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Introduction: Can He Play? A Look at Baseball Scouts and Their Profession

This article was written by  Jim Sandoval

This article was published in Can He Play? A Look at Baseball Scouts and Their Profession

Countless hours traveling miles and miles on lonely back roads. They spend way too much time in hotels. Their front office expects them to constantly provide player reports and updates. They must dig through tons of coal to find a single diamond. So much of their time is spent away from family and friends, missing birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays. Their best friend is Rand McNally. Always asking the question, CAN HE PLAY? Such is the life of a professional scout.

The scouting profession evolved as the game of professional baseball grew and flourished. Pre-1900 major-league teams used a network of local people to recommend talent which the manager often scouted and signed personally. Minor-league teams frequently signed players from their local areas. On occasion the minor-league club would sell the contract of one of its players to a major-league team. Major-league clubs did not have minor-league affiliates as is generally the case today. The minor-league clubs were independent. Many relationships between major- and minor-league clubs were built on personal relationships rather than strictly business ones.

Teams in the early 1900s began to hire scouts who would follow up on tips on players provided by their manager’s network of bird dogs, a name given to those who followed players but did not work for a team and had no authority to sign a player. The official scouts, often called “ivory hunters” by the press, were hired by the major- league teams, following the minor leagues most of the time, looking for players whose contracts they would then purchase. Minor-league teams, being independent, often had their own scouts and many a local star from semiprofessional, high school, town teams, and the occasional collegian were first signed by minor-league clubs.

Many major-league scouts and/or their teams began to create informal agreements with a minor-league team or two to “farm” out players to gain experience. This is how they “grew” players. Sometimes a major-league scout recommended a player to his preferred minor-league team with the understanding the big-league scout would have an informal option on the player, the first chance to purchase the player’s contract.

Major-league teams soon began to add scouts to the payroll. In the early 1900s, teams might have one or two full-time scouts. Often they had one scout to cover west of the Mississippi River and another to cover east of the river. In some cases more than one club even shared the same scout. Ted Sullivan, one of the earliest full- time scouts, acted as an early version of the Major League Scouting Bureau, scouting for multiple teams at the same time. Teams were still using the bird-dog system, then sending out their full-time scouts to follow up on intriguing prospects.

The scouting profession became even more important when Branch Rickey of the St. Louis Cardinals began to develop the farm system. Teams began to own outright, or develop formal affiliations or working agreements with, many minor-league clubs. The major- league club began to supply more players directly, thus needing to increase the size of its scouting staff.

During this period, minor-league teams continued to hire their own scouts, as they were still able to sell contracts to a major-league club, but more and more players were now being signed directly by major-league teams and then being farmed out until deemed ready. The minor leagues evolved as well, soon creating levels from Class D to AA that players would pass through as they hoped to make their way to the majors.

Most teams began to create farm systems by the early 1930s, attempting to control or own at least one club at each level. Rickey’s Cardinals came to control multiple clubs at each level. Rickey was a pioneer in player development and his philosophy was “out of quantity comes quality.” The more players his scouts signed and his farm system developed, the more flexibility he would have in improving his major-league club. He could trade prospects for major leaguers and also sell contracts of players he would not need at the major-league level, often for a nice profit.

As more teams followed in Rickey’s footsteps, there was increasing competition for the better prospects. The teams with the better scouts fared well, but so did teams with the fatter bank accounts. Particularly after the end of the Second World War, competitive bidding for services drove up the prices paid in bonuses or incentives to greener and greener prospects. In large part as a measure to keep costs down, Major League Baseball instituted the amateur player draft in 1965. There was no longer a free-for-all bidding war for the best domestic prospects.

The player draft changed scouting tremendously. Scouts could no longer sign players immediately, or directly, and keep them away from other clubs. Clubs drafted players sequentially from a pool. Scouts now had to turn in a list of draft-worthy players to their team’s front office and then hope no other club selected their guy before their own organization had the opportunity.

Much of the scouting was still organized geographically. Area scouts cover a certain territory which varies from club to club. In prospect-heavy areas scouts will have a smaller territory, i.e. Southern California. In most parts of the country area scouts are responsible for three to four states. Current areas that are the strongest for players include California, especially the southern part, Texas, Florida, and – increasingly – Georgia.

While scouting for the current draft, area scouts will also compile a list of players to keep an eye on for future drafts. These will be high-school juniors and four-year-college freshmen and sophomores. They also may utilize the reports from the Major League Scouting Bureau to compile their follow list. Good scouts will network with coaches and coordinators of events such as showcases.

Showcases are a growing phenomenon in the scouting world. Some involve travel teams, often hand-picked teams with the better players from a large area who play in large tournaments throughout the year. These events allow scouts to see many players in one place in a short amount of time. Other showcases, often coordinated by scouts themselves, gather the top-rated prospects from a much larger area or in some cases nationwide. Among the more prominent of these are the East Coast showcase and the Area Code games.

Most organizations now have regional cross-checkers who follow up on the area scouts’ list. With larger and larger signing bonuses involved, front offices have virtually added another level of scouting called cross-checking. Most organizations also have a National Cross Checker, who then follows up on the regional cross checker’s information. (See Gib Bodet’s article in this volume.) In the case of possible high-round draftees, the general manager himself might see the player in person as well.

With the increasing cost of signing these high draft picks, many general managers are becoming much more involved in the process. Some GMs will personally scout potential first- and maybe second- round picks. The director of scouting will do the same. Teams want to get as many looks at the top players as possible. A short time before the draft, clubs will bring their scouting departments together to develop their “board.” (See Ben Jedlovec’s article.) They will discuss, argue, and finally decide on the ranking order of hundreds of possible draft choices. When a player is drafted he is said to “come off the board.”

The area scout is the true backbone of the scouting department. After the first few rounds an area scout will often be the only one in the organization with a report on the player. The area scout also takes the lead in the signing process, making the initial contact with the player and generally handling most if not all of the negotiation. On occasion an area scout will sign a nondrafted free agent; someone he sees can fill a role in the organization. Scouts sometimes hold tryout camps and sign the occasional player from these as well.

An area of some growth in scouting currently is the international arena, which remains outside the player draft. With the likes of Joe Cambria and Howie Haak opening the door, and Epy Guerrero and Bill Clark running through it, international scouting has grown geometrically in recent years. All teams now scout internationally and most maintain an academy in the top talent area, the Dominican Republic. Latin America is scouted heavily, with Venezuela in particular supplying many players. Islands in the Caribbean have provided players and an increasing number are coming from Pacific Rim nations. Australia has produced major leaguers. Europe is increasingly being scouted. Canada has been an excellent source of players. Baseball has truly become worldwide.

