MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Recent K-State graduate Serena Sundell will continue her active summer with an international 3x3 tournament, as she will play for the 2025 USA Basketball 3x3 Women’s Nations League Team at the FIBA 3x3 Youth Nations League Americas in Punta Arenas, Chile, on July 21-27.

Sundell, a product of Maryville, Missouri, has been selected as one of six players for the team for the six-day event. The event features pool play and a title game on each day of the event with the standings resetting each day. Joining Sundell on the roster are Taylor Bigby of TCU, Joyce Edwards of South Carolina, MiLaysia Fulwiley of LSU, Lazaria Spearman of Tennessee and Rachel Ullstrom of Richmond.

Earlier this summer, Sundell helped her team, B&amp;B, win the 3XBA event at the Spokane Hoopfest on June 27-28 in Spokane, Washington. The 3XBA event featured 32 of the most elite basketball players in the nation. With the win, Sundell and her teammates qualified for the FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, on August 1-2.

A 2025 Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and Associated Press (AP) All-America honorable mention selection, Sundell led the nation with a career-high and school record for total assists (262) and paced the nation and led the Big 12 with a career-high for assists per game (7.28 apg) and was second in the Big 12 for assist-turnover ratio (2.52). She recorded a league-best nine games with 10 or more assists.

Sundell was K-State’s second-leading scorer with an average of 14.1 points per game and led the Wildcats with 508 points, which was the second-highest total of her career, on a .501 field goal percentage. Sundell was the only player in the nation in the 2024-25 season and the third player since 1993-94 to register a season with 500 or more points, 250 or more assists and shoot 50.0 percent or better from the field.

With her point (508) and assist (262) totals in the 2024-25 season, Sundell was the first player in Big 12 history to record four seasons with 350 or more points and 150 or more assists. She joined former Wildcat Kayla Goth as the only two players in program history with 500 or more points and 200 or more assists in a season.

In her career, Sundell set the school records for career starts (139) and games played (139). She established the school record and ranks fourth in Big 12 history for career assists with 811 and is second in program history for career assists per game (5.83 apg). She ranks sixth on the K-State career scoring list with 1,771 points. She ranks tied for seventh in school history for career blocks (104).

She was the first player in school history and the 14th&nbsp;in NCAA Division I women’s basketball history with 1,700 or more career points and 800 or more career assists.

Sundell was a 2025 WNBA Draft selection by the Seattle Storm. She was the ninth player in program history to be selected during the WNBA Draft.

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Recent K-State graduate Serena Sundell will continue her active summer with an international 3x3 tournament, as she will play for the 2025 USA Basketball 3x3 Women’s Nations League Team at the FIBA 3x3 Youth Nations League Americas in Punta Arenas, Chile, on July 21-27.Sundell, a product of Maryville, Missouri, has been selected as one of six players for the team for the six-day event. The event features pool play and a title game on each day of the event with the standings resetting each day. Joining Sundell on the roster are Taylor Bigby of TCU, Joyce Edwards of South Carolina, MiLaysia Fulwiley of LSU, Lazaria Spearman of Tennessee and Rachel Ullstrom of Richmond.Earlier this summer, Sundell helped her team, B&amp;B, win the 3XBA event at the Spokane Hoopfest on June 27-28 in Spokane, Washington. The 3XBA event featured 32 of the most elite basketball players in the nation. With the win, Sundell and her teammates qualified for the FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, on August 1-2.A 2025 Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and Associated Press (AP) All-America honorable mention selection, Sundell led the nation with a career-high and school record for total assists (262) and paced the nation and led the Big 12 with a career-high for assists per game (7.28 apg) and was second in the Big 12 for assist-turnover ratio (2.52). She recorded a league-best nine games with 10 or more assists.Sundell was K-State’s second-leading scorer with an average of 14.1 points per game and led the Wildcats with 508 points, which was the second-highest total of her career, on a .501 field goal percentage. Sundell was the only player in the nation in the 2024-25 season and the third player since 1993-94 to register a season with 500 or more points, 250 or more assists and shoot 50.0 percent or better from the field.With her point (508) and assist (262) totals in the 2024-25 season, Sundell was the first player in Big 12 history to record four seasons with 350 or more points and 150 or more assists. She joined former Wildcat Kayla Goth as the only two players in program history with 500 or more points and 200 or more assists in a season.In her career, Sundell set the school records for career starts (139) and games played (139). She established the school record and ranks fourth in Big 12 history for career assists with 811 and is second in program history for career assists per game (5.83 apg). She ranks sixth on the K-State career scoring list with 1,771 points. She ranks tied for seventh in school history for career blocks (104).She was the first player in school history and the 14th&nbsp;in NCAA Division I women’s basketball history with 1,700 or more career points and 800 or more career assists.Sundell was a 2025 WNBA Draft selection by the Seattle Storm. She was the ninth player in program history to be selected during the WNBA Draft.

Sundell to Play for USA Basketball in FIBA 3x3 Event in Chile

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Three players –&nbsp;Brendan Hausen,&nbsp;Max Jones&nbsp;and&nbsp;David N’Guessan&nbsp;– were selected to the 2024-25 National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Honors Court in announcement by the organization on Thursday (July 17).

The NABC Honors Court is bestowed upon juniors, seniors and/or graduate students who post a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.2 or higher in a given academic year.

N’Guessan earned the honor for the third consecutive season. He was also named to the 2025 Winter Academic All-Big 12. It was the first NABC honors for Hausen and Jones.

In addition to head coach&nbsp;Jerome Tang&nbsp;and Chief of Staff&nbsp;Marco Borne, several individuals play a pivotal role in support of the team’s academic success, including Senior Associate AD&nbsp;Kristin Waller, academic counselor&nbsp;Jamie Cherry&nbsp;and the staff in the Evans Student-Athlete Success Program.

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Three players –&nbsp;Brendan Hausen,&nbsp;Max Jones&nbsp;and&nbsp;David N’Guessan&nbsp;– were selected to the 2024-25 National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Honors Court in announcement by the organization on Thursday (July 17).The NABC Honors Court is bestowed upon juniors, seniors and/or graduate students who post a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.2 or higher in a given academic year.N’Guessan earned the honor for the third consecutive season. He was also named to the 2025 Winter Academic All-Big 12. It was the first NABC honors for Hausen and Jones.In addition to head coach&nbsp;Jerome Tang&nbsp;and Chief of Staff&nbsp;Marco Borne, several individuals play a pivotal role in support of the team’s academic success, including Senior Associate AD&nbsp;Kristin Waller, academic counselor&nbsp;Jamie Cherry&nbsp;and the staff in the Evans Student-Athlete Success Program.

Trio Selected to NABC Honors Court

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;K-State Athletics announced today that limited tickets remain for the first three home football games, and fans are encouraged to act quickly to secure their seats inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium for the highly anticipated season.

Fewer than 2,000 tickets are available for the season opener&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/news/2025/6/11/football-k-state-to-stripe-out-bill-snyder-family-stadium-for-home-opener-vs-north-dakota" target="_blank">Stripe Out game against North Dakota</a>&nbsp;on August 30. The matchup with Army on September 6 has fewer than 1,000 tickets remaining, while there are fewer than 600 tickets left for the Big 12 home opener against UCF on September 27.

Kansas State is coming off its third-straight season of at least nine wins as the Wildcats are one of four Power 4 teams to claim that feat in addition to a conference championship over that timeframe, joining Alabama, Clemson, Georgia and Oregon. K-State brings back 45 letterwinners, including 13 players that started at least five games last year and seven that earned All-Big 12 honors in 2024.

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;K-State Athletics announced today that limited tickets remain for the first three home football games, and fans are encouraged to act quickly to secure their seats inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium for the highly anticipated season.Fewer than 2,000 tickets are available for the season opener&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/news/2025/6/11/football-k-state-to-stripe-out-bill-snyder-family-stadium-for-home-opener-vs-north-dakota" target="_blank">Stripe Out game against North Dakota</a>&nbsp;on August 30. The matchup with Army on September 6 has fewer than 1,000 tickets remaining, while there are fewer than 600 tickets left for the Big 12 home opener against UCF on September 27.Kansas State is coming off its third-straight season of at least nine wins as the Wildcats are one of four Power 4 teams to claim that feat in addition to a conference championship over that timeframe, joining Alabama, Clemson, Georgia and Oregon. K-State brings back 45 letterwinners, including 13 players that started at least five games last year and seven that earned All-Big 12 honors in 2024.

Limited Tickets Remain for K-State’s First Three Home Games

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Kansas City Royals announced this morning that they have acquired infielder/outfielder&nbsp;Adam Frazier&nbsp;from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for infielder&nbsp;Cam Devanney.

Frazier, 33, has played in 78 games (63 starts) for the Pirates this season, slashing .255/.318/.336 (60-for-235) with 17 walks, 10 doubles, 21 RBI and 22 runs scored. He’s batting .310 (27-for-87) with runners on base, including a .289 clip (13-for-45) with runners in scoring position.

He’s made starts at second base (47), left field (12) and right field (4) with the Pirates this year, and over the course of his 10-year Major League career, he’s appeared at every position except pitcher and catcher.

Frazier returns to Kansas City, where he spent the entire 2024 season and played in 104 games for the Royals, while reaching base safely in 46 of his 72 starts. He won Major League Baseball’s Electric Play of the Week Award for&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/MLB/status/1785048515506315358" target="_blank">his play on April 26, 2024</a>&nbsp;in Detroit, where he robbed&nbsp;Parker Meadows&nbsp;of a home run at the right field fence, before throwing out&nbsp;Javier Báez&nbsp;at first base to turn the double play.

He’s spent most of his time playing second base, however, as his 673 games played as a second baseman since the start of 2019 are the 4th most in the Majors, behind only&nbsp;Ozzie Albies&nbsp;(749),&nbsp;Jose Altuve&nbsp;(715) and&nbsp;Marcus Semien&nbsp;(712). His .989 fielding percentage at second base during that span is tied for the 2nd-best rate in the Majors, trailing just Albies (.990).

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Kansas City Royals announced this morning that they have acquired infielder/outfielder&nbsp;Adam Frazier&nbsp;from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for infielder&nbsp;Cam Devanney.Frazier, 33, has played in 78 games (63 starts) for the Pirates this season, slashing .255/.318/.336 (60-for-235) with 17 walks, 10 doubles, 21 RBI and 22 runs scored. He’s batting .310 (27-for-87) with runners on base, including a .289 clip (13-for-45) with runners in scoring position.He’s made starts at second base (47), left field (12) and right field (4) with the Pirates this year, and over the course of his 10-year Major League career, he’s appeared at every position except pitcher and catcher.Frazier returns to Kansas City, where he spent the entire 2024 season and played in 104 games for the Royals, while reaching base safely in 46 of his 72 starts. He won Major League Baseball’s Electric Play of the Week Award for&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/MLB/status/1785048515506315358" target="_blank">his play on April 26, 2024</a>&nbsp;in Detroit, where he robbed&nbsp;Parker Meadows&nbsp;of a home run at the right field fence, before throwing out&nbsp;Javier Báez&nbsp;at first base to turn the double play.He’s spent most of his time playing second base, however, as his 673 games played as a second baseman since the start of 2019 are the 4th most in the Majors, behind only&nbsp;Ozzie Albies&nbsp;(749),&nbsp;Jose Altuve&nbsp;(715) and&nbsp;Marcus Semien&nbsp;(712). His .989 fielding percentage at second base during that span is tied for the 2nd-best rate in the Majors, trailing just Albies (.990).

Royals acquire Adam Frazier from Pittsburgh

ATLANTA (AP) — Kyle Schwarber was nervous.

He had played in Game 7 of the World Series, homered for the United States in the World Baseball Classic.

But he had never walked up to the plate in an All-Star Game swing-off.

“That’s kind of like the baseball version of a shootout,” he said after homering on all three of his swings, going down to his left knee on the final one, to overcome a two-homer deficit. That held up when Jonathan Aranda fell short on the American League’s final three swings, giving the National League a 4-3 swing-off win after a 6-6 tie Tuesday night in which it wasted a six-run, seventh-inning lead.

Schwarber earned the MVP award, going 0 for 2 with a walk as the NL won for the second time in its last 12 tries. He became the first non-pitcher MVP without a hit.

