The MLB trade deadline brought changes for some of Long Beach’s baseball alumni, with plenty of other news as the 2026 season enters its homestretch.
One of the biggest trades this season was between AL East rivals, as the Boston Red Sox acquired catcher Adley Rutschman from the Baltimore Orioles. The top prospect acquired by Baltimore in that swap was former Lakewood High right-hander Anthony Eyanson, who recently represented the Red Sox at the MLB All-Star Futures Game.
The 21-year-old hurler has been dominating the minor leagues this season with a 1.47 ERA in 17 appearances, striking out 103 batters in just 73.1 innings pitched. He made a great first impression with his new organization, fanning nine batters in five innings while allowing just a pair of solo home runs. Eyanson is the Orioles’ top prospect and continues his fast-track to the big leagues.
Also on the move was former Long Beach State Dirtbags infielder Jonathon Long, who was dealt by the Chicago Cubs to the Miami Marlins in a deal for starting pitcher Braxton Garrett. The 24-year-old third baseman has been on the cusp of getting his MLB call-up, posting an .822 OPS with 12 homers in Triple-A this year.
Weeks before the deadline, former Wilson High right-hander Tommy Nance was traded from the Toronto Blue Jays to the Minnesota Twins, marking his fourth different big league club during his five-year career. The 35-year-old reliever is having another solid season, setting a new personal best with 43 appearances in the 2026 campaign.
Nance has been a solid contributor in the Blue Jays’ bullpen the past three years, posting a 1.99 ERA in 2025, and he’s gotten off to a terrific start in the Twin Cities. In his first 11 appearances with his new team, Nance has a 1.74 ERA in 10.1 innings, recording five holds in his 11 trips to the mound.
From current players to an MLB legend, former Long Beach Poly Jackrabbit Chase Utley was honored by the Philadelphia Phillies last weekend when he was added to the Phillies’ Wall of Fame at Citizens Bank Park.
Utley addressed the Philly crowd ahead of their game against the Toronto Blue Jays on Aug. 7, thanking them for the support he received over his time with the club.
“To me, this city is about passion, it’s about emotion, it’s about toughness. But most of all, it’s about winning,” Utley said. “For 13 years, I tried to play the game that this city expects us to play–hard, honest, no short cuts, no excuses. And you let me know every night if I was doing my job. That’s what I love most about this city.”
Utley was accompanied by his parents, his wife and two sons, and perhaps this won’t be the last time he’s giving a speech recounting his legendary career. The former second baseman is one of the top candidates to one day become an MLB Hall of Famer, and he
“As far as the numbers go, Chase has all the accolades and accomplishments of a Hall of Famer, and we all believe he’ll be in Cooperstown in the very near future–and deservedly so,” said former Phillies teammate Pat Burrell, who helped introduce Utley to the home crowd. “But to only go by the numbers would be selling him short. … He did everything the way it’s supposed to be done. He never made excuses. It was always about the team, and never about him.”
It hasn’t been all good news, however, as former Millikan Ram Spencer Steer is currently on the injured list with a right wrist sprain he suffered in late July. The 28-year-old was well on his way to a fourth-straight 20-homer season for the Cincinnati Reds, but that streak is now in some jeopardy. He hopes to return before the end of the 2026 season and would be a boost to the Reds’ lineup with his ability to play several positions around the diamond.
One recent bright spot for Steer was the announcement by the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association that he had been selected as the Reds’ winner of the Heart & Hustle Award for the 2026 season. Founded in 2005, the award is voted on by MLB alumni and active major leaguers, presented annually “to an active player who demonstrates a passion for the game of baseball and best embodies the values, spirit and traditions of the game.”
An overall winner of the Heart & Hustle Award will be voted on by fans, MLB alumni, and active players as the season draws to a close.
In MLB Draft news, Lakewood alum Diego Gutierrez officially signed with the Baltimore Orioles after he was drafted in the 17th round of this year’s draft.
Millikan’s Daunte Bell II, meanwhile, did not sign with the Milwaukee Brewers after going in the 14th round. The left-hander has decided to attend the University of Houston in the fall and will be draft eligible again in 2029.
