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In many ways, April baseball unfolded as expected: The National League is top-heavy — and dominating — while the American League might have a dozen teams in the playoff race deep into the season.

It was the month of Aaron Judge, who became just the seventh player to finish April with a .400 batting average and at least 10 home runs. It was a month to remember for Pete Crow-Armstrong and Jorge Polanco and Hunter Brown and the San Diego Padres bullpen. It was a month to forget for the Colorado Rockies.

Yes, it’s time for April grades. We’re factoring in preseason expectations, how key players are performing and other factors, like strength of schedule and how young players might be developing. It’s early, and a lot can change. But just look at last season, when the Kansas City Royals started 18-13 and went on to a surprise playoff spot. April does matter.

Let’s start with the biggest winners of the 2025 MLB season so far.


There are hot Aprils that feel legitimate and hot Aprils that don’t look so convincing. This one feels legit. The Mets lead the majors in ERA even without projected rotation members Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas, as Kodai Senga looks like a possible ace and Tylor Megill (1.74 ERA, 39 strikeouts in 31 innings) has been so good filling in that he might have earned a permanent slot in the rotation. Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor have carried the offense with Juan Soto off to a lukewarm start, and the Mets have been almost unbeatable at home, where every game seems to have a playoff atmosphere.

Concerns? Ryne Stanek just lost three games in a week, including blowing two ninth-inning leads, so overall bullpen depth is probably the big one. Obviously, there will be regression from the rotation, and the Mets have played an easy schedule (although they did sweep the Phillies in their biggest head-to-head matchup), but once Soto heats up, watch out.


They’re certainly not going to overpower you, but the Tigers have as much pitching depth as any team in baseball, with more rotation depth than last year’s surprise playoff team and the same impressive bullpen that manager A.J. Hinch does such a good job of mixing and matching. The reemergence of former No. 1 picks Casey Mize and Spencer Torkelson has been a nice boost. The power in the lineup comes primarily from Torkelson, Kerry Carpenter and Riley Greene, and Torkelson and Greene are striking out a lot, so you’d love to see them eventually add another hitter. But it’s possible the Tigers will run away with the AL Central even without doing that.


Is this going to be a repeat of 2021, when a Giants team came out of nowhere to win 107 games and edge out the Dodgers to become the only team besides L.A. to win the NL West since 2013? I’m not saying it’s going to happen, but the Giants have had some early magic brewing with five walk-off wins — and sometimes that early momentum carries on throughout the entire season.

The interesting thing is it’s not because of anything new that president of baseball operations — and Giants legend — Buster Posey did in the offseason. Willy Adames was the big free agent signing and he has been below replacement value, according to Baseball-Reference. Justin Verlander is winless in six starts with a 4.99 ERA. Meanwhile, Jung Hoo Lee has been the team MVP, Wilmer Flores has been the surprise RBI getter and the bullpen has been outstanding.

Let’s put it this way: The Giants and Dodgers don’t meet for the first time until June 13. That series might be a lot more interesting than we thought before the season started.


After the 2016 team slowly fell apart and players drifted to new teams across the league, the Cubs became not only mediocre but not very interesting. This team is better and a whole bunch of fun. The Cubs are scoring runs in bunches, Pete Crow-Armstrong is one of those players you can’t keep your eyes off and Kyle Tucker is playing at an MVP level. They had a strong April despite a tough schedule — they’re already done with the Dodgers, Padres and Diamondbacks, for example. The season-ending injury to Justin Steele was a huge loss and the bullpen is a concern, but this looks like a team that could win its first full-season division title since 2017.


Back on Opening Day, I looked at who was playing in the season opener for San Diego and said, “The Padres are trying to win with Yuli Gurriel, Brandon Lockridge, Gavin Sheets, Martin Maldonado, Elias Diaz and Jason Heyward.” Needless to say, I was not impressed. The Padres won that day — and, indeed, started 7-0 on their way to a fantastic first month. Heck, you could have even thrown Jose Iglesias, Oscar Gonzalez and Tyler Wade into that above list. Some of these guys have played well while others haven’t — but it’s mostly been about Fernando Tatis Jr., Nick Pivetta and the best bullpen in the majors. San Diego has managed to overcome the early injury to Jackson Merrill, but we’ll see how this lack of depth holds up over 162 games.


It’s been quite the roller coaster of storylines and headlines for the Yankees: Gerrit Cole’s season-ending injury, the torpedo bats, Giancarlo Stanton’s tennis elbows, Ben Rice crushing it, Trent Grisham suddenly turning into Mickey Mantle, Devin Williams imploding as the closer, Max Fried sitting at 5-0 with a 1.19 ERA. Most of all though: Aaron Judge, Aaron Judge, Aaron Judge. He had a season for the ages in 2022, was somehow better in 2024 and is somehow better again so far in 2025, hitting an insane .427/.521/.761 with 10 home runs and 32 RBIs in 31 games. From May 1, 2024, through April 30, 2025, Judge played 158 games and hit .368 with 62 home runs. It’s hard to fathom, in this age of pitching, that a hitter can be this good.


Your fun stat of the week: The Mariners are second in the majors in road OPS! Yes, the team known for its starting pitching might actually be a good offensive team. You certainly wouldn’t have said that the first two weeks of the season when, playing primarily at home, the Mariners started 4-8 and were hitting just .200.

Since then, they’ve won seven series in a row, despite losing starting right fielder Victor Robles and starting second baseman Ryan Bliss to what will be nearly seasonlong injuries. But Cal Raleigh and Jorge Polanco have combined for 19 home runs and Andres Munoz is 11-for-11 in save opportunities. Seattle has been without George Kirby all season and the rotation depth will now be further tested as Logan Gilbert just hit the injured list for the first time in his career.


