PHOENIX (AP) — MLB's owners recently proposed banning high school players from signing with major league teams, which would be a huge change for the sport. There are dozens of current MLB stars who started their professional careers as teenagers immediately after high school, including Pete Crow-Armstrong, Mike Trout and Bobby Witt Jr. Even more recently, Pirates phenom Konnor Griffin made his MLB debut at 19 years old. The rise of NCAA baseball as a training ground for prospects has made streamlining the minor leagues a realistic possibility. In the 2025 MLB draft, 56 college players were selected in the top 90 picks.
TORONTO (AP) — Quarterback Brendan Sorsby won’t be kick-starting his pro football career in Canada. The CFL said Friday it won’t allow the 22-year-old who was permanently ruled ineligible by the NCAA for sports betting to sign with any of its teams or be placed on their negotiation lists. Sorsby admitted to placing thousands of bets totaling nearly $90,000 over his collegiate career. After being ruled permanently ineligible by the NCAA, Sorsby attempted to join the NFL’s supplemental draft, but that league told him on Tuesday it wouldn’t hold one this year. The CFL said in a statement Friday that “upholding the integrity of the league and ensuring fair competition” was paramount.
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — A federal magistrate has ruled that multimedia rights companies that represent university athletic departments can continue to be subject to the same rules governing millions in third party name-image-likeness payments to players that are reshaping college sports. Northern District of California judge Nathanael Cousins, who was appointed to hear disputes related to the landmark House settlement, denied a request to rule that MMRs should not fall under the same reviews by the College Sports Commission as do collective and booster deals. Deals arranged by MMRs will continue to fall under the review of the College Sports Commission.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Two days after taking the 6-foot-9 star out of BYU with the top pick in the NBA draft, the Washington Wizards introduced AJ Dybantsa at a hotel overlooking the Potomac River. One issue of uncertainty was resolved at Thursday's news conference. Dybantsa wore No. 3 in college, but in Washington that belongs to Trae Young. Dybantsa will change to No. 4. That's his previous jersey number and his draft pick number added together. Dybantsa said he intends to graduate college, finishing his studies online. He's also already started a foundation aimed at empowering young people.
UNDATED (AP) — Incoming recruits Tyran Stokes at Kansas, Caleb Holt at Arizona and Jordan Smith Jr. headline the list of potential lottery candidates when looking ahead at the 2027 NBA draft. Stokes is the nation's top-ranked recruit as a 6-foot-7 forward. The list of possible lottery candidates includes multiple college players like USC's Alijah Arenas, UConn's Braylon Mullins and Florida's Thomas Haugh. ESPN national recruiting director Paul Biancardi says the 2027 class ended up being “very good” and will be unfairly compared to the past two classes that rank among the deepest in years.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The NCAA Division I Cabinet has approved changes to the college football calendar. Starting in fall 2027, teams can schedule up to 12 regular-season games over 14 weeks, ending after Thanksgiving. This week, the cabinet also allowed teams moving from the Championship Subdivision to the Bowl Subdivision to be bowl-eligible immediately. The change applies to teams like North Dakota State and Sacramento State. Additionally, the FBS and FCS oversight committees proposed shortening the January transfer portal window from 15 to 10 days. They also suggested a new model for spring and summer activities. Votes on these proposals are set for August.
