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Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
MLB Draft Analyst Applauds Cardinals Day 1 Selections
MLB Draft Analyst Applauds Cardinals Day 1 Selections originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Highlighted by No. 5 overall pick LHP Liam Doyle out of Tennessee, the Cardinals made four selections on Day 1 of the MLB Draft. Advertisement After taking Doyle in the first round, St. Louis selected 18-year-old outfielder Ryan Mitchell at No. 55 overall. Just based on those two selections alone, Keith Law of The Athletic named the Cardinals as his favorite Day 1 class. Cardinals No. 55 overall pick Ryan MitchellStu Boyd II-The Commercial Appeal-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images "I think the St. Louis Cardinals had my favorite Day 1 group based on their top two picks," Law wrote. "They took my top pitcher, Liam Doyle, at No. 5. He has one of the best fastballs in the draft class, a deceptive delivery, and a second-plus pitch in the splitter. He dominated early against bad competition, then continued to perform well in the SEC." "The Cardinals followed up that pick with Ryan Mitchell at No. 55, getting what I thought was a first-round bat in need of a new position, a strong kid who makes excellent swing decisions and might come into some power." Advertisement St. Louis took another pitcher out of Tennessee with the 72nd pick, selecting RHP Tanner Franklin. In 38 2/3 innings pitched for the Vols in 2025, Franklin posted a 4.89 ERA with 52 strikeouts. His arsenal is highlighted by a fastball that can reach triple digits. The Cardinals rounded out day 1 by taking Jack Gurevitch at No. 89 overall. A 21-year-old first baseman from the University of San Diego, Gurevitch showcased a ton of power this past season, posting a 1.167 OPS with 17 homers and 35 extra-base hits. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Argument over 'valid buisiness purpose' for NIL collectives threatens college sports settlement
FILE - Tennessee pitcher Liam Doyle (12) throws to a batter during an NCAA regional baseball game against Miami on May 30, 2025, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne, File) FILE - LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (13) passes in the first half of an NCAA college football game against Vanderbilt in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File) FILE - LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (13) passes in the first half of an NCAA college football game against Vanderbilt in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File) FILE - Tennessee pitcher Liam Doyle (12) throws to a batter during an NCAA regional baseball game against Miami on May 30, 2025, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne, File) FILE - LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (13) passes in the first half of an NCAA college football game against Vanderbilt in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File) Less than two weeks after terms of a multibillion-dollar college sports settlement went into effect, friction erupted over the definition of a 'valid business purpose' that collectives making name, image likeness payments to players are supposed to have. The new College Sports Commission sent a letter to athletic directors last week saying it was rejecting deals in which players were receiving money from collectives that were created solely to pay them and don't provide goods or services to the general public for profit. Advertisement A lead attorney for the players responded by saying those instructions went against settlement terms and asking the CSC to rescind the guidance. 'This process is undermined when the CSC goes off the reservation and issues directions to the schools that are not consistent with the Settlement Agreement terms,' attorney Jeffrey Kessler wrote to NCAA outside counsel Rakesh Kilaru in a letter obtained by The Associated Press. Yahoo Sports first reported details of the letter, in which Kessler threatens to take the issue to a judge assigned with resolving disputes involved in the settlement. Kessler told AP his firm was not commenting on the contents of the letter, and Kilaru did not immediately respond to AP's request for a comment. Advertisement Yahoo quoted a CSC spokesman as saying the parties are working to resolve differences and that "the guidance issued by the College Sports Commission ... is entirely consistent with the House settlement and the rules that have been agreed upon with class counsel.' When NIL payments became allowed in 2021, boosters formed so-called 'collectives' that were closely tied to universities to work out contracts with the players, who still weren't allowed to be paid