Inside the MLB draft journey for the sons of two former major leaguers
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Kiley McDaniel
ONE OF ELI WILLITS’ earliest baseball memories is of playing catch with his father, Reggie, in the Angel Stadium outfield. In late June, Eli again took the field that his dad called home during six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels during a private workout with the team, which has the No. 2 pick in the 2025 MLB draft.
“Eli was working out last week for the Angels. For me, it was surreal. He was hitting and taking ground balls, and my boys have been doing that with me since they were little,” Reggie Willits said. “Me, Jaxon and Eli would go out to left field and we’d take BP out there; they were so small. That way, they could hit homers into the bullpen. It was a surreal moment for us as a family. I played my whole career in that stadium.”
Ethan Holliday was born in 2007, the same year that his father, Matt, finished second in National League MVP voting for the Colorado Rockies, and fondly remembers taking a trip to Busch Stadium with his brother, Jackson, when Ethan was 6 or 7 to see their dad star for the St. Louis Cardinals. Both of those teams hold picks in the first five selections of the upcoming draft, but there is no guarantee that Ethan will be available by the time Colorado is up at No. 4 or St. Louis one pick later.
The two Oklahoma high school stars have a lot in common: They’re both sons of former major leaguers who also have brothers excelling in the family business. They’re both expected to hear their names called early in this year’s draft. And they have even formed a tight friendship through baseball.
But for all the glamour that comes with potential stardom, both have learned from their fathers how much work behind the scenes is needed on the road to the top of the draft.
“‘Do you like your name above the locker?’ Yes,” Eli remembers responding to a series of questions posed by his dad about a decade ago. “‘Do you like going out there in front of 50,000 fans?’ Yes,” Eli said. “‘Do you want to get up at 4 a.m. and go work out?’ No.” Eli said while laughing. “But that’s what it takes, and I always wanted to follow in my dad’s footsteps. … I’m very grateful for that chance.”
THE HOLLIDAYS ARE the established first family of Oklahoma baseball, helping to raise the profile of a state not known as a hotbed for draft prospects.
Matt hit .299 with 316 home runs over 15 years in the majors, and his brother Josh is the head coach at Oklahoma State (following the footsteps of their father, Tom, who coached the Cowboys for 26 seasons). Ethan’s brother, Jackson, added to the family legacy by becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 draft and plays second base for the Baltimore Orioles.
I first noticed Ethan when he was a freshman at Stillwater High. He was batting behind his brother, whom dozens of scouts were there to watch. Ethan already stood out.
Lastly, Jackson’s younger brother 3B Ethan Holliday was really impressive in general before you realize he is a 15-year-old freshman. Here’s a homer and some BP cuts: pic.twitter.com/WWrnYwRnUT
— Kiley McDaniel (@kileymcd) April 27, 2022
Being the younger brother of a top prospect has given Ethan a window into the draft process that most players don’t experience. He has seen Jackson go through the transition from teammate to becoming the No. 1 pick to making his big league debut, and that has eased Ethan’s transition into his draft process.
“I was his wingman that year. I got to be in his meetings, be with him in games and practices, when there were 40 scouts coming to every game and everyone had their camera up when he hit, I was right there with him,” Ethan said. “It’s obviously a little different going through it myself, but that definitely took some weight off.”
Jackson’s quick ascent — he ranked No. 1 on my top 100 prospect list in 2024 — also helped shine a spotlight on Ethan early in his high school career. Ethan has been the most well-known player on any field he has been on for at least a year. Before his senior season, he became the first high school player to sign an NIL deal with Adidas, the brand Jackson signed with once he turned pro.
But despite the apparent advantages of his baseball lineage, it hasn’t all been easy for Ethan. To some scouts, he underperformed last summer on the showcase circuit against the best high school pitchers in the country. Entering the spring, some in the industry questioned whether he would deliver on his potential and the hype tied to his last name.
When asked an open-ended question about the evolution of his swing and not mentioning that narrative, he clearly was aware of it in his response.
“In high school, you face a good pitcher, and their plan is to throw offspeed because they don’t trust their fastball,” Ethan said. “In the summer, the pitchers are coming in for one inning and throwing as hard as they can. It’s different. I never got anything other than spin in high school, so making the adjustment for the summer was difficult. My dad has really helped me with my approach, my swing.”
