate human creativity. Thus, I believe, that the combination of humans and AI will give rise to a new era of creativity. AI creates a new customer The Industrial Revolution brought with it the transactional industrial customer who rarely used technology, and the internet brought the digital comparison-driven social customer who searched and clicked her way through brands. A new kind of customer will emerge in this age of AI – someone who lives in the era of infinite hyperpersonalised choice, has immersive and conversational interaction with brands, uses AI that anticipates her needs, helping her build a brand relationship that is collaborative rather than functional or emotional. This will mean a gut-wrenching change in business and marketing, as industries race to adjust to this new reality. Agents are the new platform If 2023 was the year when ChatGPT reigned, and 2024 was when a thousand LLMs bloomed, 2025 will be the year of AI agents Bill Gates blogged about in 2023 with keen foresight: 'In the next five years … you'll simply tell your device, in everyday language, what you want to do … and software will be able to respond personally because it will have a rich understanding of your life. This type of software – something that responds to natural language and can accomplish many different tasks based on its knowledge of the user – is called an agent.' So, if you plan a vacation today, it means several hours spent tapping across multiple apps before you book a satisfactory itinerary. However, a future booking agent could select a hotel and airline based on your past preferences and pricing, design a daily itinerary based on your known interests and then proceed to book flights and restaurants, after you have given permission and the agency to do so. Sarah Hinkfuss of Bain Capital described this well: 'We are used to 'pulling' information from computers, (AI agents will) 'push' finished work to us instead'. Hundreds of startups have heard his clarion call to build agents on top of the LLMs that Big Tech is rolling out – Microsoft with CoPilot Wave 2, Google with Gemini 2, Salesforce with AgentForce and so on. Minday scours the Internet and mines your preferences to find the best restaurant around you, while Relevance AI automates prospect meetings for harried sales reps. The CEO of the fintech firm Klarna announced that customer service agents built on OpenAI platforms have 'replaced' 700 human agents. It is pertinent to note that no employees were replaced here; but new contact centre roles were taken by AI agents, though under supervision by human beings.
USA Today
10-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
MLB mock draft 2025: Will College World Series shake things up on top?
MLB mock draft 2025: Will College World Series shake things up on top? Show Caption Hide Caption Seattle Mariners' newest player shares promotion with family Cole Young announces his move to the big leagues playing for Seattle Mariners during an emotional phone call with his family. With Major League Baseball's draft looming in a little more than a month, it's evident that selection Sunday will be volatile right up to the point commissioner Rob Manfred officially marries player with team from the dais of Atlanta's Roxy Theater. While the lack of a consensus No. 1 – let alone a top 5, 10, 20 – will rob the proceedings of a Paul Skenes-like anointment, the Choose Your Own Adventure element of this selection meeting should be evident throughout the first round. With only the College World Series remaining among amateur competition and MLB's Draft League revving up, USA TODAY Sports takes aim its second mock draft: 1. Washington Nationals: Ethan Holliday, INF, Stillwater (Okla.) HS He's not No. 1 with a bullet. Yet it's difficult to justify moving Holliday off here even as there's plenty of smoke around 1/1 alternatives. The crop of majors-ready arms did little to harm their stock in the postseason. Seth Hernandez may possess the dudeliest arm out there. Eli Willits visited Nationals Park last week. But we're not yet prepared to envision a world where someone other than Holliday kicks off this chain reaction. Stay tuned. 2. Los Angeles Angels: Jamie Arnold, LHP, Florida State In the name of consistency, we're keeping Arnold at 2, even as fellow college lefties Liam Doyle and Kade Anderson lurk. While both may possess greater upside and miss more bats, Arnold has shown an ability to get deep in games against elite competition, and better fits the 'now' ethos of the Angels' recent draft history. 