“It will be interesting to see where that goes,” said AL manager Aaron Boone of the New York Yankees. “There’s probably a world where you could see that in the future, where maybe it’s in some regular season mix. I wouldn’t be surprised if people start talking about it like that.”

Concerned about running out of pitchers in an era where no All-Star throws more than one inning,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-sports-new-york-mets-brian-snitker-38d3dc0ea869992ebcab83a4ef4c960b">Major League Baseball and the players’ association made the change in 2022</a>.

In baseball’s equivalent of soccer’s penalty-kicks shootout, the game was decided by having three batters from each league take three swings each off coaches.

Boone picked Brent Rooker, Randy Arozarena and Aranda on Monday, and Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts picked Eugenio Suárez, Schwarber and Pete Alonso for the NL. Because&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eugenio-suarez-allstar-game-3a86937e6a6e74ade4399711717f1f9b">Suárez was hit</a>&nbsp;on the left hand by a fastball in the eighth inning, the NL turned to its alternate, Kyle Stowers.

Players from both teams stood outside their dugouts, some already in street clothes, jumping and shouting after each long ball from their side. Yankees coach Travis Chapman threw to the AL batters and Dodgers coach Dino Ebel to the NL hitters.

Rooker put the AL ahead by homering on his last two swings, and Stowers hit one. Randy Arozarena boosted the AL lead to 3-1.

Ebel had thrown BP to Schwarber two years ago at the WBC.

“He asked me right before, he was like, where do you want it?” Schwarber recalled “I’m like, just middle. And he’s like, `I gotcha.’”

He took two pitches and deposited the third just over the center-field fence. Schwarber took another, then hit a 461-foot drive over the right-center bullpen. After letting two more go by, he dropped to a knee while pulling the third, craned his neck and held his bat it the air as the ball landed in the fourth row of the Chop House seats.

“I didn’t hit it, obviously, my best, but I was thinking I got enough of it,” Schwarber said. “And I was just kind of down there, hoping, saying: go, go, go. And it went. And it was awesome.”

Aranda followed with a fly well short of the center-field warning track, drove a pitch about a foot shy of the top of the right-field wall and hit an opposite-field pop that dropped in medium left.

Alonso, a two-time Home Run Derby champion, didn’t have to bat and patted Schwarber on the head as fireworks went off at Truist Field.

“I felt like a closer like a closer going into a game,” Alonso said, “and then it’s like, wait, the guy in the field got a double play to end the inning. You’re not going in.”

MLB, after consulting with the Elias Sports Bureau,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-college-football-soccer-sports-baseball-3e3fc1fa9ba55a1ec4e563353e69db56">said in 2022</a>&nbsp;that All-Star Games ending in a swing-off would be listed as tied, with a notation of the game being decided in a swing-off. MLB’s official postgame notes listed Tuesday’s outcome as a 7-6 NL victory.

Ketel Marte’s two-run double in the first had put the NL ahead, and Alonso’s three-run homer off Kris Bubic and Corbin Carroll’s solo shot against Casey Mize opened a 6-0 lead in the sixth.

The AL comeback began when Rooker hit a three-run pinch homer against Randy Rodríguez in a four-run seventh that included Bobby Witt Jr.’s RBI groundout. Robert Suarez allowed consecutive doubles to Byron Buxton and Witt with one out in ninth, and Steven Kwan’s infield hit on a three-hopper to third off Edwin Díaz drove in the tying run.

Paul Skenes, the first pitcher to start the All-Star Game each of his first two seasons, reached 100 mph on four pitches in a perfect first. Jacob Misiorowski,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/misiorowski-allstar-game-534280740b0ceafc9dcc10c011df6cbb">a controversial inclusion</a>&nbsp;after pitching in just five major league games in his rookie season, fired nine pitches of 100 mph or more in a one-hit eighth 34 days after his major league debut. The 23-year-old righty, added to the NL roster by baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred, reached 102.3 mph. There were 21 pitches of 100 mph or more, down from a record 23 last year.

Four of five challenges were successful in the first use of the robot umpire in the All-Star Game

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-allstar-game-uniforms-8f3891854c6aab41e02a8a08c4263ea2">Teams were back in their regular-season club jerseys</a>&nbsp;— whites for the NL, mostly grays for the AL — after four years of special All-Star uniforms that were much criticized. The AL leads 48-45 with two ties.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752638555921.png" alt="Philadelphia Phillies Kyle Schwarber celebrates after winning the tiebreaker at the MLB baseball All-Star game between the American League and National League, Tuesday, July 15, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)" />
 <figcaption>Philadelphia Phillies Kyle Schwarber celebrates after winning the tiebreaker at the MLB baseball All-Star game between the American League and National League, Tuesday, July 15, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)</figcaption>
 </figure>ATLANTA (AP) — Kyle Schwarber was nervous.He had played in Game 7 of the World Series, homered for the United States in the World Baseball Classic.But he had never walked up to the plate in an All-Star Game swing-off.No one had.“That’s kind of like the baseball version of a shootout,” he said after homering on all three of his swings, going down to his left knee on the final one, to overcome a two-homer deficit. That held up when Jonathan Aranda fell short on the American League’s final three swings, giving the National League a 4-3 swing-off win after a 6-6 tie Tuesday night in which it wasted a six-run, seventh-inning lead.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FPhillies%2Fvideos%2F1417266409542562%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Schwarber earned the MVP award, going 0 for 2 with a walk as the NL won for the second time in its last 12 tries. He became the first non-pitcher MVP without a hit.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FPhillies%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02XNpxrnGZ7iF5FMjnbLHBLNaARVvie18rfnjxQ4RMwadDvabWET3tRafAFsRC3nwul&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="590" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>“It will be interesting to see where that goes,” said AL manager Aaron Boone of the New York Yankees. “There’s probably a world where you could see that in the future, where maybe it’s in some regular season mix. I wouldn’t be surprised if people start talking about it like that.”Concerned about running out of pitchers in an era where no All-Star throws more than one inning,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-sports-new-york-mets-brian-snitker-38d3dc0ea869992ebcab83a4ef4c960b">Major League Baseball and the players’ association made the change in 2022</a>.In baseball’s equivalent of soccer’s penalty-kicks shootout, the game was decided by having three batters from each league take three swings each off coaches.Boone picked Brent Rooker, Randy Arozarena and Aranda on Monday, and Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts picked Eugenio Suárez, Schwarber and Pete Alonso for the NL. Because&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eugenio-suarez-allstar-game-3a86937e6a6e74ade4399711717f1f9b">Suárez was hit</a>&nbsp;on the left hand by a fastball in the eighth inning, the NL turned to its alternate, Kyle Stowers.Players from both teams stood outside their dugouts, some already in street clothes, jumping and shouting after each long ball from their side. Yankees coach Travis Chapman threw to the AL batters and Dodgers coach Dino Ebel to the NL hitters.Rooker put the AL ahead by homering on his last two swings, and Stowers hit one. Randy Arozarena boosted the AL lead to 3-1.Ebel had thrown BP to Schwarber two years ago at the WBC.“He asked me right before, he was like, where do you want it?” Schwarber recalled “I’m like, just middle. And he’s like, `I gotcha.’”He took two pitches and deposited the third just over the center-field fence. Schwarber took another, then hit a 461-foot drive over the right-center bullpen. After letting two more go by, he dropped to a knee while pulling the third, craned his neck and held his bat it the air as the ball landed in the fourth row of the Chop House seats.“I didn’t hit it, obviously, my best, but I was thinking I got enough of it,” Schwarber said. “And I was just kind of down there, hoping, saying: go, go, go. And it went. And it was awesome.”Aranda followed with a fly well short of the center-field warning track, drove a pitch about a foot shy of the top of the right-field wall and hit an opposite-field pop that dropped in medium left.Alonso, a two-time Home Run Derby champion, didn’t have to bat and patted Schwarber on the head as fireworks went off at Truist Field.“I felt like a closer like a closer going into a game,” Alonso said, “and then it’s like, wait, the guy in the field got a double play to end the inning. You’re not going in.”<h2>What was the score?</h2>MLB, after consulting with the Elias Sports Bureau,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-college-football-soccer-sports-baseball-3e3fc1fa9ba55a1ec4e563353e69db56">said in 2022</a>&nbsp;that All-Star Games ending in a swing-off would be listed as tied, with a notation of the game being decided in a swing-off. MLB’s official postgame notes listed Tuesday’s outcome as a 7-6 NL victory.<h2>In earlier action</h2>Ketel Marte’s two-run double in the first had put the NL ahead, and Alonso’s three-run homer off Kris Bubic and Corbin Carroll’s solo shot against Casey Mize opened a 6-0 lead in the sixth.The AL comeback began when Rooker hit a three-run pinch homer against Randy Rodríguez in a four-run seventh that included Bobby Witt Jr.’s RBI groundout. Robert Suarez allowed consecutive doubles to Byron Buxton and Witt with one out in ninth, and Steven Kwan’s infield hit on a three-hopper to third off Edwin Díaz drove in the tying run.<h2>Heat on the mound</h2>Paul Skenes, the first pitcher to start the All-Star Game each of his first two seasons, reached 100 mph on four pitches in a perfect first. Jacob Misiorowski,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/misiorowski-allstar-game-534280740b0ceafc9dcc10c011df6cbb">a controversial inclusion</a>&nbsp;after pitching in just five major league games in his rookie season, fired nine pitches of 100 mph or more in a one-hit eighth 34 days after his major league debut. The 23-year-old righty, added to the NL roster by baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred, reached 102.3 mph. There were 21 pitches of 100 mph or more, down from a record 23 last year.<h2>Robot umpire debuts</h2>Four of five challenges were successful in the first use of the robot umpire in the All-Star Game<h2>Styling</h2><a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-allstar-game-uniforms-8f3891854c6aab41e02a8a08c4263ea2">Teams were back in their regular-season club jerseys</a>&nbsp;— whites for the NL, mostly grays for the AL — after four years of special All-Star uniforms that were much criticized. The AL leads 48-45 with two ties.

⚾ Schwarber’s 3 homers in All-Star Game’s first tiebreaking swing-off lift NL over AL

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post

The Kansas City Chiefs took a big step toward shoring up their offensive line on Tuesday as sources reported that the team had reached an agreement with right guard Trey Smith.

This agreement is a four-year, $94 million contract extension with $70 million guaranteed, making this the most money ever awarded to an NFL guard.

Along with Bengals wideout Tee Higgins, Smith was the only other player to receive the franchise tag this offseason, but the Pro Bowler was well rewarded for his efforts.

In addition to his Pro Bowl selection, Smith has also been exceptionally durable during his four seasons in the league, missing just one game during four Chiefs postseason runs.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostThe Kansas City Chiefs took a big step toward shoring up their offensive line on Tuesday as sources reported that the team had reached an agreement with right guard Trey Smith.This agreement is a four-year, $94 million contract extension with $70 million guaranteed, making this the most money ever awarded to an NFL guard.Along with Bengals wideout Tee Higgins, Smith was the only other player to receive the franchise tag this offseason, but the Pro Bowler was well rewarded for his efforts.In addition to his Pro Bowl selection, Smith has also been exceptionally durable during his four seasons in the league, missing just one game during four Chiefs postseason runs.

Chiefs sign Trey Smith to 4-year, $94 million dollar deal

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Kansas City Royals selected 17 players on the final day of the 2025 First-Year Player Draft. All press releases and Zoom calls related to the 2025 Draft can be found <a href="https://royals-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/p/comshr/EjnU8VJbeD1EvrvZ3WV0HqkBnTl5V-VitCK-xUmLvdRo0g?e=pNLGB1">here</a>.

In total, the Royals selected 13 pitchers (12 RHP, 1 LHP), five infielders, three outfielders and one catcher. Of their 22 picks, 16 were from the college ranks, including 2 from JUCO, and six were high school players. Of note, out of the nine position players selected, only No. 28 (PPI) Josh Hammond bats right-handed.

With the 128th overall pick in the 4th round, the Royals selected outfielder Nolan Sailors out of Creighton University (Neb.). Sailors, 22, slashed .389/.485/.584 (88-for-226, 1.069 OPS) with 28 extra-base hits, 44 RBI and 27 stolen bases in 59 games as a senior. In four seasons with the Bluejays, he played in 207 games and slashed .320/.422/.491 (251-for-784) with 19 home runs, 148 RBI and 63 stolen bases. He graduated from Ralston High School (Neb.), where he was named to the All-Nebraska and Super State First Teams after hitting .476 as a senior. He is a native of Omaha, Neb.

