College football reporter; joined ESPN in 2008. Graduate of Northwestern University.
Multiple Authors
Wisconsin football coach Luke Fickell, at his request, was not among the coaches to receive a customary one-year extension from the school’s athletic board Wednesday as he focuses on improved results in 2026.
The university awards the extensions to keep coaches’ contracts at their original lengths.
Athletic director Chris McIntosh, in a statement to ESPN, said Fickell asked him not to put the extension on the table. Fickell received one-year extensions in 2023 and 2024, with his contract currently running through March 2032.
Fickell is just 17-21 with the Badgers after consecutive losing seasons, which Wisconsin had not had since 1991 and 1992.
“I respect his request and determined that the current terms of Luke’s contract will be maintained,” McIntosh said in the statement. “Luke is completely focused on a successful 2026 campaign. There is no one more competitive than Luke, and he holds himself to the highest standards. He is committed to meeting and exceeding the expectations of everyone connected to Wisconsin — his own, the team’s, the university’s, alumni, supporters, fans, and the entire state.”
McIntosh, who hired Fickell in late 2022 and awarded him a seven-year contract, said in November that the coach would return in 2026 despite a six-game losing streak that included consecutive home shutouts against Iowa and Ohio State.
In announcing Fickell’s return, McIntosh said Wisconsin would increase its investment toward infrastructure, staff and roster building.
“He continues to have our full support and, as we shared widely at the end of last year, Luke is making the necessary changes in the program, our department is increasing our investment and we are aligned with campus leadership in our commitment to football success,” McIntosh said in the statement.
Wisconsin’s athletic board approved one-year contract extensions Wednesday for volleyball coach Kelly Sheffield and soccer coaches Paula Wilkins and Neil Jones, keeping their deals at five years.
When Valve first announced its impressive-looking Steam Machine, Steam Frame, and Steam Controller hardware in November, the company said the products would begin shipping in early 2026. Somejournalists were told “Q1 2026” specifically. But because of the ongoing memory and storage crunch, that launch has been delayed to sometime in the first half of this year, and Valve says it will reset expectations for how much they will cost “as soon as possible.”
“We planned on being able to share specific pricing and launch dates by now,” Valve says in a new post. “But the memory and storage shortages you’ve likely heard about across the industry have rapidly increased since then. The limited availability and growing prices of these critical components mean we must revisit our exact shipping schedule and pricing (especially around Steam Machine and Steam Frame).”
Valve says that its goal of “shipping all three products in the first half of the year has not changed. But we have work to do to land on concrete pricing and launch dates that we can confidently announce, being mindful of how quickly the circumstances around both of those things can change.”
When The Verge and other outlets met with Valve to preview the new hardware, the company remained mostly vague about pricing at the time — one of the most important questions if these devices would compete with game consoles rather than PCs. From the beginning, Valve told us the Steam Machine, its ambitious new console, would be “positioned closer to the entry level of the PC space.” For the Frame, the company said it was aiming for a price that was less than its previous headset, the Index, which cost $999. And for the Steam Controller, Valve said it was targeting a price that would be competitive with other controllers with “advanced inputs.”
But within days of Valve’s hardware announcements last November, it became clear that Valve would have a tough time offering competitive pricing with the cost of RAM shooting up. It told Tom’s Hardware that the console was tough to price because “the market is kind of weird” and “memory prices are going up like right as we speak.” As of early 2026, PC gamers have seen the price of RAM triple, even quadruple, as memory makers pour their supply into the more profitable AI server realm.
Yesterday, AMD CEO Lisa Su said on an earnings call that “From a product standpoint, Valve is on track to begin shipping its AMD-powered Steam Machine early this year.” It seems that the words “from a product standpoint” were carrying a lot more weight than we thought.
Best Dressed Celebrities at the Grammys 2026: Sabrina Carpenter, Bad Bunny & More
One of Sabrina Carpenter’s backup performers dropped something other than an album.
Indeed, as the global superstar kicked off the 2026 Grammys with her song “Manchild,” she said the live dove that she pulled out during the performance pooped in her hand.
While dressed as an airline pilot, Sabrina danced around a faux baggage claim terminal alongside backup dancers dressed as all versions of a modern man, like a postage worker and a businessman. At one point, she reached into a magician’s hat and pulled a live bird out of it, which promptly flew away.
At the end of the musical number, Sabrina held the dove again as she sat on top of an airplane on stage.
