The Colorado Rockies (28-47) had the day off Thursday after an uneven road trip that took them from Las Vegas to Wrigley Field. They dropped two of three to the Athletics, with the lone win coming in a wild 23-9 game, then went to Chicago and again lost two of three.
Pittsburg, PA
McCorkle: Pittsburgh Steelers 2024 Mock Draft (Final Version)
With just four days until the 2024 NFL Draft, it is time for my second and final version of a Pittsburgh Steelers all-round mock draft. This is what I think the Steelers will do, and not necessarily what I would do. These picks will be the culmination of everything we have learned about the team’s interests over the pre-draft process, taking into account positions of need, pre-draft visitors, pro day tracking, combine meetings, all-star game interest, and more. Check out my last mock draft 1.0 from last month.
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
ROUND ONE – 20TH OVERALL: AMARIUS MIMS/OT GEORGIA – 6076, 340 LBS
Analysis: To me, the first pick is between center and tackle. Center doesn’t present as much value, and there are better talents later in the draft at center than there are at right tackle. Mims doesn’t have much experience, but it is not like his tape was overly unrefined. His size, athleticism, and overall potential are too much to pass up on, and it would allow Broderick Jones to flip back over to the left side. He is close with Jones and Darnell Washington from Georgia, and they can help him acclimate to Pat Meyer’s OL coaching and the team culture. It would be nice to land Taliese Fuaga or JC Latham as more plug-and-play prospects, but I just don’t think they will be available.
Others Considered: C Graham Barton – Duke, OT Taliese Fuaga – Oregon State
Last Mock: Amarius Mims
Amarius Mims Scouting Report
ROUND TWO – 51ST OVERALL: ROMAN WILSON/WR MICHIGAN – 5106, 185 LBS
Analysis: The Steelers need a wide receiver who can get open reliably and help move the chains. They have the deep threats in George Pickens and Calvin Austin III, so Wilson’s route running abilities would be helpful in replacing Diontae Johnson’s skill set. The interest started at the Senior Bowl where Mike Tomlin praised him as a top receiver at the event. He is also a willing and capable blocker, which can help the Steelers run-first offense. There was a large contingent at his pro day, though he didn’t have a pre-draft visit. With the top three centers off the board, receiver is the best route to go in round two.
Others Considered: CB Andru Phillips – Kentucky, WR Ricky Pearsall – Florida
Last Mock: Zach Frazier
Roman Wilson Scouting Report
ROUND THREE – 84TH OVERALL: MAX MELTON/CB RUTGERS – 5111, 187 LBS
Analysis: The Steelers have needed a young long-term option at slot cornerback for a long time. It has become an increasingly important position in the NFL, and Melton is physical, ball hawking, and had tons of experience on special teams. He came in for a pre-draft visit, and had a great workout at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine. His 4.39-second 40-yard dash will add much-needed speed to the secondary.
Others Considered: WR Jalen McMillan – Washington, DL Maason Smith – LSU
Last Mock: Malachi Corley
Max Melton Scouting Report
ROUND THREE – 98TH OVERALL: CEDRIC GRAY/LB UNC – 6014, 234 LBS
Analysis: It seems inevitable that the Steelers will draft an inside linebacker at some point with Cole Holcomb’s status still up in the air. They don’t want to get into another situation like 2023, running razor thin at the position. ILB coach Aaron Curry was at his pro day along with VP of player personnel Dan Rooney Jr. He has a nose for the football and his aggressive demeanor will fit well in the AFC North. He won’t have to start right away with Patrick Queen and Elandon Roberts around, but he can play snaps in a rotational role while earning his keep on special teams.