directly by the schools. Terms of the House settlement allow schools to make the payments now, but keep the idea of outside payments from collectives, which have to be approved by the CSC if they are worth $600 or more. The CSC, in its letter last week, explained that if a collective reaches a deal, for instance, for an athlete to appear on behalf of the collective, which charges an admission fee, that collective does not have a 'valid business purpose' because the purpose of the event is to raise money to pay athletes, not to provide goods or services available to the general public for profit. Advertisement Another example of a disallowed deal was one an athlete makes to sell merchandise to raise money to pay that player because, the CSC guidance said, the purpose of 'selling merchandise is to raise money to pay that student-athlete and potentially other student-athletes at a particular school or schools, which is not a valid business purpose." Kessler's letter notes that the 'valid business purpose' rule was designed to ensure athletes were not simply being paid to play, and did not prohibit NIL collectives from paying athletes for the type of deals described above. To prevent those payments 'would be to create a new prohibition on payments by a NIL collective that is not provided for or contemplated by the Settlement Agreement, causing injury to the class members who should be free to receive those payments," Kessler wrote. ___ AP college sports:
USA Today
14-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
SEC dominates Day 1 of MLB Draft
The Southeastern Conference's status as the best in college football is known far and wide, thanks to football's status as the most popular sport in the country. But as good as the SEC is in football, it's even more dominant in baseball. Sunday's first round of the Major League Baseball Draft provided even more evidence. The draft kicked off July 13 with the first three of a scheduled 20 rounds. A total of 105 players were selected by MLB franchises. Of those 105 players, 31 played their college baseball in the SEC. That total is more than every other power conference combined with the Atlantic Coast Conference seeing 12 players drafted, the Big 12 having seven and the Big Ten seeing six selected. OU saw three players taken, but even the Sooners' solid day wasn't quite up to some of their brethren. Arkansas and Tennessee carried the way with four players each taken in the first round alone. Volunteers left-hander Liam Doyle went fifth overall, followed by shortstop Gavin Kilen at No. 13, third baseman Andrew Fischer at No. 20 and right-hander Marcus Phillips at No. 33. Gage Wood, a right-handed pitcher, was Arkansas' first selection at No. 26, followed by shortstop Wehiwa Aloy (No. 31), left-hander Zach Root (No. 40) and outfielder Charles Davalan (No. 41). Two SEC teams made the College World Series, with LSU ultimately capturing the national championship. The Tigers' win marked the sixth straight season an SEC school had won the title. Dating back to 2009, Southeastern Conference teams have won the crown nine different times. The draft is set to conclude Monday as rounds 4-20 take place on MLB Network. Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.
New York Times
14-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Day 1 of the MLB Draft: Favorite classes, best available and other observations
With three rounds and the first day of the 2025 MLB Draft in the books, here are some of my overall thoughts on who did well and maybe not so well, along with a list of the best players still available. I provided pick-by-pick analysis through the end of the supplemental rounds on our live blog, and I'll do team-by-team draft recaps later this week, once the draft is over and I'm home, so if your team isn't mentioned here it isn't because I hate them. (Maybe.) I think the St. Louis Cardinals had my favorite Day 1 group, based on their top two picks. They took my top pitcher, Liam Doyle, with their first-round pick at No. 5. He has one of the best fastballs in the draft class, a deceptive delivery, and a second plus pitch in the splitter. He dominated early against bad competition, then continued to perform well in the SEC. They followed that pick up with Ryan Mitchell at No. 55, getting what I thought was a first-round bat in need of a new position, a strong kid who makes excellent swing decisions and might come into some power. Advertisement Right-hander Tanner Franklin was a little bit of a reach for me at pick 72, but he's hit triple-digits with the fastball, needing another pitch to profile as a good reliever. First baseman Jack Gurevitch, their third-rounder, was more of a fourth or fifth rounder, but he did have a tremendous year for the University of San