The starting pitching has been a little rickety and the defensive metrics are the worst in the majors — it won’t help that calling up Nick Kurtz to play first base forced Tyler Soderstrom to the outfield, a position he has never played — but this is an exciting young lineup worth checking out. Soderstrom and Brent Rooker have been mashing home runs, Jacob Wilson is a contact master from the Joe Sewell school of hitting (look him up!), Lawrence Butler is getting going and now Kurtz, the No. 4 pick in last year’s draft, will get an opportunity. Playing in a minor league park adds an additional element of theater, including the grass seating area. The defense probably prevents this team from being a surprise playoff contender, but it also wouldn’t be shocking if that does happen.


The Dodgers started 8-0 but have been sort of mediocre since then and have a growing list of issues and concerns. Blake Snell is out with shoulder inflammation and hasn’t pitched since April 2. Tyler Glasnow pitched 18 innings in five starts and also landed on the IL with shoulder discomfort. Justin Wrobleski and Bobby Miller each had a spot start and got hammered, leading to a couple of early bullpen games already. Max Muncy just hit his first home run, Michael Conforto is struggling, Mookie Betts hasn’t heated up, Roki Sasaki hasn’t won a game in six starts and the bench has been every bit as bad as it appeared it would be.

Oh … and the Dodgers are still in first place and on pace for 110 wins.


The Red Sox were sort of everyone’s favorite sleeper pick to win the AL East, although it wouldn’t be exactly right to call them a deep sleeper. The four key newcomers have been good to outstanding so far: Garrett Crochet looks like a Cy Young contender, Alex Bregman is hitting like it’s 2019 all over again, Walker Buehler is 4-1 and rookie second baseman Kristian Campbell already looks like an All-Star. Lucas Giolito, last year’s newcomer who missed the season with Tommy John surgery, just returned to make his first start in a Red Sox uniform and pitched well Wednesday before giving up two home runs in the sixth inning. One caveat: The Red Sox had the easiest schedule in the majors in April, per Baseball-Reference, including seven games against the White Sox. (They only went 4-3 against them, however.)


The Astros probably shouldn’t be over .500: Yordan Alvarez hasn’t delivered at his usual super-powered level, Christian Walker hasn’t hit much, the Jose Altuve left-field thing remains one of the stranger decisions in recent years, Framber Valdez is 1-3 with a 4.00 ERA and Spencer Arrighetti got hurt after two starts. Yet here they are, finding a way.

Hunter Brown has been perhaps the best pitcher in the AL, the bullpen has been clutch, and every time I check the highlights, Jake Meyers is making an outstanding play in center field. Heck, Lance McCullers Jr. will even make his first start since the 2022 World Series this weekend. The Astros haven’t had a losing record in a full season since 2014, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see them capture an eighth straight non-COVID-season AL West title.


They’re over .500 and win-loss record is all that matters, but the Guardians are probably a little lucky to be where they’re at in the standings. Clay Davenport’s third-order standings, which looks at a team’s underlying statistics and adjusts for strength of schedule, has the Guardians barely better than the White Sox. Indeed, the rotation has certainly scuffled and closer Emmanuel Clase has already allowed more earned runs than all of last season (although he is 4-0). Assuming Clase figures things out, the bullpen should remain a strength and they’re hoping for Shane Bieber to return around the All-Star break. The Guardians are better than the White Sox, but let’s see what happens as they play a tougher schedule in May.


This grade was a little higher until the Reds’ ugly doubleheader loss to St. Louis on Wednesday (6-0, 9-1). It’s been a month of extremes for them, including that 24-2 win over the Orioles. The big positives have been the rotation trio of Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo and Brady Singer, while the big negatives have been several position players not producing at the plate and the decline of former All-Star closer Alexis Diaz. Jeimer Candelario went on the IL this week with a lumbar strain while hitting .113, but even if a sore back was part of the problem there, it’s time to just move on and let Noelvi Marte play third base.

Cincinnati will need Matt McLain and Spencer Steer to start hitting and I’m not convinced this is a playoff-caliber bullpen, but the Reds might be the best bet in the NL Central to challenge the Cubs if manager Terry Francona can sort through the roster and figure out who can play and who can’t.


The Rangers’ record is hovering above .500 and they’ve played one of the more difficult schedules so far, but until a 15-run explosion on Tuesday, the offense had been near the bottom in the majors in runs, so it’s still hard to draw an angle on this team, given the offense was also weak in 2024. The top three starters have been outstanding, however, as Nathan Eovaldi has dominated with a 2.11 ERA and an absurd 46-to-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio, Tyler Mahle has ridden a low BABIP to a league-leading 1.14 ERA and Jacob deGrom is rounding into form with just three runs allowed over his past three starts. The bullpen looked like a huge issue heading into the season but has been very good (at least until Wednesday’s ninth-inning implosion). If the bullpen keeps it going, this team should remain in contention in the AL West.


It’s been a bit of a bumpy ride for the Phillies as the offense has been inconsistent and lacking power (27 home runs in 30 games), the bullpen has been shaky at times, the defense isn’t good and Aaron Nola is 0-5. Kyle Schwarber, now moved out of the leadoff spot, has been the big bat while Trea Turner and Bryson Stott have been getting on base more than last year. Jesus Luzardo has been a huge — and necessary — addition to the rotation given the injury to Ranger Suarez. The depth of the Phillies’ rotation, assuming Nola’s last outing is a return to form (one run in seven innings against the Cubs), should still make them a playoff team, but that statement feels like a lot less of a sure thing than it did on Opening Day, especially with a top-heavy NL.