With the 158th overall pick in the 5th round, the Royals selected right-handed pitcher Aiden Jimenez out of the University of Arkansas. Jimenez, 21, completed his redshirt sophomore season with the Razorbacks in 2025, going 4-1 with 40 strikeouts (8.5 K/9) in 42.1 innings pitched, posting a 3.40 ERA (16 ER) in a team-high 22 games (2 GS). He began his collegiate career at Oregon State in 2023, where he appeared in 22 games (1 GS) and struck out 35 batters in 38.0 innings of work (8.3 K/9). Jimenez graduated from Elk Grove High School (Calif.). His father, Jason Jimenez, appeared in 6 Major League games with Tampa Bay (5) and Detroit (1) in 2002, and was a 28th round pick by the Rays in 1997. Jason was teammates with Royals Manager Matt Quatraro and Bench Coach Paul Hoover in the Rays minor league system from 1998-2002. His grandfather, Ken Hottman, also played in 6 MLB games in 1971.

With the 188th overall pick in the 6th round, the Royals selected infielder Tyriq Kemp out of Baylor University (Texas). Kemp, 22, played in 55 games for the Bears this season, slashing .358/.446/.542 (72-for-201, .988 OPS) with 48 runs, 41 RBI and more walks (32) than strikeouts (27). He was also announced as a semifinalist for the Brooks Wallace Award in 2025, given annually to the nation’s top collegiate shortstop. In two seasons at Baylor, he posted an .849 OPS and batted .305 (110-for-361), playing in 108 games. In 2024, he played for Curaçao Neptunus in the Dutch Major League, and he slashed .292/.400/.427 (28-for-96, .827 OPS) as a 21-year-old, while playing alongside his older brother, Dwayne, who signed with the Cubs in 2009. Prior to attending Baylor, he played two seasons at Western Oklahoma State College (the same school that notable Curaçaoan shortstop Andrelton Simmons attended), where he hit .375 with 9 home runs and 41 RBI as a sophomore. Kemp was raised in The Netherlands and was a member of the Dutch National Teams from ages U15 to U23, guiding the U23 team to a gold medal at the European Baseball Championship in 2021.

With the 218th overall pick in the 7th round, the Royals selected right-handed pitcher Bryson Dudley out of Texas State University. Dudley, 21, just finished his first season with Texas State and earned CSC Academic All-District Team and Sun Belt Conference All-Tournament Team honors. He pitched in 24 games (2 GS) for the Bobcats, holding opponents to a .185 batting average that was a school record, paired with a 3.93 ERA (22 ER in 50.1 IP). He pitched in 2 games for Trenton in the MLB Draft League this year, striking out 13 batters in 7.0 innings. Spent two seasons at Blinn College (Texas) and helped the Buccaneers win the NJCAA National Championship as a sophomore in 2024.

With the 248th overall pick in the 8th round, the Royals selected catcher Brooks Bryan out of Troy University (Ala.). Bryan, who is celebrating his 21st birthday today, spent each of the last three seasons at Troy, and started all 60 games for them this season, slashing .279/.399/.533 (64-for-229, .931 OPS) with 18 doubles and 12 home runs. He earned All-Sun Belt First Team honors as a sophomore in 2024 and was named a semifinalist for both the Dick Howser Trophy and the Golden Spikes Award, after he posted a .970 OPS with 18 home runs and 85 RBI in 58 games. He was a part of the 2024 Team USA Collegiate National Team, appearing in 4 games, and hit a grand slam on July 3 vs. Chinese Taipei. He also played in 7 games for Cotuit in the Cape Cod League in 2024. He batted .380 with 8 home runs as a senior at Opelika High School (Ala.) in 2022, the alma mater of 10-year MLB vet Roy Lee Jackson.

With the 278th overall pick in the 9th round, the Royals selected right-handed pitcher Shane Van Dam out of North Carolina State University. Van Dam, who underwent Tommy John Surgery in 2024, pitched in just 3 games (1 start) at the end of this season. The 21-year-old pitched in 16 games and covered 37.1 innings as a sophomore in 2024, striking out 38 batters (9.2 K/9). He played both baseball and football at SUNY Cortland in 2023, striking out 43 batters in 29.1 innings (13.2 K/9) while playing quarterback for the Red Dragons, but not appearing in a game. He graduated from Cranford High School (N.J.) in 2022, where he was a three-year member of the football team and a two-year starter on the baseball team. He was teammates with Kansas City’s 2025 5th rounder Aiden Jimenez and their 2024 12th rounder Tommy Molsky on the 2023 Chatham Anglers of the Cape Cod League.

With the 308th overall pick in the 10th round, the Royals selected right-handed pitcher Max Martin out of the University of California-Irvine. Martin, 21, finished his junior season with 14 saves, tied for 4th among all Division I pitchers this season, as well as a 3.29 ERA (14 ER in 38.1 IP) and 39 strikeouts. In three seasons at U.C. Irvine, he struck out 83 batters in 84.1 innings and earned 19 saves. Pitched in 8 games for the Pulaski River Turtles of the Appalachian League in 2024, and allowed just 2 runs (1 ER) across 15.0 innings (0.60 ERA), striking out 17 and walking just 3. He graduated from Sierra Canyon School (Calif.), where he was teammates with Kehden Hettiger, Philadelphia’s 11th round pick in 2023.

With the 338th overall pick in the 11th round, the Royals selected right-handed pitcher Hunter Alberini out of the University of Arizona. Alberini, 23, pitched in one season at Arizona, going 1-0 with 33 strikeouts (14.4 K/9) to just 7 walks (3.0 BB/9) and a 3.48 ERA (8 ER in 20.2 IP) in 18 games. Prior to joining the Wildcats, he spent two seasons at Umpqua Community College (Ore.) from 2021-22 and two seasons at the College of Southern Nevada (2023-24), the alma mater of Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper. In 2024, he pitched in 7 games for State College in the MLB Draft League and struck out 10 in 12.0 IP. He graduated from Centennial High School (Nev.) in 2020, where he earned two baseball letters.

With the 368th overall pick in the 12th round, the Royals selected right-handed pitcher Matthew Hoskins out of the University of Georgia. Hoskins, 21, made 18 appearances (2 starts) for the Bulldogs as a junior this year, and struck out 39 batters in just 27.1 innings (12.8 K/9), earning 1 win and 2 saves. After the season, he also pitched once for Trenton in the MLB Draft League, where he was teammates with Kansas City’s 7th round selection this year, Bryson Dudley. While at Georgia, he earned three SEC Academic Honor Roll nominations and struck out 67 batters across 50.2 innings (11.9 K/9). He graduated from Peachtree Ridge High School (Ga.) in 2022, where he went 4-3 with a 2.89 ERA and 62 strikeouts as a senior. He also batted .382 with 6 doubles, 5 home runs and 24 RBI as a senior, playing primarily as an outfielder when he wasn’t pitching. He was rated as the No. 11 prospect in the state of Georgia coming out of high school, per Perfect Game.

With the 398th overall pick in the 13th round, the Royals selected infielder Tyson Moran out of the F.E. Madill Secondary School (Ontario, CAN). Moran, 19, is currently committed to play at North Dakota State University. He plays for the Great Lakes Canadians amateur baseball program, and is coached by former big leaguer Jamie Romak, who played in 27 games for the Dodgers (2014) and Diamondbacks (2015).

With the 428th overall pick in the 14th round, the Royals selected infielder JC Vanek out of Chipola College (Fla.). Vanek, 20, slashed .395/.512/.631 (62-for-157, 1.143 OPS) with 9 home runs, 50 runs scored, 43 RBI and more walks (30) than strikeouts (27). Was named to the Panhandle All-Conference First Team in 2024 after leading Chipola in average (.366), hits (53) and RBI (47). He has since committed to Florida State University. After the season, he played in 16 games for Mahoning Valley in the MLB Draft League and posted a .712 OPS with 2 home runs, 13 RBI and 4 stolen bases in 16 games. He graduated from Alfred M. Barbe High School (La.) in 2023.

With the 458th overall pick in the 15th round, the Royals selected infielder Connor Rasmussen out of Tulane University (La.). Rasmussen, 21, has spent each of the last two seasons at Tulane, and has slashed .321/.425/.485 (141-for-439, .910 OPS) in 120 games for the Green Wave, driving in 96 runs while scoring 92. He also drew more walks (71) than he had strikeouts (58). Prior to transferring to Tulane, he spent his freshman season at East Carolina University (N.C.), where he appeared in 17 games. He graduated from Fort Mill High School (S.C.) in 2022, where his .418 average as a senior guided his team to a state championship runner-up finish. His brother, Cole, was a long snapper for the University of South Carolina Gamecocks from 2021-24.

With the 488th overall pick in the 16th round, the Royals selected right-handed pitcher Randy Ramnarace out of the University of New Haven (Conn.). Ramnarace, 20, went 2-1 with a 2.51 ERA (9 ER in 32.1 IP) and 45 strikeouts (12.5 K/9) in 12 games (1 GS), earning 3 saves. He has spent three seasons with the Chargers, amassing a 9-5 record and a 4.28 ERA (56 ER in 117.2 IP) with 146 strikeouts. This summer, he pitched in 5 games for Bristol in the New England Collegiate Baseball League, his second consecutive summer in the NECBL after pitching in 5 games for Danbury in 2024. He graduated from Brentwood High School (N.Y.), where he was the team captain as a senior.

With the 518th overall pick in the 17th round, the Royals selected outfielder Luke Nowak out of the University of Illinois at Chicago. Nowak, 22, just finished his senior season at UIC, and he posted a .387/.455/.559 (86-for-222, 1.014 OPS) slashline, leading the Missouri Valley Conference in average (.387), while ranking among qualified leaders in hits (3rd, 86), triples (T-4th, 3) and OBP (5th, .455). He spent the first three seasons of his collegiate career at East Carolina University (N.C.), where he was teammates with Kansas City’s 15th rounder Connor Rasmussen. In three seasons at ECU, he slashed .268/.382/.362 (71-for-265) with 17 extra-base hits and 49 RBI in 118 games (71 starts). He graduated from Menomonee Falls High School (Wis.), where he earned seven letters (3 in baseball, 4 in track and field), and was a two-time conference and regional champion in baseball as well as a four-time state qualifier in track.

With the 548th overall pick in the 18th round, the Royals selected right-handed pitcher Grayson Boles out of St. Augustine High School (Calif.). Boles, 18, is committed to the University of Texas, and is ranked the 9th-best right-handed pitcher in the state of California by Perfect Game. Per his <a href="https://www.maxpreps.com/ca/san-diego/st-augustine-saints/athletes/grayson-boles/baseball/stats/?careerid=3lmbhtpc4ia88">Maxpreps.com page</a>, he posted a 2.92 ERA (71 ER in 170.1 IP) in high school, including a 1.95 mark (17 ER in 61.0 IP) this year, with 81 strikeouts to just 22 walks. As a hitter, he batted .335 (55-for-164) in four years, and he hit 2 home runs while batting .393 (11-for-28) this season. He started the High School All-American Game on Aug. 15, 2024 at Petco Park, and <a href="https://www.mlb.com/video/grayson-boles-strikeout-to-end-the-1st">finished the 1st inning with a strikeout</a>.

