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Miami Herald
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
San Francisco Giants pick FAMU catcher in MLB Draft
Florida A&M University catcher Broedy Poppell is officially headed to the pros. On Monday, July 14, the San Francisco Giants selected the FAMU star in the 13th round of the 2025 MLB Draft, using the 386th overall pick to grab one of the top two-way standouts in HBCU baseball. A Tallahassee native and graduate of Maclay School, Poppell has been a key figure for the FAMU Rattlers since joining the program in 2022. He entered the NCAA transfer portal following the conclusion of the 2025 season but remained in the spotlight thanks to strong showings at the MLB Draft Combine in June and the HBCU Swingman Classic, held just days before the draft. With his selection, Poppell becomes the 29th player in Florida A&M program history to be drafted to Major League Baseball, according to The Baseball Cube. He's also the first Rattler drafted since Aubrey McCarty, who was taken by the Colorado Rockies in the 26th round of the 2017 draft. In 2025, Poppell anchored FAMU's defense as the starting catcher. He posted a .973 fielding percentage, recorded 258 putouts, and earned First-Team All-SWAC honors. He was also named Second-Team All-SWAC in 2024. At the plate, he brought power and consistency. Poppell hit .325, led the team with 69 hits and 12 home runs, and finished second on the roster with 58 runs scored. His combination of defensive reliability and offensive production made him one of FAMU's most valuable players-and a clear MLB prospect. The post San Francisco Giants pick FAMU catcher in MLB Draft appeared first on HBCU Gameday. Copyright HBCU Gameday 2012-2025
New York Times
14-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Atlanta Braves second-rounder Alex Lodise went from barely recruited to college baseball's ‘Heisman'
Not long after Alex Lodise and the Florida State Seminoles suffered a heartbreaking end to their season in the Super Regionals against Oregon State, FSU head coach Link Jarrett called Lodise into the coaches' suite at the team hotel. He had some good news to share. Lodise, the newest second-round pick of the Atlanta Braves had been named the Dick Howser award winner, given to the top college baseball player in the country. A player who had only one college offer coming out of high school had just won what Jarrett calls the 'Heisman trophy of college baseball.' Advertisement 'It was a surreal moment,' Lodise said last month at the MLB Draft Combine. 'I'll never forget saying that to him and the look on his face,' Jarrett said. 'Watching him win that and knowing how hard he worked — nobody understands in that room when they're giving out the award the hours and hours and hours that goes into it and probably what he felt like he was when he left high school to what he was when he was sitting on that stage to get that award. It's just remarkable.' It was a storybook ending for Lodise, who transferred to FSU from North Florida after his freshman season and helped guide the Seminoles to a College World Series appearance in 2024 and a Super Regionals berth this season. Once overlooked at Bartram Trail High School in St. Johns, Fla., Lodise, who was a co-captain for the Seminoles this season, leaves Tallahassee with a significant legacy. 'I had one offer out of a high school. Was never really recruited, never recruited by any MLB teams,' Lodise said. 'It was something I would tell myself, it's like, 'Believe in yourself, it's going to come, you're going to grow, you're going to be a late bloomer, it's OK, just work your way through.'' It didn't take long for Lodise to start to realize that dream once he enrolled at North Florida. As a freshman, he hit 16 homers in 55 games and posted a .976 OPS. Florida State faced Lodise as an opponent that season and Jarrett saw the traits of a player who could be a strong addition to his team. 'You just saw a good young player that you thought you could help move along,' Jarrett said. Lodise transferred to Florida State as a sophomore and began work on improving a swing that Jarrett says had a little too much lift. It took some time and there were bumpy moments early in his sophomore season, but Lodise eventually found the right swing and rhythm and finished his first year at FSU batting .281/.363/.479 in 62 games. Advertisement Buoyed by the strong finish to his regular season and a solid stint in the wood bat Cape Cod League over the summer, when he hit .295 in 15 games while matched up with some of the top collegiate talent in the country, Lodise came into his junior season fully confident in his abilities. That confidence quickly translated into on-field success. 