Former Phoenix Suns greats Amar'e Stoudemire and Mike D'Antoni delivered their Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame induction speeches on Aug. 15 in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Here's what Stoudemire and D'Antoni said about their time in Phoenix as both received standing ovations at the conclusion of their speeches at Symphony Hall.
"Playing for Phoenix as a rookie was important for me. As a high school player, growing up in Florida, you know, you're going to the NBA, and it's a different world. And to have an organization that understood that and really brought me in, and really molded me as a basketball player, helped me to become who I am today."
A McDonald's All-American who endured an unstable upbringing, Stoudemire had verbally committed to play at Memphis under then head coach John Calipari, but he elected to enter the 2002 NBA Draft.
"I had a pre-draft workout with a couple of teams, worked out in Phoenix. I had a brilliant workout. I felt great about that, and I was drafted ninth to the Phoenix Suns as a high schooler. At that time, Jerry Colangelo was the owner, Bryan Colangelo was GM. Rick Welts was there. So, I was ready to try to take on this journey of the NBA as a high schooler, a true high schooler."

#phoenix #schooler #Suns #d 'antoni

Drew Gilbert had never hit lead-off before. The vast majority of his plate appearances this season have come out of the 8th and 9th spots in the batting order. There's plenty of reasons why Gilbert wouldn't be seriously considered to bat first when constructing a Major League line-up. Mainly, he doesn't hit for average, he doesn't hit for power, nor does he inflate his on-base percentage with walks. Gilbert's barely the same species as a Kyle Schwarber or Shohei Ohtani, the 21st century take on the top spot. Considering he's swiped only 2 bases in 137 Major League games, Gilbert is pretty far from Vince Coleman and the more old-school, light-and-fast model too, aimed at wrecking havoc on the bases after beating out an infield single.
The lead-off man has been a revolving door for the Giants all season. It's been dependent on the opposing starter's arm, who's healthy, or the hot hand. No one has been particularly good at it. San Francisco's lead-off men have posted a .279 OBP — by far the lowest in the Majors. Their overall production, with a 89 wRC+, is well below league average.
The point of the offensive spear being not that pointy could explain some of the team's frustrating inconsistencies and overall struggles.
Game 123 of this doomed season, Tony Vitello is throwing spaghetti against the wall and seeing what sticks. Dating back to July 30th, in which the Giants have gone 4-10 while dropping four straight series, seven different players have hit lead-off. Pencilling Gilbert's name into the top spot — because why not? — made him the 13th player to serve in the role this year, which is the most in any Giants season since 1901.
13 might be a lucky number because Gilbert transformed himself to fit into the role. The middle schooler hyped-up on Mountain Dew Baja Blast energy he typically emanates at the plate was completely gone. In its place, a stoic figure, a discerning eye. The new number-1 went 3-for-4, with a walk, 3 runs batted in, and 2 runs scored. He worked a lead-off walk, taking six straight pitches, and didn't lift his bat off his shoulder. The Number- 9 hitter Gilbert probably would've swung a dozen times. But that Gilbert is dead now; or at least, repressed, stuffed in the locker of his subconsciousness (for the day at least), because when he came up again in the 3rd, nothing had changed. Gilbert was just as calm and disciplined. He took a first pitch fastball in the dirt for ball one, and an elevated curveball at the letters for ball two. Being ahead in the count matters, and Gilbert specifically needs that breathing room. He's hitting .300 with a 1.014 OPS (70 AB) when he's swinging with count leverage. When he's backed into a corner: .224 with a .585 OPS (85 AB).

#gilbert #major #doesn 't

Irvine (Calif.) Crean Lutheran defensive back Jacob Whitehead has committed to Arizona and broke down why he chose the Wildcats.
"I'm very excited about my decision," Whitehead said. "There were a lot of reasons why I chose Arizona but the biggest was my connection with the coaching staff.
"I have great relationships with the coaches there and really feel accepted by everyone. I love how excited they are to add me to such a great program and I love the all around fit."
Whitehead is a player we first saw as a middle schooler at the Under the Radar Camp four years ago. He burst on to the scene at Inglewood his first two years of high school before transferring in to St. John Bosco last fall.
He battled some injuries with the Braves and missed much of his junior season but played in the Navy All-American Bowl in January and then made the move in to Crean Lutheran this off-season.