As you might expect from someone who has had a recent major league star to turn to for baseball advice, Ethan handled the topic like a pro. He had a huge high school season, and those offensive concerns have subsided because of his performance.
Despite some wondering whether Ethan would have a big spring, most scouts were optimistic because Matt is considered one of the better swing coaches in the sport. His son has taken up his dad’s penchant for picking up on the components of a swing.
“I’ve had a leg kick my whole life,” Ethan said. “One day in the cage, I was messing around and watching video of Barry Bonds and his toe tap. Then, I was toe-tapping and hammering balls anywhere I wanted, and I hit four barrels in the next scrimmage. Nothing has changed with my swing path or where my hands are, it just felt great, so I went with it.”
When Matt talks about hitting, it’s easy to see why he is so respected, with wisdom gleaned from playing with some of the best players of his era.
“I’m fascinated by the swing, the mechanics of the swing, how it’s tied to your brain, the approach, and how it all works together,” Matt said. “If your timing is not good, your swing will break down because when you’re late, your body freaks out; it knows. It’s going to change your front side a little bit, and the bat will get long. … I love to talk about the swing. I love to learn.”
After the tweaks to his swing, Ethan enters the draft with plus-plus power and has also improved defensively as a shortstop. He could be the top pick and should be off the board by no later than the No. 4 selection.
THE WILLITS FAMILY lives in Fort Cobb, Oklahoma, where they own and operate the Double Seven Ranch, run by Reggie’s wife, Amber. Fort Cobb has between 400 and 600 residents, depending on the source. When I spoke with Eli less than a month before he likely will become an early first-round MLB draft pick, he had helped move 200 bales of hay the day before.
This isn’t lost on scouts I spoke with, or even Matt Holliday, who said, “I admire the hard work that the farm takes. I appreciate their family’s work ethic and what it takes to operate a real farm.”
Eli has a full workload, between training, baseball games, practices and work at the ranch. He has grown an inch this year — he’s now up to 6-foot-1 — and added 8 pounds of muscle since I scouted him at a tournament in April. He also took on a heavy course load to finish high school in three years so that he could reclassify into the 2025 draft. Eli won’t turn 18 years old until December, making him the youngest prospect expected to be drafted this year, a historical factor in projecting success for high school prospects.
Reggie initially didn’t like Eli’s idea of reclassifying because Reggie had switched jobs, from coaching for the New York Yankees to the Oklahoma Sooners, to be home to be with his kids.
“That’s why I decided to get out of pro baseball, [Jaxon] was about to be a senior in high school, and I hadn’t been able to see him play. I wanted to experience his senior year,” Reggie said. “When [Eli] came to us and he wanted to reclassify, that was a hard decision for us as a family. At first, I said ‘no chance.’… I wasn’t really into that. It took some convincing.”
While the family was going through the reclassification decision, Eli’s success on the field during workouts with top college players from his father’s Oklahoma squad (his brother Jaxon is also the shortstop) helped convince Reggie that his son would be ready for the next level.
“We had some infielders get banged up, and we were short there at OU. We started throwing Eli out there so we had some leeway and didn’t run our guys into the ground in the fall. He got some at-bats. He’s been practicing with us since he was 14. He was getting lots of live at-bats by 15.”
Eli remembers those first few live at-bats. “The first hit I got, I was 14 years old facing a 24-year-old pitcher. I was just trying to do my best. I want to embarrass them, really … Age doesn’t matter, I want to show I’m the best player on the field.”
Eli did well in 15 to 20 scrimmage at-bats and that started to ease his dad’s concerns that his son would be overmatched by older competition. “I came home and told my wife, ‘I feel like he could play for us as a 15-year-old, so I’m pretty sure as a 17-year-old, he’d be all right if he reclassified.'”
Sooners right-hander Kyson Witherspoon is a projected early first-round pick, and Willits got to face that level of pitcher as a high schooler. Willits has held his own in these matchups, which helped him improve.
“I had more confidence going into the summer [showcase season] because I know I’m not going to see another Kyson on the mound there,” Eli said.