A final area where scouting has grown is on the professional scouting side. Teams will scout other organizations for potential trades, players to acquire through the Rule 5 draft, and as minor- league free agents. As in amateur scouting, clubs have different systems in pro scouting. Some scout by organization. The scout will be assigned a certain number of organizations to follow, usually from the major-league club down to High A ball. Others assign scouts to specific leagues while some scout regionally.

How many times have you heard the media report a big trade with words similar to these: “blank for blank and two minor leaguers?” Those minor-league players may be the key to the deal and were scouted and recommended by the club’s pro scouts. Many clubs have scouts with titles such as Special Assignment scout or Special Assistant to the GM who will be sent out to scout specific players, often when a potential trade is in the works.

Pro scouts of course ask the age-old question, CAN HE PLAY? Is he a major leaguer? If so, what role will he have: an everyday player, a utility guy, or just up for a cup of coffee? They will decide if starting pitchers project out as a 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 rotation guy, relievers as a closer, middle relief, or a long man. They will decide how they are developing, to ask regarding each player: Is he close to being major-league ready?

In the offseason clubs look for players to fill holes in their organization. Sometimes situations occur that need to be addressed by acquiring minor-league players. Perhaps a team’s AA club is going to be short on pitching and the AAA team needs a couple of outfielders. Minor-league free agents, scouted by their pro scouts, may be signed in the offseason to fill those gaps or a trade may be made.

Another area of pro scouting is called advance scouting. The advance scout travels ahead of his club, scouting upcoming opponents. He will write reports on tendencies, who is hot or cold, possible injuries, anything that might give his club an edge. Increasingly some teams are turning to technology to supplement or even replace advance scouts. They feel they can acquire enough information from scouting video, rather than needing to send a scout in person. Other clubs disagree with this philosophy, believing you can’t see it all from video and nothing can replace an experienced scout’s judgment on the spot. This is one debate that may never be settled.

Assessing video is a skill in itself, and a legitimate form of scouting. Finding the diamond in the rough, the 15- or 16-year- old kid who may develop the body and attributes of a true athlete remains one of the more exciting challenges for some scouts, but pro scouting is in the here-and-now, dealing with opponents on the field today. Both are essential parts of the successful big-league team today, as is – indeed – the full range of talent assessment and evaluation, that is, of scouting. Whatever the tools that might help, the primary question regarding any prospect remains: Can he play?

JIM SANDOVAL (1958-2012) was a history teacher and freelance baseball writer who collected ballparks and baseball scout sightings. He contributed to SABR’s NL and AL Deadball Stars books and The Fenway Project. A former small college baseball player, he realized he was more of a prospect writing baseball than playing it. He was the longtime co-chair of SABR’s Scouts Committee .

Jim Sandoval at Joe Davis Stadium, Huntsville, Alabama, August 2011.

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Yankees hire Eric Chavez as a special assignment scout

Eric chavez, the former third base star, will work for brian cashman and billy eppler as a scout for the yankees..

The Yankees have hired longtime star third baseman Eric Chavez as a special assignment scout.

Chavez, the former A's, Yankees and Diamondbacks player who retired this year , has said all along he wants to remain in the game. Chavez has been close to GM Brian Cashman and assistant GM Billy Eppler since playing there.

Some teams view him as a potential hitting coach, too, but it isn't known if Chavez seeks that type of job at this time.

The Yankees are still seeking a hitting coach.

Chavez was beloved by all the teams he played for, and is likely to be a candidate in the future for any number of positions.

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Honoring baseball achievement in Kansas and by Kansans.

David chadd, david chadd hall of fame class of 2009.

Not only has David Chadd headed the scouting departments of three major league baseball organizations, all three won championships during his tenure.

Chadd joined the Florida Marlins in 1994 as an area scout, which was the position he held when the Marlins won the World Series in 1997. He was promoted to Midwest Crosschecker in 1998, then Director of Scouting in 2001. While with the Marlins, he signed Wichita State’s Nate Robertson and aided in the signing of star pitcher Josh Beckett. 

In 2002, Chadd went to Boston as Director of Amateur Scouting. During his three years with the Red Sox, he was responsible for the signing of closer Jonathan Papelbon and future American League Most Valuable Player Dustin Pedroia.

Shortly after the Red Sox won the 2004 World Series, Chadd went to Detroit, where two years later the Tigers played in the World Series. He was promoted to assistant general manager and remained with the organization for 18 years.

In 2022, Chad joined the Philadelphia Phillies as a special assignment scout.

Chadd played baseball at Kansas State, where he was an All-American in 1988 and is a member of KSU’s All-Century team. He holds the Wildcat career batting average record at .388. 

Following his playing career, Chadd spent two years as an assistant coach at Wichita State (1990-91) and Kansas State (1992-93).

© 2023 Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame. All rights reserved.

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Pirates Hire Blake Crosby as Special Assignment Scout

The Pittsburgh Pirates have hired Blake Crosby as Special Assignment Scout. He had been working with the Toronto Blue Jays since January of 2010.

To answer everyone’s first question, yes he is related to the famous Crosby from Pittsburgh. His brother Bobby played shortstop for the 2010 Pirates. Blake was also a player for a short time, getting drafted in 2009 by the Oakland A’s. After one season, he moved into a scouting role with the Blue Jays.

He was originally hired as an Area Supervisor, which he did for his first four years with Toronto. He was promoted to a Regional Supervisor in January of 2014, and held that role for four years as well. He has been working as a National Supervisor since January of 2018.

His job with the Pirates will be a mix of scouting everywhere, hence the “Special Assignment” part of his title. He will be handling the pro ranks, along with the amateur side, both for the draft and international. The Pirates recently added three other scouts to their ranks .

• Blake Crosby

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College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects – Baseball America

Scouting Industry Endures Most Brutal Offseason In Recent Memory

Image credit: (Getty Images)

More than 150 scouting jobs were lost due to the pandemic and an industry-wide emphasis on data, analytics and cost-efficiency

This offseason was the most brutal in recent memory for the scouting industry.

At the beginning of the 2019 season, teams employed 1,909 scouts across their amateur, professional and international departments. That includes all manner of scouts, from special assistants to directors to crosscheckers to pro scouts to area scouts. In 2021, that number is down to 1,756. All scout head counts referenced in this story were sourced from team media guides and the annual Baseball America Directory.