#crean #lutheran

Some stars spend years working their way up, while others become unforgettable almost overnight. These 13 performers made an immediate impact with major debut roles that launched them straight into the spotlight. From pop icons to acclaimed actresses, they proved that one breakout performance can change an entire career.
TRF/ MEGA
Maisie Williams stunned audiences with her debut as Arya Stark, a character who quickly captured hearts and established her as a fan favorite. She landed the part at just 12 years old after beating out roughly 300 other girls who tried out for the role, as reported by Deadline. Her fearless performance made her an instant sensation and left a lasting legacy in the fantasy genre, proving she belonged on the biggest stage from the start.
Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / MEGA
Auli'i Cravalho shot to fame the moment she voiced the iconic Moana for Disney, soaring on her vocal talent and effortless charm. The then-unknown Hawaii high schooler was plucked for the role after Disney discovered a tape of her performing at a local charity showcase, according to Time.

#performance

Unlike other blue bloods, Michigan doesn't often reel in high five-star prospects. For every Rashan Gary and Bryce Underwood, there are classes without a single five-star in it that are developed into powerhouse football teams. The class of 2026 is the former, as Michigan brought in two five-stars this offseason in Savion Hiter and Carter Meadows. Meadows has the makings of a star, but will need some time to get ready for Big Ten action.
Meadows hails from Gonzaga High School in Washington D.C., one of the more well-known powerhouse high school programs. In fact, he was high school teammates with fellow Wolverine Kainoa Winston, and Evan Link also attended Gonzaga. In high school, Meadows was 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds. He possesses a frame that NFL scouts tend to drool over out of an edge rusher.
Naturally, a high schooler with elite athleticism and an NFL frame coming from a national powerhouse of a school was bound to get attention nationally. Meadows received offers from just about every major program, with 247Sports listing 29 offers. Carter made four official visits — South Carolina, Penn State, Ohio State and Michigan, in that order.
In typical fashion, Carter's recruitment came down to Michigan and Ohio State. While certain sites may try to convince you the Buckeyes weren't going all in on Meadows, that would be incorrect. Meadows committed to Michigan, as Lou Esposito and company were able to close on Meadows, and Kyle Whittingham and the new staff were able to retain him.
As for his on the field skills, Meadows is about as good as they come for his age. He is an explosive edge with incredible bend and football IQ. He plays smart and is an avid run-defender. Meadows is also advanced for his age when it comes to pass-rushing moves.

#michigan #high #school #powerhouse

The Patriots put three players on injury lists earlier this week and head coach Mike Vrabel said that a fourth will be joining them.
Vrabel said at his Friday press conference that safety/special teamer Brenden Schooler will go on the non-football injury list to open training camp. Vrabel did not share the nature of the issue that Schooler is dealing with, but said "he may be away for a little bit or out for a little bit."
Schooler had 19 tackles in the 2025 regular season and added six more in the playoffs. He was an All-Pro for his special teams work in 2024.
Linebacker Harold Landry and tight end C.J. Dippre are on the physically unable to perform list while running back Terrell Jennings joins Schooler on NFI.

#injury #little #Friday #brenden

After **** embling such a stellar class of 2027, it comes as no surprise to see the Wisconsin Badgers are already eyeing top 2028 recruits.
Illinois native Logan Thompson is a four-star athlete who stands 6-foot, 175-pounds.
The Althoff Catholic High Schooler is the No. 6 cornerback in the country, according to 247Sports. If that's not impressive enough, he's a top 50 recruit in the entire nation.
On3's Allen Trieu revealed that he has a visit lined up with LSU for their home opener, but Indiana has a planned visit as well.
Usually, the Badgers would already be out, knowing they're competing against top teams. Recently, though, they beat the likes of Alabama and Notre Dame to bring in one of Florida's premier linebackers, Cale Britt.

