Latest news with #shortstop
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Brewers Draft Intriguing Shortstop with Willy Adames Compensation
Brewers Draft Intriguing Shortstop with Willy Adames Compensation originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Milwaukee Brewers led off their 2025 Draft Class with Tennessee corner infielder Andrew Fischer. They've now followed it up with a high school shortstop. Two picks in, the Brewers stick on the dirt twice and grab a pair of bats. Advertisement This pick at 32 overall is compensation for the loss of Willy Adames in free agency this past offseason. To compensate for losing their starting shortstop, they selected another shortstop in Corona HS's Brady Ebel. Here's some instant analysis of the Brewers Compensation selection of Brady Ebel at 32 overall. Jul 27, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; General view of a Milwaukee Brewers alternate logo cap prior to the game against the Miami Marlins at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports Brady Ebel, SS, Corona (CA) HS The Brewers love to grab guys from southern California, which is the region of the country the Brewers have for the Area Code Games showcase. Ebel was on the Brewers 2024 Area Code Games roster and that gave them a great inside look at him. That Area Code Games showcase has been a pipeline for the Brewers. Advertisement Ebel continues the trend of high school shortstops in this Draft. He's young for the class, still just 17 years old. He's got a very strong hit tool with some power to come as he matures, it's not present quite yet. He's a solid all around player with a strong throwing arm to be able to stick at short. He played a lot of third base this year because his own high school team had a better shortstop, Billy Carlson, who went 10th overall to the White Sox. Ebel is committed to LSU, which is not going to be an easy commitment to sign away from. The Brewers had another prep shortstop from southern California with an LSU commitment they drafted early a few years ago. Brice Turang ended up signing with the Brewers. With the Brewers saving some money with the Andrew Fischer selection in the first round, it's likely they'll have to use some of that money to sign Ebel here at 32. This is probably an overslot selection, which isn't a surprise for the Brewers. Ebel's father is Dino Ebel, a coach on the Dodgers staff. His baseball bloodlines and growing up in the game like he did are huge positives in this profile. Related: Instant Analysis: Brewers Select Andrew Fischer in First Round of 2025 MLB Draft This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 14, 2025, where it first appeared.
Washington Post
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
All about upside as Nationals stock up at the MLB draft
This Washington Nationals draft will ultimately be judged by the performance of top pick Eli Willits. It's what happens when a team has the No. 1 overall selection, and the Nationals used it Sunday night on the 17-year-old high school shortstop from Oklahoma. But that pick does not exist in a vacuum. In all likelihood, the selection of Willits — which will see the shortstop sign for less than the expected value of a No. 1 pick, according to a person with knowledge of the negotiations who spoke on the condition of anonymity — allowed the Nationals to take several high-upside swings with their remaining 19 picks, 17 of which were made Monday as the draft wrapped up.
New York Times
14-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Twins draft slick-fielding shortstop Marek Houston, then focus on high-upside picks
Wake Forest shortstop Marek Houston is widely considered one of the elite fielders in a shortstop-heavy 2025 MLB Draft class, and the Minnesota Twins are big enough believers in the strides he made offensively this season to select the 21-year-old with the No. 16 pick on Sunday. Even first-round picks drafted as shortstops often wind up sliding down the defensive spectrum to other positions as they face higher-level competition and mature physically. Some recent Twins examples of that include Brooks Lee, Royce Lewis, Nick Gordon, Trevor Plouffe and Michael Cuddyer. Advertisement That's unlikely to be the case with Houston, who is seen as a legit shortstop with the ability to stick there long-term. There are some questions about his offensive upside even after a breakthrough junior season in which Houston hit .354/.458/.597 with 15 homers in 61 games for the Demon Deacons. Keith Law of The Athletic rates Houston as the No. 19 prospect in the class, calling him 'a no-doubt shortstop' and 'a high-floor, lower-ceiling prospect, unless someone foresees more power in his future than I do.' Baseball America (No. 14), (No. 15) and (No. 23) ranked Houston in a similar range, touting his smooth fielding and bat-to-ball skills while generally expressing less enthusiasm about his power potential despite a sturdy 6-foot-3 frame. 'My first two years, I was always known as a shortstop,' Houston said. 'My freshman year, I didn't hit very well, but I was always the guy at shortstop pitchers could count on. I always took pride in that. I think the work I put in this year, and the coaches around me, kind of proved the bat is there.' Twins select Wake Forest SS Marek Houston at 16 — CJ Fogler 🫡 (@cjzero) July 13, 2025 Of course, if Houston is as good defensively as most draft analysts seem to think, with some making the case for him as the best defender in the entire class, there's certainly a path for him to develop into an all-around impact player at a premium position even without substantial power. 'We thought (Houston) was the best college shortstop on the board,' said assistant general manager Sean Johnson, who oversees the draft. 