Eric Longenhagen Prospects Chat: 4/11/25

Eric A Longenhagen: Good morning, everybody. Your boy awakened with a fever so there’s an opportunity I minimize issues quick relying on how I pattern over the subsequent hour.

Eric A Longenhagen: Shortly, some hyperlinks:

Eric A Longenhagen: White Sox checklist is subsequent! Very thrilling.

Billy: Is Christian Oppor a dude? Appears to be like like Hjerpe with extra velo to my eye

Eric A Longenhagen: That’s isn’t fairly the comp I’d make however his fastball is *actually* sneaky

Eric A Longenhagen: Acquired a ton of whiffs on it this week from the Guardians youngsters.

Eric A Longenhagen: Positively a prospect

Billy: Something on Dylan Questad?

Eric A Longenhagen: Was like 90-94 the opposite evening, threw extra sliders than heaters, bought 11 whiffs. He’s okay, extra depth starter search for me at first blush.

soko: sooner or later you compiled a video of nick swisher (?) saying “josh breaux” a bunch of instances. is that this essential doc nonetheless on-line anyplace?

Eric A Longenhagen: Man, I did. I don’t know if I’ve that laying round anyplace anymore. I promise to go searching for it and republish it someplace if I can discover it.

Child Cubs: How a lot can we take from Cade Horton’s fb velo/form enchancment via 2 begins?

Eric A Longenhagen: It seems to be nice, he’s as much as ticks and motion sensible isn’t pronating as a lot as Could ’24. Supply seems to be rather less violent, too. Very optimistic.

Brandon Hyde: Tremendous attention-grabbing Orioles checklist, tons to look ahead to. What did you imply precisely once you mentioned the O’s don’t have the type of “high-end impression” that helps in October — younger flame throwing bullpen items? Who can be your decide for a man or 2 to be part of a profitable October O’s pen — perhaps McDermott or De Leon?

Eric A Longenhagen: Yeah you’re proper, I meant “starters”, but it surely’s completely possible for both of these two guys or Fruit and Wells to be bullpen weapons by the top of the yr.

Eric A Longenhagen: I’ve been yelling “Are you rrreeeadddy to smaaash some Fruit?!” all week

qane: On the sting of my seat awaiting the Purple Sox prospect checklist. Two questions on the subject. (1) There are those that appear to suppose Franklin Arias is a yr or two from being among the finest prospects in baseball. Him not making your high 100 would recommend you suppose in any other case. Like to know extra. And (2) your inclusion of Jedixson Paez in your high 100 when few others have him even within the Sox high 15 was stunning. Do you’ve gotten ideas on this completely different perspective? Thanks.

Eric A Longenhagen: I imply, I *like* Arias a great bit, he’s an actual SS with an actual arm. I’m a bit extra reserved about how a lot offense to mission. He’s a smaller-framed man with a largely oppo-geared swing. I don’t see him as an Elly De La Cruz sort of expertise or something like that, or a Willy Adames sort the place I’m able to mission massive future energy primarily based on his construct despite the fact that he’s younger. There are greater than 100 good prospects in baseball, proper?

Eric A Longenhagen: Would it not shock me if Arias is on the 100 ultimately? No. If he proves the offense half is actual in opposition to higher pitching, I’d be silly to not alter the place I worth him. However  at this stage he’s extra in that 45 or 45+ space for me.

Eric A Longenhagen: Paez idk why others aren’t as on him, I can’t converse to that. It’s a great query for them.

Keith P.: Thanks Eric! Any likelihood George Lombard Jr. develops even a median hit instrument? It looks like every part else is Grade 50 or higher

Eric A Longenhagen: In case you’re hitting it laborious sufficient you may make a beneath common fee of contact and nonetheless have a great batting common

MiLB: Who’re some backfield guys that basically impressed you?

20longyears: Temarr Johnson has a ___% likelihood of growing into an above-average MLB second baseman.

Eric A Longenhagen: Like 10%? Has to get to the facility, I’m undecided he’ll be capable of maintain a 15% stroll fee within the bigs.

Eric A Longenhagen: Brandon Lowe is the optimistic comp to make at this level

Johnny5Alive: You had actually moved Alex Freeman up your checklist previous to the season and instructed a risk he even breaks camp. He clearly didn’t, however given the dodgers IF, probabilities he will get the decision sooner moderately than later?