In a Grammys TikTok video shared later that evening, the 26-year-old celebrated the performance with her team backstage and shouted, “It s–t on my hand!”
Of course, Sabrina kept it professional on stage and persevered for her second time on the Grammys stage. Last February, the 26-year-old—whose Short n’ Sweet album scored her her first two Grammy wins—had the audience in the (poop-free) palm of her hand while performing a medley of “Espresso” and “Please Please Please” complete with intentional gaffes like wardrobe malfunctions and set pieces falling apart.
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Kiley McDaniel covers MLB prospects, the MLB Draft and more, including trades and free agency.
Has worked for three MLB teams.
Co-author of Author of ‘Future Value’
Multiple Authors
Now that we have ranked the top 100 prospects in the sport and all 30 major league farm systems, it’s time for our first team-by-team MLB prospect rankings big board of 2026. The top 10 prospects for all 30 teams are listed below — and will be updated regularly throughout the season.
Here are the rankings for your favorite team, along with what to know for the season ahead and who we expect to reach the majors next. Players in the big leagues are eligible for this update as MLB rookie eligibility rules apply here — 130 at-bats, 50 innings pitched or 45 days on the active roster.
Who are your favorite team’s future stars and how close are they to reaching the majors?
The A’s have the thing every team is looking for: pitching depth. Jump, Arnold and Lin are all potential No. 2 to No. 4 starters who throw from the left side. Nett and Morris are either No. 4 starters or eighth-inning relievers depending on how their command develops.
Also keep an eye on Baez, as both haven’t debuted and are on the 40-man roster, but Nett’s stuff works better in shorter stints, so I think he is a bit more likely to come up if the opening is in the bullpen.
The D-backs ranked 21st in the farm ranking largely because they didn’t have any players in the top 50 prospects in baseball and only one in the top 100 at all — and the long arc of prospect history informs this valuation method.
But beyond that elite tier of prospects, they are quite deep with six players from 101-200 and a handful more who were in the mix for that range. It’s possible all of the top dozen players on the D-backs’ prospect list will be on next winter’s version; due to that, Arizona is a strong candidate to rise in these rankings throughout the season.
Next to debut: Tommy Troy, 2B
Brandyn Garcia and Andrew Hoffman are likely to start the season in the big league bullpen, but they and Cristian Mena (likely opens in the Triple-A rotation) have already debuted. Of those with no service time, Troy gets the nod over Drake.
The Braves are rich in potential starting pitching, with likely starters landing in the first four slots of the list and also seven through 10. There should be waves of arms coming over the next few years, but that also leads into the main concern here: the lack of position players.
Four of their top five bonuses handed out in the 2025 draft were to position players, headlined by Southisene, so Atlanta is trying to balance out the system more.
Next to debut: J.R. Ritchie, RHP
Braun should also open in the Triple-A rotation with both needing to be added to the 40-man roster after the 2026 season. Pending health, both should make their debuts this season, but Ritchie is the superior prospect and likely comes up first.
Baltimore could still use some starting pitching depth in the majors this season and also some long-term impact in that area with Trevor Rogers and Zach Eflin on expiring deals.
Gibson and German should debut at some point in 2026 while De Leon and Bateman could be coming up in 2027 — and there is a handful of others either behind them or with more relief risk. I think Gibson has the best chance to be a front-line starter of that group, this group is likely more middle-to-back of the rotation type contributors.
Next to debut: Trey Gibson, RHP
Beavers and Basallo have already debuted, so I’ll go with Gibson here. German is in line right behind him (likely starting the season in Triple-A) should a rotation spot come open.
After a big group of position players arrived at Fenway Park in the last year or two, there are now a few nice waves of starting pitching prospects making their way to Boston. Tolle and Early already arrived late last season and will be back up in 2026. Bennett seems on track to appear in 2027 with Witherspoon, Valera, Phillips and Eyanson all just behind that.
Witherspoon, Valera and Phillips are the ones to watch here: Some scouts think Witherspoon makes the leap this year and Valera just needs health and another pitch shape or two to do that, while Phillips is still around the middle of the starter/reliever line, but with dynamic and unique traits.
Next to debut: Jake Bennett, LHP
With Tolle and Early having already debuted, there isn’t a clear answer here, leaving either Bennett at the end of a breakthrough season because he’s already on the 40-man roster or a Mikey Romero in a similar situation because he needs to be added to the 40-man roster after this season to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.