Outside of Bobby Witt. Jr. and Maikel Garcia, they haven’t really hit at all, with a whole host of batters — Vinnie Pasquantino, Michael Massey, MJ Melendez and Hunter Renfroe — all struggling. That’s supposed to be the middle of the KC lineup and all four of those guys are hitting under .200. Welcome to baseball in 2025, where it seems every lineup has four players hitting under .200. The bullpen has pitched much better than last season and the rotation has once again been a strength. Ace Cole Ragans is 1-1 with a 4.40 ERA, the worst ERA of the starters, but his peripherals remain outstanding, so he’ll start winning some games — if the Royals can score some runs behind him.


The season began with that disastrous rout at Yankee Stadium, when the Brewers were outscored 36-14, but they quickly recovered from that and have a couple of blowout wins of their own. Brice Turang has been a bright spot, Jackson Chourio is hitting (but not walking) and Jose Quintana is 4-0 in four starts with a 1.14 ERA. They’ve been uncharacteristically sloppy at times, however, and manager Pat Murphy yanked Sal Frelick (for a bad throw) and Caleb Durbin (for getting picked off second base while down four) midgame last weekend. Message sent. But the key will be continuing to get surprise performances from the likes of Quintana and unheralded rookie Chad Patrick in the rotation.


The Rays entered the season looking to find the offense that abandoned them in 2024 (they scored 256 fewer runs than 2023) and get a healthy season from their rotation. The offense has been a little better thanks to rookie outfielders Jake Mangum and Kameron Misner plus a spark from recent call-up Chandler Simpson, but Tampa Bay remains below average in runs per game. The rotation lost Shane McClanahan in his final spring training start, but at least the other five members have been healthy — and it’s nice seeing one-time top prospect Shane Baz finally pitching well. There’s a potential playoff team here for sure, but they’re going to need Yandy Diaz, Brandon Lowe and Junior Caminero to produce more than they have.


It’s been a weird month of extreme highs and lows for Arizona as Corbin Carroll has been one of the best players in baseball, Pavin Smith has been absolutely raking with an OPS over 1.000 and Eugenio Suarez had his history-tying four-homer game. On the other end, the rotation — aside from Brandon Pfaadt — has struggled, as Corbin Burnes has just one win in six starts and he and Zac Gallen have both had some control issues. This still feels like a quality team, but we’ll get a better read over the next two weeks as they play the Phillies this weekend and then have series against the Mets, Dodgers and Giants, their first intradivision matchups of 2025.


MacKenzie Gore and James Wood are both off to excellent starts, with Gore leading the majors in strikeouts and Wood bashing nine home runs with a .903 OPS. Both, of course, came to the Nationals in the Juan Soto trade (as did CJ Abrams). Who has the brighter future? Wood would seem to be the easy choice; he’s four years younger and not a pitcher. But starting pitchers often take a long time to develop, and Gore keeps improving, with these early returns suggesting a whole new level for him. As for the rest of the team, they had two nice wins to beat the Mets last weekend but the bullpen has been a mess (next to last in win probability added) and the rest of the rotation lacks strikeout stuff.


The Cardinals have gone 0-4 in extra-inning games, which you can attribute to bad luck, lack of depth or lack of clutch hitting, but it has put them in an early hole. Maybe that’s not so unexpected, given the plan all along was to roll out the likes of Jordan Walker, Victor Scott II, Nolan Gorman and Ivan Herrera and give them a chance to play — maybe the final opportunity in a Cardinals uniform for Walker and Gorman, even though both remain relatively young. It’s not exactly a rebuilding year but the Cardinals are kind of spinning their wheels for a third consecutive season, which could eventually lead to trades for Nolan Arenado, Ryan Helsley and maybe even Sonny Gray.


After an awful start, the Twins did turn things around last week — when they played the White Sox and Angels. That may temporarily have taken manager Rocco Baldelli off the hot seat, but they’ve certainly struggled to score runs, and the bullpen, which I thought would be a strength, ranks 27th in the majors in win probability added. Adding to the disappointment is that Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton have played nearly every game — but both have sub-.300 OBPs. I’m not giving up on the Twins, as I still like a rotation with Pablo Lopez, Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober, and the bullpen should get better, plus they do have a positive run differential. Still, they need to reel off a hot streak soon and prove they can beat teams other than Chicago and L.A., which are two of just three teams that have a worse record than Minnesota in the AL.


They’ve had some good moments, and a few blowout losses (10-0, 14-0, 15-2) skewed the run differential, but overall they’re still not very good and four starters have ERAs over 7.00 (three over 8.00), which isn’t going to work. Unlike the Pirates (see below), at least the Marlins have essentially turned over the roster and are playing semi-younger players to see if they might have something in the likes of Matt Mervis, Liam Hicks and Kyle Stowers. Max Meyer might be having a breakout season, so that’s exciting, but Sandy Alcantara’s return from Tommy John surgery has not been smooth as he continues to fight his control.


They’re starting to dig themselves out of a wretched 5-13 start, winning consecutive series against the Twins, Cardinals and Diamondbacks, but it’s still difficult to get a read on this team. Braves fans had much consternation over this start as concerns about the team immediately popped up: the outfield production, the back of the rotation, the weak bench.

Along the way, Chris Sale has been surprisingly hittable (although his strikeout rate is excellent, so I think he’ll be fine), closer Raisel Iglesias has somehow allowed five home runs in 10 innings (not so sure he’ll be fine), Ronald Acuna Jr. deleted a social media post seemingly criticizing manager Brian Snitker (get healthy, Ronald) and Spencer Strider returned from the IL only to immediately go back on it with a hamstring strain. (He might be the most important pitcher in the league when he returns.) That’s a lot in one month — something a nice little winning streak will cure.