Diego, hitting .371/.477/.681 with almost as many walks as strikeouts. The Orioles had a slew of picks, and ended up drafting several players many picks below where I had them ranked those players, although there are some mitigating factors with each. Ike Irish was in discussions to go in the top five given how strong his batted-ball data was; the Auburn catcher-turned-outfielder was fifth on my predraft board and they got him at the 19th spot, in part due to some late-breaking makeup concerns. Wehiwa Aloy, their second pick (No. 30), has power and the ability to play the left side of the infield, maybe staying at short. I had him 13th on my board, but he fell due to concerns about his swing decisions, which was also true of several of Baltimore's top picks from 2024. Slater de Brun was a first-round talent whom the Orioles nabbed at pick 37, who fell in part at least because he's undersized. The Oregon prep outfielder has excellent feel to hit and seems to have at least enough power/strength to keep the ability to hit for average up. They also took a pitcher, newsworthy in and of itself, taking funky Michigan State lefty Joseph Dzierwa with the No. 58 pick. Red Sox fans were desperate for the team to take pitching, and they did, with three of their four Day 1 picks being pitchers, including the top pick of the day if we're just going by the difference between my rankings and draft position in Anthony Eyanson (pick 87). The LSU right-hander started the game that clinched the College World Series for the Tigers, and his secondary stuff grades out extremely well for scouts and analysts. His fastball does not, playing well below its velocity, raising concerns about whether he can start. In the third round, though, I'm taking that chance all day long. Advertisement Their first-rounder, Kyson Witherspoon, was the top college righty on my board, and they also got great value with their comp pick for Nick Pivetta in second baseman Henry Godbout, a very high-contact hitter from UVA who is the perfect candidate for a swing change. They also selected Tennessee right-hander Marcus Phillips at pick 33, who projects as a reliever but has good arm strength. Finally, Kansas City had a great trio to start off their draft, with two big upside plays in Sean Gamble at 23 (a slight reach for me, but because I think the probability is lower) and Josh Hammond at 28, followed by two-way player Michael Lombardi as a pitcher at 61. Gamble is a very fast center fielder who needs swing help to get the ball in the air more. Hammond was a two-way player as well who's going to be a shortstop or third baseman with power and feel to hit. Lombardi will benefit from focusing full-time on pitching, and the Tulane right-hander was getting a lot of attention late in the spring as it became clear he might be a starter in pro ball. Tate Southisene has his fans — scouts love the kid, as they did his brother, Ty, in last year's draft — but Atlanta's first-round pick was the biggest reach of the round for me. I don't think there's a plus tool here; he has a decent enough swing, but he has some swing-and-miss issues against breaking pitches and changeups, and I don't see great adjustability in his approach right now. He is a plus runner and could move to center, which would help his value, but I don't think there's enough hit tool probability or upside here for Atlanta to take him with the 21st pick. I've loved the Tigers' drafts the last couple of years, and those players' performances in pro ball to date have been outstanding, but I didn't like the Tigers' Day 1 at all this time around. Advertisement Their first-rounder, Jordan Yost, has no power and at best is a leadoff-type with speed and maybe a higher average/OBP because he makes a lot of contact. Catcher Michael Oliveto is an intriguing upside play, with power potential and the physical tools to stay back there, but he was more of a fourth round talent for me because he just has a long way to go and because high school catchers have such a high attrition rate. Second-rounder Malachi Witherspoon has a great arm and is an excellent athlete like his brother, Kyson, but he's a pure reliever and I wouldn't go that route in the second round. This is based strictly on my top 100 ranking heading into the draft. Mason Neville, OF, Oregon Henry Ford, 1B, Virginia (transferring to Tennessee if he doesn't turn pro) Matthew Fisher, RHP, Evansville (Ind.) Memorial HS Ty Harvey, C, Inspiration Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) Uli Fernsler, LHP, Novi (Mich.) HS Landon Beidelschies, LHP, Arkansas Brayden Jaksa, OF, Irvington HS (Fremont, Calif.) Landon Hodge, C, Crespi Carmelite HS (Encino, Ca.) Landon Schaefer, Fayetteville (Ark.) HS Alec Blair, OF, De La Salle HS (Concord, Calif.)
