The 2025 MLB Home Run Derby, one of baseball’s marquee events and an annual appetizer ahead of the All-Star Game, is here again and this year the intriguing field of participants includes the league’s current home run leader, one of the youngest sluggers in the sport and the player with the hardest hit homer of the season.

The format, according to MLB, once again will be a test of power and endurance with three rounds of hitting for the two players that make it to the final. Each batter in the first round hits for up to three minutes or up to 40 balls, whichever comes first. At the end of the timed round, each hitter will receive a minimum of three bonus outs, and a fourth bonus out may be achieved by hitting a home run of at least 425 feet during the bonus swings.

The top four home run totals will advance to a seeded and bracketed semifinal matchup (3 vs. 2; 4 vs. 1) in which each hitter will bat for up to two minutes or up to 27 balls. The two semifinal winners will meet in the final round, which will also last for up to two minutes or up to 27 balls. The same bonus rules will apply for all three rounds and hitters will also be given one time out per round.

Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, who has an MLB-best 38 home runs through 96 games heading into the All-Star break, is the favorite to win for the first time. But Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz and Washington Nationals outfielder James Wood are top contenders as well. Matt Olson recently replaced Braves teammate Ronald Acuna Jr. in this year’s home run derby.

Here’s a look at the complete odds for the 2025 MLB Home Run Derby, as well as experts’ predictions and picks for Monday night’s competition in Atlanta:

When is 2025 MLB Home Run Derby: Start time, date

The 2025 MLB Home Run Derby is scheduled to take place on Monday, July 14 at Truist Park in Atlanta. The competition is slated to begin at 8 p.m. ET.

MLB Home Run Derby 2025 odds: Favorites, best bets

Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, who leads the majors in homers with 38 this season, is the favorite to win the 2025 MLB Home Run Derby.

BetMGM odds for Home Run Derby winner as of Monday, July 14 at 11 a.m. ET

Cal Raleigh, Seattle Mariners: +280
Oneil Cruz, Pittsburgh Pirates: +350
James Wood, Washington Nationals: +400
Matt Olson, Atlanta Braves: +900
Brent Rooker, Athletics: +900
Byron Buxton, Minnesota Twins: +950
Junior Caminero, Tampa Bay Rays: +1000
Jazz Chisholm Jr., New York Yankees: +1500

2025 Home Run Derby picks, predictions

Sportsbook Wire: Cal Raleigh

‘Even though Cal Raleigh is the chalk, he is still a strong play. The current MLB home run leader hit one in March (5 games), nine in April (25 games), 12 in May (27 games) and 11 in June (26 games). He didn’t slow down in July, hitting five in just 11 games. This is Raleigh’s first time visiting Truist Park since May 2023, and he didn’t have any homers in his 4 at-bats across 2 games. However, things have changed dramatically, as Raleigh has been a beast lately.’

MLB.com: James Wood

‘The 22-year-old has put up MVP-level numbers, ranking among MLB’s top 10 by WAR and showing prodigious, downright terrifying all-fields power. … This is the biggest stage Wood has been on so far in his young career.’

ESPN: Experts split among four players

Only two of ESPN’s five MLB experts had the same pick to win the 2025 MLB Home Run Derby, with Braves first baseman Matt Olson receiving two votes. Cal Raleigh, James Wood and ONeil Cruz were also predicted winners.

Jeff Passan: Cal Raleigh
Buster Olney: Matt Olson
Alden Gonzalez: Oneil Cruz
Jesse Rogers: Matt Olson
Jorge Castillo: James Wood

Sports Illustrated: Byron Buxton

‘He’s second in the field in slugging percentage this season at .574, with Raleigh being the only participant sporting a higher mark. He has already hit 21 home runs in 78 games this season, and he has the athleticism and endurance that Raleigh may lack.’

Watch the Home Run Derby with Fubo

How to watch 2025 Home Run Derby: TV channel, live streaming

The 2025 Home Run Derby will be broadcast live on ESPN and ESPN2, with live streaming available via the WatchESPN app and Fubo beginning at 8 p.m. ET

Date: Monday, July 14
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Truist Park (Atlanta)
TV: ESPN, ESPN2
Streaming: Fubo

ATLANTA — The Washington Nationals ushered in a new era in franchise history by plucking a second-generation star who may soon emerge as a D.C. cornerstone.