RELATED: See our feature on the state of scouting across baseball

There are a number of factors at play here, not the least of which is the continuing coronavirus pandemic, which led to a 60-game major league season and canceled minor league season in 2020. The lost revenue across the sport led to pay cuts, furloughs and layoffs in teams’ business, scouting and baseball operations departments.

The pandemic wasn’t the only factor, though. For years, the proliferation of data and technology and the corresponding cost savings led several teams to make massive cuts to their scouting groups. Entering the 2019 season, for example, the Astros employed a combined three people with the titles pro scout, advance scout, special assignment scout or special assistant.

Just 10 years earlier, Houston’s total number of people with those titles was 42.

The Astros are the most famous example, but they’re far from alone in reducing the scope of their scouting staffs.

From 2019 to 2021, seven teams reduced their scouting staffs by double-digits across all departments. The Rays and Brewers were each down by 10 scouts, the Dodgers and Giants each were down 13, the Cubs were down 20 and the Angels and Mariners were down 23 apiece.

The decreases by those teams don’t paint the whole picture. The Dodgers and Rays, still have 71 scouts apiece, tied with the Royals for fifth in the game. The Reds, Red Sox, D-backs and Yankees each employ more than 75 scouts throughout all levels.

By and large, scouting departments are still much larger than they were in 2009. That year, teams employed a combined 1,332 scouts, or 424 fewer than today, even after the pandemic-fueled downsizing.

Just four teams employ fewer scouts today than they did in 2009 thanks in part to significant growth in international scouting departments. The Astros are down 43 people in scouting. The Orioles are down 11. The Angels are down seven, and the Mariners are down five.

Many of the scouts let go during the cuts over the last year are older and more experienced, meaning they commanded high salaries.

Dave Yoakum of the White Sox—a founding member and 2010 inductee of the Professional Baseball Scouts Hall of Fame—was in his 29th season with the organization when he was let go. Brad Sloan of the Red Sox had been a scout for 40 years at the time of his dismissal.

Pete Mackanin, one of just eight people to have played, managed and scouted with the Phillies, was let go in 2020 as well. The Phillies also let go of special assignment scouts Howie Freiling and Dave Hollins. Freiling had been a minor league manager or scout since 1991. Hollins won a pennant with the Phillies in 1993 and had been a coach or scout since 2004.

Even though scouting staffs are still well populated compared with where they were in 2009, there’s a concern that even when the pandemic is in the rear-view mirror, teams may still opt to downsize their departments in the name of more cost-efficient methods, like video scouting or analytically driven evaluation, in place of people.

“It’s not just the game. It’s our country writ large. There’s such a death of expertise. It doesn’t matter to people anymore,” one scout said.

“. . . It doesn’t matter to people who are hired or who are hiring, because they just think they can do it better. There’s just there’s no respect for people who have been there and done it.

Seven MLB organizations have added to their scouting departments or maintained since 2019.

Pirates +17 Blue Jays +5 Astros +4 Twins +3 Rangers +3 Red Sox +0 Mets +0

And there are seven MLB organizations that have cut 10 or more scouts since 2019. Numbers include directors and assistant directors of scouting departments, special assignment scouts and assistants, pro, amateur and international departments and are based on media guides.

Mariners –23 Angels –23 Cubs –20 Giants –13 Dodgers –13 Rays –10 Brewers –10

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2080 Baseball Appoints Ted Lekas as Senior Advisor, Baseball Operations & Special Assignment Scout

2080 Baseball Holdings, LLC today announced the appointment of Ted Lekas to the position of Senior Advisor, Baseball Operations and Special Assignment Scout for 2080 Baseball. Lekas will be covering prospects in the International, Eastern, Carolina, and NY-Penn Leagues, and his work will begin publishing next week on 2080 Baseball .

“ Ted brings to the table a wealth of knowledge and experience in the world of player evaluation at every level of the game,” said Nick J. Faleris , co-founder of 2080 Baseball.  ” He’ll be an important voice in guiding our current scouting efforts as well as helping to craft and expand the future direction of 2080 Baseball as we work to build upon the high-quality coverage of minor league and amateur prospects that folks have come to expect from us.”

Lekas joins 2080 Baseball after 29 years of scouting for both the Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles. From 1988-2005, Ted served in a variety of roles for the Blue Jays, serving as northeast regional amateur scouting supervisor, eastern regional amateur cross-checker, professional scout, and Major League Baseball scout. His special assignment work also included scouting for trades and player acquisitions at both the major and minor league levels, as well as advance scouting assignments in preparation for their postseason runs from 1991-1993, including their World Series titles in 1992 and 1993, as well as their postseason runs to the ALCS in 2015 and 2016. He also spent time scouting the Dominican Winter League for fifteen years during his tenure with the Blue Jays.

Ted Lekas joins 2080 Baseball after 29 years as a professional scout for the Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles.

In 2005 Ted joined the Baltimore Orioles as a professional and Major League Baseball scout, and performing special assignment scouting for trades and player acquisitions at both the major and minor league levels. He also scouted the Dominican Winter League for six seasons before returning to the Blue Jays in 2013 as a professional scout.

In 2015, Lekas was named the Blue Jays’ Professional Scout of the Year . Ted was also a highly successful junior college coach at Quinsigamond CC (Worcester, MA) from 1981-1987, where   he led the team to NJCAA World Series from 1983-1985. He was a four-time regional coach of the year and recorded five top 20 national rankings, four New England Regional championships and three Northeast District championship titles, which collectively led to his induction into the National Junior College Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame in 2005. He also served on the Selection Committee for USA Baseballs’s 2008 bronze-medal-winning Beijing Olympic Team.

“His counsel to our executive team, and to our young evaluators, will help our entire staff improve their skills as evaluators of professional and amateur talent,” said Mark Shreve , co-founder and editor of 2080 Baseball. “We’re excited to have him on board, and to draw on his extensive depth of experience to help further build our staff’s knowledge of the craft of scouting, and improve their evaluating skillset.”

About 2080 Baseball

Founded in 2015, 2080 Baseball offers insights into the world of minor league, international, and amateur scouting and player development by delivering feature articles, prospect videos, reports, podcasts, and rankings that cover the most talked about talent in the game. 2080 is guided by a leadership team with extensive major league scouting and front office experience with a vision of cultivating the next generation of scouts, and providing resources, tools, and exposure for experienced scouts to continue practicing their craft. We base our coverage on live views of prospects to deliver front office quality content, which in 2016 included more than 200 scouting reports, 300 prospect spotlights, and 575 prospect videos. For more information please visit 2080 Baseball .