3. Seattle Mariners: Aiva Arquette, SS, Oregon State At the risk of getting too static, it's nonetheless tough to move this 6-foot-5, 220-pound shortstop specimen out of the three hole, particularly with plenty of elite college arms the Mariners develop so well available. But it's also tough to pass on a potential 10-year cog in a lineup that needs one. 4. Colorado Rockies: Eli Willits, SS, Fort Cobb-Broxton (Okla.) HS Kinda wild that two legacy players who squared off throughout high school will affect the other's fate so much. It's not that the Rockies face a Holliday/Willits binary when they're on the clock, but in this simulation, taking a potential cornerstone who doesn't turn 18 until December will be too tough for the need-everything Rockies to bypass. 5. St. Louis Cardinals: Kade Anderson, LHP, LSU The Cardinals are almost guaranteed to get one of the elite college lefties and in this universe, it's Anderson, who has sparred with Doyle for the NCAA strikeout lead all year and will take his 163 punchouts in 103 innings into at least one more start, in Omaha. 6. Pittsburgh Pirates: Seth Hernandez, RHP, Corona (Calif.) HS Volatility, thy name is Seth. Who wouldn't want a 6-foot-4 high schooler whose fastball sits in the high 90s with advanced secondary offerings and has dominated against elite prep competition? Yet the trepidation of 'high school right-hander draft history' may be a headwind all the way up to Manfred's stroll to the podium. Still, this figures to be the floor, or close to it, for a fireballer on the periphery of the 1/1 conversation. 7. Miami Marlins: Billy Carlson, SS, Corona (Calif.) HS It's the 909's time to shine, with a pair of Panthers popped in succession. The Marlins stumble upon a nice building block here, as Carlson's elite arm and bat speed will get him to Miami's infield quicker than most prep draftees. 8. Toronto Blue Jays: Liam Doyle, LHP, Tennessee While there are a few spoilers out there, this looks like the top eight, in one order or another. In this scenario, Doyle tumbles a bit; like Hernandez, his wait could be much shorter on July 13. 9. Cincinnati Reds: Kyson Witherspoon, RHP, Oklahoma Rhett Lowder, Chase Burns… Witherspoon? Sounds like the makings of a nice rotation thanks to draft capital spent on advanced college arms. The math checks out that an arm of that ilk will be available. Witherspoon cut his walk rate nearly in half – from 14.2% to 7.2% - making his high-upside and unpredictive repertoire even more effective. 10. Chicago White Sox: Jace LaViolette, OF, Texas A&M From 1/1 favorite to who knows, LaViolette's slide stops with the White Sox, whose revamped hitting program could be the panacea for a slugger whose platform junior year fizzled. LaViolette regressed from .305, 29 homers, 1.175 OPS to .257, 18 and 1.003, and his K rate nudged upward, to 25.2. 11. Athletics: Marek Houston, SS, Wake Forest The glut of prep shortstops are all still on this board, but the Athletics opt for a guy who can impact their lineup before they depart Yolo County for Las Vegas. A nice infield complement to shoo-in Rookie of the Year Jacob Wilson. 12. Texas Rangers: Kayson Cunningham, SS, Johnson (Texas) HS The Rangers amble down I-35 for their choice, a mature high school bat with solid Team USA bona fides and a commitment to Texas. Let the run on prep shortstops begin. 13. San Francisco Giants: JoJo Parker, SS, Purvis (Miss.) HS Parker could easily be gone by now, but his power from a premier position at a young age is too much for the Giants to bypass here in the first draft overseen by the Buster Posey regime. 14. Tampa Bay Rays: Steele Hall, SS, Hewitt-Trussville (Ala.) HS He doesn't turn 18 until a week after the draft and has significant power potential and all-around athletic ability that guarantees he'll play somewhere up the middle, a versatile skill set the Rays value. 15. Boston Red Sox: Gavin Kilen, INF, Tennessee A 13th-round Red Sox draftee out of high school, Kilen leveled up at Louisville and then with the Vols, with whom he slugged 15 homers with a 1.112 OPS this season. Struck out just 27 times in 245 plate appearances, a solid K rate given the elite level of pitching in the SEC. 16. Minnesota Twins: Tyler Bremner, LHP, UC Santa Barbara Bremner probably shouldn't be slept on to this extent; a consensus top five pick a few months ago, he started slowly but posted double-digit strikeout games in six of his final seven starts, and is a nice value here. 17. Chicago Cubs: Wehiwa Aloy, SS, Arkansas Sure, Arquette owns the title of 'Best Hawaiian Shortstop In the College World Series,' but Aloy looks up to few of his peers. The SEC player of the year slugged 20 home runs and is sound enough defensively to stick at shortstop. 