'We've seen him for a long time at Wake Forest and really love to watch him play shortstop. We feel like he's a really good shortstop.' Houston made significant year-over-year improvements offensively while at Wake Forest. After posting a punchless .625 OPS as a freshman in 2023, he boosted it to a .949 OPS as a sophomore and a 1.055 OPS as a junior, with as many walks (46) as strikeouts (46) and 19 steals in 21 tries. Advertisement 'I go into each year thinking about what I can do to get better,' Houston said. 'And that was impacting the ball more than I did the year before. I went into the year trying to gain a little bit more muscle, trying to get a little bit stronger and faster. Hitting-wise, it came together really well.' However, his exit velocities and other batted-ball metrics were somewhat underwhelming, and 11 of his 15 homers this season came at Wake Forest's power-inflating ballpark. But taking a high-contact hitter with a line-drive swing and trying to add power has been part of the Twins' draft approach. 'That's where the value is in really getting to know a player,' Johnson said. 'How they're wired, how they've been training. Knowing he's put on weight since he's been at Wake Forest. (Houston) is a worker who's driven to be a really good player, so we're hoping to carry that forward.' Twins shortstop Carlos Correa is signed through at least 2028. Last year's first-round pick, Kaelen Culpepper, is also a shortstop with a chance to stay there long-term, and he's already thriving at Double A. But there's no such thing as too many good shortstops. It's one of those nice problems to have. 'It's very hard to play everyday big-league shortstop,' Johnson said. 'Very high bar to clear. But we think Marek can do it. He's got great instincts and great reads off the bat. He's got plenty of arm strength. He's got range. All the things you need to stay at short, we think he can do it.' Why not add No. 9? Q is through 6.0 IP for the first time in his career too!@rileyquick12 I #RollTide — Alabama Baseball (@AlabamaBSB) May 3, 2025 With the No. 36 pick awarded by MLB as part of the Competitive Balance Round, the Twins selected University of Alabama right-hander Riley Quick, who flashed upper-90s fastball velocity in an encouraging first season back from Tommy John surgery. Quick is a 6-foot-6, 250-pound former offensive lineman who turned down Division I football offers to play baseball, so his high-octane raw stuff also comes with an intimidating presence on the mound. He posted a 3.92 ERA for Alabama this season, with 70 strikeouts and 24 walks in 62 innings. Advertisement Three drafts ago, the Twins used their second-round choice on left-hander Connor Prielipp, another Alabama starter whose Tommy John surgery knocked him out of the first round after once projecting as a possible top-10 pick. Prielipp is now a healthy top prospect pitching well at Double A. The Twins are no doubt hoping for similar success with Quick, whose raw stuff returned from surgery intact and is among the best in the class. In addition to a mid-90s fastball that topped out at 99 mph, Quick introduced a cutter this season as part of what is now a four-pitch mix. 'I think we're lucky he chose baseball over football,' Johnson said. 'Not all 6-6 guys have the same amount of athleticism. So a guy who is that nimble and big, and coordinated with his delivery, was really appealing. We think there's even more to unlock with the way he uses his pitches.' In rating Quick as the No. 23 prospect in the class, Law notes he might wind up as a reliever but also 'has such a great foundation of arm strength, ability to spin the ball, and a present off-speed weapon in the changeup that he could be a No. 2 starter or better with some mechanical fine-tuning.' First summer look at the So Cal Giants. Quentin Young (2025, Oaks Christian ) taking some hacks#MLBDraft@PG_Scouting @PG_Draft @SoCalGiants — Perfect Game California (@California_PG) June 22, 2025 With their second-round pick, the Twins took California high school slugger Quentin Young at No. 54. Young has big-league connections as the nephew of Dmitri Young, the No. 4 pick in the 1991 draft, and Delmon Young, the No. 1 pick in the 2003 draft who played four seasons for the Twins. Young was technically drafted as a shortstop, but he's a prime example of that not mattering because there's almost no chance the 6-6 teenager stays there for long. He has the athleticism and elite arm strength for third base, but massive raw power is the carrying tool that enticed the Twins. 'His tools are so loud and big,' Johnson said. 'Some of the highest upside in the whole draft. That's probably the highlight of our scouts for the night. We thought he'd be off the board. To be able to get him, our scouts are probably in the room still trying to do gymnastics. Just tremendous upside.' Advertisement With their final Day 1 selection, the Twins used their third-round pick, No. 88, on Dallas Baptist University right-hander James Ellwanger. He racked up 95 strikeouts in 63 1/3 innings this year and topped out at 100 mph, but shaky control and durability concerns may lead to the bullpen eventually. 'Ellwanger is a big-time athlete,' Johnson said. 'He's got one of the better breaking balls on the board. And that's a guy we think we can do more with (developmentally) as well to keep him as a starter long-term.' (Photo of Marek Houston: Saul Young / News Sentinel / USA Today via Imagn Images)
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Yankees Mailbag: Volpe's struggles and the pros and cons of going all-in