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• Jun 7, 2020

6/7/2020 : The Scouting Team

On Wednesday the 2020 MLB Draft commences ... this year just five rounds. The Phillies have four picks in the draft ( they forfeited their 2nd round pick by signing RHP Zach Wheeler ). Following the draft we should expect that multiple players will sign amateur free agent contracts, last summer the Phillies signed 13 non drafted amateur free agents ... this year may just exceed that number especially given the fact that the draft has been shortened by 35 rounds 😳.

There are financial limitations on this year’s free agent signees ... can’t get more than $20,000 as a signing bonus but can get future college expenses included in their offers ... will be interesting to see how many un-drafted college underclass men or high school players will accept those type of deals.

Unless you are in possession of the 2020 media guide you likely aren’t aware of the Phillies scouting team, they are a very important element in the success of drafts and free agent signings even in current pandemic conditions where a very heavy reliance on video reviews is prevalent ... thought I’d share the scouting team’s names with ya.

There were quite a few changes this past off season.

....................................

Brian Barber - Director - Amateur Scouting - new this year - came from Yankees

Sal Agostinelli - Director - International Scouting

Johny Almaraz - Special Assistant - Scouting/Player Development

Rob Holliday - Director - Amateur Scouting Administration

Greg Schulz - Assistant Director - Scouting

Darrell Connor - National Scouting Coordinator

David Crowson - National Scouting Coordinator

Alex Agostino - Mid-Atlantic/Northeast Regional Supervisor

Shane Bowers - West Regional Supervisor

Buddy Hernandez - Southeast Regional Supervisor

Brad Holland - Southwest Regional Supervisor

Brian Kohlscheen - Midwest Regional Supervisor

.............................................

Amateur Scouting Staff :

Connor Betbeze - Performance Assistant

Chris Duffy - Southern & Central California

Tommy Field - Ok, AR & Northern Texas

Zach Friedman - WA,OR,ID,MT,WY,AK, Western Canada

Mike Garcia - Southern California & Southern NV

Ralph Garr Jr - Southern TX

Victor Gomez - Southern FL & PR

Bryce Harman - Central & Northern FL

Aaron Jerslid - GA,SC

Tim Kissner - IL,IN,MI,WI,MN

Chris Knabenshue - AZ,CO,NM,UT

Kellan McKeon - VA,NC

Tim Moni - TN,KY,WV,OH

Justin Morgenstern - Canada,ME,VT,NH,MA,CT,NY,Northwest NJ

Justin Munson - MO,KS,NE,IA,SD,ND

Demerius Pittman - Southern CA, HI

Mike Stauffer - MS,LA,AL,FL Panhandle

Jason Waugh - Northern CA, Northern NV

Jeff Zona Jr - PA, Upstate NY, DE,MD,DC & Southern NJ

..........................................

Independent Contractor Scouts :

Luis Castro - PR

Chris Colwell - Chicago

James Davis - Southern CA

Steve DiPuglia - FL

Tom Downey - NYC

Jim Fleming - OK

Rowland George - DE

Rob Gould - Southern CA

Tom Holliday - OK

John Labonia - IA

Jason Larue - TX

Wilmer Reid - Philadelphia

Manny Rodriguez - TX

Eduardo Rosario - FL

Alex Rosen - NY

Mark Wilson - MN

Steve Potter - Wannabe 😂

International Scouting Staff :

Derrick Chung - Coordinator

Jesus Mendez - Coordinator

Carlos Salas - Coordinator

Rafael Alvarez - Supervisor - Venezuela

Oneri Fleita - Supervisor - Mexico

Roberto Aquino - Cross-checker - Dominican Republic

Andres Hiraldo - Cross-checker - Dominican Republic

Howard Norsetter - Cross-checker - Pacific Rim

Alvaro Blanco - Columbia

Jesus Blanco - Venezuela

Alex Choi - Korea

Juan Feliciano de Castro - Dominican Republic

Elvis Garcia - Venezuela

Luis Garcia - Dominican Republic

Charlie Gastelum - Mexico

Gene Grimaldi - Antilles

Jose Guzman - Dominican Republic

Jonatan Hernandez - Venezuela

Dargello Lodowica - Curaçao

William Mota - Venezuela

Romulo Oliveros - Venezuela

Bernardo Perez - Dominican Republic

Abdiel Ramos - Panama

Philip Riccobono - Japan

Franklyn Rojas - Venezuela

Claudio Scerrato - Italy

Ebert Velasquez - Venezuela

Youngster Wang - Taiwan

...........................................

In addition there’s a pro scouting team whose focus is on scouting other clubs or internally but they sometimes helps in the reviews of amateur players,

Mike Ondo - Director - Pro Scouting

Dean Albany - Special Assignment Scout - new this year - came from Orioles

Craig Colbert - Special Assignment Scout

Howie Freiling - Special Assignment Scout

Dave Hollins - Special Assignment Scout

Charley Kerfeld - Special Assignment Scout

Mike Koplove - Special Assignment Scout

Terry Ryan - Special Assignment Scout

Dan Wright - Special Assignment Scout

Erick Dalton - Professional Coverage Scout

Todd Donovan - Professional Coverage Scout

Jeff Harris - Professional Coverage Scout

Jesse Levis - Professional Coverage Scout

Jon Mercurio - Professional Coverage Scout

Happy Day, Happy Baseball ⚾️

• Phillies Scouting Department

Commentaires

MLB Power Rankings: Braves, Cubs take a dive; plus prospects on the brink

By Tim Britton, Andy McCullough and Stephen J. Nesbitt

Every week,​ we​ ask a selected group of our baseball​ writers​ — local and national — to rank the teams from first to worst . Here are the collective results.

You may have caught wind of what Pittsburgh Pirates rookie Paul Skenes had cooking in Chicago the other day and thought: Man, why can’t my team get a guy like that? 

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It’s a fair and common gripe, and here’s how that could happen. First, it’s important to identify when a once-in-a-decade prospect will be draft-eligible. Once that’s nailed down, talk your team into torpedoing its win-loss record for a year or two (or more, to be safe). Then work some magic in the draft lottery, win the No. 1 pick, draft the kid and offer him $9.2 million to sign.