April certainly didn’t change my opinion that the Blue Jays aren’t a playoff team as they still look much closer to the 74-88 team of 2024 than the playoff teams of 2022 and 2023. Even the announcement of the Vladimir Guerrero Jr. extension a couple of weeks into the season didn’t do anything to change the backward momentum of this organization. The big offseason moves were signing Anthony Santander and trading for Andres Gimenez, but both are hitting under .200 with an OPS+ under 70. Only the Royals have hit fewer home runs. Indeed, the Blue Jays have been outhomered 44 to 19. That’s not going to work over a 162-game campaign.


The Angels’ offseason had a feel of desperation to it. They signed a bunch of 30-something hitters; all except Jorge Soler are hitting under .200. They signed Yusei Kikuchi and Kyle Hendricks, hoping for consistency from Kikuchi and a comeback from Hendricks; those two are a combined 0-7 with a 5.27 ERA. They used a position player to pitch on Opening Day, which is sad enough — although they did then play good baseball for a couple of weeks to jump out to a 9-5 start.

It’s been rough going since then, however, as L.A. has slid to the bottom of the AL West. And that was before Mike Trout left Wednesday’s game after tweaking his knee. The Angels are showing no signs of how they’re going to pull out of this 10-year abyss.


Nobody expected the White Sox to be any good, but entering Thursday’s game, they were 7-23 and on pace to win fewer games than last season. Ouch. They’ve at least played more competitive baseball than a year ago, mostly thanks to a rotation that has kept them in games. The offense has been wretched, with Luis Robert Jr. and Andrew Vaughn both hitting well below the Mendoza Line. It might be time to move on from both. Rookie starter Shane Smith has been a bright spot, and catcher Edgar Quero was called up and has been impressive at the plate. Still, it appears a third straight 100-loss season is in the works.


Yes, they have Paul Skenes, who has been outstanding (though he did give up three home runs Thursday), but I have no choice but to give them a failing grade considering they’re on pace for 99 losses. I’m not really sure how the Pirates dig themselves out of this either. They’re not even a young team, with five of their nine regular position players 30 or older. Oneil Cruz is the only hitter who has provided much power, and as exciting as he has been at the plate and stealing bases, his adventures in center field have basically turned him into a replacement-level player. The Pirates were 61-101 in 2021. Despite five years of rebuilding, they might be headed for that same record.


The vibes aren’t good in Baltimore right now, that’s for sure, although maybe this week’s series win over the Yankees will get the Orioles going. This goes back to the second half of 2024, when the Orioles were two games under .500 the final three months and then got swept in the wild-card series, scoring one run in two games. Having the worst ERA+ in the majors this season certainly isn’t great, and it hasn’t helped that Grayson Rodriguez hasn’t pitched and Zach Eflin went down after three starts, but it’s amazing how little they’ve gotten as a group this season from all those highly rated young hitters. To top it off, the Orioles had the worst giveaway of the young season: a bobblehead of owner David Rubenstein. Talk about not reading the room.


Imagine “The Exorcist” meets “The Shining” meets “A Quiet Place” and then throw in the creature from “Alien” and you have a rough approximation of what it’s like watching the 2025 Rockies. One year after the White Sox set a post-1900 record with 121 losses, the Rockies appear like they’re going to give that record a run — and maybe, unbelievably, even shatter it.

Their 5-25 start tied for the second worst through 30 games since 1900, ahead of only the infamous 1988 Orioles, who started 4-26 after losing their first 21 games. The Rockies haven’t even played within the tough NL West that often, with this current series against the Giants just their third intradivision matchup. In fact, every series the Rockies have in May is against a team that currently owns a winning record. They might not have even hit rock bottom yet.

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SEC’s Sankey: Not settled on preferred CFP format

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SEC's Sankey: Not settled on preferred CFP format

DESTIN, Fla. — SEC commissioner Greg Sankey opened the league’s annual meetings Monday by saying he’s open-minded about the format of the College Football Playoff, while leaving some breadcrumbs about what he thinks are priorities in the conference’s decision-making.

With SEC athletic directors, presidents and coaches converging in Destin this week, the future of the College Football Playoff in 2026 and beyond is one of the central issues facing the league.

That’s in part because the playoff format decision is kinetic, as it impacts the SEC’s football schedule going to nine games and some type of down-the-road scheduling partnership with the Big Ten.

“We’re not committed to any particular format,” Sankey said.

With conversations among CFP leaders about format having appeared to splinter off to just the four power conference commissioners, a 16-team model looms as the most likely for the future of the sport. Sankey remains noncommittal on how the SEC thinks that should work, as college football enters the final year of its current postseason format.

The most discussed model has been one where the Big Ten and SEC would get four automatic bids each, and the ACC and Big 12 two each.

But Sankey stressed that the so-called 4-4-2-2-1-3 model, which distributes one automatic bid to the non-power leagues and three available at-large bids — one potentially for Notre Dame if it falls within the seeding threshold — has not been decided on in his room.

“We’ll see how that conversation manifests itself this week and we’ll look a little bit more deeply at different ideas,” he said, “which will put me at some point in a better position to answer those questions.”

Sankey did dive into some traits in the CFP system that he’d like to see, including a prioritization of the regular season — and games like Nebraska‘s recently cancelled series with Tennessee — while keeping postseason hopes alive for a swath of teams deep into the season.

“I think the word ‘hope’ is at the center, too,” Sankey said. “How do you bring people into the conversation late in the season in a changing environment, and so the idea of, ‘Could you have play-in-type games?’ continues to populate itself before you’re in the CFP selection. That’s about building interest and giving hope.

“Whether that’s the ultimate destination, we’ll see.”

The Big Ten and commissioner Tony Petitti have been more bullish on the four automatic bids, according to sources. Sankey has spoken about them but remains more guarded in his support.