Yet the move was something of a shocker.

Eli Willits, son of former major league outfielder Reggie Willits, was picked first by the Nationals in Sunday’s Major League Baseball draft, the club opting for the less-heralded Oklahoma prep shortstop coming into this season.

In doing so, they bypassed Ethan Holliday, son of seven-time All-Star Matt Holliday, who was aiming to follow in older brother Jackson’s footsteps by getting selected first overall.

‘I’m excited, thankful to the Nationals organization for giving me this chance… I’m ready to get to work,’ Willits told MLB Network.

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DRAFT GRADES: Analyzing every first-round pick
ETHAN HOLLIDAY: Prep phenom follows in father’s footsteps with Rockies

Willits’ selection comes one week after owner Mark Lerner signaled a massive shift in organization structure, firing president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez, who served as architect and shepherd, respectively, of their 2019 World Series champions.

While such a drastic move might have seemed extreme one week before owning the No. 1 pick, the Nationals had narrowed their gaze for their selection considerably by then, with Holliday, collegiate left-hander Kade Anderson and Willits the industry consensus finalists.

Ultimately, they chose Willits, who reclassified to this draft to be eligible at just 17 years old. It’s possible the Nationals cut a deal with Willits to provide a bigger bonus pool for subsequent picks.

‘I’m a player that’s going to give everything I’ve got,” Willits said. “I feel like my power is up-and-coming, but I needed to get into an organization like the Nationals that could develop that and take it to the next level.”

Willits visited Nationals Park the first week of June as the club narrowed its field of potential picks. Ultimately, they chose a left-handed infielder who batted .473 with 14 doubles, one triple, eight home runs, 34 RBI, 27 walks, 47 stolen bases and 56 runs scored while striking out just four times for Fort Cobb-Broxton High School, a squad that squared off with Holliday’s Stillwater High School team earlier this season.

The slot value of the No. 1 pick this season is $11.075 million.

2025 MLB Draft picks tracker

Washington Nationals – Eli Willits, SS, Fort Cobb-Broxton HS (OK)
Los Angeles Angels – Tyler Bremner, RHP, UC Santa Barbara
Seattle Mariners – Kade Anderson, LHP, LSU
Colorado Rockies – Ethan Holliday, SS, Stillwater HS (OK)
St. Louis Cardinals – Liam Doyle, LHP, Tennessee
Pittsburgh Pirates – Seth Hernandez, RHP, Corona Senior HS (CA)
Miami Marlins – Aiva Arquette, SS, Oregon State
Toronto Blue Jays – JoJo Parker, RHP, Purvis HS (MS)
Cincinnati Reds – Steele Hall, SS, Hewitt-Trussville HS (AL)
Chicago White Sox – Billy Carlson, SS, Corona Senior HS (CA)
Athletics – Jamie Arnold, LHP, Florida State
Texas Rangers – Gavin Fien, SS, Great Oak HS (CA)
San Francisco Giants – Gavin Kilen, SS, Tennessee
Tampa Bay Rays – Daniel Pierce, SS, Mill Creek HS (GA)
Boston Red Sox – Kyson Witherspoon, RHP, Oklahoma
Minnesota Twins – Marek Houston, SS, Wake Forest
Chicago Cubs – Ethan Conrad, OF, Wake Forest
Arizona Diamondbacks – Kayson Cunningham, SS, Lady Bird HS (TX)
Baltimore Orioles – Ike Irish, C/OF, Auburn
Milwaukee Brewers – Andrew Fischer, 3B, Tennessee
Houston Astros – Xavier Neyens, SS, Mt. Vernon HS (WA)
Atlanta Braves – Tate Southisene, SS, Basic HS (NV)
Kansas City Royals – Sean Gamble, OF, IMG Academy (FL)
Detroit Tigers – Jordan Yost, SS, Sickles HS (FL)
San Diego Padres – Kruz Schoolcraft, LHP, Sunset HS (OR)
Philadelphia Phillies – Gage Wood, RHP, Arkansas
Cleveland Guardians – Jace LaViolette, OF, Texas A&M

