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Ben Hess, whom the Yankees selected in the first round of the 2024 MLB Draft, would take the mound for the first time in affiliated action. The right-hander would take the ball against a Brooklyn Cyclones team that opened the season 4-0, as the Hudson Valley Renegades were hoping to bounce back following a loss in the series opener on their first road trip of 2025. With plenty of offseason buzz, he would live up to the billing with 4.2 innings of scoreless work, striking out nine batters and walking two.
With a fastball that generates a good amount of ride at the top of the zone to go with some sharp secondaries, the Yankees got a glimpse of what their first-round pick could be if developed properly. His ERA at the University of Alabama won’t blow you away, but the stuff and raw upside are certainly tantalizing.
Brilliance From Ben Hess In First Outing With Yankees’ Organization
Taking the ball on for a cold Wednesday contest, Ben Hess was brilliant in Coney Island as he was able to mix in his fastball, curveball, and slider brilliantly in this shutout performance. With nine strikeouts on the day, he was keeping Brooklyn hitters off-balance from start to finish, and that strikeout stuff is why the Yankees felt comfortable using their first-round pick on the right-hander.
The four-seamer has about average velocity for a starter on most days, but the shape and extension he gets on it make it a plus pitch.
Standing at 6’5, he gets a lot of extension and it allows the perceived velocity of the pitch to be up to a full MPH faster than its actual velocity reading. It also sits between 17-18 inches of IVB, making it a really good weapon at the top of the zone for swings and misses, and that’s devastating when paired with his signature curveball.
What a pro debut from @Yankees top pitching prospect Ben Hess with the @HVRenegades!
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) April 9, 2025
4 2/3 IP
2 H
0 R
1 BB
9 K pic.twitter.com/OSL3K0J2vT
This pitch averaged -16 IVB with 16 inches of lateral movement, a disgusting breaking ball that can work against righties and lefties when located properly since it plays so well off of the fastball. With the Yankees, the goals seem to be to improve the rest of the arsenal whether it’s incorporating more cutters, changeups, or sliders in his starts.
The Yankees were a good fit for someone like Hess who could revamp a multitude of offerings because he spins the ball well and has a big frame to work with, giving the organization a good foundation to work with when entering pitch design sessions. He wasn’t the only 2024 draft pick for the Yankees to make their debut with Hudson Valley this week, as Bryce Cunningham twirled 5.2 innings of two-run baseball with seven strikeouts.
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TODAY'S BEST
The 'MLB 400 home runs, 200 steals' quiz
Mike Trout and the Los Angeles Angels are once again to miss out on the MLB postseason, but Trout will get to head into his 2026 campaign with a major milestone completed. Trout hit his 400th-career home run in the eighth inning of an Angels 3-0 win over the Colorado Rockies this weekend, making him the 59th MLB player to eclipse 400 homers. After the accomplishment, Trout met with the fan who caught his ball on the field for a quick game of catch (and some signed memorabilia) in exchange for the piece of history. Which brings us to today's quiz. While age and a history of injuries will likely keep Trout from ever returning to his MVP form again, he's one of the most accomplished all-around players in MLB history. With that being said, how many of the 15 players in Major League Baseball history to rack up at least 400 home runs and 200 stolen bases in their career can you name in five minutes? Good luck! Did you like this quiz? Are there any quizzes you’d like to see us make in the future? Let us know your thoughts at quizzes@yardbarker.com, and make sure to subscribe to our Quiz of the Day Newsletter for daily quizzes sent right to your email!
