MLB Player News

Porter winds up in Los Angeles just a few days after signing a minor league contract with the club. The 30-year-old will serve as Logan O’Hoppe’s caddy with Sebastián Rivero hitting the injured list with a hamate fracture.

Ashcraft concluded a strong first-half performance with a bit of a dud against Milwaukee’s loaded lineup. He coughed up five hits, including home runs to Jake Bauers and Sal Frelick. The 26-year-old is headed to next week’s All-Star Game in Philadelphia after posting a respectable 3.49 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 128/27 K/BB ratio across 113 1/3 innings across 19 starts.

Sproat wrapped up the first half by requiring a staggering 83 pitches (51 strikes) to complete three frames in an abbreviated outing to kick off Saturday’s doubleheader at PNC Park. The 25-year-old heads into the All-Star break with a pedestrian 5.16 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 87/39 K/BB ratio over 82 innings. He’s been much better over the last few weeks, but has consistently struggled to work deep into outings.

This is not the best prep pitching prospect class, but Rojas is the best of the eligible arms, and he’s not a consolation prize. He’s a 6-foot-4 left-hander who still offers projection in his left arm, but already gets his fastball up to 98 mph, and there’s enough life to the offering it could be a plus-plus offering at the next level. He also shows a slider that flashes 60 grades on the 20-80 scouting scale, but that pitch and an average change still need work. There’s plenty of time for that to improve considering he just turn 19 at the end of June, and he repeats his delivery well enough to project solid command of his arsenal. He’s probably closer to mid-rotation than a frontline starter, but if the secondary pitches do make a jump, he can reach the latter.

Jung has gone 2-for-7 with three runs scored in a pair of games after missing three contests earlier this week due to right knee soreness. It doesn’t appear to be a concern heading into the All-Star break.

Helfrick was a considerable source of power for the Razorbacks, hitting 33 homers in his sophomore junior seasons including 18 in 2026. The 21-year-old swings from the right side, and as you can probably guess from those power numbers, there’s potential for plus pop in his swing; the type you see in hitters who routinely hit 30 homers or thereabouts. The hit tool, however, is more of a question mark. He struck out 55 times in 62 games for Arkansas last season, and while it also came with 55 walks, the patience along with long levers makes him someone who likely won’t hit for a high average; even if he does post a solid on-base percentage. He should be a solid defender behind the plate, and hitters who can pile up the homers while playing backstop always have a place on a roster.

Potentially, the steal of the draft. Lombard is the brother of George Lombard Jr. -- and of course the son of former big-leaguer George Lombard -- and with all due respect to those two names, Jacob has a chance to be the best of the family. He’s an outstanding athlete that puts up plus-plus run times, and on top of that upper-echelon speed, he has significant power potential in his right-handed bat. There are likely going to be contact issues because of his long swing and aggressive approach, but the ball jumps off of his bat, so he could be the rare player who strikes out a bunch and hits for a high average. Lombard also should be able to stay at shortstop, but he could probably play anywhere but behind the plate as a professional. There’s a little bit of risk because of the swing-and-miss, but you could argue that his profile comes with the most reward of any bat in the class.

No relation to Charlie. Condon is one of the best prep bats in the class, and he has a swing from the left side that suggest he’s going to hit for a high average thanks to its plane and quickness through the zone. There’s serious questions about the power, and right now, asking for more than 12-15 bombs in a season is asking too much. He’s an elite baserunner, however, so he should compensate with a good amount of steals — assuming he gets on enough to run, of course. Condon is also a terrific defender, and even with the lack of pop, there’s a lot to like here.

Grindlinger reclassified from the 2027 draft to join this year’s class, and immediately became the top two-way prospect eligible. There’s added intrigue in his profile as a player who doesn’t turn 18 until next April, so it’s very unlikely we’ve seen anything close to the best of the 6-foot-3 southpaw as of yet. As a hitter, he shows a swing from the left side that suggests he could have a plus hit tool, and while there’s not much power present, there’s enough bat speed to project average -- perhaps better -- pop in the coming years. He’s more advanced as a pitcher who touches the mid 90s with his heater with plenty of projection left, and he also shows a quality change and above-average slider at times, too. Whether he focuses on one side or does both, Grindlinger is certainly a fantasy prospect that is worth keeping an eye on, even acknowledging that it could be half a decade before he reaches the majors.

Hacopian transferred to Texas A&M after posting an impressive .375/.502/.656 with Maryland in 2025, and while he didn’t match those numbers in 2026 (.319/.405/.578), he certainly did enough to remain one of the top collegiate bats in the class. It’s also worth noting that he dealt with back issues this spring, which can help explain the dip in production. When at his best, Hacopian makes hard contact to all parts of the field, and there’s enough power in his right-handed bat to project 20-plus homer seasons at the highest level. The biggest concern is that he’s a below-average runner, and there’s a chance he’ll need to move from the middle-infield. The bat can play at third or left field, but obviously that puts more pressure on him to reach his offensive upside. There’s reason for optimism, but Hacopian might profile as a better “real-life” prospect than a future fantasy star.