#althoff

The 20-round Major League Baseball Draft has concluded, and seven players with Indiana ties have selected — five from Indiana colleges and two from high schools.
Two first-round picks came from Indiana colleges: Indiana State outfielder Carter Beck, and Notre Dame pitcher Jack Radel. High schoolers Dylan Bowen (Hanover Central) and Hudson DeVaughan (Mooresville) were selected.
(with round, overall pick, name, position, college/high school, selecting team, season highlights if available)
(1) 26, Carter Beck, OF, Indiana State, Braves: Hit. 346 and was a Missouri Valley Conference first-team and all-defense selection.
(1) 28, Jack Radel, RHP, Notre Dame, Astros: 8-3 record with a 3.47 earned run average with 116 strikeouts in 87 2/3 innings.

The 20-round Major League Baseball Draft has concluded, and seven players with Indiana ties have selected — five from Indiana colleges and two from high schools.
Two first-round picks came from Indiana colleges: Indiana State outfielder Carter Beck, and Notre Dame pitcher Jack Radel. High schoolers Dylan Bowen (Hanover Central) and Hudson DeVaughan (Mooresville) were selected.
(with round, overall pick, name, position, college/high school, selecting team, season highlights if available)
(1) 26, Carter Beck, OF, Indiana State, Braves: Hit. 346 and was a Missouri Valley Conference first-team and all-defense selection.
(1) 28, Jack Radel, RHP, Notre Dame, Astros: 8-3 record with a 3.47 earned run average with 116 strikeouts in 87 2/3 innings.

Those hoping hoping to see the Sox splash the cash on some hard-to-sign candidates on day 2 of the MLB Draft were immediately disappointed, as the Red Sox spent their fifth round pick on Lucas Davenport, a pitcher out of Baylor University who was unranked by both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline heading into the draft.
Davenport is a beastly 6-6, 230 lbs. and his pick launched a mini-run on those big college pitchers Craig Breslow likes so much: sixth rounder Brett Lanman, a 6-5, 23o lbs. lefty out of Abilene Christian, eighth rounder Josh Volmerding, a 6-4, 210 lbs. lefty out of California Polytech, thirteenth rounder Mason Lei, a 6-4, 215 lbs. righty out of the University of Illinois-Chicago, and fifteenth rounder Chase Frey, a 6-6 225 lbs. lefty out of Grand Canyon University.
The highlights of Day 2 are the two higher-ranked high schoolers the Sox nabbed back-to-back in the ninth and tenth rounds. Ninth rounder Martin Shelar, an outfielder, comes out of the baseball powerhouse that is the Marist School in Georgia. He has massive power potential, is committed to Mississippi State, and was ranked as the 65th-best prospect overall by FanGraphs, 125th by Baseball America, and 175th by MLB Pipeline.
Tenth rounder Kaleb LaFavor out of Bishop Heelan Catholic High School in Sioux City, Iowa is a towering 6-7 righty with a ton of extension who can already hit 95 MPH on the gun. He was ranked the 171st-best prospect by ESPN evaluator Kiley McDaniel, 465th by Baseball America, and is committed to the University of Iowa. Craig Breslow's got bonus pool money burning a hole in his pocket, and it's going to go to these guys in hopes of enticing them away from college (speaking as someone who spent a fair bit of time partying in Iowa City as a 22-year-old, good luck in LeFavor's case).
Here's the full slate of day 2 picks:

The Braves had a whirlwhind day one of the 2026 MLB draft, taking five players overall who all are due to slot in the top 20 of the system immediately upon signing. Yet even going with likely over slot pitchers in the second through fourth rounds there is still a feeling they have the wiggle room to fit a bit of talent into day two of the draft. Today will run through rounds 5 through 20 of the draft, so be sure to stick around Battery Power for a rundown of the players drafted today and who we think will make the biggest impact.
5th Round (144th): LHP Wil Libbert, Ole Miss — Libbert had a rough junior season, but has above average velocity and a four-pitch repertoire. He's a bit more of a project than the typical college arm, but has a high ceiling than most 5th round college guys as well.
6th Round (173rd): RHP Tyson Grulkowski, Muskego HS (WI) — A big-bodied high schooler with plus feel for spin, Grulkowski is a projectable high school arm that proves the Braves are still spending money on day two. More from Matt Powers: https://www.batterypower.c...
7th Round (202nd): C Jack Brenner, Fond du Lac HS (WI) — Into the Wisconsin prep ranks again, the Braves grabbed an athletic catcher. The Braves have had good luck developing catchers in recent years.
8th Round (232nd): C Jacob Jarrell, Clemson — The senior signs are going to fill up the rest of the first ten rounds now. Jarrell has swing and miss issues but finished his senior season with 18 home runs and has real raw power. He is expected to stick behind the plate at the professional level.

The Cubs finished up the first day of the MLB Draft by selecting Northwestern State (LA) right-handed pitcher Dylan Marionneaux win the fourth round. The junior right-hander went 4-2 with a 3.51 ERA in 14 starts with the Demons of the Southland Conference. He struck out 81 and walked 18 in 84.2 innings. Marionneaux was named to the first-team Southland Conference All-Conference team this year. He had committed to transferring to Alabama for his senior season before the Cubs drafted him. That’s about all I know about him.
So this one is a head-scratcher, although the Cubs almost certainly drafted Marionneaux because he’s willing to sign for a below-slot bonus that would allow the Cubs to give an big above-slot bonus to one of many high school players still on board for Sunday. Marionneaux is not listed on any of the published lists of draft prospects, and Baseball America covers the top 500 prospects.
Even if Marionneaux is a “signability” pick for another, better player later on, there must have been something that they liked about him anyways. Certainly his control numbers look good. And sometimes these signability players end up surprising everyone. Riley Martin was a fifth-year senior the Cubs drafted out Quincy University in 2021 who signed for $1000. But before he got hurt, Martin was looking like he was going to be an important part of the Cubs bullpen this year.
Last year’s third-round pick, Dominick Reid, and their fifth-round pick, Kade Snell, weren’t quite so out of the blue as Marionneaux is, but they were below slot picks that allowed them to draft high schoolers Kaleb Wing and Josiah Hartshorn, who are now two of the Cubs top propsects.
If you’re looking at high school players still on the board in the fifth round, there’s right-hander Joseph Contreras, son of former All-Star pitcher José Contreras, two-way player Archer Horn, right-hander Savion Sims, outfielder Blake Bowen and others.

On the eve of the 2026 MLB Draft, Jay Johnson and company got a massive surprise when Aledo, Texas outfielder/left-handed pitcher Lucas Nawrocki announced Friday night on his Instagram that he would be withdrawing from the draft and enrolling at LSU.
Nawrocki really made a name for himself at the MLB Draft Combine and Over the Slot's Joe Doyle projected Nawrocki as a prospect who could command $2 million from an MLB team. Nawrocki can legitimately play both ways, with a fastball that comfortably sits 95 MPH from the left side, a slider that some scouts say is the best among high schoolers, and he showed off some pretty impressive pop in his bat.
The knock on Nawrocki is his physicality. Listed at 5'11", scouts feel like he'll never project to a starter at the Major League level, though he could certainly develop into a high-leverage lefty reliever, and that likely factored into getting Nawrocki to campus.
Nawrocki will get the chance to play both ways at LSU, but his immediate future is in the bullpen. LSU's lineup is more or less set, but the Tigers desperately need some more left-handed pitching coming out of the bullpen. The only lefty relievers LSU has returning are Danny Lachenmayer, Cooper Williams, and Ethan Plogg, and that is Nawrocki's ticket to some immediate playing time in 2027.
Nawrocki is the third marquee recruit from Jay Johnson's class to bypass the draft and stick with their LSU commitment, joining outfielder Nathaneal Davis and Braxton Beaty, another lefty pitcher.