With the 578th overall pick in the 19th round, the Royals selected right-handed pitcher Dylan Wood out of Franklin High School (Calif.). Wood, 18, went 8-0 as a senior while posting a 1.65 ERA (14 ER in 59.1 IP) with 100 strikeouts. He is ranked as the No. 102 prospect and No. 25 RHP nationally and as the No. 20 prospect and No. 6 RHP in California by Perfect Game. He pitched in 3 games for Team USA’s 18U National Team, allowing 1 run in 6.1 innings, and earned the win in the gold medal game at the 2024 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier with 1.1 hitless innings. He is committed to play baseball at the University of Arizona.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Kansas City Royals selected 17 players on the final day of the 2025 First-Year Player Draft. All press releases and Zoom calls related to the 2025 Draft can be found <a href="https://royals-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/p/comshr/EjnU8VJbeD1EvrvZ3WV0HqkBnTl5V-VitCK-xUmLvdRo0g?e=pNLGB1">here</a>.In total, the Royals selected 13 pitchers (12 RHP, 1 LHP), five infielders, three outfielders and one catcher. Of their 22 picks, 16 were from the college ranks, including 2 from JUCO, and six were high school players. Of note, out of the nine position players selected, only No. 28 (PPI) Josh Hammond bats right-handed.With the 128th overall pick in the 4th round, the Royals selected outfielder Nolan Sailors out of Creighton University (Neb.). Sailors, 22, slashed .389/.485/.584 (88-for-226, 1.069 OPS) with 28 extra-base hits, 44 RBI and 27 stolen bases in 59 games as a senior. In four seasons with the Bluejays, he played in 207 games and slashed .320/.422/.491 (251-for-784) with 19 home runs, 148 RBI and 63 stolen bases. He graduated from Ralston High School (Neb.), where he was named to the All-Nebraska and Super State First Teams after hitting .476 as a senior. He is a native of Omaha, Neb.With the 158th overall pick in the 5th round, the Royals selected right-handed pitcher Aiden Jimenez out of the University of Arkansas. Jimenez, 21, completed his redshirt sophomore season with the Razorbacks in 2025, going 4-1 with 40 strikeouts (8.5 K/9) in 42.1 innings pitched, posting a 3.40 ERA (16 ER) in a team-high 22 games (2 GS). He began his collegiate career at Oregon State in 2023, where he appeared in 22 games (1 GS) and struck out 35 batters in 38.0 innings of work (8.3 K/9). Jimenez graduated from Elk Grove High School (Calif.). His father, Jason Jimenez, appeared in 6 Major League games with Tampa Bay (5) and Detroit (1) in 2002, and was a 28th round pick by the Rays in 1997. Jason was teammates with Royals Manager Matt Quatraro and Bench Coach Paul Hoover in the Rays minor league system from 1998-2002. His grandfather, Ken Hottman, also played in 6 MLB games in 1971.With the 188th overall pick in the 6th round, the Royals selected infielder Tyriq Kemp out of Baylor University (Texas). Kemp, 22, played in 55 games for the Bears this season, slashing .358/.446/.542 (72-for-201, .988 OPS) with 48 runs, 41 RBI and more walks (32) than strikeouts (27). He was also announced as a semifinalist for the Brooks Wallace Award in 2025, given annually to the nation’s top collegiate shortstop. In two seasons at Baylor, he posted an .849 OPS and batted .305 (110-for-361), playing in 108 games. In 2024, he played for Curaçao Neptunus in the Dutch Major League, and he slashed .292/.400/.427 (28-for-96, .827 OPS) as a 21-year-old, while playing alongside his older brother, Dwayne, who signed with the Cubs in 2009. Prior to attending Baylor, he played two seasons at Western Oklahoma State College (the same school that notable Curaçaoan shortstop Andrelton Simmons attended), where he hit .375 with 9 home runs and 41 RBI as a sophomore. Kemp was raised in The Netherlands and was a member of the Dutch National Teams from ages U15 to U23, guiding the U23 team to a gold medal at the European Baseball Championship in 2021.With the 218th overall pick in the 7th round, the Royals selected right-handed pitcher Bryson Dudley out of Texas State University. Dudley, 21, just finished his first season with Texas State and earned CSC Academic All-District Team and Sun Belt Conference All-Tournament Team honors. He pitched in 24 games (2 GS) for the Bobcats, holding opponents to a .185 batting average that was a school record, paired with a 3.93 ERA (22 ER in 50.1 IP). He pitched in 2 games for Trenton in the MLB Draft League this year, striking out 13 batters in 7.0 innings. Spent two seasons at Blinn College (Texas) and helped the Buccaneers win the NJCAA National Championship as a sophomore in 2024.With the 248th overall pick in the 8th round, the Royals selected catcher Brooks Bryan out of Troy University (Ala.). Bryan, who is celebrating his 21st birthday today, spent each of the last three seasons at Troy, and started all 60 games for them this season, slashing .279/.399/.533 (64-for-229, .931 OPS) with 18 doubles and 12 home runs. He earned All-Sun Belt First Team honors as a sophomore in 2024 and was named a semifinalist for both the Dick Howser Trophy and the Golden Spikes Award, after he posted a .970 OPS with 18 home runs and 85 RBI in 58 games. He was a part of the 2024 Team USA Collegiate National Team, appearing in 4 games, and hit a grand slam on July 3 vs. Chinese Taipei. He also played in 7 games for Cotuit in the Cape Cod League in 2024. He batted .380 with 8 home runs as a senior at Opelika High School (Ala.) in 2022, the alma mater of 10-year MLB vet Roy Lee Jackson.With the 278th overall pick in the 9th round, the Royals selected right-handed pitcher Shane Van Dam out of North Carolina State University. Van Dam, who underwent Tommy John Surgery in 2024, pitched in just 3 games (1 start) at the end of this season. The 21-year-old pitched in 16 games and covered 37.1 innings as a sophomore in 2024, striking out 38 batters (9.2 K/9). He played both baseball and football at SUNY Cortland in 2023, striking out 43 batters in 29.1 innings (13.2 K/9) while playing quarterback for the Red Dragons, but not appearing in a game. He graduated from Cranford High School (N.J.) in 2022, where he was a three-year member of the football team and a two-year starter on the baseball team. He was teammates with Kansas City’s 2025 5th rounder Aiden Jimenez and their 2024 12th rounder Tommy Molsky on the 2023 Chatham Anglers of the Cape Cod League.With the 308th overall pick in the 10th round, the Royals selected right-handed pitcher Max Martin out of the University of California-Irvine. Martin, 21, finished his junior season with 14 saves, tied for 4th among all Division I pitchers this season, as well as a 3.29 ERA (14 ER in 38.1 IP) and 39 strikeouts. In three seasons at U.C. Irvine, he struck out 83 batters in 84.1 innings and earned 19 saves. Pitched in 8 games for the Pulaski River Turtles of the Appalachian League in 2024, and allowed just 2 runs (1 ER) across 15.0 innings (0.60 ERA), striking out 17 and walking just 3. He graduated from Sierra Canyon School (Calif.), where he was teammates with Kehden Hettiger, Philadelphia’s 11th round pick in 2023.With the 338th overall pick in the 11th round, the Royals selected right-handed pitcher Hunter Alberini out of the University of Arizona. Alberini, 23, pitched in one season at Arizona, going 1-0 with 33 strikeouts (14.4 K/9) to just 7 walks (3.0 BB/9) and a 3.48 ERA (8 ER in 20.2 IP) in 18 games. Prior to joining the Wildcats, he spent two seasons at Umpqua Community College (Ore.) from 2021-22 and two seasons at the College of Southern Nevada (2023-24), the alma mater of Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper. In 2024, he pitched in 7 games for State College in the MLB Draft League and struck out 10 in 12.0 IP. He graduated from Centennial High School (Nev.) in 2020, where he earned two baseball letters.With the 368th overall pick in the 12th round, the Royals selected right-handed pitcher Matthew Hoskins out of the University of Georgia. Hoskins, 21, made 18 appearances (2 starts) for the Bulldogs as a junior this year, and struck out 39 batters in just 27.1 innings (12.8 K/9), earning 1 win and 2 saves. After the season, he also pitched once for Trenton in the MLB Draft League, where he was teammates with Kansas City’s 7th round selection this year, Bryson Dudley. While at Georgia, he earned three SEC Academic Honor Roll nominations and struck out 67 batters across 50.2 innings (11.9 K/9). He graduated from Peachtree Ridge High School (Ga.) in 2022, where he went 4-3 with a 2.89 ERA and 62 strikeouts as a senior. He also batted .382 with 6 doubles, 5 home runs and 24 RBI as a senior, playing primarily as an outfielder when he wasn’t pitching. He was rated as the No. 11 prospect in the state of Georgia coming out of high school, per Perfect Game.With the 398th overall pick in the 13th round, the Royals selected infielder Tyson Moran out of the F.E. Madill Secondary School (Ontario, CAN). Moran, 19, is currently committed to play at North Dakota State University. He plays for the Great Lakes Canadians amateur baseball program, and is coached by former big leaguer Jamie Romak, who played in 27 games for the Dodgers (2014) and Diamondbacks (2015).With the 428th overall pick in the 14th round, the Royals selected infielder JC Vanek out of Chipola College (Fla.). Vanek, 20, slashed .395/.512/.631 (62-for-157, 1.143 OPS) with 9 home runs, 50 runs scored, 43 RBI and more walks (30) than strikeouts (27). Was named to the Panhandle All-Conference First Team in 2024 after leading Chipola in average (.366), hits (53) and RBI (47). He has since committed to Florida State University. After the season, he played in 16 games for Mahoning Valley in the MLB Draft League and posted a .712 OPS with 2 home runs, 13 RBI and 4 stolen bases in 16 games. He graduated from Alfred M. Barbe High School (La.) in 2023.With the 458th overall pick in the 15th round, the Royals selected infielder Connor Rasmussen out of Tulane University (La.). Rasmussen, 21, has spent each of the last two seasons at Tulane, and has slashed .321/.425/.485 (141-for-439, .910 OPS) in 120 games for the Green Wave, driving in 96 runs while scoring 92. He also drew more walks (71) than he had strikeouts (58). Prior to transferring to Tulane, he spent his freshman season at East Carolina University (N.C.), where he appeared in 17 games. He graduated from Fort Mill High School (S.C.) in 2022, where his .418 average as a senior guided his team to a state championship runner-up finish. His brother, Cole, was a long snapper for the University of South Carolina Gamecocks from 2021-24.With the 488th overall pick in the 16th round, the Royals selected right-handed pitcher Randy Ramnarace out of the University of New Haven (Conn.). Ramnarace, 20, went 2-1 with a 2.51 ERA (9 ER in 32.1 IP) and 45 strikeouts (12.5 K/9) in 12 games (1 GS), earning 3 saves. He has spent three seasons with the Chargers, amassing a 9-5 record and a 4.28 ERA (56 ER in 117.2 IP) with 146 strikeouts. This summer, he pitched in 5 games for Bristol in the New England Collegiate Baseball League, his second consecutive summer in the NECBL after pitching in 5 games for Danbury in 2024. He graduated from Brentwood High School (N.Y.), where he was the team captain as a senior.With the 518th overall pick in the 17th round, the Royals selected outfielder Luke Nowak out of the University of Illinois at Chicago. Nowak, 22, just finished his senior season at UIC, and he posted a .387/.455/.559 (86-for-222, 1.014 OPS) slashline, leading the Missouri Valley Conference in average (.387), while ranking among qualified leaders in hits (3rd, 86), triples (T-4th, 3) and OBP (5th, .455). He spent the first three seasons of his collegiate career at East Carolina University (N.C.), where he was teammates with Kansas City’s 15th rounder Connor Rasmussen. In three seasons at ECU, he slashed .268/.382/.362 (71-for-265) with 17 extra-base hits and 49 RBI in 118 games (71 starts). He graduated from Menomonee Falls High School (Wis.), where he earned seven letters (3 in baseball, 4 in track and field), and was a two-time conference and regional champion in baseball as well as a four-time state qualifier in track.With the 548th overall pick in the 18th round, the Royals selected right-handed pitcher Grayson Boles out of St. Augustine High School (Calif.). Boles, 18, is committed to the University of Texas, and is ranked the 9th-best right-handed pitcher in the state of California by Perfect Game. Per his <a href="https://www.maxpreps.com/ca/san-diego/st-augustine-saints/athletes/grayson-boles/baseball/stats/?careerid=3lmbhtpc4ia88">Maxpreps.com page</a>, he posted a 2.92 ERA (71 ER in 170.1 IP) in high school, including a 1.95 mark (17 ER in 61.0 IP) this year, with 81 strikeouts to just 22 walks. As a hitter, he batted .335 (55-for-164) in four years, and he hit 2 home runs while batting .393 (11-for-28) this season. He started the High School All-American Game on Aug. 15, 2024 at Petco Park, and <a href="https://www.mlb.com/video/grayson-boles-strikeout-to-end-the-1st">finished the 1st inning with a strikeout</a>.With the 578th overall pick in the 19th round, the Royals selected right-handed pitcher Dylan Wood out of Franklin High School (Calif.). Wood, 18, went 8-0 as a senior while posting a 1.65 ERA (14 ER in 59.1 IP) with 100 strikeouts. He is ranked as the No. 102 prospect and No. 25 RHP nationally and as the No. 20 prospect and No. 6 RHP in California by Perfect Game. He pitched in 3 games for Team USA’s 18U National Team, allowing 1 run in 6.1 innings, and earned the win in the gold medal game at the 2024 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier with 1.1 hitless innings. He is committed to play baseball at the University of Arizona.