There, you’ve got yourself an uber-prospect. Please don’t break him.

Meanwhile, every fan base (and most front offices) have a prospect waiting in the minors who they’ve mentally folded into their team’s plans for this season. For this week’s power rankings, we picked each team’s most impactful prospect who could debut this season. While we generally avoided prospects who’ve already reached the majors, a few standouts were included.

1. Los Angeles Dodgers

Record: 33-17 Last Power Ranking: 1

Prospect to watch: RHP River Ryan

The players currently in the minor leagues with the best chance to help the Dodgers are probably James Outman and Miguel Vargas; the prospect with the best chance to help them hasn’t yet played in the minor leagues this year. Fun dynamic! The Dodgers are taking it slow with Ryan early in the season, given the shoulder fatigue he felt at the end of last season, when his 104 innings were double his previous high from college or pro ball. There are fewer questions about what Ryan can bring to the mound than how often he can bring it. The velocity is premium, even by today’s standards, and both the slider and curveball can play. While Ryan likely won’t be a traditional starter for the Dodgers at any point this season, he can definitely be a useful member of the staff in 2024. — Tim Britton

Dodgers prospect tiers: How Diego Cartaya, River Ryan and Dalton Rushing are progressing

2. New York Yankees

Record: 33-16 Last Power Ranking: 5

Prospect to watch: OF Jasson Domínguez

The good news for the Yankees is that Domínguez, the Martian who looked so promising last season, is recovering well from Tommy John surgery. Domínguez started playing in Low-A rehab games last week and has been stinging the baseball. The even better news? The Yankees are playing so well that there is no immediate need to rush him. If he stays healthy and keeps hitting, Domínguez could supplant Alex Verdugo in left field or siphon away at-bats from designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton . But Stanton has been clubbing the baseball this month and Verdugo has been perfectly adequate in left. So the Yankees can afford to let Domínguez take his time, like all 20 days of his ongoing rehab assignment, as he adjusts to hitting with a surgically repaired elbow. Even then, they can option him to the minors and let him get more seasoning before bringing him back for the postseason push. — Andy McCullough

Yankees prospect tiers: How Jasson Domínguez, Spencer Jones and more are progressing

3. Philadelphia Phillies

Record: 34-14 Last Power Ranking: T-3

Prospect to watch: RHP Griff McGarry

The Philadelphia starting rotation has been excellent, and the early returns on 2020 first-round pick Mick Abel with Triple-A Lehigh Valley have been mixed . Abel has struggled to command the baseball and find a rhythm while combating some wretched early spring weather. So it may be more likely the Phillies will receive a mid-summer contribution from McGarry, who has shifted into a bullpen role after stalling out as a starter last season. McGarry’s fastball velocity has been stagnant despite rebuilding his delivery , but at least he is throwing strikes. The team’s best minor-league talent is in the lower levels. Or, in the case of Andrew Painter , recovering from injury. — McCullough

4. Baltimore Orioles

Record: 29-16 Last Power Ranking: T-3

Prospect to watch: IF Jackson Holliday

We shouldn’t let Holliday’s brutal April cameo — two hits and 18 strikeouts in 36 plate appearances — lower his ceiling. After all, Holliday is still just 20. He is only two years removed from playing against Oklahoma teenagers. The Orioles made the necessary decision to send Holliday, who entered the season as the sport’s consensus No. 1 prospect, back to Triple A after the rough showing. Holliday can benefit from spending extended time at the upper levels of the minors (even if the upper levels of the minors aren’t what they used to be). With Jorge Mateo playing well at second base, there’s no need to microwave Holliday’s development. He’s posted an on-base percentage of about .400 since returning to the minors. He could use the summer to regain some confidence and aid the Orioles in the fall. — McCullough

5. Atlanta Braves

Record: 27-17 Last Power Ranking: 2

Prospect to watch: RHP Hurston Waldrep

Atlanta ’s starting rotation contains a Spencer Strider-sized hole . (Extra points if anyone can fill the mustache.) Bryce Elder has struggled in the majors. Neither Dylan Dodd nor AJ Smith-Shawver has wowed observers in the minors. So maybe Waldrep, a first-round pick in 2023, can make a big jump from his current perch in Double-A Mississippi. He possesses a nasty splitter, which aids a fastball featuring excellent velocity but so-so movement. The splitter might be enough to merit a big-league audition unless the Braves attempt to fill that Strider-sized hole at the trade deadline. —  McCullough 

Braves prospect tiers: How Owen Murphy, Hurston Waldrep and Spencer Schwellenbach are doing

6. Cleveland Guardians

Record: 31-17 Last Power Ranking: 10

Prospect to watch: OF George Valera

The Guardians have graduated several top prospects in the past year, and now that Kyle Manzardo is in the majors (and slumping), it’s unclear whether the position players in the upper levels of the minors will be more than part-time contributors. Valera is no longer looked at as a top-50 prospect — batting below the Mendoza Line at Triple A won’t help that, either — but when healthy, he gives the Guardians a profile that could be useful: a left-handed hitter with power and on-base skills. Their pinch hitters this season are 4-for-30 (.133). Valera could provide value as a platoon starter against right-handers and otherwise beef up the bench-bat options at manager Stephen Vogt’s disposal late in games. — Stephen J. Nesbitt

7. Milwaukee Brewers

Record: 27-20 Last Power Ranking: 8

Prospect to watch: RHP Jacob Misiorowski

Two top Brewers prospects, Tyler Black and Robert Gasser , debuted in the past month, and Misiorowski is making a compelling case for a call-up as well. The Athletic’s  Jim Bowden wrote recently that Misiorowski, currently working as a starter, is MLB-ready as a back-end reliever. The 6-foot-7 righty has hellacious stuff. But the 100 mph fastball, 2.32 ERA and 12.8 K/9 don’t tell the whole story. Double-A hitters are twice as likely to draw a walk against Misiorowski than get a hit. The 7.3 BB/9 will likely come down, but by how much? The Brewers’ 3.80 reliever ERA ranks 12th in the majors — down from second last season — as they’ve been without injured closer Devin Williams . — Nesbitt

Minor-league notes: Jacob Wilson, Rhett Lowder move up; Complex League prospects to watch

