The Twins and White Sox were the fortunate teams to receive top-three picks via the 2026 MLB Draft Lottery last December. Because of that, both clubs were able to, hopefully, wind up with some premium talent that turns into Major League help.
The Tigers have to be questioning whether betting on Brady Smith as a legitimate 2027-29 rotation piece was a mistake. Smith, the key return in the Tarik Skubal trade, stepped off the mound after just 25 pitches.
Four games, four wins, three of them by no more than two runs. There was plenty of drama and excitement when the Dodgers’ minor league affiliates took the field on Thursday.
The 2026 season has been headlined by young players emerging, but some wily veterans have also had their day. As we head toward the end of the regular season, these 30 players stand out as the biggest surprises on their teams.
Sunday in the Dodgers minor leagues saw old reliable hit another home run in Triple-A, and a pair of pitching debuts at new levels. Brady Smith pitched three hitless, scoreless innings for Rancho Cucamonga in his Low-A debut on Sunday, working around three walks.