New York Times
14-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Cardinals select flamethrowing left-hander Liam Doyle with No. 5 pick in MLB draft
ST. LOUIS — With their highest first-round draft pick in nearly two decades, the St. Louis Cardinals snagged left-handed pitcher Liam Doyle with the fifth overall selection in MLB's amateur draft Sunday. In doing so, they acquired one of the most tantalizing arms available — and someone who could impact the major-league club much sooner than later. Advertisement Doyle, a 21-year-old out of the University of Tennessee, projects to ascend quickly through the minor leagues. For the Cardinals, who intend to place a heavier emphasis on drafting and developing under their new regime, he represents the ideal selection. 'When we saw that he could be in play as the board unfolded, everyone was excited,' scouting director Randy Flores said. Doyle, who was named the SEC pitcher of the year, tore up the opposition in his junior season thanks to a devastating fastball, largely regarded as his most dominant trait. Doyle sat 96-99 miles per hour, regularly topped out at 101 and struck out over 42% of batters faced this year. 'He has a very unique fastball,' Flores said. 'Not only is the shape unique, the velocity is a level above his peers. There are a range of outcomes of any player, and his range of outcomes includes an extremely high floor, and the ceiling is through the roof.' What really stood out to the Cardinals' scouting department, however, was the health changes Doyle made over the last year. He lost nearly 20 pounds and revamped his workout and training regimen, which many evaluators believe directly correlated to the jump in his success. 'He really turned a corner this year,' Flores explained. 'Took (his health) very serious. His strength and conditioning coaches have said it's a night and day difference. … I think all players at different times of their life have a wake up call, and it's what you do with that wake up call. He has a tremendous gift for an arm, but that will only take you so far. His wake-up call was very forceful to him, he adopted it, and now it's tough to outwork him.' An electric arm is headed to The Gateway City!#MLBDraft // #Cardinals — Tennessee Baseball (@Vol_Baseball) July 13, 2025 Flores acknowledged Doyle's candidacy as a quick riser through the Cardinals' farm system, but will wait to speculate on a potential timeline. Many evaluators believe Doyle could start as high as Double-A, and could reach the majors as early as midway through next season, following a track similar to Paul Skenes and Chase Burns. Advertisement '(Doyle) threw a lot of innings this year,' Flores said. 'We need to find out his physical capacity, what his goals are regarding whether he wants to throw this year or not. From that, we'll figure out a work plan for him for both this summer and the offseason.' Flores also admitted that while no organization drafts for need, the skyrocketing costs of high-end starting pitchers did come into consideration when drafting Doyle. Doyle's unorthodox delivery and lack of track record beyond his junior season do come with some pause, but as Flores explained, Doyle's potential makes the gamble worth it. 'There is risk,' Flores said. 'But I think for upside, you have to swallow that risk. Acquiring swing and miss, acquiring 101 (miles per hour), with that unique fastball on the free-agent market is very expensive. 'So certainly there is some risk. There is some possible reliever risk. Our hope is that he's only really committed to this type of fitness and stamina for one year, imagine as he begins stacking it bodes well for his chances to stay as a starter.' Doyle is a fierce competitor and is not shy about expressing his emotions (as evidenced by multiple viral celebrations this season). But Flores was equally impressed with Doyle's calm demeanor off the field, comparing it to two revered Cardinals pitchers in Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright. 'On the mound, he puts on a persona,' Flores said. 'But we met with him in person, and hearing and talking with him, we thought 'Wait, where's the screamer at? Where's the intensity? 'You admire when someone has the ability to flip that switch,' he added. 'You admire it even more when he's doing that at 100 miles per hour.' Liam Doyle, 99mph ⛽️ And is FIRED UP. 🔥 — Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 3, 2025 The Cardinals will round out the first day of draft coverage with four total picks. The draft resumes Monday at 10:30 am CST. This story will be updated.