Similar to Ethan turning to his dad for swing advice, Eli gained invaluable experience while tagging along with his dad when he was a coach with the Yankees from 2018 to 2021.
Though watching Aaron Judge take BP up close sounds like a pretty cool perk of having a dad in coaching, the biggest influence might have come in learning from then-Yankees coach Carlos Mendoza, who is the New York Mets manager and regarded as one of the best infield coaches in the game.
“I wouldn’t be anything like what I am defensively without Carlos,” the younger Willits said.
Eli is a well-rounded player, one who is above average at almost everything on the field, except for power. He’s not the biggest, strongest or fastest player in this draft class, despite entering the draft as one of the best prospects.
THERE ISN’T A LOT of time for social activities as both players prepare for life as professional baseball players, but Willits and Holliday take a break from baseball by texting each other.
“We don’t talk about the draft. We leave baseball out of it, and just talk about our lives,” Willits said. “We both like to fish, so we talk about fishing a lot … Last summer is when we really started playing together and getting to know each other. Ethan’s now a great friend of mine.”
They were also Team USA teammates in Panama at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier.
“In Panama, we hung out every day before and after the games, the bus, the locker room, we’ve talked basically every day since then, but I didn’t see Eli in person again until Edmond [high school baseball tournament],” Holliday said.
The Edmond tournament turned into the scouting event of the year because Willits and Holliday participated. Stillwater and Fort Cobb-Broxton, where the two prospects play high school baseball, are a few hours apart and the schools compete in different classes. The round-robin event at Edmond Santa Fe High School’s field just outside of Oklahoma City provided a midpoint for scouts to see both players. Willits and Holliday impressed multiple high-level scouts in attendance from almost every team picking in the top half of the first round, even if their stats from those games weren’t gaudy.
When will the two run into each other on the diamond next? Holliday thought about the possibilities.
“That would be awesome if the next time we saw each other was the big leagues,” Holliday said. “Probably the minor leagues? Whichever team gets him is super lucky. He’s a stud.”
Willits and Holliday laughed when I asked about a potential friendly rivalry regarding who will be drafted higher. Both said that couldn’t be further from the truth.
“We’re both from Oklahoma. Oklahoma doesn’t get enough credit for the talent it produces,” Holliday said. “We’re super pumped for each other; we’re each other’s biggest fans. There’s no bad blood, no rivalry, no Bedlam feud.
“We’re just two boys that really love baseball and are proud of Oklahoma.”
Some have had a few. Some have had many. The Oregon Ducks seemingly come up with a new one every week.
The topic is, of course, alternate uniforms. The best of the best have become beloved staples of the fall calendar for college football fans. Just as many, though, have been relegated to the dustbin of history (or at least a campus storage closet). A vaunted few have risen to an even higher tier: cult classic.
With the 2025 college football season approaching, we decided to run through the extensive catalog of alternate uniform offerings in the sport since 2000 and parse through it all to determine some of the most memorable — for better or for worse.
We broke our superlatives list down into a number of categories — three broad, three specific, each with multiple nominations, and six exclusive awards. Some of these categories reward aesthetic beauty. More prefer just plain zaniness.
Here are the best, worst and wildest of alternate uniforms from the past 25 years.
Best in show
In the nominations for our best of the best, we covered a wide range of topical ground. From distinct colors to well-executed throwbacks, our five picks offer an array of different ways to make an alternate uniform pop.
Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors: Retro and rainbow, 2015
Florida International Panthers: Miami Vice, 2024
Houston Cougars: Paying homage to the Oilers, 2023
Florida Gators: Simplistic throwback perfection, 2019
SMU Mustangs: Repping Dallas, 2019
Most … ambitious
It’s always encouraging when a team is willing to try something new — creativity and boldness are two traits that help make college football fun. That said, not every outside-the-box alternate uniform idea is created equal. We’re not necessarily saying these uniforms are bad, but they definitely were… enterprising.