'I came in last year new to the program, and I was putting a bunch of stress on myself, telling myself I gotta do so good, and I was just overthinking a lot of things,' Lodise said. 'I think I did a lot better this year just going and having fun.' In a year where power numbers were down throughout Division I, Lodise posted an eye-opening .705 SLG and a career-best 17 homers in 58 games this season. He achieved those numbers while increasing his walk rate and cutting down on his strikeouts. Lodise made some subtle changes at the plate, focusing on being more on-time. 'I wanted to start my load earlier, be slow and more in control and in my legs,' he said. A career highlight for Lodise came on March 25 when he hit a walkoff grand slam to complete the cycle against rival Florida. The game was played in Jacksonville at the home of the Double-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp and roughly 40 members of his family were in the crowd. 'I blacked out,' Lodise said of the immediate aftermath of his home run. 'Honestly, it was just crazy. I couldn't hear anything. All I heard was people yelling. And then I look and there's the bullpens … running down the third base line to get the home plate. It was just awesome.' Lodise didn't only grow as a hitter during his two years at FSU. He also improved significantly as a shortstop. Improving his defense was a big part of why Lodise chose to play at FSU. He recalls during his recruiting call with Jarrett that defense was a significant part of their conversation. Advertisement 'I was like, 'Alright, I'm ready for you to teach me to play defense. I'm ready to learn from you,'' Lodise said of Jarrett. 'He's historically had great teams. Just to be able to play for a coach like that who has so much pull in the game and has been around it for so long, it was awesome.' Jarrett says Lodise was always a hard-nosed defensive player but he was also able to improve his internal game clock and ability to his use feet to increase his range. He was very diligent in the weight room, as well. 'He likes to work at it,' Jarrett said. 'He's very focused. Lodise also credits his time playing on the Cape Cod League fields, which are often a bit rough, for helping him improve his defense significantly. When Lodise accepted the Dick Howser award, his defensive play was cited as one of the reasons the committee gave it to him. 'The recognition of the defense as part of his game, I thought that stood out for him in that award,' Jarrett said. 'We don't have some of the metrics that you might have in the major-league stadiums that grab the defensive range and those sort of things. But the people that evaluated that award, they recognized it, which was cool.' Although he grew up near Jacksonville, Lodise's dad raised him as a New York Yankees fan, so getting to be a shortstop like his childhood favorite player, Derek Jeter, is a thrill. 'I would be lying to you if I said I didn't practice the jump throw,' he said with a laugh. Lodise isn't the only shortstop in his family whose life is expected to change during the draft. His first cousin, Kyle, was the starting shortstop for Georgia Tech this past season and he is projected to be a top-three round draft pick. Though the two lived about an hour-and-a-half apart, they grew up together both as people and as baseball players. Advertisement Both Lodise families had two boys and were highly competitive. They'd team up against each other for epic inter-family whiffle ball, football and basketball battles, with each family taking home their share of the bragging rights. That atmosphere helped shape both Alex and Kyle into top athletes. Alex says the cousins talk regularly after games. 'It's just been awesome to have somebody like that that I can go to and trust with everything I have,' he said. As Lodise gets ready to take the next step in his career, Jarrett believes the kid who went from overlooked to the top player in college baseball in just three years has even more room to get better. He says Lodise has more power potential and that his pitch recognition — which improved significantly the last two years — will only continue to get better. Mostly, Jarrett is excited for the organization that will get to add Lodise to their mix. 'He's just an exceptional person, great family, works hard, and stays focused,' Jarrett said.