8. Seattle Mariners

Record: 26-22 Last Power Ranking: 9

Prospect to watch: IF Ryan Bliss

A second-round pick out of Auburn, Bliss’ size belies his bat. He hit 23 long balls between two levels last season, when he was traded to Seattle from Arizona in the Paul Sewald deal, and he has five homers so far this season for Triple-A Tacoma. His carrying tool in the majors is likelier to be his speed. Bliss’ 23 steals already rank fifth in all the minors. At worst, he’s a bench weapon late in games for a team angling for October. At best, he’s another option on an infield that hasn’t quite found its everyday mix. — Britton

9. Tampa Bay Rays

Record: 25-24 Last Power Ranking: 13

Prospect to watch: IF Junior Caminero

Isaac Paredes has been Tampa Bay ’s best hitter this season. He entered Monday’s games leading the team in homers (nine), batting average (.309), slugging percentage (.519), OPS (.915), you name it. Paredes also plays third base, the position occupied in Triple-A Durham by Caminero, who was Keith Law’s No. 5 prospect in baseball to start the season and has continued to play well in 2024. There had been discussion in the past of Caminero moving to shortstop, but scouts doubt his defense there, and he’s usually at third for the Bulls. Something has to give for Caminero to make sense on the big-league roster. He spent a couple of games last week at second base, a position currently used as a revolving door in the majors. — McCullough 

Bowden: 6 MLB prospects who are major-league-ready and just waiting for the call

10. Kansas City Royals

Record: 30-19 Last Power Ranking: 14

Prospect to watch: OF Gavin Cross

The Royals were one of three teams, along with the Astros and Athletics , that didn’t have a player on Keith Law’s 2024 preseason top-100 prospect ranking . (Single-A catcher Blake Mitchell just missed .) The cupboard isn’t bare but isn’t brimming, either. In Cross’ case, let’s blame ticks. That’s right. Ticks. Cross, the No. 9 pick in 2022, was awful at High A last year before being diagnosed with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever , a tick-borne illness that sapped his strength. He’s back after that lost season and hitting like his old self, slashing .298/.387/.450 with some speed at Double-A Northwest Arkansas. He could find his way into the Royals’ outfield this season. — Nesbitt

11. Minnesota Twins

Record: 24-23 Last Power Ranking: 6

Prospect to watch: OF Emmanuel Rodriguez

Shortstop Brooks Lee is a step ahead on the minor-league ladder, but a lower back injury has made his 2024 forecast unclear . Rodriguez, on the other hand, has made things incredibly clear with his bat. He wants to be Minnesota -bound soon. Still only 21, Rodriguez has a 1.028 OPS, with six homers and nine steals, as the third-youngest player in the Double-A Texas League. That power-speed combo is muddled by a high strikeout rate but given how he’s faring in his first look at upper-level pitching, he could be a star. The Twins have five outfielders on the roster, but Rodriguez could certainly be a top-three option later this season. — Nesbitt

Emmanuel Rodriguez absolutely crushed this first pitch off Craig Kimbrel for his first HR of the spring 💣 The ball was hit 114.6mph 👀 #MNTwins pic.twitter.com/ogEmC6agE9 — Twins Player Development (@TwinsPlayerDev) March 4, 2024

12. Chicago Cubs

Record: 26-22 Last Power Ranking: 7

Prospect to watch: RHP Cade Horton

The Cubs’ rotation has been one of the best in baseball this season, despite its elder statesman’s struggles. But it would be a surprise if they aren’t calling on Horton at some point this season. Horton, the No. 7 pick in 2022, blew away Double-A hitters (1.25 ERA in 10 starts between 2023 and 2024) and earned a promotion to Iowa earlier this month. He’s given up 11 runs in his first 12 innings at Triple A, but once his command settles, he should make quick gains again. Horton’s fastball runs into the upper 90s, but his out pitch is the slider. He’s developed a changeup to give another option against left-handed hitters. — Nesbitt

13. San Diego Padres

Record: 25-25 Last Power Ranking: 12

Prospect to watch: RHP Adam Mazur

Mazur dominated Double A with San Antonio, posting an ERA below 2.00 and just five walks in six starts. It’s been rockier through two starts with the El Paso Chihuahuas in Triple A, though take that with a grain of salt since both were at a notorious hitters’ park in Las Vegas. The thing Mazur has going for him is the opportunity at the big-league level. Joe Musgrove is out , and neither Matt Waldron nor Randy Vásquez has pitched well in the back half of the rotation. Mazur looks primed to get the next chance . — Britton

14. Houston Astros

Record: 21-27 Last Power Ranking: 19

Prospect to watch: OF Pedro León

Joey Loperfido had to go and get himself promoted before we came up with the idea for this exercise, and José Abreu is just beyond a reasonable definition of “prospect.” So that leaves us with our cautious optimism for what León has done in his third go-round in Triple A. A huge international signing back in 2021, León stagnated in Sugar Land the past two seasons with an OPS below .800 and a strikeout rate approaching 30 percent. So far this season, though , he’s cut five percentage points off his strikeout rate, is chasing less, and is capitalizing on more advantage counts for extra bases. While Houston has found its stride over the past two weeks, its offense has remained inconsistent. In an ideal world, of course, León isn’t required to spark the lineup. Little has gone ideally for the Astros yet this season. — Britton

Pedro León playing 'freer,' chasing less and giving Astros another option in center field

15. Texas Rangers

Record: 24-24 Last Power Ranking: 11

Prospect to watch : LHP Antoine Kelly

Kelly, currently with Triple-A Round Rock, missed three weeks earlier this season with a rotator cuff strain and departed his last outing after just six pitches with what the team called a cramp in his right arm. So health is a real qualifier here. But when Kelly is feeling his best, hitters are not. The lefty struck out 79 in 57 1/3 innings last season between Double and Triple A, firing a triple-digit fastball and a nasty slider.