Florida Gators: Gator-print, 2017
Michigan State Spartans: Neon green, 2019
Colorado Buffaloes: Throwbacks gone too simplistic, 2009
Notre Dame Fighting Irish: Yankee Stadium crossover, 2018
Miami Hurricanes: Orange sleeves, 2005
Craziest helmets
A great — or poor — helmet can make or break a uniform, so we created a separate category for some of the most notable lids. Bonus points were awarded for distinctiveness, regardless of how well-executed.
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers: Big Red front and center, 2024
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets: Honeycomb theme, 2012
Utah Utes: Rose Bowl specials, 2022
Georgia Bulldogs: Georgia tries grey, 2011
Virginia Tech Hokies: The flexing HokieBird, 2012
Most “State-triotic”
A key element of college football is representing a school’s hometown or home state. These three schools went the furthest in going above and beyond to fulfill that mission, incorporating their state’s flag into their alternate uniforms. The aesthetic results were varied.
Maryland Terrapins, 2011
Colorado State Rams, 2017
Texas Tech Red Raiders, 2014
Best from the final frontier
An unlikely source of quality alternate jerseys in recent years? Outer space. In fact, space-themed uniforms produced enough impressive alternates that we deemed it worthy of its own category. Here are the best of the best to have drawn inspiration from the stars.
UCF Knights: Space U, 2023
Purdue Boilermakers: Honoring the school’s astronauts, 2019
Air Force Falcons: Representing the Space Force, 2022
Best tribute
Context matters for uniforms, too. Almost all alternate uniforms represent or honor something, but some threads have particularly special motives. These two alternates have established themselves as particularly distinguished in the backstory category.
Boston College Eagles: The red bandana series
The Eagles have donned uniforms featuring a red bandana pattern and a “FOR WELLES” nameplate once a year since 2014. The uniforms pay homage to Welles Crowther, a Boston College alum who died saving lives in the Sept. 11 attacks while wearing a red bandana.
UAB Blazers: The Children’s Harbor series
A tradition since 2016, UAB has worn special jerseys for select games as part of a partnership with Children’s Harbor, a service center for seriously ill children and their families in Birmingham, Alabama. The Blazers’ Children’s Harbor jerseys feature the names of patients on the back in place of those of players.
Worst trend to never catch on
Block letter jerseys
A very brief but nevertheless unfortunate stint in the pantheon of alternate uniform history was the spurt of designs in the early 2010s featuring jerseys with block letter logos front and center. Of the assorted pitfalls an alternate uniform can hit, these ran the gauntlet.
Changing the aesthetics for the jerseys of teams with classic traditional threads? Check. Unwieldy designs without grounding in a school’s history or tradition? Check. Creating a strange on-screen viewing experience? Check. Blissfully, these never took hold outside of a few Big Ten one-offs.
Lifetime achievement award
Oregon
Undoubtedly the most prolific uniform-producing school, the Ducks put out more uniform combinations in a season than some programs do in a decade. Instead of trying to choose which categories to slot them into — since they’ve produced enough memorable combinations to be involved in just about every option, really — we’re simply giving the Ducks a lifetime achievement award, showcasing a short palette of their range here.
Best alternate uniform reveal series
Notre Dame
While there have been plenty of great alternate uniform reveals, nobody in the game has committed to a bit quite like Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish started in 2022, parodying “The Hangover” to unveil their uniforms for that year’s Shamrock Series game in Las Vegas. They’ve since established the movie parody lane as their niche, riffing “Jerry Maguire” in 2023 and “Wolf of Wall Street” in 2024.
Some guys CAN handle Vegas
Feel It. October 8 pic.twitter.com/HdzdAOaCDs
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) July 27, 2022
Best consistent yearly alternate uniform matchup
The Army-Navy game
Admittedly, there are not a ton of matchups producing alternate uniform matchups on an annual basis. Or any, for that matter. But it simply wouldn’t be an alternate uniform story without plaudits being given to the level of detail put into Army and Navy’s respective uniforms on a yearly basis for their rivalry game in recent years. So, like Oregon, we’ve created a specific category to highlight some of the best Army-Navy alternate uniform showdowns.