The 2026 MLB Draft begins in Philadelphia on July 11, with the Chicago White Sox picking first overall. A promising young franchise that needs an injection into its middling farm system, who will the Southsiders land on? Will it be UCLA's star shortstop and longtime consensus No. 1 pick Roch Cholowsky? Georgia Tech's breakout star catcher Vahn Lackey? Or will the White Sox follow in the footsteps of the Washington Nationals last year and pick Texas high schooler Grady Emerson?
All options are on the table for Chicago, which heads into the All-Star break battling for first in the AL Central with the Cleveland Guardians. From there, it's anyone's guess. The Tampa Bay Rays will be picking second, the Minnesota Twins third, the San Francisco Giants fourth, and the Pittsburgh Pirates round out the top five.
The White Sox now face an interesting decision. White Sox amateur scouting director Mike Shirley has indicated the team won't be rushing anyone to the Bigs, regardless of team success. "Our guys have done a tremendous job in letting the player mature," Shirley said to MLB.com earlier this season. "Even the 1-1 pick, he'll tell us when he's ready. In some ways the development of this, maybe the player doesn't have to be rushed to support the organization."
That certainly doesn't signal a philosophy shift is imminent, though the franchise likely wouldn't want to tip its hand. The Rays and Twins won't be moved off their building strategies, and the Giants need to find a way to right the ship in San Francisco.
The slot value at No. 1 overall is $11,350,600, up 2.5% from last season.

Warrenton High School graduate Jacob Morrow is a classic case of hard work pays off.
The 24 year old was a versatile athlete at Warrenton excelling in football, basketball and baseball. Though Morrow was a three-sport athlete, like many of the high schoolers in Clatsop County, his best sport was baseball.
Morrow made the Warrenton varsity baseball team as a freshman and was a two-time all-state player his sophomore and junior years. Due to Morrow graduating in 2020, he missed out on much of his senior year due to the pandemic.
After graduating from Warrenton, he went on to attend Linn Benton Community College in Albany, then finished up his college career at Washington State University. Much like in his high school days, Morrow was a standout in baseball at both Linn Benton and WSU. He spent two years as a starter on a very competitive Linn Benton roster, before being named to the Buster Posey watch list his senior year as a Cougar. The Buster Posey Award, formerly known as the Johnny Bench Award, was created in 2000 to honor college baseball's top catcher in the National Collegiate Athletic ***** ociation's Division I. The award was renamed in 2019 after Johnny Bench announced the creation of his own national award for amateur catchers. The commission renamed it after Buster Posey and schools nominate their catchers during the season to create the official watch list.
Upon graduating from college in 2024, Morrow took his talents to Cleburne, Texas and the Independent League. The small town located about 40 minutes outside of Fort Worth served as the start of Morrow's professional baseball journey. Brian Bruney was the last player from Clatsop County to make it to the Major Leagues. Bruney had a 9-year big league career and won a World Series with the New York Yankees in 2009. Morrow hopes his time playing in the Independent League will help him get there.

Symbotic Inc. (NASDAQ:SYM) was among the stocks on Jim Cramer's Mad Money radar as he taught investors how to profit from the upcoming wave of takeovers. Noting that they have a position in the stock, a caller asked for guidance, and Cramer replied:
I have to tell you, the company is making money. I think it's a very good spec. I reiterate that. I'm not against Symbotic. Look, Symbotic, there's so many losing-money companies out there that people buy; this one is not. I think it's a decent spec, and it's too low.
Photo by Adam Nowakowski on Unsplash
Symbotic Inc. (NASDAQ:SYM) develops automation technologies that improve efficiency in large warehouses and distribution centers. During the lightning round of the April 24 episode, a caller inquired about the stock, and Cramer commented:
Well, you know, you're a high schooler and I would tell you that this is a company that is a, it's an automation company and a robotic company. You are going up against Elon Musk, but there's room for both. So I'm going to bless… to buy a few, a couple of shares, not more, buy a couple of shares. Let's see how we do.