I’ve said many times that I liked what the Cubs did in the 2025 draft, with Conrad, Kepley, Hartshorn and Wing headlining the class. The rest of the prospects of consequence in this system will be in the upper minors or the big leagues this year.
Ballesteros looks set to be Chicago’s every-day DH with Wiggins, Long and Alcantara (and James Triantos, B.J. Murray Jr., Brandon Birdsell, Riley Martin, etc.) waiting in Triple-A for a call-up. I think Ramirez and Rojas will spend the whole year in the minors but both will also be in the upper minors.
Next to debut: Jaxon Wiggins, RHP
It should be Wiggins or Long, but I see more routes (read: relief) that Wiggins can help while Long is blocked by Tyler Austin at the moment.
I’m intrigued by the pitching pipeline in this system, as the White Sox still need a good bit of long-term help in the rotation. Schultz is a unique, towering lefty slinging from a lower slot, and Oppor was a big arrow-up performer in 2025 who now looks like a potential starter. Smith’s strike-throwing concerns undermined his pretty steady midrotation profile.
McDougal and the recently acquired RHP David Sandlin (11th, if the list went that long) have some relief risk, but above-average stuff and deeper arsenals where a command improvement would put them in the previous group.
Next to debut: David Sandlin, RHP
Because Sandlin has some experience as a reliever in Triple-A last season (and may end up there long term, too), I think he’ll fill more potential openings than McDougal when an arm is needed. If Schultz throws more strikes, he should get a look in the second half as he’ll need to be added to the 40-man roster after the season anyway.
The top of the Reds system is headlined by two power hitters with easily plus in-game power potential in Stewart and Duno and there are more players along these lines in the system. Lewis has some of the biggest exit velos in the low minors paired with plus speed, but questions about the rest of his game. Collier also has huge EVs, though from a first-base profile that is more of a necessity. SS/3B Hansel Jimenez (No. 16, if you were wondering) played in the Dominican Summer League last year and also has huge power potential.
Next to debut: Hector Rodriguez, LF
Stewart, Lowder, Petty and a few prospects beyond the top 10 listed here have all debuted already, so I’ll go with Rodriguez. He’s on the 40-man roster with a polished hit/power combo and has already played 53 games in Triple-A.
The Guardians have a lot of upper-minors help at the top of this list. DeLauter and Messick both could break camp with the big league team while Ingle and Bazzana have already played in Triple-A. Velazquez, Stephen, Genao and Rosario have all played in Double-A.
Kahlil Watson and Juan Brito are just outside these rankings and should open the season in Triple-A. Lots of help is on the way for the defending division champs.
Next to debut: Chase DeLauter, RF
DeLauter made his big league debut in the playoffs, which doesn’t technically count for this question. He is set to be an every-day big league outfielder for the Guardians starting this year. Bazzana and Ingle both qualify, though their arrivals likely come later in the season.
I would bet most, if not all, of the best 15 prospects won’t graduate from this list by next winter. It’s a good sign for growth to keep prospects on the list and implies high upsides from lower-minors types.
On the other hand, it’s also good to have waves coming to constantly help the big league team. Thompson and Zac Veen are optionable 40-man outfield depth while Condon, Thomas, Riggio and Cole Carrigg seem likely to stay in the upper minors the whole season and the rest of the list is behind them.
Next to debut: Sterlin Thompson, LF
He doesn’t offer a ton in terms of defensive value, but Thompson had a hot second half in Triple-A (171 wRC+ with eight homers in the last 35 games of the season) and has always looked like a big league hitter.
The Tigers have a strong crop of position players headed to Detroit. McGonigle should show up in the majors at some point this year or early next year and has star potential, as does Clark.
Briceno is on a similar timetable and could be a middle-of-the-order type. Rainer and Rodriguez are boom-bust types with some hit tool risk but have upside on par with the others in this group. Having this many prospects with impact potential is the envy of every team in baseball.
Next to debut: Max Anderson, 2B/3B
Anderson isn’t necessarily an impact prospect, but he is a steady lower-end every-day type, like Lee. In Triple-A, the Tigers will likely have Anderson (not on the 40-man) and Lee (on the 40-man), along with Jace Jung and Trey Sweeney (graduated prospects, on the 40-man) and maybe McGonigle. There’s no telling the order in which these guys come up or where/when the opening will be, but I’ll gamble Anderson fits the bill.