Prospect Promotion Incentive picks

28. Kansas City Royals – Josh Hammond, SS, Wesleyan Christian Academy (NC)

Compensation picks

29. Arizona Diamondbacks – Patrick Forbes, RHP, Louisville
30. Baltimore Orioles – Caden Bodine, C, Coastal Carolina
31. Baltimore Orioles – Wehiwa Aloy, SS, Arkansas
32. Milwaukee Brewers – Brady Ebel, SS, Corona Senior HS (CA)

Competitive Balance Round A

33. Boston Red Sox  – Marcus Phillips, RHP, Tennessee
34. Detroit Tigers – Michael Oliveto, C, Hauppauge HS (NY)
35. Seattle Mariners – Luke Stevenson, C, North Carolina
36. Minnesota Twins – Riley Quick, RHP, Alabama
37. Baltimore Orioles – Slater de Brun, OF, Summit HS (OR)

Continued first round (CBT penalties)

38. New York Mets – Mitch Voit, two-way player, Michigan
39. New York Yankees – Dax Kilby, SS, Newman HS (GA)
40. Los Angeles Dodgers – Zachary Root, LHP, Arkansas

Continued Competitive Balance Round A

41. Los Angeles Dodgers – Charles Davalan, OF, Arkansas
42. Tampa Bay Rays – Brendan Summerhill, OF, Arizona
43. Miami Marlins – Cam Cannarella, OF, Clemson

Second round

44. Chicago White Sox – Jaden Fauske, OF, Nazareth Academy (IL)
45. Colorado Rockies – JB Middleton, RHP, Southern Mississippi
46. Miami Marlins – Brandon Compton, OF, Arizona State
47. Los Angeles Angels – Chase Shores, RHP LSU
48. Athletics – Devin Taylor, OF, Indiana
49. Washington Nationals – Ethan Petry, OF, South Carolina
50. Pittsburgh Pirates – Angel Cervantes, RHP, Warren HS (CA)
51. Cincinnati Reds – Aaron Watson, RHP, Trinity Christian Academy (FL)
52. Texas Rangers – AJ Russell, RHP, Tennessee
53. Tampa Bay Rays – Cooper Flemming, SS, Ganesha HS (CA)
54. Minnesota Twins – Quentin Young, SS, Oaks Christian HS (CA)
55. St. Louis Cardinals – Ryan Mitchell, OF, Houston HS (TN)
56. Chicago Cubs – Kane Kepley, OF, North Carolina
57. Seattle Mariners – Nick Becker, SS, Don Bosco Prep HS (NJ)
58. Baltimore Orioles – Joseph Dzierwa, LHP Michigan State
59. Milwaukee Brewers – J.D. Thompson, LHP Vanderbilt
60. Atlanta Braves – Alex Lodise, SS Florida State
61. Kansas City Royals – Michael Lombardi, RHP, Tulane
62. Detroit Tigers – Malachi Witherspoon, RHP, Oklahoma
63. Philadelphia Phillies – Cade Obermueller, LHP, Iowa
64. Cleveland Guardians – Dean Curley, SS, Tennessee
65. Los Angeles Dodgers – Cam Leiter, RHP, Florida State

Competitive Balance Round B

66. Cleveland Guardians – Aaron Walton, OF, Arizona

Compensation picks

67. Tampa Bay Rays – Dean Moss, OF, IMG Academy (FL)
68. Milwaukee Brewers – Frank Cairone, LHP, Delsea Reg HS (NJ)

Competitive Balance Round B

69. Baltimore Orioles – JT Quinn, RHP, Georgia
70. Cleveland Guardians – Will Hynes, RHP, Lorne Park SS (Canada)
71. Kansas City Royals – Justin Lamkin, LHP, Texas A&M
72. St. Louis Cardinals – Tanner Franklin, RHP, Tennessee
73. Pittsburgh Pirates – Murf Gray, 3B, Fresno State
74. Colorado Rockies – Max Belyeu, OF, Texas