Others Considered: C Sedrick Van Pran-Granger – Georgia, ILB Jeremiah Trotter Jr. – Clemson
Last Mock: Max Melton
Cedric Gray Scouting Report
ROUND FOUR – 119TH OVERALL: MASON MCCORMICK/iOL SOUTH DAKOTA STATE – 6042, 309 LBS
Analysis: Yes, this is later than most will want to see the center position addressed, but unless you want to spend the first round pick on a center it is unlikely they land one of the top three without a trade, and the Steelers have too many positions to address to part ways with draft capital in a trade. They have brought in multiple position-versatile prospects like Troy Fautanu, Graham Barton, and McCormick, so I think that trait in particular is attractive to the team. He played more guard than center at South Dakota State, but projects well at center. He has the body type to kick out to guard next year with James Daniels scheduled to become a free agent and Isaac Seumalo on the wrong side of 30 years old, but he has a chance to become the starter midway through the season at center as a rookie. OL guru Duke Manyweather called him a top sleeper in the draft.
Others Considered: C Hunter Nourzad – Penn State, CB Cam Hart – Notre Dame
Last Mock: McKinnley Jackson
Mason McCormick Scouting Report
ROUND SIX – 178TH OVERALL: JADEN CRUMEDY/DL MISSISSIPPI STATE – 6037, 301 LBS
Analysis: I would have liked to address the defensive line earlier, but the prospects that fit the Steelers’ type at DL should already be off the board before the value is any good with a thin DL class overall. The Steelers brought Crumedy in for a pre-draft visit, so he feels like a good late-round target to develop. He was just one box away on Alex Kozora’s DL draft study based on team draft history under Mike Tomlin.
Others Considered: DL Khristian Boyd – Northern Iowa, ILB Steele Chambers – Ohio State
Last Mock: Jaheim Bell
Jaden Crumedy Scouting Report
ROUND SIX – 195TH OVERALL: CHIGOZIE ANUSIEM/CB COLORADO STATE – 6011, 200 LBS
Analysis: If the Steelers double dip at a position, it is likely to be at cornerback. They could always bring Patrick Peterson, Chandon Sullivan, or both back after the draft, but additional youth is needed. They also need some gunners on special teams, and Anusiem has the right athletic profile to provide that service. He projects as more of a press-man corner, which could fit well with what the Steelers want to do with Porter on the other side. He also has good length to fit in with what GM Omar Khan did last year in the draft.
Others Considered: DE Eric Watts – UCONN, OL Travis Glover – Georgia State
Last Mock: Eric Watts
Pittsburg, PA
Analysis: Most Pittsburgh‑area communities are losing residents — here’s why that might be OK
Pittsburg, PA
Colorado Rockies vs. Pittsburgh Pirates game discussion: Bubba Chandler vs. Kyle Freeland
That leaves the Rockies at 6-9 in June with a -7 run differential. Even that number is softened by the 23-run outburst against the Athletics. Colorado has been pesky and more competitive, which is an improvement from last month, but the results are still the results: they enter tonight with the worst record in baseball — if only by a game.
Cole Carrigg has brought energy since arriving, and Sterlin Thompson is coming off a two-homer game at Wrigley. There are plenty of reasons to keep watching. The problem is that the old bad-team tropes are still there: blown leads, rocked starters, missed chances, defensive mistakes, and poor execution. The Rockies have been in more games, but they are still too often finding ways to let winnable games get away.
Now they get the Pirates at home.
The Pittsburgh Pirates (38-37) arrive at Coors Field in fourth place in the competitive NL Central — and only 1.5 games out of a wild card spot. Pittsburgh gets plenty of attention for its hyped rotation, led by Paul Skenes, but the offense has been much improved. The Pirates rank third in MLB in batting average, third in on-base percentage, fourth in OPS, fifth in runs scored, and sixth in stolen bases.
Kyle Freeland takes the mound to open the homestand for the Rox. The left-hander enters at 1-7 with a 7.98 ERA, 49 strikeouts, and a 1.70 WHIP over 58.2 innings.
The fastball has been the biggest issue. Freeland is leaving too many four-seamers over the middle of the plate, and hitters have punished it. Opponents are slugging .794 against the pitch, which is especially damaging because he still throws it roughly 27-29% of the time.
That continued in his last start, when Freeland allowed six runs on 10 hits over 5.2 innings. He gave up 12 hard-hit balls, with both the cutter and four-seamer taking damage. The cutter was his most-used pitch in that outing, but it did not solve the contact problem. His sweeper has been his best pitch, holding hitters to a .171 batting average and .371 slugging percentage with a 32.8% whiff rate.