Royals select 17 players on final day of first-year player Draft

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Kansas City Royals selected five players on the first day of the 2025 First-Year Player Draft.

With the 23rd overall pick in the 1st round, the Royals selected outfielder Sean Gamble out of IMG Academy (Fla.). An advisory with information regarding a Zoom call with Gamble will be shared shortly.

The Royals were awarded the 28th overall selection in this year’s Draft—dubbed the Prospect Promotion Incentive pick—due to Bobby Witt Jr. being named the American League MVP runner-up last season, and with that pick they selected infielder Josh Hammond out of Wesleyan Christian Academy (N.C.). More info on the PPI program can be found at the end of this release.

With the 61st overall pick in the 2nd round, the Royals selected RHP Michael Lombardi out of Tulane University (La.). They used the 71st pick selection in the Competitive Balance Round B to select LHP Justin Lamkin from Texas A&amp;M University. With their final selection on Night 1 of the Draft, they selected RHP Cameron Millar out of Alhambra High School (Calif.) with the 97th pick in Round 3.

Gamble, 19, is a native of Des Moines, Iowa, <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/sean-gamble-mlb-draft-2025">who left home at the age of 14 to attend IMG Academy</a>. He is currently committed to play baseball at Vanderbilt University (Tenn.). According to Maxpreps.com, he batted .374 (74-for-198) across three seasons with IMG, including .413 (31-for-75) with 4 home runs, 6 triples, 8 doubles, 29 runs and 30 RBI as a senior, a 1.324 OPS. He only struck out 6 times in 91 plate appearances this season, while drawing 10 walks.

Hammond, 18, was ranked as the No. 16 overall prospect by Perfect Game and is currently committed to play baseball at Wake Forest University (N.C.). He slashed .471/.613/.882 (40-for-85, 1.495 OPS) with 41 runs scored, 28 RBI, 11 doubles, 3 triples and 6 home runs as a senior, polishing off a 4-year career as a starter at Wesleyan Christian, according to <a href="https://www.maxpreps.com/nc/high-point/wesleyan-christian-academy-trojans/athletes/josh-hammond/baseball/stats/?careerid=6o4kiel65tftd">Maxpreps.com</a>. He also pitched in high school, logging 255 strikeouts in 155.1 innings pitched. Hammond earned NCISAA All-State honors after leading Wesleyan to a Class 4A championship and was named to the MaxPreps All-American Second Team. He pitched in 2 games for Team USA’s 18U squad in 2024, including 3.0 innings of 1-run ball vs. Panamá in the gold medal game.

Lombardi, 21, pitched in parts of three seasons at Tulane University (La.), where he posted a 3.82 ERA (48 ER in 113.0 IP) and 154 strikeouts, while earning 8 wins and 16 saves. As a junior this season, he appeared in 23 games (6 starts) and earned 11 saves while pitching to a 2.14 ERA (10 ER in 42.0 IP), as well as 73 strikeouts (12.3 K/9). He earned Louisiana Sports Writers Association All-State Team Honorable Mention as well as a selection to the All-AAC Second Team as a sophomore after striking out 53 batters in 41.2 innings of work, an 11.4 K/9. He also hit during all three of his seasons at Tulane, and was a career .258 hitter, including a .273/.392/.453 slashline in 2025. He graduated from Fox Lane High School (N.Y.), where he was a National Honor Society member as well as a two-year letterwinner in basketball. Some of his accolades on the diamond included three All League selections, two All Section selections, two League MVPs and a pair of First Team All-County honors. He had a career .425 batting average, and had more career intentional walks than strikeouts.

Lamkin, 21, started 15 games at Texas A&amp;M University this season and posted a 3.42 ERA (32 ER in a team-high 84.1 IP) with 98 strikeouts (10.5 K/9), just 19 walks (2.0 BB/9) and a team-best 7 quality starts. In three seasons (53 games, 41 starts) with the Aggies, he struck out 260 batters across 209.1 innings (11.2 K/9). Prior to attending Texas A&amp;M, he graduated from Calallen High School (Texas), where he recorded all 21 outs via the strikeout in a no-hitter over Kerrville Tivy on March 11, 2022, and later that year was named to the Class 4A All-State Third Team by the Texas Sportswriters Association.

Millar, 18, just finished his senior season at Alhambra High School (Calif.), where he went 7-1 with a 0.11 ERA (1 ER in 64.0 IP) with 117 strikeouts (49.8 K%) and just 18 walks (7.7 BB%), per <a href="https://www.maxpreps.com/ca/martinez/alhambra-bulldogs/athletes/cameron-millar/baseball/stats/?careerid=2qnmnuh5v38dd">his Maxpreps.com page</a>. He didn’t allow an extra-base hit, scattering 23 singles throughout his final year. Over three seasons, he went 20-8 with a 0.45 ERA (12 ER in 187.0 IP) and 268 strikeouts (37.5 K%) and just 53 walks (7.4 BB%). He did bat as well, mostly through his sophomore and junior seasons, combining to hit .221 (19-for-86) with 2 home runs. Only one player from Alhambra High School has made it to the Majors, and that was current Angels reliever Robert Stephenson. Millar is committed to the University of Arizona.

As part of the Collective Bargaining Agreement in 2022, the Prospect Promotion Incentive (PPI) was implemented as a way to encourage teams to promote their best young players to the Majors as early as possible. Part of this, <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/prospect-promotion-incentive-faq">per MLB.com’s</a> Joe Trezza, states: “Players who made an Opening Day roster and accrued the service time but didn’t factor in any awards that year retain PPI eligibility. They need to place in the top three for MVP or Cy Young (Award voting) before hitting arbitration. Witt Jr. became the first player to achieve this in 2024, when his top-3 AL MVP finish earned Kansas City a PPI pick in the 2025 Draft. Witt retained his eligibility from 2022, when he made his MLB debut for Kansas City on Opening Day.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Kansas City Royals selected five players on the first day of the 2025 First-Year Player Draft.With the 23rd overall pick in the 1st round, the Royals selected outfielder Sean Gamble out of IMG Academy (Fla.). An advisory with information regarding a Zoom call with Gamble will be shared shortly.The Royals were awarded the 28th overall selection in this year’s Draft—dubbed the Prospect Promotion Incentive pick—due to Bobby Witt Jr. being named the American League MVP runner-up last season, and with that pick they selected infielder Josh Hammond out of Wesleyan Christian Academy (N.C.). More info on the PPI program can be found at the end of this release.With the 61st overall pick in the 2nd round, the Royals selected RHP Michael Lombardi out of Tulane University (La.). They used the 71st pick selection in the Competitive Balance Round B to select LHP Justin Lamkin from Texas A&amp;M University. With their final selection on Night 1 of the Draft, they selected RHP Cameron Millar out of Alhambra High School (Calif.) with the 97th pick in Round 3.Gamble, 19, is a native of Des Moines, Iowa, <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/sean-gamble-mlb-draft-2025">who left home at the age of 14 to attend IMG Academy</a>. He is currently committed to play baseball at Vanderbilt University (Tenn.). According to Maxpreps.com, he batted .374 (74-for-198) across three seasons with IMG, including .413 (31-for-75) with 4 home runs, 6 triples, 8 doubles, 29 runs and 30 RBI as a senior, a 1.324 OPS. He only struck out 6 times in 91 plate appearances this season, while drawing 10 walks.Hammond, 18, was ranked as the No. 16 overall prospect by Perfect Game and is currently committed to play baseball at Wake Forest University (N.C.). He slashed .471/.613/.882 (40-for-85, 1.495 OPS) with 41 runs scored, 28 RBI, 11 doubles, 3 triples and 6 home runs as a senior, polishing off a 4-year career as a starter at Wesleyan Christian, according to <a href="https://www.maxpreps.com/nc/high-point/wesleyan-christian-academy-trojans/athletes/josh-hammond/baseball/stats/?careerid=6o4kiel65tftd">Maxpreps.com</a>. He also pitched in high school, logging 255 strikeouts in 155.1 innings pitched. Hammond earned NCISAA All-State honors after leading Wesleyan to a Class 4A championship and was named to the MaxPreps All-American Second Team. He pitched in 2 games for Team USA’s 18U squad in 2024, including 3.0 innings of 1-run ball vs. Panamá in the gold medal game.Lombardi, 21, pitched in parts of three seasons at Tulane University (La.), where he posted a 3.82 ERA (48 ER in 113.0 IP) and 154 strikeouts, while earning 8 wins and 16 saves. As a junior this season, he appeared in 23 games (6 starts) and earned 11 saves while pitching to a 2.14 ERA (10 ER in 42.0 IP), as well as 73 strikeouts (12.3 K/9). He earned Louisiana Sports Writers Association All-State Team Honorable Mention as well as a selection to the All-AAC Second Team as a sophomore after striking out 53 batters in 41.2 innings of work, an 11.4 K/9. He also hit during all three of his seasons at Tulane, and was a career .258 hitter, including a .273/.392/.453 slashline in 2025. He graduated from Fox Lane High School (N.Y.), where he was a National Honor Society member as well as a two-year letterwinner in basketball. Some of his accolades on the diamond included three All League selections, two All Section selections, two League MVPs and a pair of First Team All-County honors. He had a career .425 batting average, and had more career intentional walks than strikeouts.Lamkin, 21, started 15 games at Texas A&amp;M University this season and posted a 3.42 ERA (32 ER in a team-high 84.1 IP) with 98 strikeouts (10.5 K/9), just 19 walks (2.0 BB/9) and a team-best 7 quality starts. In three seasons (53 games, 41 starts) with the Aggies, he struck out 260 batters across 209.1 innings (11.2 K/9). Prior to attending Texas A&amp;M, he graduated from Calallen High School (Texas), where he recorded all 21 outs via the strikeout in a no-hitter over Kerrville Tivy on March 11, 2022, and later that year was named to the Class 4A All-State Third Team by the Texas Sportswriters Association.Millar, 18, just finished his senior season at Alhambra High School (Calif.), where he went 7-1 with a 0.11 ERA (1 ER in 64.0 IP) with 117 strikeouts (49.8 K%) and just 18 walks (7.7 BB%), per <a href="https://www.maxpreps.com/ca/martinez/alhambra-bulldogs/athletes/cameron-millar/baseball/stats/?careerid=2qnmnuh5v38dd">his Maxpreps.com page</a>. He didn’t allow an extra-base hit, scattering 23 singles throughout his final year. Over three seasons, he went 20-8 with a 0.45 ERA (12 ER in 187.0 IP) and 268 strikeouts (37.5 K%) and just 53 walks (7.4 BB%). He did bat as well, mostly through his sophomore and junior seasons, combining to hit .221 (19-for-86) with 2 home runs. Only one player from Alhambra High School has made it to the Majors, and that was current Angels reliever Robert Stephenson. Millar is committed to the University of Arizona.As part of the Collective Bargaining Agreement in 2022, the Prospect Promotion Incentive (PPI) was implemented as a way to encourage teams to promote their best young players to the Majors as early as possible. Part of this, <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/prospect-promotion-incentive-faq">per MLB.com’s</a> Joe Trezza, states: “Players who made an Opening Day roster and accrued the service time but didn’t factor in any awards that year retain PPI eligibility. They need to place in the top three for MVP or Cy Young (Award voting) before hitting arbitration. Witt Jr. became the first player to achieve this in 2024, when his top-3 AL MVP finish earned Kansas City a PPI pick in the 2025 Draft. Witt retained his eligibility from 2022, when he made his MLB debut for Kansas City on Opening Day.”

Royals select five players on first day of MLB draft

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Nick Loftin delivered his second game-winning hit in less than a week, driving in Tyler Tolbert from second base with a single in the ninth inning to give the Kansas City Royals a 3-2 win over the New York Mets on Sunday.

Tolbert singled off Sean Manaea, who had been dominant in relief in his season debut for the Mets. And when the speedster stole second base, that gave Loftin the chance to deliver another winner after his deciding single Tuesday against Pittsburgh.

