By Mark Bowman MLB.com This year’s MLB Draft was much different than any other ever conducted. But like every other year, each general manager and scouting director is publicly expressing excitement about the players landed. With just four selections during the Draft, the first of which was the 25th overall, the Braves focused on gathering as many high-upside products as possible. They started by taking Wake Forest left-hander Jared Shuster, whose anticipated willingness to accept an under-slot signing bonus allowed him to vault from second-round projection to first-round selection. Atlanta’s final three selections were University of Michigan outfielder Jesse...

Kasen Shelton of Manchester Tire and Brake crosses the plate after hitting a home run on Thursday in 6U action of the Manchester Youth Baseball Association The Manchester Youth Baseball Association hit the diamond on Thursday night with games in all 5 divisions. In the 6U Division, Manchester Tire and Brake rolled past Lovelady Auto Parts 20 to 4 and Star Physical Therapy squeaked past Cooper Sports 18 to 15.  In the first game, Manchester Tire and Brake scored 8 runs in each of the 1st two innings to put the game out of reach.  Kasen Shelton had 2...

The Braves certainly feel good about Jared Shuster’s upside, but the club also targeted the Wake Forest left-handed pitcher with an eye to the later rounds of this year’s shortened MLB Draft. With their only selection on Wednesday night, the Braves took Shuster with the 25th overall pick. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound hurler made significant strides since last summer and was considered one of this year’s highest risers. But MLB Pipeline ranked him as the No. 77 overall prospect, and the assumption was he would not be taken any earlier than the second round So there was certainly some surprise...

The National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) and the National Hockey League (NHL) announced today that formal training camps (Phase 3) for the 24 teams resuming play will open on Friday, July 10, provided that medical and safety conditions allow and the parties have reached an overall agreement on resuming play. The length of training camp and, therefore, the start date for formal resumption of play (Phase 4) will be determined at a future...

Hayden Skipper of CHS baseball The Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association awarded their annual region scholarship to graduating senior Coffee County Red Raider Hayden Skipper.  Skipper will receive the $1,000 scholarship for being selected out of Region 4 of the TBCA membership.  Pat Swallows, the state director for TBCA, made the announcement on Friday.  Skipper has signed to play college baseball with Lipscomb University.   Hayden was named to the 2019 District 8AAA All-District team and was selected as the Red Raiders’ Most Valuable Player.   Skipper was selected for the Tennessee Baseball Report All Region Team in 2019. Skipper was signed...

Story by John Brice – TSSAA Steve Trussler {photo provided by TSSAA] Stack all the days in a decade; there’s roughly 3,650 turns of the calendar. Steve Trussler can fill them all with the nights logged working TSSAA events as an official, umpire or otherwise in more than 50 years’ service to high school athletics in Tennessee. A native of the Gainesville and Jacksonville areas of Florida, still with the Florida Gators’ fight song as a ringtone to this day, Trussler’s time in the Volunteer State extends back to his college days of attending and graduating from David Lipscomb...

Thursday MYBA Schedule 6U at Tee Ball Field 5:00 PM – Lovelady Auto Parts vs. Manchester Tire & Brake 7:30 PM – Star Physical Therapy vs. Cooper Sports 8U at Fast Pitch Field 5:00 PM – Lions Club vs. Dr. J 7:30 PM – Freedom Automotive vs. KK’s 10U at National League Field 5:00 PM – Viam vs. State Farm 12U at Aaron Miller Field 5:00 PM – Bush Insurance vs. Clower Automotive 7:30 PM – Peoples Bank vs. Shelter Ins 18U at Looney Riddle Field(Babe Ruth Field) 6:00 PM – Manchester Braves vs....

Nashville Soccer Club announced Wednesday in conjunction with Major League Soccer that the club will move to the Eastern Conference as all 26 teams prepare to resume play in the MLS Is Back Tournament in Orlando, Fla. Upon return from the tournament, the club will stay in the Eastern Conference through the remainder of the 2020 MLS season. Nashville SC will travel to Orlando at the end of June and will kick off its participation in the tournament at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex as early as July 8. The Boys in Gold will play three Eastern...