Last week at the Big Ten meetings in California, the league came away still in support of the 4-4-2-2-1-3 model for the playoff, sources said. The Big Ten remains open to other ideas, but that model is at the forefront.

Sankey’s guarded stance stayed true Monday evening: “We’re trying to find a format to determine, whatever number it is, the best teams in college football, and I think where we are right now is we have used a political process inside a room to come to decisions about football. We should be using football information to come to football decisions.”

Sankey did make clear his disappointment in the reactions of the ACC and Big 12 commissioners to the move to a straight seeding model announced last week. Both commissioners referenced the macro good of the game in responses, with the ACC’s Jim Phillips saying that’s a “responsibility I take very seriously” and the Big 12’s Brett Yormark saying he hopes what’s best for college football is “the priority” in discussions moving forward.

Sankey felt those separate responses from the leagues were coordinated — although they were not formally, as neither released a statement — and remarked: “I don’t need lectures from others about ‘good of the game.’ I don’t lecture others about good of the game and coordinating press releases about good of the game. OK, you can issue your press statement, but I’m actually looking for ideas to move us forward.”

A Big 12 spokesman, Clark Williams, said on social media that there was not even a release, never mind a coordinated one, from the league.

He did add that the Big 12 and ACC did eventually bring some CFP ideas, but they don’t appear to have gained traction as they involved more bids — or bids with thresholds — for the ACC and Big 12.

Sankey said displacement of SEC teams would loom as such a big issue if those models were accepted that he’d likely lose his job.

“That’s tough” he said, walking through a series of potential displacement scenarios for his members. “I don’t think it’d be me at the podium in the future if some of those ideas [came to fruition].”

The other issue looming over meetings is the potential for the settlement of the House case this week. He remains hopeful a decision comes.

“We have a responsibility for implementation,” he said, “so does it pivot what we say this week? Yep. Does it mean we’re going to keep preparing? We’re going to keep preparing.”

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ESPN Junior 300: Comparisons for top 2027 prospects

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ESPN Junior 300: Comparisons for top 2027 prospects

The ESPN Junior 300 rankings are here, setting the stage for a pivotal next several months for the top rising juniors across the country.

This class already has several five-stars who grab attention right away, including a quarterback commit who reminds us of one of the top quarterback prospects in the country, as well as yet another elite Ohio State wide receiver commit.

Here’s how the top players at each position stack up, with a focus on five-stars who could continue to impress in the months ahead.

ESPN Junior 300 rank: 53

Reminds us of: Garrett Nussmeier, LSU

When it comes to pure passing acumen, Houston has everything evaluators look for. He has one of the smoothest, cleanest releases in recent classes with extremely consistent mechanics. Houston throws with power and velocity, and the ball jumps off his hand. Defenses have a hard time rushing him because he gets the ball out of his hand so quickly. The 5-foot-11, 200-pounder might not have elite size, but he makes every throw and looks pretty good doing it.


ESPN Junior 300 rank: 42

Reminds us of: Austin Simmons, Ole Miss

Haven has been an incredible two-sport athlete and, after playing several positions in high school, his best football might still be ahead of him once he settles in at quarterback. He’s big, athletic and raw with physical tools that can’t be coached. Although he’s a very good runner for his size, he is not necessarily a dynamic dual threat. At 6-foot-5, 215 pounds, Haven is similar to Joe Milton coming out of high school. Like Milton, Hazen should iron out some technical quirks to maximize his arm strength and accuracy over time.


ESPN Junior 300 rank: 10

Committed to: Penn State Nittany Lions

Reminds us of: Makhi Hughes, Oregon

Spell is a bit short at 5-foot-10, but he’s not small. He’s built similarly to former Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, even if he doesn’t weigh as much yet. Spell is a low-to-the-ground scatback who plays in a single wing/wing-T offense as both a tailback and wing back. He gets lost behind the line of scrimmage, then fits through tiny creases and is into the second level, winning foot races in no time. Spell has the burst to make defenders miss in the hole, which makes up for his lack of stature or power. He’s a really good perimeter runner because he can get to the edge and turn the corner.


ESPN Junior 300 rank: 2

Committed to: Ohio State Buckeyes

Reminds us of: Eric Singleton Jr., Auburn

Brown is a handful. The Ohio State commit has Ja’Marr Chase-like burst, acceleration and the ability to take the top off the defense. Even though Brown has the physical tools to overwhelm high school defenders, his polished route-running shows he already understands some of the nuances of the position. He ran a 4.49-second laser-timed 40-yard dash in April 2025, a 10.5-second 100-meter dash in 2024 and has a Max Speed on film of 21.3 mph.


ESPN Junior 300 rank: 16

Reminds us of: Antonio Williams, Clemson

Sabb could project at safety but will likely begin his career at wide receiver. His impact and value as a special teams returner should get him on the field quickly. Sabb is extremely difficult to tackle in the open field, and despite a slim 6-1, 185-pound frame, he breaks tackles routinely and extends plays. Sabb is a home run threat as a return specialist who can flip field position and provide points. His ball skills are as good as any receiver in this class, and he consistently makes difficult catches look routine.


ESPN Junior 300 rank: 25

Reminds us of: Colston Loveland, Michigan

Hudson headlines several big-play weapons at tight end in the 2027 class. Historically, there’s a strong correlation between basketball background and tight end success. Hudson fits the bill. The 6-foot-6 standout has offers in both sports and a desirable combination of height, length and catch radius. He does a great job high-pointing the ball as a dangerous red zone threat. Hudson is a matchup problem who can work from both the in-line position and flexed out. He needs to put more blocking on tape, but he’s proving to be a versatile player.