Compensation pick

75. Boston Red Sox – Henry Godbout, SS, Virginia

Third round

76. Chicago White Sox – Kyle Lodise, SS, Georgia Tech
77. Colorado Rockies – Ethan Hedges, 3B, USC
78. Miami Marlins – Max Williams, OF, Florida State
79. Los Angeles Angels – Johnny Slawinski, LHP, Lyndon B. Johnson HS (TX)
80. Washington Nationals – Landon Harmon, RHP, East Union HS (MS)
81. Toronto Blue Jays – Jake Cook, LHP Southern Mississippi
82. Pittsburgh Pirates – Easton Carmichael, C, Oklahoma
83. Cincinnati Reds – Mason Morris, RHP, Ole Miss
84. Texas Rangers – Josh Owens, two-way player, Providence Academy (TN)
85. San Francisco Giants – Trevor Cohen, OF, Rutgers
86. Tampa Bay Rays – Taitn Gray, C, Dallas Center-Grimes HS (IA)
87. Boston Red Sox – Anthony Eyanson, RHP, LSU
88. Minnesota Twins – James Ellwanger, RHP, Dallas Baptist
89. St. Louis Cardinals – Jack Gurevitch, 1B, University of San Diego
90. Chicago Cubs – Dominick Reid, RHP, Abilene Christian
91. Seattle Mariners – Griffin Hugus, RHP, Miami (FL)
92. Arizona Diamondbacks – Brian Curley, RHP, Georgia
93. Baltimore Orioles – RJ Austin, OF, Vanderbilt
94. Milwaukee Brewers – Jacob Morrison, RHP, Coastal Carolina
95. Houston Astros – Ethan Frey, OF, LSU
96. Atlanta Braves – Cody Miller, SS, East Tennessee State
97. Kansas City Royals – Cameron Millar, RHP, Alhambra HS (CA)
98. Detroit Tigers – Ben Jacobs, LHP, Arizona State
99. San Diego Padres – Ryan Wideman, OF, Western Kentucky
100. Philadelphia Phillies – Cody Bowker, RHP, Vanderbilt
101. Cleveland Guardians – Nolan Schubart, OF, Oklahoma State
102. New York Mets – Antonio Jimenez, SS, Central Florida
103. New York Yankees – Kaeden Kent, SS, Texas A&M
104. Los Angeles Dodgers – Landyn Vidourek, OF, Cincinnati

Compensation pick

105. Los Angeles Angels – Nate Snead, RHP, Tennessee

Marcus Phillips: Red Sox draft Tennessee pitcher

Marcus Phillips went from South Dakota to junior college to Tennessee baseball starting pitcher to first-round pick in the MLB Draft.

Phillips was picked with the No. 33 by the Boston Red Sox in the 2025 MLB Draft on July 13, the fourth Vols pick already.

Pitcher Liam Doyle was picked No. 5 by the St. Louis Cardinals. Shortstop Gavin Kilen was chosen No. 13 by the San Francisco Giants. First baseman/third baseman Andrew Fischer was selected No. 20 by the Milwaukee Brewers.

Wehiwa Aloy draft: Orioles take Arkansas standout

The projected slot value at No. 31 is $3.04 million.

The 6-foot-2 Hawaiian was the SEC Player of the Year and became the Razorbacks’ third Golden Spikes Award winner this spring. He led Arkansas in nearly every major offensive category, including slugging percentage (.673), on-base plus slugging (1.107), hits (93), runs scored (81), doubles (19), triples (2), home runs (21), extra-base hits (42), multi-hit games (30) and total bases (179). — Jackson Fuller, Fort Smith Southwest Times Record

Gage Wood drafted by Philadelphia Phillies

Arkansas baseball pitcher Gage Wood was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies with the 26th overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft Sunday night, giving the Razorbacks their 11th first-round selection in program history.

The Batesville native made 10 starts in 2025 after battling a shoulder injury that required Wood to miss seven weekend starts. He returned in mid-April and finished his junior season by going 4-1 with a 3.82 ERA.

Andrew Fischer to Milwaukee Brewers

With their first of five picks on the opening night of the Major League Baseball draft, the Milwaukee Brewers went to a corner bat out of college, third baseman Andrew Fischer from the University of Tennessee.

Ike Irish drafted by Baltimore Orioles

For the first time in five years, an Auburn baseball player has been selected in the first round of the MLB Draft.

The projected slot value of the No. 19 pick in this year’s draft is $4,420,900.

Gavin Fien MLB draft: Giants take Tennessee shortstop

Gavin Kilen is Tennessee baseball’s first hitter off the board in the 2025 MLB Draft, going No. 13 to the Giants.