USA Today
13-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Jace LaViolette injury update: Latest updates on Texas A&M outfielder before MLB Draft
Texas A&M baseball's Jace LaViolette enters the 2025 MLB Draft as one of the more intriguing prospects on the draft board. The intrigue for the Aggies' left-handed slugger doesn't have to do with his skills and power at the plate, but instead the uncertainty with his health after sustaining a broken hand in the SEC tournament. LaViolette's position entering Day 1 of the MLB draft in Atlanta is similar to the one that his former teammate, Braden Montgomery, was in last season after he sustained a season-ending injury of his own in the NCAA Tournament, which cost Montgomery a few slots (and money) in the first round. The Aggies' 6-foot-6 outfielder, who is the No. 20-ranked draft prospect on MLB Pipeline, entered the 2025 college baseball season as the projected No. 1 overall pick, but with his hand injury and a down junior campaign, LaViolette has dropped into the No. 10 to No. 25 pick range in the first round. Though his odds of being a No. 1 overall pick are done, LaViolette is still considered one of the best college position players available in this year's draft. Known for his raw power and ability to demolish balls from inside the left batter's box, LaViolette hit 68 career home runs in three seasons at Texas A&M while posting a career .285 average. Here's the latest injury update on LaViolette ahead of the first round of the MLB draft and more, including his latest MLB mock draft projections: Jace LaViolette injury update LaViolette sustained a broken left hand injury in the fifth inning of Texas A&M's 3-2 second-round win against Auburn on May 22 in the SEC baseball tournament. The injury came about during an at-bat where LaViolette attempted to swing at a pitch before the ball came in on him and hit him off his knuckles and the knob of the bat. He briefly stayed in the game but then exited the game after signaling into the Aggies' dugout from first base that he couldn't stay in the game and fight off the pain. He returned to Texas A&M's dugout in the seventh inning with his entire left hand and wrist wrapped with a splint. Texas A&M coach Michael Earley initially told reporters at the SEC tournament that LaViolette's injury would keep him out for the remainder of the conference tournament, but the plans for the Aggies' outfielder were reversed as he played in the quarterfinals vs. LSU. "I'm not sure if I can say, but he will be out for the remainder of the tournament," Earley said after Texas A&M's win over Auburn on May 22. While have been no public updates on how LaViolette's recovery has been since the Aggies' season ended on May 23, he did have surgery prior to Texas A&M's quarterfinal game vs. LSU on May 23 and was in the lineup for that game. He was also invited to the MLB Draft Combine, which took place June 17 through June 21 at Chase Field in Phoenix. What is Jace LaViolette's injury? LaViolette has been dealing with a broken left hand injury. He had surgery immediately, where he got a pin placed into his hand, and returned to the lineup the next day for the Aggies. "Got hit in the hand yesterday. Broke a bone in there and got surgery and played today. I'd run through a brick wall for this guy (Texas A&M coach Michael Earley)," LaViolette said at the SEC Tournament on May 24. Added Earley: "He had surgery last night at 7 p.m. and played in a game (tonight) at 6:45. For him to do what he did today, I mean that's just maybe the most incredible thing I've ever seen on a baseball field and it just shows a lot about how much that kid cares about his team." Jace LaViolette MLB mock draft projections Here's a look at LaViolette's latest mock draft projections from MLB draft analysts: Jace LaViolette stats Here's a year-by-year breakdown of LaViolette's stats at Texas A&M:
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
3 New England baseball players to watch during the MLB Draft Combine
The fifth annual MLB Draft Combine got underway on Tuesday, June 17 at Chase Field in Phoenix. Spanning five days, the combine gives draft eligible high school and college baseball players an opportunity to further showcase their talents to major league scouts. Advertisement This year, 322 baseball players made the trip to Arizona to participate indifferent actives from on-field workouts to strength and conditioning showcases. On Tuesday, the combine began with on-field workouts then transitioned to the Combine High School game at 9 p.m Eastern Time. Both were live streamed on Wednesday's workouts will also be able to be streamed, beginning at 12 p.m. Eastern and going until 8 p.m. Helping out with some of the instructions are former MLB players like CC Sabathia, Michael Bourn, and Brad Penny. The participants came from all across the country and all different levels of competition. Three of the participants may be familiar faces to college baseball fans in New England. Advertisement The first is left-handed pitcher Caleb Leys. The Rhode Island native is coming off his junior season with the Maine Black Bears. After a slow start to his career and a