ESPN Junior 300 rank: 1

Reminds us of: Armand Membou, Missouri

Brown has the tools to become a coveted elite college tackle. Based on his film and an excellent April performance at the Houston Under Armour camp, stamping five-star status on him was an easy decision. Brown doesn’t have eye-popping height at 6-foot-4, but he has an unbelievable wingspan and big hands. He’s also likely not done growing, which would address his need to add more mass. Brown’s athleticism stands out at this stage. He’s light on his feet with good body quickness, natural bend and, at times, effortless pass protection. His areas of growth are correctable and will come with more physical maturation.


ESPN Junior 300 rank: 13

Remind us of: Daylen Everette, Georgia

Gilbert’s 22.2 mph Max Speed on tape is elite, and he has also posted a 10.57-second 100-meter dash. He needs to get stronger and fill out his lean 6-foot, 170-pound frame, but that hasn’t affected his willingness to be a stout run supporter. Gilbert plays bigger than his listed measurables, is highly competitive, likes to mix it up and can really run.


ESPN Junior 300 rank: 3

Reminds us of: Jermaine Mathews Jr., Ohio State

Meredith’s best football is ahead of him as he settles into a full-time cornerback role. He has played all over the field and is a dynamic athlete with instincts and a great feel for the game. At 6-foot-2, Meredith has great length and height for the position, and he ran a blazing 4.42-second laser-timed 40-yard dash. He has also posted a 21.2 mph Max Speed on tape. His high ceiling is exciting considering he’s just getting started as a defender.


ESPN Junior 300 rank: 7

Reminds us of: Walter Nolen, Ole Miss

Brewster is 6-3, 305 pounds, but he’s a versatile athlete who carries his weight well and moves like a much smaller man. He posted strong testing numbers, and his versatility showed up on film, where he has played running back, wildcat quarterback and also as a stand-up edge on defense. Defensive line is the long-term focus and he has the tools to develop into a disruptive 3-technique matchup problem. Brewster regularly won 1-on-1 reps in camp settings this spring, using his quickness to gain leverage along with his active hands. He’s a defensive tackle who makes plays against the run and as an interior pass rusher, but his versatility will allow a college program to deploy him along its front to exploit matchups and get the best defensive linemen on the field at the same time.


ESPN Junior 300 rank: 4

Reminds us of: T.J. Parker, Clemson

This is a strong class for defensive line and edge prospects. Forstall is a big reason why. He needs to continue developing his 6-4 frame, which is important, but he already looks like a much older player. Forstall tests well, explodes off the ball with good bend and pad level, and he redirects well. His effort allows him to factor into pursuit. Beyond his excellent tools, Forstall has the acumen of a player who could make the jump now. He uses his hands well, shows good awareness and quickly locates the ball. Forstall is always in the right position, and with continued development could become a three-down impact defender. With an offensive tackle ranked No. 1 on our board, it’s only fitting a defensive end could push him hardest for that top ranking.


ESPN Junior 300 rank: 5

Reminds us of: David Bailey, Texas Tech

While he’s listed as an outside linebacker, Guyton fits more as an edge and can be a handful getting up the field. His strong and quick hands are among the first traits that jump out on film. He’s an active presence who delivers a quick jolt with good power. Guyton isn’t a pass rusher who tries to get to the corner and simply run around tackles. Instead, he wants to punish them on his path to the quarterback. The explosive athlete reportedly notched 16 sacks during his first two high school seasons and should develop into a physical, relentless edge presence.

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Can anyone unseat Judge and Ohtani? Latest on all of MLB’s award races

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Can anyone unseat Judge and Ohtani? Latest on all of MLB's award races

With Memorial Day weekend behind us, the 2025 MLB season has taken shape. The exact outlines will change, but we’re past the point where teams and observers can dismiss anything with the “it’s early” wave of the hand.

That is true for the 30 teams at this first major traditional checkpoint of a baseball season, but it’s also true for players, many of whom have seen enough action that from a statistical standpoint, their rates have stabilized. That makes this a perfect time to take our first glimpse at how the awards races are shaping up.

So as we check in with our initial Awards Watch rankings of the season, we see much that looks similar to where we left off in 2024. In fact, the AXE ratings that feed these rankings see dual repeats in the respective MVP races.

That’s no surprise, as the first weeks of the 2025 season have done little to change the lofty appraisals of Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani, who continue to do historical things in mesmerizing fashion.

Yet there are new faces here, too, and those are perhaps even more fun because it’s these kinds of emergent stories that add flavor to every new campaign. Can any of these new upstarts challenge the Judge/Ohtani dual dominance?

Maybe not, but it’ll be fun to watch them try, and the jockeying for position in the awards derby is already well underway.

Most Valuable Player

American League

Front-runner: Aaron Judge, New York Yankees (157 AXE)

Next nine: 2. Cal Raleigh, Seattle Mariners (137); 3. Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals (133); 4. Alex Bregman, Boston Red Sox (129); 5. Jacob Wilson, Athletics (128); 6. Isaac Paredes, Houston Astros (126); 7. Rafael Devers, Red Sox (124); 8. (tie) Jeremy Pena, Astros (123); Steven Kwan, Cleveland Guardians (123); 10. Jose Ramirez, Guardians (122)

Leader trend: At this point, Judge is competing against himself. Last season, Judge’s 218 wRC+ ranked as the seventh best of the modern era by an AL or NL hitter. In other words, he put up one of the greatest offensive seasons in history. In 2025, he is on track to do even better and has a chance to top Barry Bonds’ 2002 record of a 244. He is leading the AL in all three slash categories (homers, RBIs and hits) and runs. He might soon start spurring an onslaught of “Can Judge really hit .400?” articles. The only thing that could derail Judge from unanimous support in MVP balloting is injury.