Kilen is Tennessee’s second pick of the 2025 MLB Draft joining pitcher Liam Doyle as UT had two first-round picks in the draft for the third time in four drafts. Doyle was picked No. 5 by the Cincinnati Reds.

Billy Carlson to White Sox at No. 10

Billy Carlson, the top-ranked player in Tennessee baseball’s recruiting class, was picked in the first round of the 2025 MLB Draft.

Carlson was selected No. 10 by the Chicago White Sox on July 13. He was the second straight Tennessee signee picked. Alabama shortstop Steele Hall was picked No. 9 by the Cincinnati Reds.

Liam Doyle drafted by Cardinals

Liam Doyle set a new standard for Tennessee baseball in the MLB draft under Tony Vitello.

The Vols pitcher was selected No. 5 overall by the St. Louis Cardinals, making him the highest-draft player in Vitello’s tenure and the second highest-drafted pitcher in program history.

Doyle was 10-4 with a 3.20 ERA and was named the SEC pitcher of the year. He struck out a program-record 164 batters in 95⅔ innings, while walking only 32.

Doyle is the seventh first-rounder under Vitello. UT has had a first-round pick in four straight drafts and a top-10 pick in three straight drafts. Christian Moore was picked No. 8 in the 2024 MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Angels, the previous high mark under Vitello. – Mike Wilson, Knoxville News Sentinel

How many rounds are in the MLB Draft?

There are 20 rounds in the 2025 MLB Draft, which are set to include 615 total selections.

MLB mock draft: Final predictions

Washington Nationals: Ethan Holliday, INF, Stillwater (Okla.) HS
Los Angeles Angels: Kade Anderson, LHP, LSU
Seattle Mariners: Aiva Arquette, SS, Oregon State
Colorado Rockies: Eli Willits, SS, Fort Cobb-Broxton (Okla.) HS
St. Louis Cardinals: Liam Doyle, LHP, Tennessee
Pittsburgh Pirates: Seth Hernandez, RHP, Corona (Calif.) HS
Miami Marlins: Billy Carlson, SS, Corona (Calif.) HS
Toronto Blue Jays: Jamie Arnold, LHP, Florida State
Cincinnati Reds: Kyson Witherspoon, RHP, Oklahoma
Chicago White Sox: Ike Irish, C/OF, Auburn

Check out Gabe Lacques’ full MLB mock draft here.

Who is eligible for the MLB draft?

A handful of requirements have to be met in order for a player to enter and be selected in the MLB draft.

A prospect must either be a resident or have attended a school in the United States, Canada or a U.S. territory such as Puerto Rico. MLB has a separate period in which its teams can sign international players.

Additionally, players are only eligible after they’ve graduated from high school. If they’re at a four-year college, they are eligible only three years after they originally enrolled or after their 21st birthday, whichever comes first. Conversely, players from junior colleges are eligible to be drafted at any time.

– Austin Curtright

Joe Pavelski stood alone as the winner of the American Century Championship at Lake Tahoe on Sunday, July 13.

The former NHL star capped off his 41st birthday weekend, going wire-to-wire in the celebrity golf tournament at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course and finishing with a total of 73 in the modified Stableford scoring system the tournament uses.

Pavelski left do no doubt, sealing his victory with an eagle on the final hole. He finished nine points ahead of Baseball Hall of Famer John Smoltz, who rallied on the final day to finish second after entering the day tied for sixth.

Pavelski entered the final round on Sunday tied for first with former soccer player Taylor Twellman. The two were even at 44 after the first two rounds. Twellman dropped off in the final round and finished fourth. Country singer Jake Owen finished third.

Other notable names in the tournament include Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry (5th place), NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers (15th), who recently signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Basketball Hall of Famer and TNT analyst Charles Barkley (69th).

Pavelski announced his retirement from the NHL on July 16, 2024, after 18 seasons, tallying 1,068 career points (476 goals, 592 assists) in 1,332 regular-season games for the Dallas Stars and San Jose Sharks.

Pavelski finished second to former tennis player Mardy Fish at Edgewood in 2024 and was third in 2023 when Curry won.

Pavelski earned $150,000 for winning the American Century Championship , which he said will likely go towards a new MasterCraft boat. This is the ninth year Pavelski has played the tournament at Edgewood; he has regularly been among the top contenders.