Good afternoon everyone, it's time to dive back into the mailbag and answer some of your questions. Remember to send in your questions for our weekly call by e-mail to pinstripealleyblog [at] gmail [dot] com. torturedsoulv1 asks: Why is Volpe still the starter at shortstop? I wasn't as down on him as most seem to be until recently. Advertisement Well, they simply don't have a starting shortstop who could compete with him right now, despite his struggles. The roster is severely limited in terms of who can man shortstop in his stead, with Oswald Peraza and his perpetually cold bat the only active player who can cover the position and Jorbit Vivas is sitting down in Triple-A in case the emergency glass needs to be broken. Suffice to say, neither one is pushing the needle on getting starting time. However, something is seriously wrong with Volpe. The bat has remained so-so at best, putting up a 98 wRC+, but his defense and baserunning has fallen off a cliff compared to the elite performance that he put up last season. The fielding tool was the main thing carrying Volpe's longevity on the roster, but whether it's due to getting too far in his own head over his hitting or just regression overall, Volpe is struggling to contribute at all right now. The team is already in over its head needing to fix the infield with Jazz Chisholm Jr. performing far better at second than third and DJ LeMahieu continuing to look his age, so needing to remodel half of it on top of getting some pitching assistance would run a high cost in prospects. The Yankees simply need Volpe to turn it around at least in one category, and given the fact that the bat has only shown glimpses at best, the glove is their best hope to right the ship and justify his hold on the starting spot. yankinBAMA asks: It would be unfair to Jazz to acquire another second baseman because that is his best position defensively and he has played third without a fuss. As long as DJL, and Stanton do not produce, and Judge remains in his funk, no trade will help the Yankees. Plus Schlitter will be a future ace, and should help the club this year or next. I think the Yankees are definitely leaning towards getting a third baseman to free Chisholm's move back to second rather than replacing LeMahieu with another second baseman, but the fact that they've given him as much rope as they have in the first place is part of the reason why they've fallen in the standings as fast as they have. LeMahieu may be spent as far as comebacks go, but I wouldn't rely on Judge staying cold for too long considering the level of hitter that he is. Stanton is a bigger question mark, but he's typically due for a slow start after getting off of the IL, and given that he's managed to contribute an average 100 wRC+ in just 13 games so far I have confidence that we'll see one of his patented hot streaks where every ball is in danger of being lasered out of the park soon enough. Advertisement All of this is to say that while morale is quite low currently, the circumstances can change in a hurry and put the Yankees in position to rebound. They can't just give up because of one poor month of play, especially considering this has been a recurring trend for a number of years now. There's time in the offseason to debate how to best avoid that in the future, but right now they have to get back in the race because this core is aging and can't afford to waste a year of contention. Judge is already 33 years old, and while he's seemingly still in the peak of his prime they can't take any of it for granted. They also have major commitments to Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, and now Max Fried to be the core of this rotation for the next few years, and while Cole obviously can't assist them in this campaign the odds don't get any better if they punt the ball away and count on their later years. Cam Schlittler has turned into a very promising prospect for the Yankees, and it's rare that they get a hyped pitching prospect with the momentum to make it to the big leagues. He's far from a guaranteed thing though (let alone a future ace), and if he or another top prospect ends up being the difference-maker on making a deal that improves the 2025 team more than they can contribute in the immediate future, the Yankees have to play ball. They've largely avoided going all in for most of these postseason runs, and now there's only so many more opportunities to try and get a ring for Judge and company. EasyRider28 asks: How about making the last day of the All-Star break, instead of July 31st, the trade deadline? A GM meeting could be scheduled during All-Star week in the city where the game is played. Imagine the additional excitement piggybacking these activities would generate, especially in lieu of how little interest there is anymore in home-run contests, HBCU Classics, Futures Games. the draft, as it fits in with what would become a scurry of trade activity millions more fans would tune in to watch, than the few fans who now tune in to watch a flurry of clown shows with the Game of Baseball as their theme. The Draft being held at the same time is the main factor that would prohibit this plan from working, as baseball's front office leaders would be running ragged splitting their attention from last-minute board adjustments to handle the phone lines for incoming trade offers. The influx of new prospects to an organization can also help them reconsider just how attached they are to the ones they already had in their system, so giving some room to digest from the draft into the final weeks of the deadline may be a bigger boon for blockbuster deals going down. Advertisement The Trade Deadline coming at the end of July is a fine spot for the league to keep it, but I think the larger issue at hand is the field being so muddied by the amount of teams eyeing that third Wild Card spot nowadays. Especially given the success that the Phillies and Diamondbacks had going on pennant runs in back-to-back years, the mantra that 'just getting into the dance' is all you need to compete regardless of your record is looking hard to disprove. Sellers and buyers are harder to determine than ever, delaying what has usually been a month-long spree of dealmaking into a tense stare down that results in bangers just as often as it does disappointments. The All-Star break has its flaws, but compared to where other leagues like the NBA or NFL are at with their All-Star/Pro Bowl events I think MLB is sitting rather comfortably ahead of them. More from