Techs Stick Together unity award
Virginia Tech vs. Georgia Tech, 2007
It felt right to end this piece with an “alternate” uniform that, while very much not intentional, was certainly memorable. On November 1, 2007, Virginia Tech played a routine road game against Georgia Tech. There was just one issue — some of the Hokies’ jerseys had gone missing. As a result, four Virginia Tech players had to play with the only extra uniforms on hand: Yellow Jacket road jerseys, with new names scrawled on the back and “Georgia Tech” blacked out on the front.
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David Hale
At a media event Friday, North Carolina Central coach Trei Oliver was asked about the most ridiculous moments he has faced in coaching, and his response set off alarms across the state of Virginia.
Oliver said he found a Virginia Tech assistant coach on the sideline for one of North Carolina Central’s games last year and suggested the coach was there to lure his star running back, J’Mari Taylor, into the transfer portal.
“Virginia Tech was actually on my sideline recruiting our running back,” Oliver told reporters, according to WRAL News. “That was pretty bold. I couldn’t believe it.”
Oliver didn’t name the running back, but he said the player later transferred to Virginia. Taylor was a first-team all-conference player who is now on Virginia’s roster.
Oliver said he needed assistant coaches to calm him down on the sideline, noting several told him, “He’s just down here visiting.'”
“But I knew what it was,” Oliver said.
Virginia Tech released a statement Saturday saying this was the first time the issue had been raised and that the school would investigate.
“This is the first time the issue has been brought to our attention, and no concern has previously been shared with us through any formal channel,” the team said. “Virginia Tech takes all NCAA rules seriously and is committed to conducting our program with integrity. We are reviewing the matter internally and will address any findings appropriately.”
Taylor, a graduate transfer, will be part of the Virginia backfield rotation this season, and Oliver said he will be rooting for his former player at his new school — particularly when the Cavaliers play Virginia Tech on Nov. 29.
“Thank God he went to UVA,” Oliver said, “and UVA is going to beat the smoke out of them other folks.”
The 2025 MLB trade deadline is just around the corner, with contending teams deciding what they need to add before 6 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 31.
Could Jarren Duran be on the move from the Boston Red Sox? Will the Arizona Diamondbacks deal Eugenio Suarez and Zac Gallen to contenders? And who among the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies will go all-in to boost their 2025 World Series hopes?
Whether your favorite club is looking to add or deal away — or stands somewhere in between — here’s the freshest intel we’re hearing, reaction to completed deals and what to know for every team as trade season unfolds.
More: Top 50 trade candidates | Passan’s preview | Fantasy spin
Jump to: Completed deals | Latest intel
Completed deal tracker
Yankees make another deal for infield depth
The New York Yankees acquired utility man Amed Rosario from the Washington Nationals in exchange for two minor leaguers. Story »
Royals get outfielder in trade with D-backs
The Kansas City Royals acquired veteran outfielder Randal Grichuk from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for right-hander Andrew Hoffmann. Story »
Yankees land infielder McMahon in deal with Rockies
The New York Yankees are acquiring third baseman Ryan McMahon in a trade with the Colorado Rockies, sources confirmed to ESPN. Story » | Grades »
Mets get bullpen help from O’s
The New York Mets have acquired left-handed reliever Gregory Soto from the Baltimore Orioles, sources confirmed to ESPN. Story » | Grades »
Mariners start trade season with deal for Naylor
The Seattle Mariners have acquired first baseman Josh Naylor from the Arizona Diamondbacks for left-hander Brandyn Garcia and right-hander Ashton Izzi are headed back to the Arizona Diamondbacks from the Seattle Mariners for first baseman Josh Naylor, sources told ESPN. Story » | Grades »
MLB trade deadline buzz
July 27
Can Mets find an ace at deadline? The market has been very thin in teams offloading, but according to sources, the Mets continue to look around to see whether there’s a match for a starting pitcher capable of taking the ball for a Game 1, Game 2 or Game 3 of a postseason series. Merrill Kelly of the Diamondbacks could be that guy, or maybe it’s Seth Lugo of the Royals, or the Padres’ Dylan Cease. Perhaps it’s one of the two big-time starters who will be under team control beyond this season, the Marlins’ Sandy Alcantara or the Twins’ Joe Ryan. The Mets’ rotation was exceptional early in the year, before injuries and natural regression began to take a toll, and the team could use a boost in the front end of this group as they fight the Phillies for NL East supremacy. — Buster Olney
Which way will deadline bubble teams go? The staredown continues as deadline week begins, with perhaps as many as a half-dozen teams waiting to declare their status. “This weekend is big for a lot of teams,” said one evaluator.