ATLANTA — They dressed up the Roxy Theater as best they could and filled it with jersey-clad fans, a main event in search of a headliner.

Yet Major League Baseball’s draft more often than not comes up short in its search for a main character. And so it went Sunday night in the shadow of Truist Park.

The Washington Nationals upset the process, if you will, by choosing Oklahoma prep shortstop Eli Willits with the first pick, opting for the 17-year-old over his in-state legacy cohort, Ethan Holliday, and a slew of elite collegiate arms.

MLB DRAFT GRADES: Analyzing every first-round pick

ETHAN HOLLIDAY: Prep phenom follows in father’s footsteps with Rockies

And while the seat-fillers – not unlike a dance floor at a Super Bowl halftime show – did their level best to maintain their enthusiasm, whether booing commissioner Rob Manfred or cavorting with assembled team mascots, they were ultimately viewing a process rife with endless and unseen outcomes.

That’s how the draft’s always been, and while recent years have produced some buzzworthy picks that dovetailed nicely with MLB’s insistence on granting it a primetime slot (think: Paul Skenes), the draft on Sunday returned, stubbornly, to its old ways.

Here are five takeaways from the first day of baseball’s annual selection meeting:

Surprise party with Eli Willits at No. 1

Certainly, Willits’ selection raised a few eyebrows, though he met with the Nationals last month and it would stand to reason the club might look to avoid the Scott Boras-repped Holliday and save a few bucks from their bonus pool with a younger – just 17 – talent more likely to stick to shortstop.

“He was the guy we wanted all along,” says Nationals interim GM Mike DeBartolo.

Sure. Yet the first round really went sideways when the Los Angeles Angels veered away from everyone’s projections to snag UC Santa Barbara right-hander Tyler Bremner, who lurked near the top of draft boards all winter before getting off to a slow start in Goleta.

But he finished strong, even as he pitched under the radar while SEC darlings Kade Anderson and Liam Doyle starred in the NCAA postseason. The Mariners were surely thrilled to see Anderson available at No. 3; with the club desperate to make the playoffs this season, Anderson may figure in sooner rather than later.

The domino effect: Holliday to four (Colorado), Aiva Arquette to seven (Miami) and Billy Carlson 10th (Chicago White Sox), three elite shortstops tumbling as a result of one club jumping the board.

Yet to the uninitiated, that’s simply the MLB draft, baby. Check back in five years to see if the Angels were brilliantly pragmatic or foolishly counterintuitive.

No wonder they were all no-shows

Speaking of which, you might have noticed there was no one for Manfred to bro hug. Yep, after years of trying largely in vain to lure top prospects to attend the draft in person, the league came up totally dry this time.

Long gone is the day Mike Trout wandered down to MLB Network’s Secaucus studios, all by himself, and waited it out for the Angels to take him 27th overall and then become the greatest player of the decade. One of one, indeed.

Yet it’s also easy to see why draftees stay away, beyond the Boras-driven reason to not cede any bargaining leverage. Unlike their NFL and NBA counterparts, whose biggest draft night decisions involve whether to go suit or open collar fit, it’s often business time for these kids.

It wouldn’t be surprising if Willits or Bremner or any number of picks who might have climbed some draft boards were on the phone with clubs right up to the clock running out, hammering out slices of signing pools as clubs seek flexibility.

Better to do all that in the comfort of their great room, surrounded by friends, even if your time in the green room isn’t projected to be long.

Pirates building super rotation with Seth Hernandez

Despite the relative chaos of the first five picks, No. 6 unfolded as anticipated: Seth Hernandez, the 6-foot-5 beast from a decorated Corona High School program, is headed to Pittsburgh.

And the notion of pairing Hernandez with Skenes and top prospect Bubba Chandler is perhaps the closest thing resembling hope at PNC Park since Johnny Cueto dropped the ball.

Oh, Hernandez presents immense risk: His status as a right-handed prep pitcher likely diminished his chance as the No. 1 overall pick, despite a 98-mph fastball and pro-caliber changeup. Yet Hernandez certainly has the stuff, makeup and track record to move quickly.

Will Skenes be around to greet him in Pittsburgh? Yes, the notions of a Skenes trade are premature and somewhat absurd, but that won’t be the case two winters from now.