Packers HC Matt LaFleur explains what's making him upset
Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur isn't happy after his team dropped a NFL Week 3 contest to the previously winless Cleveland Browns. It was a game that the Packers should have won, by all accounts. They gave in as a favorite on the road because over the first two weeks of the season, they looked like a legitimate Super Bowl contender. That's feedback the Packers were apparently taking to heart before the Cleveland game, in a bad way. This was a team that was clearly overconfident and a squad that perhaps got caught looking at the big picture rather than than the week-to-week grind of the NFL. Heck, offensive tackle Rasheed Walker was talking about an undefeated season before the Week 3 loss. "I think we can go undefeated, honestly," Walker had said. LaFleur calls out the Packers The end result of the Packers' overconfidence was a disappointing 13-10, last-second loss that was ugly, sloppy and uninspiring. The Packers suffered a terrible Jordan Love interception that swung the game, and they lost on a last-second field goal after having what could have been a game-winning attempt of their own blocked. On Monday, LaFleur was clearly fed up and frustrated. "I've said it a million times to you guys — I don't think I've obviously said it enough to our team — the goal is to go 1-0 every week," he said, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN. "And it pisses me off when we start talking about things outside of the next game. Things that are way down the road. Like, focus on, keep the focus on the present, on the now, and worry about getting better each and every day." Everyone else can look at the big picture, and for what it's worth, in the grand scheme of things, this is still a Packers team that can win the Super Bowl this season. They've got an elite defense that held Cleveland to zero points through three quarters, and when they're clicking, Love leads an offense that can put up points. A Week 3 loss won't determine the Packers' ultimate Super Bowl aspirations, but it's absolutely a sign that this team needs to get focused and stop reading its own press clippings. The phrase "any given Sunday" is around for a reason. The other team gets paid to try to beat you each and every single week, and the Packers clearly forgot that was the case with the Browns. Can they learn from it? That's clearly the message that LaFleur is trying to get across to his team. "I think it's always a good reminder, like, 'Hey guys, pump the brakes on everything. We're just trying to win one game at a time,'" LaFleur said. "And if you're thinking [beyond that] or have your sights set on anything outside of that, I think you're focused on the wrong things. Like, we've got to be focused on trying to get better. Obviously today, the focus is on first of all being honest about the tape and what the tape says, and then learning from that, and then it's moving on."
6 winners (and 1 loser) from Lions' thrilling win over Ravens on MNF
The Detroit Lions marched into Baltimore in Week 3, under the bright lights of Monday Night Football, and dominated the Ravens. That might not even be an apt enough word to describe what Detroit did to the Ravens' offense and to Lamar Jackson in this clash. Seven sacks on one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL in addition to multiple pass breakups and several near interceptions led to the Lions leaving M T Bank Stadium 2-1. There were a few hugely impactful players on this contest, while some struggled to make their mark in what turned out to be a slugfest between two teams you should be dying to see in the Super Bowl this winter. 5 winners and 2 losers from Lions' huge win over Ravens on the road Winner: Jared Goff It is very, very hard to out duel a perennial MVP candidate like Jackson. Goff did so. With 202 passing yards on 20-28 passing efficiency, Goff managed to control this game like nothing else. He stayed pretty solid in the pocket, allowing the young guards in front of him to pass block for him - which, by the way, they did so with near ease. Goff doesn't have to toss up bombs to Jameson Williams in every game to be a winner. He just has to do what he did in this win - control what you can control, and operate with trust in your front line. One note for him, though: kindly pick up some tips on how to increase your speed from Jahmyr Gibbs. He was surgical, full stop. And that helped chug the Lions' offense right along. Winner: Amon-Ra St. Brown St. Brown was always going to be a huge piece of this win. The oft-reliable receiver finished up the contest with 77 receiving yards and one touchdown, and a game-sealing first down catch during a 4th and 2 situation late in the game when the Lions were up. He made it known all game long that Baltimore was going to have issues draping coverage on him. And, congratulations to him for moving to third all time on the Lions' receiving touchdown list. Winner: David Montgomery Montgomery, aka Knuckles, had to pick up some slack for his Sonic, Gibbs, in this one. He had multiple huge breakoff runs, and ended the game with 151 rushing yards and two scores. He also iced the game with a