Manaea (0-1), who had been out after straining an oblique in spring training and then developing an elbow issue during his rehab outings, allowed that lone run and five hits while striking out seven in 3 1/3 innings.

Noah Cameron delivered another brilliant start for Kansas City, scattering seven hits while matching a career best with eight strikeouts over 6 2/3 scoreless innings. And the rookie left-hander was in line for his fourth win when John Schreiber and Lucas Erceg shepherded a 2-0 lead — courtesy of John Rave's second-inning double — to All-Star closer Carlos Estévez.

Ronny Mauricio led off the ninth with a double off Estévez (4-2). Jeff McNeil followed with an RBI triple off the center-field wall, and fellow pinch hitter Jared Young delivered a sacrifice fly moments later to tie the game.

Clay Holmes allowed two runs and five hits and a walk over five innings for New York.

Tolbert entered the game in the eighth for Jac Caglianone for his defense. It wound up being his offense that mattered, helping the Royals avoid a three-game sweep heading into the All-Star break.

The Mets went 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position and stranded eight in the game.

The Mets will be represented at the All-Star Game in Atlanta this week by LHP David Peterson, RHP Edwin Diaz, SS Francisco Lindor and 1B Pete Alonso. The Royals will have INF Maikel Garcia, Estévez, SS Bobby Witt Jr. and LHP Kris Bubic there.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752446547726.jpeg" alt="Photo Kansas City Royals" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City Royals</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Nick Loftin delivered his second game-winning hit in less than a week, driving in Tyler Tolbert from second base with a single in the ninth inning to give the Kansas City Royals a 3-2 win over the New York Mets on Sunday.Tolbert singled off Sean Manaea, who had been dominant in relief in his season debut for the Mets. And when the speedster stole second base, that gave Loftin the chance to deliver another winner after his deciding single Tuesday against Pittsburgh.Manaea (0-1), who had been out after straining an oblique in spring training and then developing an elbow issue during his rehab outings, allowed that lone run and five hits while striking out seven in 3 1/3 innings.Noah Cameron delivered another brilliant start for Kansas City, scattering seven hits while matching a career best with eight strikeouts over 6 2/3 scoreless innings. And the rookie left-hander was in line for his fourth win when John Schreiber and Lucas Erceg shepherded a 2-0 lead — courtesy of John Rave's second-inning double — to All-Star closer Carlos Estévez.Ronny Mauricio led off the ninth with a double off Estévez (4-2). Jeff McNeil followed with an RBI triple off the center-field wall, and fellow pinch hitter Jared Young delivered a sacrifice fly moments later to tie the game.Clay Holmes allowed two runs and five hits and a walk over five innings for New York.<h2>Key moment</h2>Tolbert entered the game in the eighth for Jac Caglianone for his defense. It wound up being his offense that mattered, helping the Royals avoid a three-game sweep heading into the All-Star break.<h2>Key stat</h2>The Mets went 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position and stranded eight in the game.<h2>Up next</h2>The Mets will be represented at the All-Star Game in Atlanta this week by LHP David Peterson, RHP Edwin Diaz, SS Francisco Lindor and 1B Pete Alonso. The Royals will have INF Maikel Garcia, Estévez, SS Bobby Witt Jr. and LHP Kris Bubic there.

⚾ Nick Loftin hits game-winner as Royals beat Mets to avoid 3-game sweep

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Juan Soto homered to lead the New York Mets past the Kansas City Royals 3-1 on Saturday.

Soto’s two-run shot into the right field fountains opened the scoring in the fourth. Over his last 20 games, Soto has nine home runs and 19 RBIs.

Frankie Montas (2-1) threw first-pitch strikes to 14 of 19 batters while allowing a run on four hits and striking out five.

Kyle Isbel and Jonathan India opened the sixth with doubles, reducing the Mets lead to 2-1. India had two of the Royals four hits, both doubles.

Reed Garrett relieved Montas and permitted India to advance on a wild pickoff attempt before retiring the heart of the Royals lineup, stranding the tying run.

Jeff McNeil’s two-out RBI single capped the scoring in the ninth.

Edwin Díaz allowed a walk in two hitless frames, earning his 19th save.

Scheduled Royals starter Michael Lorenzen missed the game with illness.

Jonathan Bowlan (1-2), the second of six Royals bullpen pitchers, threw three innings, allowing two runs on four hits, including Soto’s 435-foot home run.

For the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mets-royals-score-0422928fba3a49675263472a78de8105">second straight game</a>, the Mets successfully challenged a safe call on a Royals stolen base attempt. In both instances — Tyler Tolbert on Friday and Bobby Witt Jr. on Saturday — the runner didn’t maintain contact with the base during a head-first slide.

Witt popped up twice with runners in scoring position while his 14-game hitting streak ended. The Royals batted 1-for-17 with runners in scoring position during the first two games of the series.

With a runner at third and the infield drawn in, first baseman Pete Alonso made a diving stop of Vinnie Pasquantino’s sharp grounder, preserving the Mets one-run lead in the sixth.

Soto leads the majors with 77 walks, the most in Mets history prior to the All-Star break.

Mets RHP Clay Holmes (8-4, 3.29 ERA) opposes Royals LHP Noah Cameron (3-4, 2.56) on Sunday.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Juan Soto homered to lead the New York Mets past the Kansas City Royals 3-1 on Saturday.Soto’s two-run shot into the right field fountains opened the scoring in the fourth. Over his last 20 games, Soto has nine home runs and 19 RBIs.Frankie Montas (2-1) threw first-pitch strikes to 14 of 19 batters while allowing a run on four hits and striking out five.Kyle Isbel and Jonathan India opened the sixth with doubles, reducing the Mets lead to 2-1. India had two of the Royals four hits, both doubles.Reed Garrett relieved Montas and permitted India to advance on a wild pickoff attempt before retiring the heart of the Royals lineup, stranding the tying run.Jeff McNeil’s two-out RBI single capped the scoring in the ninth.Edwin Díaz allowed a walk in two hitless frames, earning his 19th save.Scheduled Royals starter Michael Lorenzen missed the game with illness.Jonathan Bowlan (1-2), the second of six Royals bullpen pitchers, threw three innings, allowing two runs on four hits, including Soto’s 435-foot home run.For the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mets-royals-score-0422928fba3a49675263472a78de8105">second straight game</a>, the Mets successfully challenged a safe call on a Royals stolen base attempt. In both instances — Tyler Tolbert on Friday and Bobby Witt Jr. on Saturday — the runner didn’t maintain contact with the base during a head-first slide.Witt popped up twice with runners in scoring position while his 14-game hitting streak ended. The Royals batted 1-for-17 with runners in scoring position during the first two games of the series.<h2>Key moment</h2>With a runner at third and the infield drawn in, first baseman Pete Alonso made a diving stop of Vinnie Pasquantino’s sharp grounder, preserving the Mets one-run lead in the sixth.<h2>Key stat</h2>Soto leads the majors with 77 walks, the most in Mets history prior to the All-Star break.<h2>Up next</h2>Mets RHP Clay Holmes (8-4, 3.29 ERA) opposes Royals LHP Noah Cameron (3-4, 2.56) on Sunday.

⚾ Juan Soto's 435-foot homer lifts Mets over Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—Major League Baseball announced today that Royals infielder&nbsp;Maikel Garcia&nbsp;has been added to the American League All-Star team to mark his first career All-Star selection. He will join&nbsp;Bobby Witt Jr.,&nbsp;Kris Bubic&nbsp;and&nbsp;Carlos Estévez—who was added earlier today—as Kansas City’s representatives at the All-Star Game on Tuesday, July 15 at Truist Park in Atlanta, Ga.

The Royals now have four All-Stars, matching their total from last season. This is only the second time in franchise history they’ve had at least four All-Stars in back-to-back seasons, following 2015-16.

Only four teams have more than Kansas City’s four All-Stars: the Tigers (6), Mariners (5), Dodgers (5) and Padres (5). The Royals four All-Stars match the Astros, Yankees, Rays and Mets.

Garcia, 25, ranks 7th in Major League Baseball with a .305 batting average (103-for-338). He ranks tied for 2nd in the American League with 24 doubles, 5th with 103 hits, tied for 5th with 30 multi-hit games and 6th with 18 stolen bases.

Garcia has played in 92 of the Royals 94 games this season and has made 89 starts, including 69 starts at third base, 7 at second base, 5 as the designated hitter, 4 in center field, 3 at shortstop and at 1 in right field.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—Major League Baseball announced today that Royals infielder&nbsp;Maikel Garcia&nbsp;has been added to the American League All-Star team to mark his first career All-Star selection. He will join&nbsp;Bobby Witt Jr.,&nbsp;Kris Bubic&nbsp;and&nbsp;Carlos Estévez—who was added earlier today—as Kansas City’s representatives at the All-Star Game on Tuesday, July 15 at Truist Park in Atlanta, Ga.The Royals now have four All-Stars, matching their total from last season. This is only the second time in franchise history they’ve had at least four All-Stars in back-to-back seasons, following 2015-16.Only four teams have more than Kansas City’s four All-Stars: the Tigers (6), Mariners (5), Dodgers (5) and Padres (5). The Royals four All-Stars match the Astros, Yankees, Rays and Mets.Garcia, 25, ranks 7th in Major League Baseball with a .305 batting average (103-for-338). He ranks tied for 2nd in the American League with 24 doubles, 5th with 103 hits, tied for 5th with 30 multi-hit games and 6th with 18 stolen bases.Garcia has played in 92 of the Royals 94 games this season and has made 89 starts, including 69 starts at third base, 7 at second base, 5 as the designated hitter, 4 in center field, 3 at shortstop and at 1 in right field.

Maikel Garcia Added to 2025 All-Star Team

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Mark Vientos had a three-run double in the eighth inning, Francisco Lindor hit a three-run homer in the ninth and the New York Mets beat the Kansas City Royals 8-3 on Friday night.

Brandon Nimmo singled to open the eighth and Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto walked to load the bases against Steven Cruz (2-1). Carlos Estévez entered to strike out Pete Alonso before Vientos cleared the bases for a 4-3 lead.

Lindor added his 19th homer in the ninth. He has 29 home runs and 81 RBIs against the Royals, his most against any opponent. Juan Soto followed with his 22nd homer, the sixth pair of back-to-back homers by the Mets.

Huascar Brazobán (5-2) won after allowing four hits and a two-run homer by Bobby Witt Jr. while pitching the seventh.

Kodai Senga returned from the injured list to make his first start in since leaving a June 12 start with a right hamstring strain.

Working on a pitch limit, Senga threw four scoreless innings, allowing four hits and two walks, striking out four.

Michael Wacha allowed a run on two hits and three walks in five innings, striking out five.

After Kyle Isbel’s seventh-inning leadoff single, pinch-runner Tyler Tolbert stole second. The Mets challenged and the safe call was overturned because Tolbert came off the bag during his head-first slide. Witt homered two batters later.

Senga’s “ghost fork” has induced 113 of his 206 career strikeouts.

Mets RHP Frankie Montas (1-1, 6.14 ERA) was set to face Royals RHP Michael Lorenzen (5-8, 4.61) on Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752331158597.jpeg" alt="New York Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga throws during the second inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, July 11, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>New York Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga throws during the second inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, July 11, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Mark Vientos had a three-run double in the eighth inning, Francisco Lindor hit a three-run homer in the ninth and the New York Mets beat the Kansas City Royals 8-3 on Friday night.Brandon Nimmo singled to open the eighth and Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto walked to load the bases against Steven Cruz (2-1). Carlos Estévez entered to strike out Pete Alonso before Vientos cleared the bases for a 4-3 lead.Lindor added his 19th homer in the ninth. He has 29 home runs and 81 RBIs against the Royals, his most against any opponent. Juan Soto followed with his 22nd homer, the sixth pair of back-to-back homers by the Mets.Huascar Brazobán (5-2) won after allowing four hits and a two-run homer by Bobby Witt Jr. while pitching the seventh.Kodai Senga returned from the injured list to make his first start in since leaving a June 12 start with a right hamstring strain.Working on a pitch limit, Senga threw four scoreless innings, allowing four hits and two walks, striking out four.Michael Wacha allowed a run on two hits and three walks in five innings, striking out five.<h2>Key moment</h2>After Kyle Isbel’s seventh-inning leadoff single, pinch-runner Tyler Tolbert stole second. The Mets challenged and the safe call was overturned because Tolbert came off the bag during his head-first slide. Witt homered two batters later.<h2>Key stat</h2>Senga’s “ghost fork” has induced 113 of his 206 career strikeouts.<h2>Up next</h2>Mets RHP Frankie Montas (1-1, 6.14 ERA) was set to face Royals RHP Michael Lorenzen (5-8, 4.61) on Saturday.___

⚾ Vientos and Lindor lead the Mets past the Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—Major League Baseball announced today that Royals right-handed pitcher&nbsp;Carlos Estévez&nbsp;has been added to the American League All-Star team. He will join&nbsp;Bobby Witt Jr.&nbsp;and&nbsp;Kris Bubic&nbsp;as Kansas City’s representatives at the All-Star Game on Tuesday, July 15 at Truist Park in Atlanta, Ga.