Skenes will likely have four seasons of service time under his belt by the earliest point Hernandez could bubble up from the minors. With each passing year and Skenes’ continued good health, it grows exceedingly unlikely the Pirates can sign him to an extension.

So, come 2028, Skenes and Hernandez might join forces, even if just for a year or two. And whether big fella leaves for nine-figure free agent riches, swinging big and betting on Hernandez’s arm was the right move for Pittsburgh.

High school is cool again

One year after teams made draft history by using the first eight selections on collegiate players, the preps bounced back in a big way this year, accounting for the No. 1 overall pick, three of the top six and six of the top 10.

What does it all mean?

Well, it enhances the chances 2024 was something of a blip wrought by a shortened 2020 draft and a moderate COVID-19 hangover that compelled more top talents to attend college – or stay there.

And as draft bonus pools swell, the lure of a high seven-figure payday and a faster path to the big leagues can still outweight the lure of campus life and the NIL payday that might come with it.

Corona High School was all that

So, just how good was St. John Bosco High School’s team?

It’s a question nobody’s asking but is worth pondering since the SoCal parochial school more associated with high school greatness took down the dominant Hernandez and the Panthers in the semifinals of the Southern Section playoffs.

And yeah, perhaps Corona will still go down as one of the greatest squads of all time. After all, they had three players selected in the top 32 picks.

Hernandez was followed later by shortstop Carlson, who went 10th to the Chicago White Sox. And Brady Ebel, son of Los Angeles Dodgers third base coach Dino Ebel, narrowly missed garnering a historic third first round selection for the school. He was picked 32nd overall by Milwaukee.

Assuming all sign, Vanderbilt (Hernandez), Tennessee (Carlson) and LSU (Ebel) will miss out on premier talent.

And through 32 picks, the leaders in players picked were:

Tennessee: Four

Corona High School: Three

Arkansas: Two

Wake Forest: Two

Can a high school join the SEC? Makes you wonder.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — He was trying to break things up, that’s what Luis Enrique is going with.

Moments after Paris Saint-Germain lost its bid to cap a historic season in a 3-0 defeat in the Club World Cup against Chelsea, Enrique, the PSG manager, took a swipe at Chelsea striker João Pedro during a postgame altercation, striking him near his neck and chin.

Just before that confrontation, Enrique approached Pedro, who was having a discussion with PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. As Enrique seemingly tried to calm tensions, Pedro swatted Enrique’s hands away, leading to Enrique making the contact near Pedro’s head.

“At the end of the match there was a situation that I think was totally avoidable, for everyone involved,” Enrique said in Spanish during his post-match press conference “My objective and intention, like always, was to separate the players to avoid further problems. There was a lot of tension, a lot of passion. There was shoving going on and I think we should avoid that and it should never happen again.

“But I repeat: my intention was to avoid things getting worse.”

The incident seemed to simmer from a series of physical challenges toward the end of the match. Paris Saint-Germain, clearly frustrated with its impending defeat, was enforced for two yellow cards and a third that was overturned on review to a red in the final 10 minutes of the match. During the sequence that led to the red card, PSG midfielder João Neves tugged on Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella’s hair, pulling him to the turf.

“I don’t need to say anything about them because it’s normal,” Pedro said after the match. “Everyone wants to win the game, and in the end, I think they lose their head. But this is football. This has happened. Now we need to enjoy because we won the tournament.”

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said he missed the altercation because he was congratulating Paris Saint-Germain’s players.

PSG was trying to conclude a historic season with another honor, after they won the French league, the French Cup, the French Super Cup and the club’s first-ever UEFA Champions League title in late May.

It was evident, from very early on, that Chelsea was a real threat to unseat Paris Saint-Germain’s string of successes. Just seven-and-a-half minutes into the match, midfielder Cole Palmer hooked a left-footed shot that just slid past the left post.

By the half-hour mark, Palmer would have a pair of goals, and Chelsea would be hammering PSG on its half, smothering it with relentless pressure.

“Well, this is how soccer is sometimes,” Enrique said in French. “I’ll need to review the film to comprehensively analyze what happened, but they started the match very well, with aggressive pressure and we had difficulty matching that. From there, we had a few chances to score, but it was not in the cards.”