medical redshirt year in 2024 due to Tommy John surgery, Leys dominated for the Black Bears this season. Across 67 innings, Leys posted a 2.69 ERA for Maine, striking out 74 batters. His best outing of the year came against NJIT in March when he struck out 12 batters and allowed just one earned run over seven innings. Another name to keep an eye out for is Mason Estrada. Also a pitcher, Estrada did his work with the MIT Engineers this season. Hailing from Louisiana, the right handed sophomore was lethal in his first season appearing for MIT. Estrada made 10 starts and struck out 66 batters on the year. Advertisement The righty also finished with a 2.21 ERA and a .154 batting average against. If he is not drafted this year or declines to sign with a team that takes him, Estrada is set to transfer to one of the top programs in the country in Tennessee next year. The lone position player of this trio is Northeastern University outfielder Cam Maldonado. Named a freshman All-American in 2023, the Wolcott, Connecticut native only got better over the course of his Huskies career. The 6′3 centerfielder swiped at least 29 bags in each of his three seasons with Northeastern, and finished slashing .329/.440/.595. His efforts as a junior, including 17 doubles and 15 homers, earned him Northeastern All-Region First Team honors. Coming off a trip to the NCAA Tournament, Maldonado entered the combine as the 189th ranked prospect in this year's draft according to MLB Pipeline. Maldonado is the only one of the three New England representatives to crack the top 200 prospects list. Read the original article on MassLive.
New York Times
27-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
MLB's draft combine has a fundamental problem: Some top players don't want to attend
PHOENIX — Watching the MLB Draft Combine on television is an engaging experience. Studio hosts conduct light-hearted in-person interviews, interspersed with an up-close look at Statcast data from on-field drills. It's coverage of players that, until now, may have only forayed into the public consciousness through grainy game feeds or online mock drafts, or for a select few, standout moments at the College World Series. Advertisement On TV, it's a put-together product. But in person, the event is sterile and quiet. Chase Field, which has a capacity 48,519, houses a couple hundred scouts, agents, players, team personnel and media during the week-long event. Music is either non-existent or at a soft murmur, so as not to disturb meetings going in the suites. Fans are not permitted, for fear of autograph hounds impacting the event's flow. The combine — five years into its existence — is polarizing. For some in the industry, it's incredibly valuable. For others, it's viewed as contrived, and more importantly, a risk for players to even attend because they will be asked to submit to MRIs and other medical testing that their agents worry could impact their stock. 'It's media and medicals,' said one industry source on the players' side, who was granted anonymity in order to speak freely. 'This is a media event really, where the league is trying to get medical information from guys. It's really that simple.' The combine takes place in June, approximately a month before the draft. Around 300 players are invited, where they meet with teams, participate in drills, and, most notably, submit to medical testing. The compliments and criticisms vary. For some draft hopefuls, it offers a last, best chance to be noticed and move up. For others, it poses the danger of torpedoing their draft chances. 'The player gets access to his MRIs, but he doesn't get access to what the 30 teams are saying about his MRI, and what their conclusion is,' said prominent MLB agent Scott Boras. 'For a healthy young player to open himself to that subjective review, when he's perfectly healthy and there is no information to suggest that he not — that part of it is something that would most likely operate against him.' Boras represents high school infielder Ethan Holliday, who is a leading candidate to go No. 1 in the draft next month. Holliday was notably absent from the combine. Advertisement Teams and their scouting directors largely laud the event as helpful. Because for them, it is. They get the best players, all in one spot, with a chance to have conversations, watch them and collect data in a controlled environment. 'I think there's definitely been value to it,' said Michael Holmes, the Giants' director of amateur scouting. 'It just added more layers to the evaluation process.' But to many agents and advisors, the combine is flawed. Very few scouts actually watch players do their drills. There's consternation over who gets invited, and who does not — with the list determined by MLB itself. And most importantly, there are the medicals — and the risk that any previously unknown blip could irreparably harm a player's pro ball dreams. Another agent, who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to speak freely, said that while he fought for his clients to get invitations, the combine isn't designed to help high-profile prospects, and lamented its overall structure, which makes it difficult for team scouts to watch the events because in-person meetings with prospects are taking place in team suites at the same time. 