All articles tagged with #prospects
Rotoworld's weekly waiver-wire guide highlights under-40% rostered adds, led by Kade Anderson’s Mariners debut and Griffin Conine’s power surge, along with a long list of hitters and pitchers with potential multi-category boosts.
Dane Brugler’s 2027 NFL Draft preseason QB rankings place Arch Manning and Dante Moore atop the list, with CJ Carr in the top tier and a crowded field that includes Mestemaker, Trinidad Chambliss, LaNorris Sellers and Darian Mensah. He notes Moore would have been a high pick in 2026 had he declared, details each prospect’s strengths and growth areas, and says the rankings will continue to shift over the eight months leading up to the draft. The piece also includes top seniors and top draft-eligible quarterbacks.
The New York Islanders are No. 9 in The Athletic’s 2026 NHL Pipeline rankings, anchored by Matthew Schaefer as a potential star defenseman, with Kashawn Aitcheson and Malte Gustafsson also strong blue-line prospects. The system isn’t particularly deep down the middle, and the club received a C grade for the 2026 NHL Draft.
NHL.com names the New Jersey Devils’ five top prospects for 2026-27: Anton Silayev (D) is a 6-foot-7 shutdown defender from the KHL who’s expected to push for an NHL job after signing with New Jersey; Alexander Command (F) is a versatile Swedish forward projected as a middle-six center; Lenni Hameenaho (F) is a smart, patient forward who contributed at both the NHL and AHL levels and could be in line for more responsibility this season; Seamus Casey (D) is a mobile right-shot defenseman returning from injury who could earn a roster spot out of training camp; and Mikhail Yegorov (G) is a tall, high-IQ goaltender in college whose pro debut is projected for 2028-29.
The White Sox promote pitching prospects Hagen Smith and Tanner McDougal from Charlotte to Chicago ahead of Saturday’s game against the Guardians, adding potential bullpen upgrades as injuries and underperformance have strained the rotation. Smith has looked strong in relief since returning from a shoulder issue, with velocity around 95 mph, and McDougal has been sitting ~98 mph; both are highly regarded by MLB Pipeline and could factor into late-season high-leverage moments.
With a strong season and a healthy rotation, the Braves chose not to mortgage their future for rentals at the trade deadline. They pursued top arms (like Tarik Skubal and Jacob deGrom) but kept most of their prospect core intact, made selective roster moves (trading depth and designating Jorge Mateo, Eli White) to clear space, and added Lane Thomas and Tyler Mahle to bolster the lineup and rotation, signaling a plan to contend now while preserving long-term upside with their farm system.
Los Angeles won the Tarik Skubal deadline sweepstakes with a multi‑prospect package (Zyhir Hope, River Ryan, Brady Smith) that balanced Detroit’s demand for pitching depth and value, as several other teams–including the Brewers, Braves, Yankees, Cubs and Rays–couldn’t match. Detroit aimed to balance its core with more pitching prospects while staying competitive, and Skubal’s addition bolsters the Dodgers’ postseason chances and repeat bid, aided by the team’s depth and resources. The trade landscape also highlighted different strategies and risk tolerances across clubs.
Top Yankees prospect George Lombard Jr. has only two MLB games but already shows he belongs, highlighting a family lineage of MLB players. Off the field, New York weighs Rodón’s return in the rotation and which of Ryan Weathers or Will Warren fits best, while Brett Headrick continues to anchor a dominant relief corps. Injury updates on Stanton, Rodón, Judge and Clarke Schmidt suggest a cautious return path that could help close ground in the division if schedules stay on track.
Deadline-driven moves reshaped MLB farm-system rankings, with the Baltimore Orioles gaining the most after their Adley Rutschman trade haul, while the Red Sox slide from the top and the Padres and Blue Jays fall. Angels rise into the upper tier and the updated Top 10 is led by Dodgers, Mariners, Rays, Giants, and Twins, with Baltimore climbing to No. 6 overall.
San Francisco’s 2026 trade deadline was a bold sell-off move, shipping seven players in five trades to stock up on upside. The haul includes seven prospects (Marquez, Gair, Kent, Lalane, Mendez, Hernandez, Mayer) in exchange for expiring contracts like Luis Arraez, Heliot Ramos, Robbie Ray and Erik Miller. Mayer stands out as a potential cornerstone, while the rest adds upside but less immediate impact. Across ESPN, The Athletic, SI, CBS Sports, USA Today and others, the consensus grades ranged mostly from B to B+, with some outlets assigning higher marks for specific deals and others noting the risk of the long-term bet.
A primer on the 12 prospects moved at the deadline, split into seven top-traded names and five others whose numbers stand out. Zyhir Hope leads the list with power and speed, followed by Anthony Eyanson, Arjun Nimmala, River Ryan, Alexander Frias, Josiah Ragsdale and Ramon Marquez; the five other attention-grabbers are Henry Lalane, Sammy Stafura, Boston Smith, Brayden Taylor and Jonathon Long, plus a few other notable traded prospects.
The Cubs added five MLB players in four deadline trades (excluding the Taillon move) and sent seven minor leaguers—six with prospect eligibility—out of the system, trimming their farm depth and ranking. Key losses included top-10 prospects Jefferson Rojas and Moisés Ballesteros, traded for controllable/rental pitchers such as Clay Holmes and Braxton Garrett plus related pieces, with the Blue Jays also acquiring Bateman and Southisene. The piece updates the Cubs’ top-25 prospects, highlighting Owen Ayers as a bright spot and noting Ballesteros’ defensive limits and Valdez’s renewed potential after getting glasses, concluding the farm system is down but still has upside in a few young players.
A flurry of August 4 MLB trades reshapes closers and fantasy value across the league, with moves like Pirates adding Luke Weaver, Giants sending Luis Arraez to the Phillies, Angels swapping Jose Soriano to the Blue Jays, and Daulton Varsho landing with the Astros. The day also features numerous prospect swaps, call-ups, and position-shift potential, along with injury updates and streaming-pitcher recommendations for daily and next-day play.
Milwaukee added pitching depth near the trade deadline with two deals: Dustin May and JoJo Romero were acquired from the Cardinals for prospects Josiah Ragsdale and Alexander Frias, and Antonio Senzatela was obtained from Colorado for Mark Manfredi and Juan Martinez, earning an overall deadline grade of B-, a cautious appraisal that the moves are solid but not a splashy playoff pivot.
The Cubs’ front office paced a busy trade deadline, adding rotation help (Gausman), an upside-lefty (Braxton Garrett), and a bullpen-heavy package (Ryan Zeferjahn) while also acquiring Clay Holmes and Tyrone Taylor for a deal that cost top prospect Jefferson Rojas; graded as a collective B+ with high marks for the Gausman/Garrett moves and a caveat over the Rojas trade, the front office balanced present needs with future upside and set the stage for October contention plus potential 2027 growth, with deeper “By the Numbers” pieces promised next.