Four of the top five prospects here were touted signees — Matthews, Janek and Neyens were first-round picks, Alvarez signed for $2 million internationally — but the others have been the result of solid scouting and development.
Frey was the most hyped one, going in the third round last year out of LSU. The rest were way under the radar: Pecko was a sixth-rounder from Towson, Blubaugh was a seventh-round pick out of Milwaukee, Cole a 10th-rounder from Ball State, Bush a 16th-rounder from a Texas junior college and Huezo a 12th-rounder who got $400,000 out of a California high school.
I give Ullola a slight edge over Pecko because he is already on the 40-man roster and has enough command issues that he’s likely seen as a potential reliever, and bullpen spots come open more often than rotation slots.
I’ve got my eye on the last few drafts and international signing classes currently playing at the lower levels of the Royals system. Hammond and Gamble were both early picks last year and have big upside as prep position players; Hammond (shades of Josh Donaldson) is my pick to click in the system this year.
I was all over Lombardi as a reliever-to-starter conversion coming out of Tulane when K.C. landed him in the second round. Shields (2024 draft) is an old-school pitchability lefty with enough angles and youth to eventually be a midrotation type. Gomez signed last month for just under $3 million and has big offensive potential, and Chourio signed a year ago and is now one of the better starting pitching prospects in the lower minors.
Next to debut: Ben Kudrna, RHP
He was added to the 40-man roster this winter and is in line to be the big league depth/replacement starter option at Triple-A, but is the only one with no service time.
The Angels added a lot of pitching depth with a deep 2025 draft class. Bremner ($7.69 million) was the second overall pick and should move quickly as a potential midrotation starter. Shores ($2.08 million) is a starter/reliever question mark, but a 6-foot-8 power sinker/slider type. Slawinski ($2.5 million) is a lower-slot 6-foot-3 high school lefty with good fastball shape and a good breaking ball.
RHP C.J. Gray ($1.25 million) is a standout athlete with big arm speed but is pretty raw. LHP Talon Haley ($900,000) is another high school lefty with multiple good breaking balls and a low-90s heater. LHP Xavier Mitchell ($875,000) is yet another high school lefty, a long, loose type with a low-90s heater and big-breaking curveball. RHP Luke Lacourse ($515,000) is a prep righty with a low-90s fastball and breaking ball with enormous spin rates, while RHP Nate Snead ($600,000) and LHP Alton Davis ($400,000) are college reliever types with big arm speed and pretty good breaking stuff.
Next to debut: Nelson Rada, CF
Rada has been pushed quickly through the system, having already played 42 games at Triple-A as a teenager. He’s a familiar type of prospect — the speedy contact/defense center fielder with very limited in-game power — who could be helpful in the big leagues this season.
The bad news for the rest of baseball is the Dodgers have hitting prospects coming in waves. Freeland has already debuted and should get more big league time this year while the others are more late-2026 or 2027 options.
De Paula, Hope, Ehrhard and Tibbs should also be in the upper minors this year. Quintero and Sirota are a year behind that group, making six outfielders in this top 10 who could all debut in the next two seasons. Morales is a year behind that group and may have the biggest upside and risk, as a shortstop with 25-homer potential.
Next to debut: Jackson Ferris, LHP
Most of the guys I think will contribute this year have already debuted, so I’m choosing someone from the upper minors who needs to be added to the 40-man roster in 2026. Ferris threw 126 innings in Double-A last year, so he should be a bulk-innings option in L.A. for the second half of the season.
The Marlins’ recent stockpiling of prospects has helped create a nice balance of 2026 big league impact players and higher variance low-minors types. White, Snelling, Mack and Caissie should all impact the big league team this season.
Arquette and Cannarella headlined the 2025 draft group and won’t be factors this year. DeFrank just pitched in the Dominican Summer League, so he’s years away but with huge potential due to his triple-digit heater. Salas and Caba are shortstops with limited power who are tracking like starters so far.
Lewis was the headliner in the Ryan Weathers trade and isn’t a 2026 factor, but he is a late bloomer with big tools. Outside of this top 10, RHP Karson Milbrandt, CF Luis Cova and LF Brandon Compton are more toolsy prospects to keep an eye on in 2026.
Next to debut: Joe Mack, C
Once one of the Opening Day catchers catches a foul tip on the wrong body part or something like that creates an opening, Mack should get the call as the only other catcher on the 40-man roster.