The Rays, who appeared to be gathering momentum a month ago, are now just a game over .500, and given the organization’s longstanding focus on maximizing the value of their players, some rival evaluators think they could now be considering dealing some pieces away.
The St. Louis Cardinals are two games over .500, with the industry waiting to see whether they will deal closer Ryan Helsley. The expectation is that they will, given the tough NL playoff landscape. The Tigers could be interested, maybe the Phillies, Mets, Dodgers or Yankees.
The Los Angeles Angels are now five games under .500, and the presumption is that they will eventually move some players before the deadline, but the Angels don’t always operate in the way teams typically do. Taylor Ward has drawn interest from other organizations. — Olney
July 25 updates
Will the Royals trade Lugo — or extend him? Seth Lugo is an intriguing name in the trade market, but rival evaluators don’t sense the Royals are especially motivated to make a deal. Kansas City could also use this moment to explore an extension with Lugo, to keep their deep well of starting pitching intact. — Buster Olney
Angels’ deadline plans coming into focus: Any confusion about whether the Angels will add or subtract ahead of the trade deadline has seemingly cleared up in recent days, with a four-game losing streak that has them five games under .500.
The Angels are telling teams their pending free agents are available, sources with knowledge of the situation said. That includes third baseman Yoan Moncada, utility infielder Luis Rengifo, starting pitcher Tyler Anderson and closer Kenley Jansen. Left fielder Taylor Ward, controllable through 2026, can also be had with the right deal.
The Angels famously never rebuild under owner Arte Moreno and are prone to adding even in times when they seem like long shots to contend — most notably in 2023, when they not only held on to Shohei Ohtani but also traded for Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez before collapsing in August.
At this time last year, they tried to move the likes of Anderson and Rengifo but did not believe they would have received enough back to justify holding on to them through the following season. And so it is worth noting: Even if the Angels do decide to punt on 2025, their goal would be to contend again next season.
Any moves they make would probably be geared toward that. By trading away rentals, the Angels will try to use the trade deadline to add accomplished players who can help the team next year. — Alden Gonzalez
What the Astros might be looking for: The Astros’ best fit in a hitter is someone who could play second base or left field, and they can move Jose Altuve accordingly. Per FanGraphs, the Astros have a 94.5% chance to reach the postseason; they lead the Mariners by five games in the AL West. — Buster Olney
How Arizona could shape the trade deadline: The Diamondbacks informed other teams in the past that they would “probably” be dealing away players, but even after trading Josh Naylor to Seattle, it’s unclear just how far Arizona will go. If the D-Backs decided to go all-in on trading veterans, they could reshape their organization significantly, by moving free-agents-to-be Merrill Kelly, Zac Gallen, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and, of course, Eugenio Suarez.
The perception of other front offices is that Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick does not want to completely offload, especially with the Dodgers drifting back toward the pack in the NL West — and as of Thursday night, Suarez wasn’t even officially on the market.
The Diamondbacks, who reached the World Series in 2023 after winning just 84 games during the regular season, won their first three games after the All-Star break, but have subsequently lost three in a row. What some rival evaluators believe is that if the D-Backs keep dealing, it’ll be because of a nudge from the front office. Arizona has been extensively scouting other organizations in preparation. — Buster Olney
White Sox starter drawing interest from contenders: About a half-dozen or more scouts will be in attendance at Rate Field on Friday night when Adrian Houser takes the mound for the White Sox. He has compiled a 1.89 ERA in 10 starts for Chicago after being picked up midseason. Teams don’t believe they’ll have to give up a lot to acquire him, and he could make for a good back-end starter or depth piece for a contender. The White Sox are likely to move him at his peak, and Friday could be the final look for those who are interested. — Jesse Rogers
July 24 updates
Could Mets land this deadline’s top slugger? Eugenio Suarez could be an intriguing option for the Mets as they’ve gotten little production out of Mark Vientos at third base. And if things work out and Suarez wants to stay — and they want him to — he could also provide protection for the Mets at first base in case Pete Alonso moves on next season. The Mets rank 23rd in OPS at third, so why wouldn’t they inquire about Suarez, knowing they can hand the position back to Vientos in 2026 if they wish. — Jesse Rogers
July 23 updates
Houston is in the market for a third baseman: Add the Astros to the list of contenders looking for a third baseman. With All-Star Isaac Paredes expected to miss significant time because of what manager Joe Espada described as a “pretty serious” right hamstring strain, the Astros have begun poking around for available third basemen. One of them is the Rockies’ Ryan McMahon, who also has drawn interest from a few other clubs.