Biggest mover: For this first edition of Awards Watch, the “biggest mover” measure is based on 2024’s end-of-season numbers. With that in mind, even though Detroit’s Spencer Torkelson (118 AXE) didn’t quite crack the top 10, he deserves mention for bouncing back from a dreadful campaign. Despite being selected first overall by Detroit in 2020, Torkelson entered this season just below replacement for his career. He’s turned that around, posting 1.4 bWAR already, topping his 2024 homer and RBI numbers before Memorial Day and upped his OPS+ from 89 to 146. This is what the Tigers had in mind when they picked Tork.

Keep an eye on: Raleigh has staked claim to the title of baseball’s best all-around catcher. Coming off his first Gold Glove, Raleigh has also been one of the game’s best hitters so far. A pure three true outcomes batsman, Raleigh has been even better in those columns, upping his isolated power by homering at a near-Judgian pace, cutting strikeouts (a little) and pushing his walk rate to elite levels. He’s also improved his on-contact numbers by replacing some of his ground balls with line drives, resulting in — for him — a batting average breakout (.254).


National League

Front-runner: Pete Crow-Armstrong, Chicago Cubs (138)

Next nine: 2. Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers (136); 3. Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres (134); 4. (tie) Geraldo Perdomo, Arizona Diamondbacks (130); Kyle Tucker, Cubs (130); 6. Freddie Freeman, Dodgers (129); 7. Corbin Carroll, Diamondbacks (127); 8. Will Smith, Dodgers (125); 9. James Wood, Washington Nationals (125); 10. Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia Phillies (124)

Leader trend: Crow-Armstrong’s emergence has made him one of baseball’s best stories this season. Entering the season, we knew that PCA, as he’s affectionately called, could post elite defense and baserunning metrics. If only he could hit! Would a leap from an 88 to a 149 OPS+ work? How about a pace that could see Crow-Armstrong post a 40/40 season? The strike zone numbers suggest a coming regression — more than five whiffs for every walk — but so far, so great.

Biggest mover: Perdomo has transformed himself at the plate, making him the NL’s top shortstop during the opening months of the season. Always a high-contact hitter, Perdomo has sliced the whiffs even more while adding walks, a tough dual feat to pull off, but it’s allowed him to push his OBP above the vaunted . 400 line. On top of that, Perdomo has featured more power by matching his career high with six early homers. Match those upgrades with his usual plus defense and an 11-for-11 showing on the base paths, and the Diamondbacks find themselves with an elite shortstop.

Keep an eye on: Ho hum. Doesn’t it seem like Ohtani is ever so slightly off from last season’s unprecedented level? Well, his percentages are on target to match or exceed those numbers. He’s on pace for 55 homers and 165(!) runs. Only his steal numbers are down from last season, but, lest we forget, his metrics might be bolstered by pitching categories in the near future. Meanwhile, even though Ohtani doesn’t lead NL hitters in either of the major versions of WAR, AXE likes his sizable lead in WPA among all NL batsmen.

Cy Young

American League

Front-runner: Kris Bubic, Royals (134)

Next nine: 2. (tie) Max Fried, Yankees (130); Nathan Eovaldi, Texas Rangers (130); 4. Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers (129); 5. Garrett Crochet, Red Sox (127); 6. Hunter Brown, Astros (125); 7. Andres Munoz, Mariners (123); 8. (tie) Tyler Mahle, Rangers (121); Bryan Woo, Mariners (121); 10. Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins (119)

Leader trend: Bubic’s emergence hasn’t exactly come out of nowhere, but he’s validated anyone who pegged him as a breakout player for 2025. Bubic is a cerebral lefty who has shaped and reshaped his arsenal during his career, which was interrupted by elbow surgery and rehab. Bubic has sparkled by being aggressive in the zone and has succeeded doing that without top-shelf velocity. It’s not a fluke, though he probably won’t finish with the 1.45 ERA he’s posted through 11 outings. Still, this race is just getting started, and the leaderboard is likely to change every time one of these hurlers take the mound.

Biggest mover: Brown has flashed brilliance before, but in 2025 he has reached another level in blending dominance with consistency. He has put up eight quality starts in 10 outings, leading the AL in that category. His average game score (64.4) ranks just behind Eovaldi, Fried and Skubal atop the circuit.

Keep an eye on: Skubal won it last year going away and has to be considered the favorite to repeat, even if he hasn’t quite returned to the top of the statistical leaderboards. While Skubal’s ERA is up a tiny bit (2.39 to 2.49), his FIP is better (2.49 and 1.98). The latter portends a continuation of the dominance we’ve seen from the Tigers’ ace since last season. Indeed, Skubal’s last start — a complete-game, two-hit, 13-strikeout shutout against Cleveland — was the best outing of his sparkling career.


National League

Front-runner: Jesus Luzardo, Philadelphia Phillies (133)

Next nine: 2. Zack Wheeler, Phillies (131); 3. Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates (125); 4. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dodgers (122); 5. Kodai Senga, New York Mets (122); 6. (tie) Robbie Ray, San Francisco Giants (119); Nick Pivetta, Padres (119); Logan Webb, Giants (119); Hunter Greene, Cincinnati Reds (119); 10. MacKenzie Gore, Nationals (118)

Leader trend: Luzardo was a top-10 prospect when he reached the majors with the A’s in 2019. While Luzardo has had some solid moments in the bigs as he’s moved from the A’s to the Marlins to the Phillies, this is the pitcher the prospect wonks envisioned. Everything is better: more strikeouts, fewer walks and a home run rate so low it barely registers. Luzardo’s rise has more than compensated for the early struggles of rotation mate Aaron Nola.