The Rangers could use the help in the bullpen. Texas’ reliever ERA is up over 5.00, and Bruce Bochy is still cycling through anyone and everyone to find the right mix later in games. Kelly should be one of those options soon enough. — Britton

16. Boston Red Sox

Record: 24-24 Last Power Ranking: 15

Prospect to watch: LHP Zach Penrod

It would not make much sense for the Red Sox to rush the development of some of its top-tier prospects , like shortstop Marcelo Mayer , 2023 first-round pick Kyle Teel or outfielder Roman Anthony . Those three have an estimated arrival time of 2025, and the Sox are caught in their usual cycle of being a decent club stuck in the sport’s toughest division. So how about some instant aid for the bullpen in the form of a lefty signed out of indie ball? Penrod, 27, doesn’t have great command, but he’s got solid velocity and a good changeup. He’s been carving up Double-A lineups. Like most things related to the Sox in recent years, this one produces the shrug emoji. — McCullough

4 Red Sox prospects takeaways: Zach Penrod dominating, Miguel Bleis heating up

17. Arizona Diamondbacks

Record: 22-26 Last Power Ranking: 16

Prospect to watch: RHP Cristian Mena

Acquired from the White Sox for Dominic Fletcher in the offseason, Mena is still one of the youngest starters in Triple A at 21. The right-hander makes up for his relative lack of fastball velocity — that’s what we call sitting 92 and touching 94 these days — with excellent secondary stuff, including a changeup, slider and curveball. Mena will need to harness his walks, which have gone up in each of the past two seasons, to successfully navigate big-league lineups. The ceiling here isn’t Zac Gallen , but the floor may contend with what the Diamondbacks have received so far from Ryne Nelson , Tommy Henry and Slade Cecconi in the back half of their rotation. — Britton

18. San Francisco Giants

Record: 23-25 Last Power Ranking: 21

Prospect to watch: LHP Carson Whisenhunt

Whisenhunt’s start so far in Triple A is what you’d call “inauspicious.” He’s walking more batters, serving up a bunch of home runs and not looking like a mid-rotation big-league starter anytime soon. But hey, who among us hasn’t given up a couple of long balls in Reno (as Whisenhunt did in a road start there), and who hasn’t responded to his first exposure to the altitude of the Pacific Coast League with lesser command? These are the kinds of trifles you dismiss because, well, Whisenhunt still strikes so many guys out. He’s punching out a third of hitters in Triple A with his dominant two-pitch mix of fastball and changeup. Would you prefer a starter possess a third pitch? You would. Would you trade a mediocre third pitch to have this level of changeup as your main off-speed delivery? In a heartbeat. — Britton

Giants prospect tiers: How Heliot Ramos, Marco Luciano and Vaun Brown are progressing

19. Detroit Tigers

Record: 23-24 Last Power Ranking: 17

Prospect to watch: RHP Jackson Jobe

A more immediate impact will be made by 2B/3B Jace Jung , who has an .878 OPS at Triple A. But if Jobe arrives later this season, it’ll be the closest thing we see to Skenes’ anticipated debut. Jobe, the third overall pick in 2021, has a 2.16 ERA at Double-A Erie, though he’s currently nursing a hamstring strain . The Tigers have solid options in their rotation for now, but if injuries arise as the season progresses, they could get more aggressive in advancing Jobe. They have so far kept his starts short, in the range of 60 pitches, and he has annihilated Double-A hitters, with 13 K/9 and a 1.02 WHIP (despite an inflated walk rate). He’s not a finished product, but at 21 he looks ready to get big leaguers out. — Nesbitt

For Tigers, 3 pitchers wear single-digit numbers; why that bucks 100 years of MLB history

20. New York Mets

Record: 21-26 Last Power Ranking: 20

Prospect to watch: RHP Blade Tidwell

In a perfect world, the two prize prospects the Mets acquired from last summer’s teardown — outfielder Drew Gilbert and infielder Luisangel Acuña — would fit this billing. Alas. Gilbert has an injured hamstring. Acuña hasn’t been hitting in Triple A. Both should be fine, in the long term. Neither is on track to make much of a splash in 2024. Even so, the Mets’ farm system looks better than in the past . In particular, a pair of pitchers could debut later this year, as Christian Scott already has. Tidwell, a second-round pick in 2022, was just promoted to Triple-A Syracuse. Brandon Sproat , a second-rounder in 2023, may not be a Rumble Pony in Binghamton for much longer, either. — McCullough 

From Dairy Daddies to Trash Pandas: How branding creates fans for lower-league baseball teams

21. Toronto Blue Jays

Record: 21-25 Last Power Ranking: 18

Prospect to watch: IF Orelvis Martinez

Martinez, a 22-year-old infielder with surprising power, does not profile as a panacea for Toronto’s offensive woes . But the Blue Jays are not in a position to worry about square pegs and round holes. The club is fading fast in the American League East, in part because the offense entered Monday’s games ranked 25th in the majors with a .665 OPS. Martinez could, in theory, provide a boost. He has spent most of the season at second base for Triple-A Buffalo but recently shifted to third, a position occupied on the big-league club by Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Ernie Clement . Toronto may need to live with Martinez’s defensive shakiness if he can spark the bottom third of the lineup. — McCullough 

22. Pittsburgh Pirates

Record: 22-26 Last Power Ranking: 24

Prospect to watch: RHP Mike Burrows

Ten days ago, this blurb would have been about Bubba Chandler , the Pirates’ top-ranked pitching prospect yet to reach the majors. Then he gave up nine runs in 4 1/3 innings and hit the injured list with forearm tightness. Womp womp. Because Paul Skenes has already debuted and because the Double-A guys aren’t lighting the world on fire, we’re going off the board with Burrows, who is on the injured list as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery. Should Burrows return to the mound on schedule later this summer, he’ll be a late-season option to upgrade the back of the Pirates’ rotation. Those within the organization have long considered Burrows an overlooked prospect. — Nesbitt

23. Cincinnati Reds

Record: 19-28 Last Power Ranking: 22

Prospect to watch: IF Noelvi Marte

These power rankings are primarily looking for impact prospects who’ve yet to get their cup of coffee in the majors, so picking Marte is going against the spirit of the thing a bit. But for most of the other options — unless RHP Rhett Lowder climbs from High A to the majors this season — we’d really be stretching the definition of “impact.” Marte, who’s missing the first 80 games this season due to a suspension for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drugs policy, was ranked No. 17 on Keith Law’s preseason prospect list and hit .316/.366/.456 in a 35-game sample with the Reds last season. His return will give the shorthanded Reds considerably more flexibility with their infield arrangement. — Nesbitt

Cincinnati Reds prospect tiers: How Cam Collier and Rhett Lowder are progressing

24. St. Louis Cardinals

Record: 21-26 Last Power Ranking: 25

Prospect to watch: RHP Sem Robberse

It’s tempting to invoke the name Markevian “Tink” Hence here, but the Cardinals don’t appear to be in a hurry to rush him from Double-A Springfield to the majors, so let’s go with Robberse instead. The Cardinals have four healthy starters and a spare Matthew Liberatore . Their 4.82 rotation ERA ranks 25th in the majors. The 33-and-up rotation idea isn’t working. Why not try the 22-year-old Dutchman ? Robberse, acquired in the Jordan Hicks trade last summer, was roughed up over the weekend when his punishment for pitching into the eighth inning was having six runs charged to his ledger. Still, he has a 3.29 ERA and 1.04 WHIP across nine starts for Triple-A Memphis. — Nesbitt