I’ve long been a fan of Williams and it seemed destined the headliner of the Freddy Peralta trade would end up in Milwaukee, as the Brewers have a number of players like him already.
Henderson and Sproat will impact the pitching staff this year, and Quero should get his feet wet this season, as well. Made, Pratt and Adams all seem more likely to debut in 2027 and that’s 80% of the top 10, who all rank in the top 150 prospects in baseball. The Brewers know what they’re doing.
Next to debut: Jett Williams, SS
It could easily be Quero, but he only fits two spots on the big league roster while Williams can fit at almost any position on the field, so I’ll go with him.
The top arms in the Twins system have real impact potential. Prielipp has durability questions but plus stuff and enough command to project as a starter. Soto missed most of 2025 because of an elbow issue but also has above-average to plus stuff with enough command to project as a starter.
Hill has some walk issues but, likewise, has three above-average pitches and lots of physical projection. RHP Riley Quick is a former offensive tackle with four above-average pitches and standout athleticism for his size. If these guys click, it will be a foundation for one of the better rotations in the game.
Next to debut: Connor Prielipp, LHP
I’ll lean to Prielipp, but of the players on the 40-man roster including those with an easier path to a spot — Jenkins and Rodriguez — all of the candidates have had durability issues, so who knows who will be healthy when the time comes.
Most of the players on this list will be in the big leagues this year or next. McLean will open in the major league rotation, Benge seems likely to open in the lineup, and Tong and Clifford will both be 2026 big league factors at some point.
Ewing, Reimer, Santucci and Wenninger are more 2027 factors than 2026, but a strong season can change those plans. Pena and Asigen will take a while, but they’re 18 years old and 16 years old, respectively.
Next to debut: Carson Benge, CF
I think he’ll open the season in the big league lineup while the others who will start in the majors have already debuted, so he has got to be the choice here.
The system has been gutted by trades and graduations, leaving mostly recent high draft picks at the top. Rodriguez-Cruz was acquired in the Carlos Narvaez trade, and Lagrange was an international signee. Lombard, Kilby, Jones and Hess were all first-round picks, while Cunningham was an overslot second-round pick. Kent and Hurd were third-round picks. Hampton was the best value as a sixth-rounder, but he has thrown 18.2 innings in the past two years so this season’s performance will go a long way toward the verdict on his prospect status.
Next to debut: Spencer Jones, CF
He’ll get a big league look at some point this year and is the ultimate boom-bust type: Four homers in a week and a 40% strikeout rate are almost equally likely.
Help is coming. Crawford and Painter may spend the whole season in the big leagues this year. Miller should debut at some point and has All-Star potential. Rincones should also debut and may be an every-day corner outfielder.
I think the Phils should develop him as a starter, but if Wood is moved to relief, he’ll be in the big leagues this year. The same may be true of fellow 2025 draftee Obermueller. Escobar and Nori both reached Double-A in 2025 and could be big league options late in 2026 or 2027.
Next to debut: Justin Crawford, CF and Andrew Painter, RHP
Neither has debuted yet and both look set to open the season on the big league roster, so it’s likely they both debut on the same day, making the Phillies the only team with a tie for this spot.
After graduating Paul Skenes, you could argue the Pirates still have the two prospects with the best chance of becoming aces in Chandler and Hernandez (apologies to Nolan McLean). All four of those are former pro prospects as position players, which I think is a sneaky important factor in a potential ace.
Chandler has already debuted and has a solid three-pitch mix headlined by a plus fastball with starter command. Hernandez hasn’t debuted yet and needs to sharpen his breaking ball, but he hits triple digits and has one of the best changeups in the world.
Next to debut: Jhostynxon Garcia, CF
Garcia was traded as a potential long-term answer in center field. I don’t think he gets the Opening Day nod, but he may get his shot early in 2026.
Things have really thinned out after trades and graduations. Salas needs to get on the field and perform to regain his past acclaim, but the potential is still there. Meanwhile, the early postdraft accounts of Schoolcraft are very positive, with some sneaky top 100 support that may become reality by the next update. Musgrove is an analytics darling with great data but limited experience and command at the moment.
Next to debut: Miguel Mendez, RHP
This may be the weakest guess of all 30, as he could spend his whole season in Double-A. That said, he is on the 40-man roster and could get a quick promotion to Triple-A, but there are lots of veteran players around the fringes of the big league roster any option will have to fight through.