Biggest mover: It’s actually Luzardo, so let’s spotlight Senga, who has bounced back spectacularly after his injury-plagued 2024 season. His ERA through 10 starts (1.46, tops in the NL) almost certainly can’t last, but Senga has emerged as the ace the Mets needed. Through those 10 outings, Senga has faced 228 batters and allowed two — two — home runs. Not bad for a pitcher who pitched in one regular-season game a year ago, then gave up seven runs over five postseason innings.

Keep an eye on: After finishing as runner-up in NL Cy Young balloting last year for the second time in his Phillies career, Wheeler might be even better. His ERA and FIP categories are on target with 2024, but he’s been even more dominant in the strikeout and walk categories. According to FanGraphs, only Gore has a better strikeouts-minus-walks percentage, an excellent measure of dominance and sustainability.

Rookie of the Year

American League

Front-runner: Jacob Wilson, Athletics (128)

Next nine: 2. Carlos Narvaez, Red Sox (120); 3. Shane Smith, Chicago White Sox (113); 4. Chase Meidroth, White Sox (111); 5. Cam Smith, Astros (110); 6. (tie) Justin Sterner, Athletics (107); Noah Cameron, Royals (107); Will Warren, Yankees (107); Tomoyuki Sugano, Baltimore Orioles (107); 10. Kameron Misner, Tampa Bay Rays (106)

Leader trend: Wilson might be the most interesting player in the majors. Considering all the things teams hold dear in player development and evaluation these days, how do you account for a player like this? Some of his percentile rankings at Statcast: bat speed (1st, or lowest), hard-hit rate (5th), walk rate (16th) and expected batting average (95th). What?! Wilson has struck out in barely 5% of his plate appearances this season. He swings at everything, contacts everything and everything seems to find a hole. Can it last? Let’s hope so because baseball needs hitters like this to flourish.

Biggest mover: Well, they’re rookies, so we’ll skip this one for this first edition. But rookie rankings change a lot as the season progresses, especially as some of those who will turn out to be among this year’s top first-timers are still in the minors. Possible example: Kansas City’s Jac Caglianone, who has already mashed his way from Double-A to Triple-A and, after homering five times over the weekend, seems intent on slugging all the way to the majors. Check back next month.

Keep an eye on: Kristian Campbell (92 AXE) has risen quickly and become a lineup fixture in Boston. The Red Sox have already rewarded him with an eight-year extension. The future is undoubtedly bright. Though, strictly speaking, his numbers haven’t been anything special. The results should get better, at least at the plate, and as an everyday player on a contending team, Campbell has every chance at being a key part of the Rookie of the Year conversation. But he will need to manifest that improvement.


National League

Front-runner: Chad Patrick, Brewers (113)

Next nine: 2. Drake Baldwin, Atlanta Braves (111); 3. Ben Casparius, Dodgers (110); 4. Logan Henderson, Brewers (107); 5. Liam Hicks, Miami Marlins (106); 6. Tim Tawa, Diamondbacks (104); 7. Max Kranick, Mets (103); 8. Jack Dreyer, Dodgers (103); 9. AJ Smith-Shawver, Braves (102); 10. Isaac Collins, Brewers (101)

Leader trend: The Brewers always seem to come up with one or two (or more) unsung pitchers who excel. This year, Patrick certainly fits that bill, posting a 3.23 ERA over 11 outings, including 10 starts. A lack of swing-and-miss stuff kept Patrick off the prospect radar, but so far, he’s made it work with command and a lot of soft contact. Patrick has already been traded twice in his career, going from Arizona to Oakland at the 2023 deadline for Jace Peterson, then moving from the A’s to Milwaukee after that season for Abraham Toro. This is what the Brewers do.

Biggest mover: While Wilson has emerged as a clear early-season front runner for AL Rookie of the Year honors, no one has achieved that status in the NL. Baldwin has been dynamite but hasn’t played everyday. Casparius has been effective but not in the kind of role that typically attracts awards support. Chances are, this leaderboard will look a whole lot different a month from now. That stated, expected Baldwin to stay somewhere on it, as he’s been a real force at the plate when he’s played. Increasingly lately, Baldwin has been usurping playing time behind the plate from veteran Sean Murphy.

Keep an eye on: Henderson has only made four starts, but what a beginning it’s been. Henderson won his first three outings and, overall, has allowed four runs over 21 innings with 29 strikeouts and six walks. He’s the first-ever Brewers pitcher to win each of his first three career appearances.

Manager of the Year

Front-runner: A.J. Hinch, Tigers (109.8 EARL)

Next four: 2. Stephen Vogt, Guardians (108.6); 3. Ron Washington, Los Angeles Angels (105.5); 4. Dan Wilson, Mariners (105.3); 5. Matt Quatraro, Royals (104.7)

Overview: The Tigers’ breakout might have begun late last season, but it’s only accelerated in 2025 as Detroit has become the story in the American League. The Tigers’ over/under for wins at ESPN BET has gone from 83.5 at the start of the season to 94.5. That 11-win increase is four more than any other team. Hinch has never won Manager of the Year honors.


National League

Front-runner: Rob Thomson, Phillies (107.7)

Next four: 2. Oliver Marmol, St. Louis Cardinals (106.7); 3. Bob Melvin, Giants (104.9); 4. Craig Counsell, Cubs (104.3); 5. Dave Martinez, Nationals (104.2)

Overview: This is a tightly packed race, with Thomson emerging as a fairly surprising early leader. The Phillies were expected to contend, to be sure, but have outperformed their run differential by three wins to date and are a sparkling 10-4 in one-run games. This system likes those things. Marmol has been rising fast as the Cardinals surge into surprising contention. He, Counsell and Melvin are more conventional candidates than Thomson.

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