25. Washington Nationals

Record: 21-25 Last Power Ranking: 23

Prospect to watch: OF James Wood

The Juan Soto trade already looks like a winner for the Nationals , given the performances of shortstop CJ Abrams and starter MacKenzie Gore . The arrival of Wood, the towering 21-year-old center fielder, would only further remind Washingtonians why the team was willing to part with a player like Soto. They got a haul in return for him. Wood might be the best of the bunch . He has been obliterating Triple-A pitchers for Rochester this season, with seven homers and 12 doubles in his first 41 games. With Jacob Young installed in center in the majors, the Nationals might take their time as various veteran corner outfielders return from injuries. But Wood will be there before the season is over, as long as he stays healthy. — McCullough 

26. Los Angeles Angels

Record: 19-29 Last Power Ranking: 27

Prospect to watch: The eighth pick in the 2024 draft

If you’re in the Angels organization and have demonstrated any aspect of intriguing talent, you’ve already debuted in the major leagues. Their 2022 first-round draft pick made the majors by April of ’23. Their 2023 first-round draft pick made the majors by August. (Their third- and sixth-round picks from 2022 have also debuted by now.) So if you’re looking for something to watch in the final two months of the Halos’ season, yeah, it’s probably whomever they select eighth on the night of July 14. In his mock draft last week , Keith Law had the Angels taking East Carolina righty Trey Yesavage with the rumor that they’ll “bring him right to the big leagues.” Yep, checks out. — Britton

27. Oakland Athletics

Record: 19-30 Last Power Ranking: 26

Prospect to watch: SS Jacob Wilson

The sixth pick in last summer’s draft, Wilson was just bumped up to Triple-A Las Vegas after shredding the pitching in the Texas League — a .455 average and .705 slugging. He’s gifted defensively at shortstop, and the A’s have a clear long-term need there. Since Marcus Semien departed after the 2020 season, Oakland has tried to get by with steady defenders and little to no offense from the position.

Astute observers may have noticed that we elided Wilson’s on-base percentage earlier, because well, that’s the rub with Wilson, who walks as often as a suburbanite — just 3.9 percent of the time in his brief pro career. While that approach can work, it requires a special ability to make authoritative contact on pitches outside the strike zone. Wilson ran much higher walk rates in college at Grand Canyon, and bumping that number up in Vegas could make a summer promotion more appealing. — Britton

MLB teams that will be sellers at the trade deadline and the players they will dangle

28. Miami Marlins

Record: 16-33 Last Power Ranking: 30

Prospect to watch: RHP Max Meyer

It would be disingenuous to suggest Meyer will make significant noise on the big-league roster in 2024. The Marlins optioned him back to the minors earlier this season in deference to their scant postseason hopes. The team wants to protect the prized right arm of Meyer, the third overall pick in the 2020 draft, and hopes he does not meet the fate of injured Marlins prospects like Sixto Sánchez and Eury Pérez . Meyer has not thrown more than four innings in an outing since returning to Triple-A Jacksonville on April 20. But when he returns to the majors, likely near the end of the summer, he might be the best pitcher on Miami’s staff. — McCullough

29. Colorado Rockies

Record: 15-31 Last Power Ranking: 29

Prospect to watch: OF Zac Veen

The ninth overall pick in 2020, Veen dropped down prospect rankings with underwhelming results and a season-ending wrist injury last summer. Back in Double-A Hartford for a third different season, the wrist looks healthy for the first time since early 2022 and the results have shifted so far, fueling cautious excitement that the versatile Veen is putting it all together. Veen’s .326/.418/.568 slash line is rendered more impressive in the pitcher-friendly Eastern League (especially in the early-season cold), and his athleticism is particularly tantalizing when you picture him operating at Coors Field. Nolan Jones broke out in the Colorado outfield last year, and Brenton Doyle is off to an unexpected offensive start this year. There’s room for Veen to make that an intriguing trio by season’s end. — Britton

30. Chicago White Sox

Record: 14-34 Last Power Ranking: 28

Prospect to watch: SS Colson Montgomery

White Sox shortstop Paul DeJong leads the team with six homers, but he’s still a below-average hitter and is certainly not blocking Montgomery’s path to the majors. Montgomery, drafted No. 22 overall out of high school in 2021, was limited by oblique and back injuries last season but still posted a preposterous .456 OBP while having as many walks as strikeouts. He’s struggled with this stick so far this season, batting .228 with a .343 OBP, so it’s no surprise he wasn’t an early-season call-up. But after an ice-cold first month of the season at Triple-A Charlotte, the 22-year-old is starting to warm up in May. He could be in Chicago before long. — Nesbitt

(Top photo of Ronald Acuña Jr. : Matthew Grimes Jr. / Atlanta Braves/Getty Images)

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Ole Miss Baseball to Open 2025 Season at Shriners Children’s College Showdown

John macon gillespie | may 18, 2024.

The Ole Miss Rebels are still in the midst of their 2024 season, but on Friday, they announced where they will begin play in 2025: Arlington, Texas.

The Rebels will participate in the Shriners Children's College Showdown at Globe Life Field to open next season, joining five other teams who will play at the home of MLB's Texas Rangers. The showdown is set to take place from Feb. 14-16, and alongside the Rebels, the field will feature the Arizona Wildcats, Clemson Tigers, Louisville Cardinals, Oklahoma State Cowboys and Texas Longhorns.

Ole Miss has a recent history of opening its season in Arlington, doing so in 2021 and winning its games over TCU, Texas Tech and Texas.

READ MORE: Ole Miss Drops Game 2 to LSU as Postseason Hopes Grow Dim

For now, however, the focus for Ole Miss baseball is on its current campaign and attempting to keep its postseason hopes alive. The Rebels will not reach 13 SEC wins in the regular season, greatly hindering their hopes at an NCAA Tournament berth.

Ole Miss has already punched its ticket to the SEC Tournament next weekend in Hoover, Ala., and it will likely need a strong run next week to have any hopes of qualifying for a regional. The Rebels will conclude their regular season on Saturday in Baton Rouge against the LSU Tigers .

JOHN MACON GILLESPIE

John Macon Gillespie is the publisher of The Grove Report and has experience on the Ole Miss beat spanning five years.

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