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Los Angeles Angels No. 29 prospect Niko Kavadas has had a whirlwind 2024 season. He began the year with the Boston Red Sox in their Triple-A affiliate, then was traded at the deadline to the Angels as part of a multi-player package for Luis Garcia. He debuted with the Angels at the MLB level shortly after and by the end of the regular season had hit four Major League homers.
The Angels then opted to send him to the Arizona Fall League for some extra reps. There, he played for the Mesa Solar Sox, and was truly dominant. In 91 plate appearances over 20 games, Kavadas slashed .329/.462/.700 with an 1.162 OPS. 13 of his 23 hits were for extra bases, with six doubles, one triple and six home runs. He batted in 18 runs, walked 17 times and struck out 29 times.
That performance rightfully earned him AFL Offensive Player of the Year honors. It was the perfect finishing touch on what has been an incredible year for the first baseman. And he spoke about the Fall League itself and what it means to win those honors, via Jim Callis of MLB.com:
“The Fall League is awesome,” the Angels’ No. 29 prospect said. “It’s a big group of really, really talented players that all come together to compete, and to be named the Offensive Player of the Year is an absolute honor.
“I’m very lucky. I had an awesome experience out here in ’22. I had so much fun and I would have loved the opportunity to come back, but most times it only happens one time. So when the opportunity was presented to me, I was really excited to get back out to Arizona.”
The Angels may not have much need for Kavadas in the near future, as the Halos are set at his main position. But if the Angels wanted to transition him to third base — where he has played in small spurts before — they could ride the hot bat and do so.
Angels sign IF Kevin Newman
Newman, 31, is entering his eighth MLB season after spending five years with the Pittsburgh Pirates and one year each with the Cincinnati Reds and Arizona Diamondbacks. His 2024 campaign with Arizona is what the Angels are banking on for Newman to be productive in Anaheim.
The veteran infielder played 111 games last season, posting a slash line of .278/.311/.375 with a .686 OPS and 91 OPS+. Those numbers by themselves are not necessarily inspiring, but Newman paired it with elite defense at the shortstop and second base position.
He combined for 10 defensive runs saved in his time manning the middle infield, and that’s exactly what the Angels are hoping for given a combination of factors.
The first is that they have some uncertainty at third base this offseason, with the status of Anthony Rendon on the roster — not just the starting lineup — in jeopardy. The Angels could find an outside signing to be the everyday player at the position, or they could turn to Luis Rengifo.
If the choose the latter, a spot at second base opens up for Newman. The other reason is that Zach Neto is expected to miss some time at the start of the season due to shoulder surgery, and this provides the Angels with a quality defensive backup.
More must-reads:
- Three under-the-radar trade chips for Red Sox
- Hal Steinbrenner’s comments on Yankees’ profits point to a larger issue
- The 'Five game-winning-drives in a season' quiz
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Tigers Make Perfect Sense for Superstar Free Agent Outfielder This Winter
The Detroit Tigers go into free agency without having landed one of the top names on the market for some time now, and fans are ready for this to change. Whether it's a second ace starter, a flame-throwing relief pitcher to complete the bullpen or even a star slugger who changes the complexion of the lineup, the Tigers are hungry for a big hot stove move, and this could be the offseason for them to do it. The organization has clearly taken a leap in the last two years, however they are also missing a gear when it comes to taking that final step into World Series contender. One area they could upgrade to make it happen is the outfield, and the perfect fit is out there. While much of the noise in this