This marks Estévez’s second All-Star selection, following 2023 with the Angels.

Estévez, 32, has recorded 25 saves and a 2.03 ERA (9 ER in 40.0 IP) in 39 appearances with the Royals this season, after signing with Kansas City as a free agent on Jan. 31. His 25 saves are tied with&nbsp;Josh Hader&nbsp;for the American League lead and are just 2 behind&nbsp;Robert Suarez&nbsp;(27) for the Major League lead.

Estévez’s 25 saves are already tied for the most by a Royal before the All-Star break, with&nbsp;Jeff Montgomery&nbsp;(1993),&nbsp;Joakim Soria&nbsp;(2008, 2010) and&nbsp;Greg Holland&nbsp;(2014).

Estévez is 25 for 28 in save opportunities (89.3%) this season, and 2 of his 3 blown saves were in extra innings, when the Automatic Runner scored an unearned run. The other blown save was on April 22 vs. Colorado, a game the Royals won in 11 innings. The Royals are 41-0 this season when leading after the 8th inning and are one of only four teams without a loss when leading after the 8th.

Earlier this season, Estévez recorded his 100th career save, and he now has 107 saves, which are tied for the 11th most among active pitchers.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—Major League Baseball announced today that Royals right-handed pitcher&nbsp;Carlos Estévez&nbsp;has been added to the American League All-Star team. He will join&nbsp;Bobby Witt Jr.&nbsp;and&nbsp;Kris Bubic&nbsp;as Kansas City’s representatives at the All-Star Game on Tuesday, July 15 at Truist Park in Atlanta, Ga.This marks Estévez’s second All-Star selection, following 2023 with the Angels.Estévez, 32, has recorded 25 saves and a 2.03 ERA (9 ER in 40.0 IP) in 39 appearances with the Royals this season, after signing with Kansas City as a free agent on Jan. 31. His 25 saves are tied with&nbsp;Josh Hader&nbsp;for the American League lead and are just 2 behind&nbsp;Robert Suarez&nbsp;(27) for the Major League lead.Estévez’s 25 saves are already tied for the most by a Royal before the All-Star break, with&nbsp;Jeff Montgomery&nbsp;(1993),&nbsp;Joakim Soria&nbsp;(2008, 2010) and&nbsp;Greg Holland&nbsp;(2014).Estévez is 25 for 28 in save opportunities (89.3%) this season, and 2 of his 3 blown saves were in extra innings, when the Automatic Runner scored an unearned run. The other blown save was on April 22 vs. Colorado, a game the Royals won in 11 innings. The Royals are 41-0 this season when leading after the 8th inning and are one of only four teams without a loss when leading after the 8th.Earlier this season, Estévez recorded his 100th career save, and he now has 107 saves, which are tied for the 11th most among active pitchers.

Carlos Estévez Added to 2025 All-Star Team

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -&nbsp;The NAIA's National Administrative Council (NAC) Executive Committee has approved Women's Flag Football as an invitational sport for the 2025-26 season-a significant milestone for collegiate flag football, which launched as an emerging sport in the NAIA in 2021.

"We're excited and encouraged by the continued, rapid growth of Women's Flag Football in the NAIA, and proud to be leading the way in that growth in the collegiate space," said Austin Bennett, NAIA Vice President of Championships. "Getting to invitational status is a big step in solidifying the sport on college campuses across the country."

The 2025-26 season will feature 35 programs competing in NAIA Women's Flag Football. Beginning in spring 2026, the postseason will shift to a qualification-based invitational tournament.

The NAC will begin developing the sport's competitive framework, including the format, date, and location of the inaugural NAIA Women's Flag Football Invitational.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -&nbsp;The NAIA's National Administrative Council (NAC) Executive Committee has approved Women's Flag Football as an invitational sport for the 2025-26 season-a significant milestone for collegiate flag football, which launched as an emerging sport in the NAIA in 2021."We're excited and encouraged by the continued, rapid growth of Women's Flag Football in the NAIA, and proud to be leading the way in that growth in the collegiate space," said Austin Bennett, NAIA Vice President of Championships. "Getting to invitational status is a big step in solidifying the sport on college campuses across the country."The 2025-26 season will feature 35 programs competing in NAIA Women's Flag Football. Beginning in spring 2026, the postseason will shift to a qualification-based invitational tournament.The NAC will begin developing the sport's competitive framework, including the format, date, and location of the inaugural NAIA Women's Flag Football Invitational.

NAIA NAC Executive Committee Approves Women’s Flag Football as Invitational Sport for 2025-26

The Sacred Heart football program finds itself in an interesting position ahead of the next KSHSAA reclassification cycle.

With 8-man eligibility increasing from an enrollment cap of 100 students to 110, the question of whether to remain in 1A or move to 8-man looms large over the community.

A survey conducted by Sacred Heart earlier this week sheds insight into the views of students, faculty, parents, and alumni on the issue ahead of what’s sure to be another challenging football season.

Since the 2014 season, the Knights have a combined record of 29-71, with a high watermark of 5-5 back in 2015.

In that 11-season span, Sacred Heart has utilized six different head coaches, including five in the last six seasons.

Like many other schools around the state, lowered participation has played a role in this decline and helps to make the case for making the move to 8-man football, but despite all that, it’s a move that many in Salina strongly oppose.

According to the survey conducted by Sacred Heart, 79% of parents (42 responses) and 89% of students (9 responses) oppose the move to 8-man.

This sentiment is in stark contrast to the alumni and faculty, who voiced support of the move by margins of 53% (30 responses) and 80% (10 responses) respectively.

Current players who support staying in a 1A 11-man format cited it as being the “traditional and correct form of football” and pointed out that 11-man football allows for deeper participation, more positions, and a better chance to specialize, while those opposed cited the move to 8-man as a “better fit for a small school with the potential to increase competitiveness.”

Parents who oppose the move to 8-man brought up Sacred Heart’s rich football tradition, and stated that a move like this could be construed as a weakness, while those in favor brought up issues like player safety, and highlighted that the choice to move back to 11-man in the future will always be there.

That tradition did see the Knights post a .500 or better season 16 times in the 17 years between 1992-2008, with a 10-1 finish in 1999, a 12-1 finish in 2002, and a 10-1 season in 2007.

On the other hand, the success of Ell-Saline and the improvement of Bennington during their time in 8-man have set a precedent for teams that make the move from traditional 11-man football.

Regardless of what the school and community decide, the Knights will remain in 1A 11-man and the NCAA for the upcoming 2025 season, where they will open a new campaign with Ellsworth on September 5th.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostThe Sacred Heart football program finds itself in an interesting position ahead of the next KSHSAA reclassification cycle.With 8-man eligibility increasing from an enrollment cap of 100 students to 110, the question of whether to remain in 1A or move to 8-man looms large over the community.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746812152965.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>A survey conducted by Sacred Heart earlier this week sheds insight into the views of students, faculty, parents, and alumni on the issue ahead of what’s sure to be another challenging football season.Since the 2014 season, the Knights have a combined record of 29-71, with a high watermark of 5-5 back in 2015.In that 11-season span, Sacred Heart has utilized six different head coaches, including five in the last six seasons.Like many other schools around the state, lowered participation has played a role in this decline and helps to make the case for making the move to 8-man football, but despite all that, it’s a move that many in Salina strongly oppose.According to the survey conducted by Sacred Heart, 79% of parents (42 responses) and 89% of students (9 responses) oppose the move to 8-man.This sentiment is in stark contrast to the alumni and faculty, who voiced support of the move by margins of 53% (30 responses) and 80% (10 responses) respectively.Current players who support staying in a 1A 11-man format cited it as being the “traditional and correct form of football” and pointed out that 11-man football allows for deeper participation, more positions, and a better chance to specialize, while those opposed cited the move to 8-man as a “better fit for a small school with the potential to increase competitiveness.”Parents who oppose the move to 8-man brought up Sacred Heart’s rich football tradition, and stated that a move like this could be construed as a weakness, while those in favor brought up issues like player safety, and highlighted that the choice to move back to 11-man in the future will always be there.That tradition did see the Knights post a .500 or better season 16 times in the 17 years between 1992-2008, with a 10-1 finish in 1999, a 12-1 finish in 2002, and a 10-1 season in 2007.On the other hand, the success of Ell-Saline and the improvement of Bennington during their time in 8-man have set a precedent for teams that make the move from traditional 11-man football.Regardless of what the school and community decide, the Knights will remain in 1A 11-man and the NCAA for the upcoming 2025 season, where they will open a new campaign with Ellsworth on September 5th.

Sacred Heart ponders potential move to 8-man football

TOPEKA, Kan. - The KSHSAA State Basketball Tournament format and sites have been selected for the next two seasons. In 2026, the 1A Division I semifinals and finals will be played at United Wireless Arena in Dodge City. The 2A and 1A Division II semifinals and finals will be played at White Auditorium in Emporia while 3A and 4A semifinals and finals will be played at The Hutchinson Sports Arena at Hutchinson Community College. In the largest school classifications, 5A and 6A semifinals and finals will be played at Koch Arena at Wichita State University. This will mark the first time since 1953 when state championship games of multiple classes were played at the same place.&nbsp;

In 2027, both Divisions of 1A semifinals and finals will be played at Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina. Class 2A and Class 4A semifinals and finals will be played at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan. The 3A semifinals and finals will be played at The Sports Arena at Hutchinson Community College. The 5A and 6A semifinals will be played at White Auditorium in Emporia.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<a href="https://soundcloud.com/kshsaa-covered/state-basketball-format-change-discussed/s-mtMTeCFwSTy?utm_source=clipboard&amp;utm_medium=text&amp;utm_campaign=social_sharing&amp;si=e90a0c798e0e45afa89c0a88b29820f7" target="_blank">Listen to the companion podcast to this release – KSHSAA Covered – State Basketball Format Change</a>&nbsp;

“The KSHSAA is an association of member schools, and the school leaders have asked for class consolidation of championships.” said KSHSAA Executive Director Bill Faflick. “This new format will achieve that result and provide a greater focus on the student athletes competing at the highest level with four state title games being played consecutively on championship Saturday. This modification allows basketball to follow the recently implemented format for championship soccer and football championship games.&nbsp; With more titles being determined at one location, the atmosphere in the championship arenas will be at an all-time high.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The state tournament begins with the quarterfinal round which will be hosted at seven venues in five cities. To advance to the semifinals and finals sites, teams will need to win the state quarterfinal round games which will be played at United Wireless Arena, Tony’s Pizza Events &nbsp;Center in Salina, Mabee Arena at Kansas Wesleyan University, Koch Arena, Garvey Center at Friends University, White Auditorium, and the Kansas City Kansas Community College Fieldhouse in Kansas City.&nbsp;&nbsp;

2026 State Basketball Tournament Quarterfinal Schedule:&nbsp;

6A, 4A, 2A Girls, 5A, 3A, 1A Boys Quarterfinals – March 10 (United Wireless Arena, Koch Arena, Friends University, Tony’s Pizza Events Center, Kansas Wesleyan University, White Auditorium, KCKCC Fieldhouse)&nbsp;

5A, 3A, 1A Girls, 6A, 4A, 2A Boys Quarterfinals – March 11 (United Wireless Arena, Koch Arena, Friends University, Tony’s Pizza Events Center, Kansas Wesleyan University, White Auditorium, KCKCC Fieldhouse)&nbsp;