touchdown, making it impossible for the Ravens to get back into the contest. Through the first two weeks of the year, Montgomery had 82 total rushing yards. He nearly doubled that total in one game. Winner: Al-Quadin Muhammad Muhammad was thrust into a starting role this week after Marcus Davenport went on the IR with a pec strain. To anyone who has been paying attention to Lions football over the last few weeks, it felt like a blessing in disguise that Muhammad would finally be getting the reps he deserves in this contest. For anyone not paying attention, they were introduced to Muhammad with 2.5 sacks and two stuffs. He's the best answer to the hole left by Davenport that the Lions have, and he's not a terrible one. It was clear that Aidan Hutchinson was greatly aided by him actually providing pass rush and pressure on Jackson on the night, and it's exciting to think about his development over these next few games with Davenport not expected back for a few weeks. Winner: Jake Bates We have to give Bates his flowers for his tackle on a Ravens return that could've ended really badly for Detroit. Bates got the hit on Rasheen Ali, who looked like he had an open runway for a touchdown had he not gotten him down prior to then. Bates continues to prove why he's such a critical piece of this Detroit team, despite not playing the flashiest of positions, necessarily. Winner: Lions offensive line There was a drive for the Lions in the 2nd quarter that lasted a whopping 10 minutes and 48 seconds that ended in a touchdown for Montgomery, and the offensive line was absolutely gassed. ESPN's Laura Rutledge said during her sideline report after that drive that the line was so tired, that Tate Ratledge was shaking sweat out of his mullet. They all worked ridiculously hard during this win, and it was yet another confidence building experience for their young guards in Ratledge and Christian Mahogany. READ MORE: Lions have a perfect trade target conveniently falling right into their laps Loser: Terrion Arnold This probably isn't surprising, but Arnold is the one loser from this contest. Back when the game looked like it could slip from Detroit, Arnold was getting targeted heavily by Jackson and the Ravens' receivers, allowing numerous big gains for De'Andre Hopkins during one series and committing a terrible DPI on that same drive. He had so much hype from training camp that you have to wonder if there's something going on with Arnold and his previously problematic groin injury. He's a step slow and not doing a good job of sticking to his man in coverage through three weeks of action. It's been a tough schedule to start, but he's got to pick it up at some point.
Expected Date for Golden State Warriors to Sign Four Key Free Agents
The Golden State Warriors have not made a single offseason move to this point. The reasoning for that is they've been in a stalemate with young star forward Jonathan Kuminga. The 22-year-old has yet to sign a contract with the team, which stalled all other negotiations. That, however, could change this next week. Who Could Be Joining The Dubs? "There is a strong expectation leaguewide now that the Warriors will also be signing Seth Curry in addition to the Al Horford, De'Anthony Melton, and Gary Payton II trio," shared Marc Stein. "Golden State currently has six roster spots open. It's believed they will be filled by Horford, Melton, Payton, Stephen Curry's younger brother Seth, second-round pick Will Richard and, of course, Kuminga.” That will fill out their roster much better than the nine players they have been sitting on all summer. What The Vetereans Would Bring to Golden State Horford just spent the last four seasons with the Boston Celtics, where he won a championship with them in 2024. Last season, he averaged nine points, six rebounds, and two assists per game while knocking over 36% from beyond the arc. The big man would be able to stretch the floor and help maintain the bench unit's composure when other veterans might be sitting. Melton is much younger at 27 years old and fills the void as a combo guard for the Warriors. He was previously with the team at the beginning of the 2024-25 season, but was traded to the Brooklyn Nets after he went down with a season-ending injury. It was only six games that Melton appeared in, but he averaged 10.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. Assuming he returns to Golden State, he'll return quality perimeter defense and a solid outside shot. Payton II is loved by the Warrior fan base. His defensive presence, plus overall glue with the entire team, makes him a valuable asset. He is great at guarding the smaller guards and slashing the paint, while he's shown signs of an improved outside shot. Lastly, Seth Curry -- the younger brother of the star Warriors guard -- would provide more outside shooting in a system that plays to his strengths. He averaged 45.6% from the 3-point line last season, and having his older brother around might rejuvenate him in a way other situations might not. This Warriors team could very well be fleshed out by next week, which is important -- considering training camp is just around the corner.
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