market revolves around Kyle Tucker, New York Yankees star Cody Bellinger could prove to be the best potential name in the outfield for Detroit. Bellinger Brings Tigers Defensive Versatility and a Solid Glove While Tucker's glove seems to get all the love in terms of the free agents, advanced numbers from the last couple of years indicate that it's actually Bellinger who has the Gold Glove quality defense. Not to mention the fact that Bellinger brings the versatility to play whichever position he's asked, which realistically could be any of them in the outfield as well as first base to spell Spencer Torkelson. There's an argument to be made to move on from Parker Meadows in center despite his elite defense, where Bellinger would excel. He can also play in the right field platoon with ease, or even left field should Detroit decide they are tired of too many strikeouts from Riley Greene. Needless to say though, where Bellinger really would be a difference maker is with a bat in his hands. Tigers Lineup Instantly Becomes Deadly with Bellinger Added In 2025 during his first season with the Yankees, the 2019 National League MVP had his best campaign since that year. After being traded by the Chicago Cubs to the Bronx in a salary dump, Bellinger went on to slash .272/.334/.480 with 29 home runs and 98 RBI, racking up a 5.1 bWAR in 152 games played. A dangerous power slugger who clearly excels in the contact department as well, Bellinger was the kind of professional hitter Detroit seemed to be missing down the stretch of the 2025 season. The Tigers have done an admirable job of building through drafting and developing, and it's why they are where they are with even more talent on the way. Great teams supplement their elite development with bringing in stars though, and this is a star-driven league. If Detroit wants to get themselves to a point where they're seen as a real force to be reckoned with and get over that World Series hump, signing Bellinger is the exact type of move they should make. Time will tell if the Tigers actually show any real interest, but if they want to be taken seriously, then they absolutely should make a run at Bellinger.
After missing out on Lane Kiffin, Florida has new top target in coaching search
The Florida Gators won't be hiring Lane Kiffin as their next head coach, but there's a new top candidate in Gainesville. According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall is now the leading candidate for the head coaching position. Sumrall has also reportedly withdrawn his name from consideration for the HC role at Auburn, leaving his options open between remaining at Tulane and moving to Florida. The Gators stand at 3-8 before Saturday's rivalry game against Florida State and have fired former head coach Billy Napier after a 3-4 start to his fourth season in the Swamp. Thamel reported on Friday that Florida had stopped considering Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin as a candidate, amid Kiffin's upcoming decision to either stay at Ole Miss or accept the head coaching job at LSU. Why Florida would be interested in Jon Sumrall According to Thamel, Sumrall is expected to decide by Sunday whether he will stay in New Orleans or move southeast to Gainesville. Sumrall, 43, is in his second year at Tulane, having taken over after Willie Fritz was named head coach at the University of Houston. Sumrall maintained the momentum of Tulane's football program established by Fritz, leading the Green Wave to the American Athletic Conference championship game a year ago. This season, No. 24 Tulane is 9-2 heading into Saturday's regular season finale against Charlotte. A win on Saturday night would secure a home game for the Green Wave in the AAC championship against North Texas. If Sumrall and Tulane win the AAC title, a College Football Playoff spot could be possible. With Sumrall's impressive record as a head coach — 41-11 between his tenures at Troy and Tulane — it's easy to see why the powers that be in Gainesville have identified him as the top target in Florida's coaching search now that Kiffin is out of the running.