The quarterfinal round games are determined by proximity to the higher seed, not class. The highest four seeds of the state tournament will be placed as close to home as possible in the 28 quarterfinal round games across the state. &nbsp;If the distance from the lower seed is greater than 250 miles from where the game would be played near the higher seed, that game will be played at one of the quarterfinal sites centrally located. State brackets will not be reseeded after the state quarterfinals.&nbsp;

“With the top four seeds earning the right to play close to home, the quarterfinal rounds will provide a better environment and experience allowing more friends and family to attend the quarterfinal round,” said KSHSAA Assistant Executive Director and Basketball Administrator Kyle Doperalski.&nbsp; “This new format is a win for teams and school communities with an incredible atmosphere of four state championship games in the same venue on the same day.&nbsp; Fans and media along with non-advancing teams and coaches will have less decisions to make about what site to go to and watch the&nbsp;teams and players they want to see at the state tournament.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The dates of the quarterfinal games are March 10-11, 2026 and March 9-10, 2027.&nbsp;&nbsp;The dates of the semifinals and finals are March 12-14, 2026 and March 11-13, 2027.&nbsp;&nbsp;

TOPEKA, Kan. - The KSHSAA State Basketball Tournament format and sites have been selected for the next two seasons. In 2026, the 1A Division I semifinals and finals will be played at United Wireless Arena in Dodge City. The 2A and 1A Division II semifinals and finals will be played at White Auditorium in Emporia while 3A and 4A semifinals and finals will be played at The Hutchinson Sports Arena at Hutchinson Community College. In the largest school classifications, 5A and 6A semifinals and finals will be played at Koch Arena at Wichita State University. This will mark the first time since 1953 when state championship games of multiple classes were played at the same place.&nbsp;In 2027, both Divisions of 1A semifinals and finals will be played at Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina. Class 2A and Class 4A semifinals and finals will be played at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan. The 3A semifinals and finals will be played at The Sports Arena at Hutchinson Community College. The 5A and 6A semifinals will be played at White Auditorium in Emporia.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://soundcloud.com/kshsaa-covered/state-basketball-format-change-discussed/s-mtMTeCFwSTy?utm_source=clipboard&amp;utm_medium=text&amp;utm_campaign=social_sharing&amp;si=e90a0c798e0e45afa89c0a88b29820f7" target="_blank">Listen to the companion podcast to this release – KSHSAA Covered – State Basketball Format Change</a>&nbsp;“The KSHSAA is an association of member schools, and the school leaders have asked for class consolidation of championships.” said KSHSAA Executive Director Bill Faflick. “This new format will achieve that result and provide a greater focus on the student athletes competing at the highest level with four state title games being played consecutively on championship Saturday. This modification allows basketball to follow the recently implemented format for championship soccer and football championship games.&nbsp; With more titles being determined at one location, the atmosphere in the championship arenas will be at an all-time high.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The state tournament begins with the quarterfinal round which will be hosted at seven venues in five cities. To advance to the semifinals and finals sites, teams will need to win the state quarterfinal round games which will be played at United Wireless Arena, Tony’s Pizza Events &nbsp;Center in Salina, Mabee Arena at Kansas Wesleyan University, Koch Arena, Garvey Center at Friends University, White Auditorium, and the Kansas City Kansas Community College Fieldhouse in Kansas City.&nbsp;&nbsp;2026 State Basketball Tournament Quarterfinal Schedule:&nbsp;6A, 4A, 2A Girls, 5A, 3A, 1A Boys Quarterfinals – March 10 (United Wireless Arena, Koch Arena, Friends University, Tony’s Pizza Events Center, Kansas Wesleyan University, White Auditorium, KCKCC Fieldhouse)&nbsp;5A, 3A, 1A Girls, 6A, 4A, 2A Boys Quarterfinals – March 11 (United Wireless Arena, Koch Arena, Friends University, Tony’s Pizza Events Center, Kansas Wesleyan University, White Auditorium, KCKCC Fieldhouse)&nbsp;The quarterfinal round games are determined by proximity to the higher seed, not class. The highest four seeds of the state tournament will be placed as close to home as possible in the 28 quarterfinal round games across the state. &nbsp;If the distance from the lower seed is greater than 250 miles from where the game would be played near the higher seed, that game will be played at one of the quarterfinal sites centrally located. State brackets will not be reseeded after the state quarterfinals.&nbsp;“With the top four seeds earning the right to play close to home, the quarterfinal rounds will provide a better environment and experience allowing more friends and family to attend the quarterfinal round,” said KSHSAA Assistant Executive Director and Basketball Administrator Kyle Doperalski.&nbsp; “This new format is a win for teams and school communities with an incredible atmosphere of four state championship games in the same venue on the same day.&nbsp; Fans and media along with non-advancing teams and coaches will have less decisions to make about what site to go to and watch the&nbsp;teams and players they want to see at the state tournament.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The dates of the quarterfinal games are March 10-11, 2026 and March 9-10, 2027.&nbsp;&nbsp;The dates of the semifinals and finals are March 12-14, 2026 and March 11-13, 2027.&nbsp;&nbsp;

State Basketball Sites and Format Set for 2026 and 2027

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez homered twice, Jac Caglianone hit the longest measured homer by a Royals rookie, and Kansas City beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3 on Wednesday night to complete a three-game sweep.

Perez broke a 3-3 tie in the eighth inning with his longball off Isaac Mattson (2-1). He opened the scoring with a 444-foot shot to center in the second.

But the most impressive homer of the game belonged to Caglianone —&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/MLB/status/1943109192639762689">a 466-foot, two-run drive</a>&nbsp;to center in the fourth against Bailey Falter. It was the longest homer by a Royals rookie since Statcast started tracking in 2015 and the fourth-longest by any Kansas City player at Kauffman Stadium.

The Royals have won six of seven overall. They did not have a multi-homer game this season before doing it Monday night against Pittsburgh, and now they've done it three games in a row. Kansas City hit nine homers in the series.

Pittsburgh fell to 0-6 on its nine-game trip ahead of the All-Star break after getting shut out in three straight games at Seattle.

Perez had his second multi-homer game of the season and 19th of his career, extending his franchise record.

Lucas Erceg (4-2) worked a scoreless eighth and Carlos Estevez pitched the ninth for his 25th save.

Ke'Bryan Hayes had a two-run single in the Pirates' three-run sixth.

<a href="https://x.com/MLB/status/1943129622788354333">Perez sent the first pitch of the eighth</a>&nbsp;to the walkway just short of the fountains in right-center.

Kansas City swept a series at home for the first time since a four-game sweep of the Chicago White Sox in early May.

Pirates: Begin a three-game series at Minnesota on Friday.

Royals: Host the New York Mets for three games starting Friday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752142974949.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' Jac Caglianone watches his two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Wednesday, July 9, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Jac Caglianone watches his two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Wednesday, July 9, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez homered twice, Jac Caglianone hit the longest measured homer by a Royals rookie, and Kansas City beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3 on Wednesday night to complete a three-game sweep.Perez broke a 3-3 tie in the eighth inning with his longball off Isaac Mattson (2-1). He opened the scoring with a 444-foot shot to center in the second.But the most impressive homer of the game belonged to Caglianone —&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/MLB/status/1943109192639762689">a 466-foot, two-run drive</a>&nbsp;to center in the fourth against Bailey Falter. It was the longest homer by a Royals rookie since Statcast started tracking in 2015 and the fourth-longest by any Kansas City player at Kauffman Stadium.The Royals have won six of seven overall. They did not have a multi-homer game this season before doing it Monday night against Pittsburgh, and now they've done it three games in a row. Kansas City hit nine homers in the series.Pittsburgh fell to 0-6 on its nine-game trip ahead of the All-Star break after getting shut out in three straight games at Seattle.Perez had his second multi-homer game of the season and 19th of his career, extending his franchise record.Lucas Erceg (4-2) worked a scoreless eighth and Carlos Estevez pitched the ninth for his 25th save.Ke'Bryan Hayes had a two-run single in the Pirates' three-run sixth.<h2>Key moment</h2><a href="https://x.com/MLB/status/1943129622788354333">Perez sent the first pitch of the eighth</a>&nbsp;to the walkway just short of the fountains in right-center.<h2>Key stat</h2>Kansas City swept a series at home for the first time since a four-game sweep of the Chicago White Sox in early May.<h2>Up next</h2>Pirates: Begin a three-game series at Minnesota on Friday.Royals: Host the New York Mets for three games starting Friday.

⚾ Perez and Caglianone power Royals to win over Pirates 

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– A pair of former K-State men’s basketball players –&nbsp;Keyontae Johnson&nbsp;and&nbsp;Markquis Nowell&nbsp;– will join recent alum&nbsp;Coleman Hawkins&nbsp;at the upcoming NBA 2K26 Summer League that starts Thursday (July 10) and runs until Sunday, July 20 at the Thomas &amp; Mack Center and Pavilion in Las Vegas.

NBA teams will play round-robin games for a week starting Thursday until July 17 before the playoffs run from July 18-19 capped by the championship game on July 20.

Johnson will play for the Denver Nuggets after playing for the Charlotte Hornets’ G-League team – the Greensboro Swarm, where he averaged 17.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 34 games in 2024-25. Nowell will play for the Milwaukee Bucks after playing for the Houston Rockets’ G-League team – the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, where he averaged 17.3 points, 8.1 assists and 3.1 rebounds in 33 games last season.

Hawkins recently signed a summer league contract with the Golden State Warriors and began his pro career at the California Classic, averaging 8.0 points on 60 percent shooting with 4.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game in 2 games, July 5, 6 and 8 at the Chase Center in San Francisco.

Johnson and Nowell will face off against each other on the tournament’s first day (July 10), as the Nuggets will play the Bucks at 8:30 p.m., CT on NBA TV. Hawkins and the Warriors will get started on Friday (July 11) against the Portland Trail Blazers at 10 p.m., CT on ESPN2.

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– A pair of former K-State men’s basketball players –&nbsp;Keyontae Johnson&nbsp;and&nbsp;Markquis Nowell&nbsp;– will join recent alum&nbsp;Coleman Hawkins&nbsp;at the upcoming NBA 2K26 Summer League that starts Thursday (July 10) and runs until Sunday, July 20 at the Thomas &amp; Mack Center and Pavilion in Las Vegas.NBA teams will play round-robin games for a week starting Thursday until July 17 before the playoffs run from July 18-19 capped by the championship game on July 20.Johnson will play for the Denver Nuggets after playing for the Charlotte Hornets’ G-League team – the Greensboro Swarm, where he averaged 17.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 34 games in 2024-25. Nowell will play for the Milwaukee Bucks after playing for the Houston Rockets’ G-League team – the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, where he averaged 17.3 points, 8.1 assists and 3.1 rebounds in 33 games last season.Hawkins recently signed a summer league contract with the Golden State Warriors and began his pro career at the California Classic, averaging 8.0 points on 60 percent shooting with 4.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game in 2 games, July 5, 6 and 8 at the Chase Center in San Francisco.Johnson and Nowell will face off against each other on the tournament’s first day (July 10), as the Nuggets will play the Bucks at 8:30 p.m., CT on NBA TV. Hawkins and the Warriors will get started on Friday (July 11) against the Portland Trail Blazers at 10 p.m., CT on ESPN2.Nowell and the Bucks will be back in action on Saturday (July 12) against the Cleveland Cavaliers and former teammate&nbsp;Nae’Qwan Tomlin&nbsp;at 2:30 p.m. CT on NBA TV Canada. Johnson and the Nuggets will play Saturday night at 9 p.m., CT vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves.Nowell and Hawkins will both play on Sunday (July 13) with the Bucks playing the L.A. Clippers at 8:30 p.m., CT on NBA TV Canada and the Warriors playing the Utah Jazz at 9 p.m., CT on ESPN2.Johnson and the Nuggets will play on Tuesday (July 15) against the Toronto Raptors at 7 p.m., CT on ESPN+ followed by Hawkins and the Warriors against the Memphis Grizzlies at 9:30 p.m., CT on NBA TV.Other games include the Bucks and the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday (July 16) at 4:30 p.m., CT on ESPN2, the Warriors and Raptors on Thursday (July 17) at 9 p.m., CT on NBA TV and the Nuggets and Clippers on Thursday (July 17) at 10 p.m., CT on ESPN2.More information on the NBA 2K26 Summer League can be found&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nba.com/summer-league/2025" target="_blank">here</a>.