18. Arizona Diamondbacks: Daniel Pierce, SS, Mill Creek (Ga.) HS The Georgia commit is advanced in both age – he turns 19 in August – and acumen, though there remains some power upside. 19. Baltimore Orioles: Ethan Conrad, OF, Wake Forest Until proven otherwise, the Orioles stick with their advanced college bat template in the first round, with Conrad flying under the radar thanks to season-ending shoulder injury after an outfield dive. Before he got hurt, Conrad was raking (.372/.495/.744 in 97 plate appearances) for the Demon Deacons. 20. Milwaukee Brewers: Ike Irish, C/OF, Auburn Another club that tends to lean college bat, the Brewers get a nice piece in Irish, whose .364, 19-homer platform season looks even better if he sticks at catcher professionally. But Irish caught just 12 games for the Tigers this year, spending 45 games in the outfield. 21. Houston Astros: Andrew Fischer, INF, Tennessee This is perhaps too much helium for Fischer, whose physical profile may not support the sort of power to slug as a first baseman might be expected at the big league level. But there's still onramp for Fischer to establish himself at another infield position and the Astros can figure that out as he builds off his exuberant 25-homer, 1.205 OPS platform year on Rocky Top. 22. Atlanta Braves: Kruz Schoolcraft, LHP, Sunset (Ore.) HS A lefty with Schoolcraft's big arm should slot much higher, but the current industry lean toward collegiate talent in the top of the first round drops him in Atlanta's lap. At 6-8 and with a 97-mph fastball, Schoolcraft has a significant floor that the Braves can work with. 23. Kansas City Royals: Gavin Fien, INF, Great Oak (Calif.) HS A Texas commit whose future position is subject to change, Fien's bat stands up against the prep shortstops projected to go ahead of him. 24. Detroit Tigers: Xavier Neyens, INF, Mt. Vernon (Wash.) HS We'll keep Neyens right here, even as his tantalizing upside and 6-foot-4, 205-pound frame could inspire clubs to jump sooner. There are worse players to dream on than a potential left-handed swinging Austin Riley. 25. San Diego Padres: Sean Gamble, INF/OF, IMG (Fla.) Academy Should add plenty of power and could end up playing anywhere on the diamond – in a good way. Gamble took his talents from Iowa to Bradenton and developed a strong baseball IQ at IMG, and possesses several traits the Padres value. 26. Philadelphia Phillies: Luke Stevenson, C, North Carolina Does not possess the current offensive profile that Irish offers, but Stevenson is a pure catcher, with an athletic 6-foot-1, 210-pound frame that hit 19 homers for the Tar Heels this season. 27. Cleveland Guardians: Brendan Summerhill, OF, Arizona A nice value this deep in the first round, Summerhill offers the ability to play all three outfield positions and takes a .358/.477/.585 line into the CWS. 28. Kansas City Royals*: Anthony Eyanson, RHP, LSU You came to Baton Rouge for Kade Anderson, but stick around for Eyanson, who transferred from UC San Diego and struck out 135 in 93 ⅔ innings with a 2.50 ERA in his only season in the SEC. Not an overwhelming repertoire but would benefit in the Royals' burgeoning pitching program. 29. Arizona Diamondbacks**: Alex Lodise, SS, Florida State More glue guy than toolbox, Lodise nonetheless produced a .394/.462/.705 line in his second year in Tallahassee, earning ACC player of the year honors. Hit 17 homers and has potential to add more power, but has value with his ability to play virtually anywhere. 30. Baltimore Orioles**: Cam Cannarella, OF, Clemson We'll keep slotting ACC outfielders to Camden Yards until they tell us differently. Yet with his superior defensive ability, speed and extra-base pop, Cannarella fits the Orioles ethos, and a .453 career OBP doesn't hurt. 31. Baltimore Orioles**: Dean Curley, INF, Tennessee Lots of power potential packed into a versatile infielder, Curley produced nearly as many walks (45) as strikeouts (47) this season. Concerns about defense. 32. Milwaukee Brewers: Mason Neville, OF, Oregon Should be a first-day selection and perhaps hits the outskirts of the first round if things break his way. Neville offers 30-homer power in a 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame that for now has stuck in center field. *- Prospect promotion incentive pick **-Free agent compensation pick. Note: The Dodgers, Mets and Yankees each received a 10-pick penalty on their first picks for exceeding the second threshold of the competitive balance tax.