The 30-year-old represents a solid veteran option. McMahon is slashing .217/.314/.403 with 16 home runs, and the metrics indicate he has been one of the top defensive third basemen in the majors this season. He is under contract over the next two seasons for $32 million, so he wouldn’t be just a rental, which should raise the Rockies’ asking price. — Jorge Castillo
A big addition to the available deadline starting pitching options? A surprise name has emerged in the starting pitcher market: Dylan Cease, who will be eligible for free agency at year’s end. Perception of other teams is that the Padres are intent on making a push for the playoffs and would use Cease to help fill other roster needs. Mets, AL East teams, Cubs among teams that have talked about him. — Buster Olney
How Cubs are approaching deadline: The Cubs are looking for a starting pitcher first and foremost, but won’t part with any top prospects for rentals. They would be willing to trade a young hitter for a cost-controlled pitcher or one already under contract past this season. They are desperate to add an arm who can help while Jameson Taillon recovers from a calf injury. Bullpen games in Taillon’s place haven’t gone well. — Jesse Rogers
Will Twins trade top pitchers? Several high-profile teams are in need of bullpen help ahead of the trade deadline — including the Mets, Yankees, Phillies and Dodgers — and the Twins have two of the best available in Griffin Jax and Jhoan Duran. The sense is that at least one of them will be traded, but those who are looking for relief help expect the asking price to be very high, partly because both of them are controllable through 2027 and partly because the Twins’ uncertain ownership situation has clouded the approach with those who are not pending free agents.
The Twins are widely expected to trade outfielder Harrison Bader, super-utility player Willi Castro, starter Chris Paddack and lefty reliever Danny Coulombe. But Jax, Duran and young starter Joe Ryan are the ones who would bring back the biggest return. The Twins are said to be listening on everyone. But the team being up for sale since October, and in limbo ever since prospective buyer Justin Ishbia increased his ownership stake in the White Sox in early June, has complicated matters with longer-term players. — Alden Gonzalez
July 22 updates
An Orioles starting pitcher to watch: It seems very likely that Charlie Morton (3.47 ERA last 12 appearances) will be traded, within a relatively thin starting pitching market with a lot of teams looking for rotation help — the Padres, Yankees, maybe the Mets or Astros; a number of teams have expressed interest. In the past, Morton has had a preference to pitch for a team closer to the East Coast and his Florida home, but he doesn’t control that. O’s GM Mike Elias does. — Buster Olney
Will Cleveland deal All-Star outfielder? The player asked about the most on the Guardians’ roster is Steven Kwan, but given that he is two and a half years away from free agency, it’s unlikely he’ll be traded, according to sources. Kwan’s slash line this year: .288/.352/.398. He also has 11 stolen bases and has made consecutive All-Star appearances. — Olney
Braves not looking to move Murphy: Sean Murphy‘s name has been tossed around in trade speculation, but according to sources, he will not be available. Atlanta’s catcher is playing well this year and will be playing under a high-value contract for the next three seasons — $15 million per year from 2026 to 2028, plus a team option in ’29. And the Braves are set up well with the right-handed-hitting Murphy and left-handed-hitting Drake Baldwin perhaps sharing the catching and DH spots into the future. — Olney
Why the 2022 Cy Young winner isn’t the most in-demand Marlins starter: Edward Cabrera has become more coveted than Sandy Alcantara, who teams believe might take an offseason to fix. Alcantara’s strikeout-to-walk ratio is scary low — just 1.9 — and his ERA is 7.14. Cabrera, on the other hand, is striking out more than a batter per inning and his ERA sits at 3.61. The 27-year-old right-hander will come at a heavy cost for opposing teams. — Jesse Rogers
How Kansas City is approaching the trade deadline: The Royals have signaled a willingness to trade, but with an eye toward competing again next year — meaning they aren’t willing to part with the core of their pitching staff. Other teams say Kansas City is (unsurprisingly) looking to upgrade its future offense in whatever it does.