The Mariners lost to the Guardians, 4-3, and are now 42-42 on the season.
I am not a particular Douglas Adams fan but read The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy as a middle-schooler, as one does, so I could understand my older cousins’ inside jokes. 42, of course, is the answer to ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything – the catch is, no one knows what the question is. As a literal-minded middle-schooler I was pretty annoyed by this conceit, and more annoyed when I found out later that Adams picked the number 42 entirely at random – an empty answer to a question that didn’t even know what it was asking.
Older, now, and less literal-minded, I can appreciate words that fill in gaps for concepts too hard to name – tough one tonight – and how some questions don’t have answers, or even questions. The 2026 Mariners have won 42 games. The 2026 Mariners have lost 42 games. They are a good team, and also a not-good-enough team.
Tonight the Mariners hitters pounded the ball into the ground against Guardians starter Slade Cecconi, who retired seven of the first batters he faced on grounders. The only damage he allowed the first time through the order was a two-out double to Dominic Canzone, hitting in the three-hole spot for the first time in his career, and even the joy of that was tempered as Canzone, who’s been struggling with a **** hamstring, ran gingerly into second base. The hamstring was obviously bothering Canzone, who was serving as DH, all game; postgame Dan Wilson said the injury was “playable,” which is a word that has some meaning, somewhere, maybe, but not a tremendous amount here, or now.
From there, it was mostly the frustrating Mariners offense you’ve become accustomed to watching over the past few weeks. A leadoff single from Julio Rodríguez in the fourth was squandered after a variety of weak-contact outs. Cole Young uncharacteristically blew a Mariners challenge early, perhaps reacting in frustration after a tough check swing call in the third. Ground ball out. Ground ball out. Groundhog Day.

Nine-year-old Eevie Sayana shyly acknowledged how much fun it was to win a round of Simon Says played with a pair of Olympians Tuesday to mark the internationally celebrated Olympic Day in Salt Lake City's Liberty Park.
Eevie said she liked having to listen closely to the prompts from a Youth City instructor, Ciney Sanchez, and not be tricked into making a hop, jump or other movement that wasn't preceded by "Simon says."
But what really made the experience enjoyable?
"Playing it," she said before joining another round of the competitions set up in the park by the Utah Organizing Committee for the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games with the help of a half-dozen Olympians and Paralympians and the summer program for grade schoolers.
That love of the game is key to staying motivated as an athlete, said long track speedskater Conor McDermott-Mostowy after playing Simon Says himself. McDermott-Mostowy, who made his Olympic debut this year at Italy's 2026 Winter Games, said there's also a lot to be learned.

Greg Gard and the Wisconsin Badgers secured a nice commitment with seven-footer Jack Thelen out of Maple Grove, Minnesota. A move that may help shape the Badgers' frontcourt for years to come. The idea is pretty simple: you can't teach size.
Landing a legit seven-footer is difficult in today's transfer-driven college basketball landscape. Even Thelen's listed weight (hovering around 235-240 pounds) could be a major advantage once developed within the program's system.
Wisconsin's long-term approach is to get Thelen into the program and allow him to develop as many Badgers big men over the last several years. Thelen isn't expected to crack the rotation immediately. He represents a lottery ticket that could become an answer to some of the larger frontcourts the Badgers routinely see in the Big Ten.
What makes Thelen stand out? Start with his strong footwork, rare for a high schooler his size. He flashes the ability to combine a variety of post moves while staying balanced, using drop steps, pivots, and counters. On film, Thelen also shows he's been well coached, keeping the ball high off passes and rebounds to finish quickly at the rim.
Recruiting a player like Thelen isn't just about on-court fit; it demonstrates the need to add size in today's college game. In the modern portal era, landing and developing size internally is more cost-effective than chasing expensive transfers every offseason.