Jerry Jones claims Jets turned down absurd trade offer involving Micah Parsons, Quinnen Williams
Arch Manning has defining performance of college career in win over Texas A&M
In the biggest game of his college football career so far, Texas quarterback Arch Manning grew into the superstar he was touted to be with the nation watching. No. 16 Texas (9-3) earned a huge rivalry win over No. 3 Texas A M (11-1) in Austin on Friday in large part thanks to the second-half play of Manning. Manning was only 8-of-21 for 51 yards in the first half, and the Longhorns trailed the Aggies 10-3 at the break. Texas had an opportunity to kick a field goal and cut the A M lead to four at the break, but an intentional grounding penalty incurred by Manning took that opportunity away. Arch Manning lights up the scoreboard in second half But with the help of a Texas defense that rattled TAMU QB Marcel Reed in the second half, Manning and the 'Horns scored 24 second-half points in a winning effort. Texas' first drive of the second half netted three points, but a strike from Manning to Ryan Wingo on the next UT possession gave the Longhorns the lead and gave Manning some confidence. After another defensive stop, Manning led a six-play, 83-yard TD drive to put the Longhorns up by 10. After Texas A M responded, Manning did as well, running away from the Aggie defense on a 35-yard scoring sprint that ultimately served as the deciding blow. In the end, it was Reed — the more experienced and consistent of the two quarterbacks — that made the back-breaking mistake, throwing an interception deep in Texas territory on a drive that looked poised to end with points. The victory was a team effort for Texas, which will await Saturday's slate of games and beg for several playoff contenders to lose to have a shot at the 12-team playoff field. But it was Manning who would be the face of it. Manning went 14-of-29 for 179 yards and a touchdown through the air and added 53 yards and a score on the ground. The win serves as the biggest moment of Manning's young UT career. Going into Saturday, Manning's sophomore season was marred by inconsistent play. A career day against Arkansas was contrasted by middling performances against Ohio State and Georgia. Standout efforts in wins over Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and Oklahoma were overshadowed by no-shows against UTEP, Kentucky and Florida. But Manning rose to his greatest challenge on Saturday, delivering a win in a rivalry game that nobody in the state of Texas — whether they wear burnt orange or maroon — will soon forget.
Massive injury news in Buffalo gives Steelers a huge advantage
The Pittsburgh Steelers have a very crucial game coming up, as they face the Buffalo Bills in a contest that could have strong playoff implications down the road. After all the bad news and reports of dysfunction coming out of the locker room, they need this win to turn everything around and prove that they aren't just a total mess. Not only that, but a win would also set them up to take back control of the AFC North, especially with a date with the Baltimore Ravens just around the corner. The Steelers may have an advantage with a mismatch in the trenches. Joe Buscaglia, a beat writer for the Bills on The Athletic, explained how Buffalo could be put in a rough situation due to an injury to right tackle Spencer Brown. "Losing that level of talent [from Spencer Brown] is bad enough, but it’s multiplied by the disparity of on-field results between him and his likely backup, Ryan Van Demark," Buscaglia wrote. "Van Demark’s best position is left tackle, and when he’s subbed in at right tackle, it has led to some real opportunities for the opposition." Buscaglia also gave examples of how backup tackle Ryan Van Demark had his issues in the Bills' Week 12 loss, when he seemed to have no chance against elite edge-rusher Will Anderson. He was a big part of quarterback Josh Allen getting sacked eight times, and if he has to play against the Steelers' pass rush, there may be some big problems there. In fact, the Bills have not only ruled out Brown, but now left tackle Dion Dawkins is officially out with a concussion. Both tackles will be backups. Buscaglia noted that Van Demark is more comfortable at left tackle, but now they have a conundrum on the other side. He mentioned that Chase Lundt has only been active once for the Bills in 2025, and now he may have to start against TJ Watt. That is a nightmare matchup for anyone, let alone someone as inexperienced as Lundt. Either way, this is going to be a massive challenge for the Bills' offensive line. Two backup offensive tackles will be going up against a very strong pass rush. Van Demark will have his battles with Alex Highsmith, and both him and Lundt will have to try and slow down Nick Herbig as well, as he can wreak havoc on both sides of the line. Steelers and Bills will be intense coaching battle Head coach Sean McDermott and offensive coordinator Joe Brady will have to help this makeshift offensive line in any way they can. Watt is still the most chipped player in the NFL currently, and there is no reason to not expect at least four hands to be on him on every single snap. Priority No. 1 is keeping these great edge-rushers from taking full advantage of the Bills' injuries in the trenches. Meanwhile, many teams have figured out how to slow down Mike Tomlin's defense, whether the opposing offensive line is at full strength or not. If the Bills successfully shut down the Steelers' pass rush, Tomlin will have to find a way to make adjustments and throw new things that these inexperienced tackles have not seen, like certain stunts and personnel shifts. Despite all the talent on both teams, coaching will most likely decide the victor.
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