Right-handed starter Seth Lugo will be the most-watched Royal before the deadline, since he holds a $15 million player option for 2026 “that you’d assume he’s going to turn down,” said one rival staffer. That’ll make it more difficult for other teams to place a trade value on him: The Royals could want to market him as more than a mere rental, while other teams figure he’ll go into free agency in the fall when he turns down his option. — Olney
What the Dodgers need at the deadline: The Dodgers’ offense has been a source of consternation lately, with Max Muncy out, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman slumping, and key hitters tasked with lengthening out the lineup — Teoscar Hernandez, Tommy Edman and Michael Conforto — also struggling.
But the Dodgers’ focus ahead of the deadline is still clearly the bullpen, specifically a high-leverage, right-handed reliever. Dodgers relievers lead the major leagues in innings pitched by a wide margin. Blake Treinen will be back soon, and Michael Kopech and Brusdar Graterol are expected to join him later in the season. But the Dodgers need at least one other trusted arm late in games.
It’s a stunning development, considering they returned the core of a bullpen that played a big role in last year’s championship run, then added Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates in free agency. But Scott and Yates have had their struggles, and there are enough injury concerns with several others that it’s a need. — Alden Gonzalez
Which D-backs starter is most coveted? The Diamondbacks are getting as many calls — if not more — about Zac Gallen as they are for Merrill Kelly, even though the latter starting pitcher is having the better season. Teams interested in adding to their rotations still have more faith in the 29-year-old Gallen than the 36-year-old Kelly. — Rogers
Who are the White Sox looking to deal? Chicago’s Adrian Houser seems likely to move, as a second-tier starter who has performed well this season. The 32-year-old right-hander was released by the Rangers in May but has been very effective since joining the White Sox rotation, giving up only two homers in 57⅔ innings and generating an ERA+ of 226. Nobody is taking those numbers at face value, but evaluators do view him as a market option. The White Sox also have some relievers worth considering.
But it seems unlikely that Luis Robert Jr. — once projected as a centerpiece of this deadline — will be dealt, unless a team makes a big bet on a player who has either underperformed or been hurt this year. The White Sox could continue to wait on Robert’s talent to manifest and his trade value to be restored by picking up his $20 million option for next year, which is hardly out of the question for a team with little future payroll obligation. — Olney
Why Rockies infielder could be popular deadline option: Colorado’s Ryan McMahon is the consolation prize for teams that miss out on Eugenio Suarez — if he’s traded at all. The Cubs could have interest and would pair him with Matt Shaw as a lefty/righty combo at third base. — Rogers
Does San Diego have enough to offer to make a big deal? The Padres have multiple needs ahead of the trade deadline — a left fielder, a catcher, a back-end starter. How adequately they can address them remains to be seen. The upper levels of their farm system have thinned out in recent years, and their budget might be tight.
The Padres dipped under MLB’s luxury-tax threshold last year, resetting the penalties. But FanGraphs projects their competitive balance tax payroll to finish at $263 million this year, easily clearing the 2025 threshold and just barely putting them into the second tier, triggering a 12% surcharge.
Padres general manager A.J. Preller might have to get creative in order to address his needs. One way he can do that is by buying and selling simultaneously. The Padres have several high-profile players who can hit the market this offseason — Dylan Cease, Michael King, Robert Suarez, Luis Arraez — and a few others who can hit the open market after 2026. Don’t be surprised to see Preller leverage at least one of those players, and their salaries, to help fill multiple needs. — Gonzalez
Which Orioles could be on the move? Not surprisingly, Baltimore is perceived as a dealer and is expected by other teams to move center fielder Cedric Mullins, first baseman/designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn and some relievers. — Olney
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