Major League Baseball could be about to change the entire landscape of college baseball. A new proposal from the MLB on Thursday would remove high school players from the draft entirely, while allowing college players to declare after their sophomore seasons.
The new rules, if passed, would obviously change the entire look of college baseball. 96 high school prospects were selected and signed in the 2025 MLB Draft, for reference. That number has been on the decline in recent years, due to a number of different factors. This proposal would force top-level talent to participate at the college level, which would elevate the game to even new heights.
This season, 140 high schoolers have been invited to participate in the MLB Combine. 334 players total will compete in the event. Imagine the difference in the game if all 140 of those elite level athletes hit the college baseball scene.
“Over the last several years, college baseball has undergone a remarkable transformation,” MLB said in a statement. “Expanded scholarships, NIL opportunities, revenue sharing and significant investments in facilities and player development have made college baseball an increasingly important pathway that is producing major league-ready talent at an accelerated rate.”
For a program like Tennessee, this is a potentially major development. The Volunteers hold the nation’s No. 3 ranked recruiting class in the 2026 cycle, according to Perfect Game. Tennessee has been a mainstay in the top five since Tony Vitello revitalized the program, although several of those top commitments never made it to campus.

Major League Baseball proposed a sweeping overhaul of its draft eligibility system on Thursday, June 18, including the elimination of high school draftee eligibility as a part of the ongoing collective bargaining negotiations with the MLBPA.
Under the proposal, players would become draft-eligible following their sophomore year of college. Currently, players who enroll in college cannot enter the draft until after their junior season or upon turning 21, whichever comes first.
"Over the last several years, college baseball has undergone a remarkable transformation," MLB said in a statement. "Expanded scholarships, NIL opportunities, revenue sharing and significant investments in facilities and player development have made college baseball an increasingly important pathway that is producing major league-ready talent at an accelerated rate."
The number of high school players selected in the draft has already declined in recent years as college baseball has become more attractive. In 2021, there were 115 high schoolers drafted. By 2025, that number had fallen to 96.
This announcement comes just one month before the 2026 MLB Draft, which will see a number of elite high school players drafted. Of the 334 players invited to the MLB Draft Combine next week, 140 players are in high school.

Two Volusia County athletes are making the journey to the Pacific Northwest to participate in USA Track and Field’s Under-20 Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon, beginning on June 18.
Former DeLand pole vaulter and current Florida International freshman Kylie Neira and recent New Smyrna Beach graduate Brison Sullivan will compete in the event to potentially earn spots in the U20 World Championships in August.
Neira graduated in 2025 as Volusia County’s only pole vault state champion since the turn of the millennium, doing so twice in Class 4A. She’s already made history at FIU with a 4.22-meter vault that set the Panthers’ freshman record and was the third-highest in program history.
Sullivan will begin the first part of his summer break competing in the javelin after finishing high school. Sullivan won the Class 3A javelin championship with an FHSAA-record throw of 65.21 meters, placing him ninth in the United States among high schoolers.
Neira and Sullivan will compete simultaneously at 3 p.m. Eastern on the meet’s opening day.

Boy, 5, sneaks out alone for Chick-fil-A. His 1st question had police laughing.

Before the sun was fully up and long before the rest of his family stirred, William, a 5-year-old boy in Jacksonville, Florida, quietly climbed out of bed and decided his parents deserved a little more sleep. He felt hungry, and rather than wake anyone, the preschooler settled on a plan that made perfect sense to him: he would take himself out for breakfast.
Moments later he slipped out of the house, through a gate, and padded barefoot down the block to the nearby Chick-fil-A he knew from weekend outings.
In b

A heated school board meeting led authorities to reveal that a Louisiana middle schooler was charged with sharing AI-created nude images of a 13-year-old classmate.