'Where are the scouts? Look around. Not many,' the agent said, pointing to the Chase Field seats as the onfield drills were in progress. 'There's a couple behind home plate. Who are they doing this for? Are they only going to use the data, is that all it's for?' Concerns over medicals have been quelled somewhat since the last Collective Bargaining Agreement, when the two sides agreed that players who undergo testing are guaranteed 75 percent of the slot value for their pick, if they're selected. It effectively leaves the player choosing between two different risks. Submit to the testing, and potentially lower your chances of getting drafted if it uncovers anything. Or wait to do the testing until you're drafted, and risk not recouping any signing bonus if the team decides not to sign you. Advertisement 'Combine medical testing is a voluntary incentive-based program collectively bargained with the MLBPA,' an MLB spokesperson said in a written statement. 'The majority of players who are eligible have opted into testing since its inception, and the program is a win-win for players and Clubs.' The issue, however, with many elements of this event, is that not everything is a win-win for everyone involved. Even front offices can see some downsides. One MLB executive said that while the combine is a good thing in a vacuum, it punishes the teams that work hard at scouting by leveling the playing field for teams that don't commit the same resources. Jeremy Booth, founder of the Future Star Series, worked closely with more than 90 players invited to the combine. Like most everyone, he takes a nuanced perspective on the combine. Having all 30 teams in one place is a good thing. A lot of the players he works with come to Phoenix looking to get on someone's radar, and this is a chance they wouldn't otherwise have. But that doesn't mean it's perfect, either. He, too, was frustrated at the lack of scouts watching, and expressed concern for the lesser prospects that show up, don't get seen by scouts, and aren't requested for interviews by many, or any, teams. 'I'm only coming here to raise my stock, I'm not coming here to lower it,' Booth said of the players' thought process. 'And there's a risk of lowering it. 'Major League Baseball has a duty to put together the best format that protects the player, and gives (teams) what they need to see. They're on their way. But there are things that can be done differently.' Booth works with Kayson Cunningham, a high school infielder projected to go in the middle of the first round, according to The Athletic's Keith Law. Cunningham bucked conventional wisdom by completing all the workouts. His stock is already extremely high, and he just as easily could have skipped everything. Advertisement Then there are Cunningham's fellow high school infielders: Holliday and Eli Willits (both projected top-10 picks) didn't show up, while shortstop Billy Carlson (also projected to go in the top 10) attended the combine but didn't do any on-field workouts. Carlson said he believed the event was important for him because of the interviews with teams above all else. 'I just want to let teams know who I am as a person,' Carlson said. 'I think that's the value.' For others, taking the medical examinations is actually part of the draw in attending. Adonys Guzman, a catcher from the University of Arizona, is projected to go in the early-to-middle rounds, but is not expected to garner a first-round selection. He made the calculation that conducting all the medical examinations — MRIs which took six hours — was a net benefit to him. 'I feel pretty healthy and I was able to play the whole year and still feel pretty good,' Guzman said. 'So I had no problem having them see what my medicals looked like. It also guaranteed (me) 75 percent of my signing bonus, so that was another reason I decided to get it done. I'd rather know now.' MLB's combine is still trying to establish credibility with its fans and its players. This will never be the NFL or NBA combines. Those events feature ready-made stars, many of whom became household names on their college teams. The vast majority of those at the MLB combine will either never make the big leagues, or take years to get there. The league has tried to sell the product to fans through MLB Network, content creators, and even through giving invitations to the sons of high-profile players like C.C. Sabathia and Manny Ramirez. But ultimately, MLB's biggest issue is not selling the combine to the viewing audience. The question for those in the league office is less about whether its combine can garner the same popularity as its big sport brethren, and more about whether it can capture the trust of the players and agents who are invited to participate. 'There are some holes, it's never going to be perfect,' Booth said. 'We're not calling the baby ugly. There are a lot of positives here. There are some tweaks that are needed.' (Top photo of non-attendees Ethan Holliday and Eli Willits: Sarah Phipps / The Oklahoman via Imagn Images)