The Rockies do not need Freeland to be perfect tonight, but they need him to avoid the middle-middle mistakes that have turned innings quickly this season.
Pittsburgh will counter with Bubba Chandler, a 23-year-old right-hander who enters at 2-7 with a 4.76 ERA, 68 strikeouts, and a 1.38 WHIP over 68.0 innings.
The record is not pretty, but the stuff is real. Chandler averages 98.5 mph with his four-seam fastball and topped out over 101 mph in his last start. He has used the fastball nearly half the time this season, pairing it most often with a changeup and slider.
The slider has been his best bat-missing pitch, generating a 37.9% whiff rate on the season. The changeup has also been effective, holding hitters to a .186 batting average and .288 slugging percentage. Chandler has walked 43 batters, so the Rockies’ best chance may be making him work instead of chasing their way out of innings.
Kyle Karros has been swinging it well lately, hitting .370/.442/.565 over his last 15 games and raising his season wRC+ to 90. Willi Castro has two home runs, nine RBI, and a .680 slugging percentage over his last seven games, while T.J. Rumfield is hitting .321 with a .750 slugging percentage and two home runs in his last seven games.
For Pittsburgh, Bryan Reynolds has been especially hot, hitting .414/.469/.828 with three home runs over his last seven games. Brandon Lowe leads the team with 18 home runs and 49 RBI while slugging .511, and Endy Rodríguez has played well from behind the plate while posting a 149 wRC+ in 76 plate appearances since returning to the lineup in mid-May.
For Colorado, the task is straightforward: get a steadier start from Freeland, make Chandler throw strikes, and turn the recent flashes from the lineup into enough sustained pressure to win a winnable game.
First Pitch: 6:40 p.m. MDT
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM; KNRV 1150
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Pittsburg, PA
Pirates Trade Analysis: Something Had to Give
The decision to trade catcher Joey Bart to the Braves gives the Pirates a solution to a problem that soon needed to be made.
Bart had been on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Indianapolis, working his way back from a left foot infection that kept him out of action for over a month.
With Bart nearing a return, the Pirates were going to have to figure out what to do at catcher with Henry Davis and Endy Rodríguez splitting time behind the plate in his absence.
Given how Rodríguez has been swinging the bat since he was recalled from Indianapolis to replace Bart on the active roster, there was no way the Pirates could’ve sent him down. In 23 games, the 26-year-old has a .267/.413/.467 batting line with three doubles, three home runs, eight RBI, two steals and a robust 19.7% walk rate.
Davis, meanwhile, has struggled to an anemic .138/.242/.285 batting line with four doubles, five home runs and 17 RBI in 47 games. While he hasn’t offered much with the bat, he’s been responsible for two defensive runs saved and leads MLB with a 55% caught stealing rate.
Now that Bart has been traded, Rodríguez and Davis will remain the catching tandem at the big-league level with Rafael Flores Jr. as the top backup option with Indianapolis. Flores is considered Pittsburgh’s eighth-best prospect on MLB Pipeline.
For the first time in the big leagues, Rodríguez is realizing the potential that once made him one of the top 100 prospects in baseball. Because of that, he should get the majority of the playing time with Davis continuing to catch Paul Skenes’ starts and filling in when needed.
As for the return, the Pirates known what to expect from Hunter Stratton, who spent nine seasons in the organization and made 47 appearances with the team from 2023-25.
The bullpen has been an obvious weak spot for the team this season, and while it was somewhat surprising to see the Pirates assign Stratton to Indianapolis, he improves the pitching depth and will almost surely be called upon at some point this year.
In 60 career big-league appearances between the Pirates and Braves, Stratton is 3-2 with a 3.75 ERA and two saves. The right-hander spent most of the 2026 season with Triple-A Gwinnett and went 2-4 with a 4.38 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 24.2 innings across 21 appearances.
One more important note about the trade is that the Pirates saved some money in the deal, which could be used later in additional trades to add to an already record-setting payroll. Stratton is a pre-arbitration player, while Bart is making $2.53 million this season.
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