The international position players are bringing dynamism to the top of this system while the pitching is composed more of depth types. Gonzalez, Level and Hernandez will be the top three prospects in the system by midseason, with Eldridge likely graduating by then.
Martinez, also from the international department, is the top pitching prospect, while the next few pitchers are largely big league adjacent as role player types: Whisenhunt, RHP Trevor McDonald and RHP Blade Tidwell. They should all be back-end starters or long relievers, maybe a middle reliever.
Several other candidates for this title got a big league look late last season, so I’ll take the cop-out and pick the Rule 5 selection. If Susac doesn’t make the team, Jesus Rodriguez (acquired from the Yankees at the deadline in the Camilo Doval deal) will be the pick here.
Emerson, Anderson and Sloan could be the cornerstones of the next era of Mariners contending teams. Arroyo and Montes are more strong contributors than potential stars, while Celesten, Farmelo, Stevenson and Becker are all interesting potential regulars but need to prove themselves a bit more before we know how excited to be.
In the wake of this week’s Donovan trade, which took place after my farm rankings published last week, the Mariners swapped places with the Cardinals, moving down from seventh to ninth.
Next to debut: Colt Emerson, SS
Emerson could be competing with Cole Young for the second-base spot in spring training, and even if he doesn’t get it, I think he’ll be the first position-player prospect with no service time to be called up. A reliever like Robinson Ortiz or Alex Hoppe has a shorter path to a call-up but much less upside.
The system has gotten much deeper in the last year with the Brendan Donovan and Sonny Gray trades (and, to a lesser degree, Willson Contreras and Ryan Helsley deals) on top of a couple of good drafts. There’s now real pitching depth with Doyle and Cijntje headlining the group, and the waves of position players are getting clearer, with Wetherholt and Crooks fitting on the big league team this season, then Rodriguez, Baez and Bernal in the next wave.
In the wake of this week’s Donovan trade, which took place after my farm rankings published last week, the Cardinals swapped places with the Mariners, moving up to seventh from ninth.
Next to debut: JJ Wetherholt, SS
In the wake of the Donovan trade, Wetherholt has a strong case for NL ROY in 2026, and if Konnor Griffin doesn’t break camp with the Pirates, Wetherholt would be my pick for the award.
The system’s pitching depth is building, even if the big league team won’t use most of the prospects this year: Only one pitcher on the projected Opening Day pitching staff is homegrown (Shane McClanahan). The Rays obsessively shop for value from all 30 teams and are always on the lookout for intriguing traits, so it makes sense that they don’t just settle for the internal option as the answer to the question.
Hopkins was the headliner in the Arozarena trade and would also fit that description. Forret and Brito were acquired this winter and also fit.
Next to debut: Brody Hopkins, RHP
You could argue for Dominic Keegan or Tre Morgan, but Hopkins needs to be added to the 40-man roster after the season and has dynamic potential in the later innings either when needed or if he needs to coast to an innings limit.
The farm system depth was thinned out by the MacKenzie Gore trade, but Walcott remains atop the list with star potential followed by some intriguing sleepers. Scarborough is a common pick-to-click within the industry, and Owens was also on that list for many in the 2025 draft.
I’d also keep an eye on Castillo, whose underlying metrics suggest a 2026 breakout could be on tap.
Next to debut: Winston Santos, RHP
Santos was limited by a back injury in 2025 but should be the first prospect with no service time to be considered for call-up this season, though Davalillo, Leandro Lopez and Emiliano Teodo (all on the 40-man roster) are also in the mix.
The last couple of drafts are already paying dividends, with more help on the way. Khal Stephen, a 2024 draftee, was traded for Shane Bieber, while the first pick that year, Yesavage, has already paid big league dividends and King has risen a ton since the draft.
Parker and Nimmala were top picks in recent drafts, and Shaw, one of my picks to click in 2026, was a ninth-rounder in 2023 out of a Canadian high school. Keep an eye on 3B/OF Tim Piasentin and Cook from the 2025 draft crop.
Next to debut: Ricky Tiedemann, LHP
He threw 17.1 innings in 2024 and zero in 2025, but has three plus pitches and starter command when he’s right. Things seem set for him to ramp up innings in 2026, and if he’s sharp, he’ll do some of it in the big leagues.
There’s lots of upside on the mound, but it comes with risk. Sykora has had two major surgeries but has front-line potential. Susana has ace-level stuff but reliever command. Rosario has three plus pitches but won’t throw a pitch in 2025 or 2026 because of injury. Perales has front-line starter stuff but poor command at the moment.
RHP Landon Harmon (just missed the top 10) also has front-line stuff but command questions, as does LHP Alex Clemmey. Meanwhile, the position players on this list are more solid every-day types than potential stars.
Acquired in the MacKenzie Gore deal, Ortiz could fit at first base, corner outfield or designated hitter openings, and I think he has scooted ahead of Christian Franklin for the first shot when a spot opens up in the lineup.
Adobe is no longer planning to discontinue Adobe Animate on March 1st. In an FAQ, the company now says that Animate will now be in maintenance mode and that it has “no plans to discontinue or remove access” to the app. Animate will still receive “ongoing security and bug fixes” and will still be available for “both new and existing users,” but it won’t get new features.
An announcement email that went out to Adobe Animate customers about the discontinuation did “not meet our standards and caused a lot of confusion and angst within the community,” according to a Reddit post from Adobe community team member Mike Chambers.
Animate will be available in maintenance mode “indefinitely” to “individual, small business, and enterprise customers,” according to Adobe. Before the change, Adobe said that non-enterprise customers could access Animate and download content until March 1st, 2027, while enterprise customers had until March 1st, 2029.
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The College Football Playoff won’t have a game on New Year’s Eve this season to avoid playing at the same time as an NFL Thursday night game, CFP executive director Rich Clark told ESPN on Tuesday following the CFP’s announcement of the dates and bowl games for the quarterfinal and semifinal games for the 2026 and 2027 seasons.
Instead, the CFP quarterfinals will be held Wednesday, Dec. 30 at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl and a tripleheader on Friday, Jan. 1, 2027, at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and the Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential. The CFP semifinals will be held Jan. 14, 2027, at the Capital One Orange Bowl, and Jan. 15, 2027, at the Allstate Sugar Bowl.
A CFP game has been played on New Year’s Eve in each of the two seasons under the 12-team format and half of the time over the past 12 years in the CFP era.
For the 2027 season, the CFP quarterfinals will return to New Year’s Eve, with a Dec. 31 game at the Allstate Sugar Bowl. On New Year’s Day, there will be another tripleheader with the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential. The CFP semifinals will be Jan. 13, 2028, at the Capital One Orange Bowl, and Jan. 14, 2028, at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.
“These dates allow us to maintain competitive balance, maximize the fan experience, and provide consistency for everyone involved in the Playoff,” Clark said in a prepared statement. “I also want to thank our bowl partners and their local communities for the incredible work, collaboration, and commitment they’ve shown throughout the first two years of the expanded playoff. The bowl games and the people behind them embraced change, delivered at the highest level, and helped ensure the expanded format was a success for student-athletes, fans, and the sport.”
Additional details regarding game times and television network assignments for the 2026 and 2027 CFP games will be announced later this year. Dates and bowl assignments for the remaining 2028-31 seasons will also be announced in the future.
– Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea are all interested in Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali, according to The Sun. Mikel Arteta is a big admirer of the Italy international and wants to pair him with Declan Rice in the Gunners’ midfield. The Gunners were even alerted to a possible move on deadline day, but it went nowhere. City boss Pep Guardiola is also a big fan of the 25-year-old and his Magpies teammateTino Livramento, while Chelsea are monitoring Tonali. However, he and his wife are reported to be happy in the North East and he isn’t actively looking for an exit.
– Marcus Rashford has no intention of returning to Manchester United when his loan spell at Barcelona expires this summer, according to The Mirror. The Blaugrana have an option to permanently sign him for €30 million and the 28-year-old wants his future sorted before the 2026 World Cup begins. United’s interim head coach Michael Carrick would try to persuade the Red Devils academy graduate to stay if he becomes head coach full-time, but Rashford has already told Barca that he wants to stay at Camp Nou and would find another club instead of returning to Old Trafford if an agreement isn’t reached.
– Bayern Munich are in advanced talks to sign Charlotte FC and U.S. U20 winger Nimfasha Berchimas, as reported by The Athletic. The two clubs didn’t have to worry about Germany’s transfer deadline as they are working on a pre-agreed deal for the summer, as Berchimas only turns 18 at the end of this month so can’t be registered for a German club yet. There could be another U.S. youth international moving to Europe in the summer, as Tom Bogert reports that Aston Villa and Atletico Madrid are showing a strong interest in 18-year-old Real Salt Lake striker Zavier Gozo.
– Juventus will make a move to sign Randal Kolo Muanifrom Paris Saint-Germain in the summer after the striker stayed on loan at Tottenham Hotspur this January, as reported by Calciomercato. Juve tried until the very end of the transfer window to bring back the 27-year-old, who also wanted a return to the Serie A giants, but Spurs insisted on keeping the France international as they couldn’t find an affordable alternative. It will take at least €50 million to sign him permanently, but Juve will need to seal a departure forLoïs Openda to meet that figure.
EXPERT TAKE
ESPN’s Mark Ogden looks at the future for Cristiano Ronaldo if he leaves Saudi Arabia.
Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates his 41st birthday on Thursday, but his incredible longevity and goal-scoring ability is why there will be plenty of clubs willing to sign the former Manchester United and Real Madrid forward if he seeks a move away from Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr.
There will be clubs who want him, and clubs who can afford him. And there will also be the crucial factor of being able to offer Ronaldo the chance to break the 1,000 career goal mark — as he is now less then 50 goals away from that milestone.
So with all that considered, where could he go? Forget the speculation linking Ronaldo with a return to United for a third spell at Old Trafford. There is no good reason for that happen and it won’t. A move to MLS would be a serious option and open up the prospect of a “Last Dance” alongside Lionel Messi in the United States. If Ronaldo wants to move to the U.S., there is enough money in the country to make it happen, so don’t rule out the possibility of Ronaldo ending up in Los Angeles or New York.
But with Ronaldo earning a reported £177 million-a-year in Saudi Arabia, money will be perhaps the biggest factor, so any club, anywhere in the world, who will pay him a huge salary and give him a chance to hit 1,000 goals has a chance.
Only last week, Ronaldo’s former United and Portugal teammate Nani made a move to FC Aktobe in the Kazakhstan Premier League, and with the oil-rich country keen to boost its sporting profile, Ronaldo could even end up there. With him, almost anything is possible.
OTHER RUMORS
play
1:39
Has Crystal Palace’s transfer strategy let them down again?
James Olley examines the collapse of Jean-Philippe Mateta’s move to AC Milan and what it says about Palace’s recruitment strategy.
– Real Madrid are monitoring Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez for the summer in case they have any major outgoings. (Caught Offside)
– Internazionale could move for Al Ittihad winger Moussa Diaby and Atalanta right back Marco Palestra (who is on loan at Cagliari) in the summer after being unable to complete January deals for either of them. (Calciomercato)
– Atalanta are open to continuing talks with Atletico Madrid about midfielder Ederson ahead of June, having refused to let the Brazil international leave in January. (Rudy Galetti)
– Jadon Sancho is looking at a summer return to the Bundesliga as it is unlikely that the winger will stay with Aston Villa when his loan from Manchester United expires. (Football Insider)
– Paris Saint-Germain are working on triggering a release clause to permanently sign Khalil Ayari, who is currently on loan from Stade Tunisien. (Footmercato)
– Center back Dayot Upamecano has agreed a contract extension with Bayern Munich. (Florian Plettenberg)
– A new meeting between Juventus and Kenan Yildiz‘s agent is expected in the coming days, with a five-year contract extension worth €6 million-per-year to be discussed. (Nicolo Schira)
– Sevilla are considering re-signing 39-year-old defender Sergio Ramos for a third stint. Ramos is a free agent after leaving Monterrey in December and the former Real Madrid star began his career at Sevilla before returning to the club 18 years later for the 2023-24 campaign. (Diario de Sevilla)
– Xabi Alonso and Enzo Maresca are expected to be on the three-man shortlist to replace Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, while Como’s Cesc Fabregas is gaining admirers across Europe. (Telegraph)
– Marc-Andre ter Stegen will not return to Barcelona after sustaining an injury and will see out his loan with Girona, but the goalkeeper could do part of his recovery with the Blaugrana‘s medical staff. (Mundo Deportivo)
– And Girona could still sign free agent goalkeeper Ruben Blanco to replace the Germany international. (Sport)
– Bryan Cristante and Gianluca Mancini will sign contract extensions in the coming days to stay with Roma until 2029. (Nicolo Schira)