Eric A Longenhagen: I believed so for the explanation you point out, however he was clearly urgent and hanging out a ton all spring

Visitor: Khal Stephen has appeared tremendous good via 2 begins. What have you ever been seeing?

Eric A Longenhagen: An SEC man getting a Low A project ought to generate an enormous eye roll from everybody, however he seems to be fairly good. Sat 93-94 in his first begin then 92-93 in his most up-to-date one. Acquired a ton of whiffs on his changeup despite the fact that a lot of them completed in an odd location.

Eric A Longenhagen: Appears to be like high quality, he’s a great prospect, not completely different sufficient to maneuver him until the cambio retains doing this for an extended time frame

Lord Thunder: Does Seattle prospect Ryan Sloan have a shot at reaching Jobe, Dollander, Painter territory?

Eric A Longenhagen: He’s undoubtedly nasty. Painter is hard as a result of Sloan doesn’t fairly have that dimension, however yeah he has star-level expertise.

Han Tyumi: Who’re the subsequent couple SP prospects you see getting the decision that you’d roster in a 12 workforce roto league with QS? Excluding bubba chandler.

Eric A Longenhagen: Logan Henderson, Brandon Younger, Cade Horton

Scotty: Eric! Luis Pena is lighting up A ball however hasn’t been hitting for a lot energy in any respect. Ideas?

Eric A Longenhagen: Eh, it’s solely per week, let it air out a bit.

Sky Bri: Poor child. I’ll come over and make you’re feeling higher……. And you’ll inform me when the A’s will cease effin round and name up Kurtz…

Eric A Longenhagen: When you’ve got bangs and tattoos we are able to work that out.

Eric A Longenhagen: The Kurtz stuff will work itself out through harm, I’m positive. Sodastream is crushing it.

D backs fan: Thanks as all the time for the work you do Eric. Hope you’re surviving the warmth? Has something modified in your opinion on Ryan Waldschmidt or Slade Caldwell because the December write up?

Eric A Longenhagen: Nah, nonetheless like each these guys a great bit. Waldy’s protection was shaky in my sparse spring seems to be at these two, noticed them in highway massive league video games on the very finish. Slade performs his ass off.

MrMet: Thanks for every part you do. It’s been attention-grabbing to see how your valuation of Brandon Younger has wavered between 50/45 FV. Your newest write-up sounds promising, however is it the dearth of high-end velo that worries you?

Eric A Longenhagen: These are each good grades inside a shade of each other, it’s not like one is sweet and one is unhealthy. He’s occurring 27 and it wouldn’t shock me if he had a the height of a 50, however his years of management are going to embody age 32-33 season and at that time he would possibly already be in decline section. The lone factor he hasn’t finished is figure deep into video games for a complete season. That is his gamelog from final yr: Brandon Younger – 2024 Pitching Sport Logs | FanGraphs Baseball

Eric A Longenhagen: I believe it’s clear that I actually, actually like him.

SalisburySteak: In case you’re KC, at one level (if in any respect) do you begin giving Caglione reps in RF? The apparent want on the large league workforce is outfielders. However on the identical time I get that you just don’t need to ask an excessive amount of of him and mess up his improvement as a hitter, which is the primary precedence.

Eric A Longenhagen: I’d simply let him hit for now, and if by June he’s kicking the door down as a hitter, begin with the RF stuff.

Eric A Longenhagen: I usually agree with you although, and they should have a premeditated plan for this

Nervous Flyball Pitcher: Taxonomy query: is there a motive you don’t get away sliders between bullet/gyro sliders and sweepers the way in which Statcast has?

Aspect notice: Michael Forret throws a kick change (he options in Tread movies on the topic), which may (?) clarify the splitter-like motion.

Eric A Longenhagen: I don’t agree with how liberally Statcast throws Sweeper round, we solely have a lot house on The Board for various pitch sorts, and I’d be mendacity to you if I believed I may analyze every man with this stage of specificity. I’ve my very own excessive velocity cam, in fact, however I’m not coaching it on each single minor leaguer and milb broadcasts typically aren’t ok for me to make a assured evaluation primarily based on grip and launch like you possibly can whereas watching an enormous league recreation.

Eric A Longenhagen: That Tread Youtube is cool, isn’t it? Thanks for that, my Orioles contact wouldn’t affirm that they’re educating all kick adjustments to those guys, however that’s positive what it look slike.

Eric: What ought to we anticipate from Chase Meidroth?  Taking part in time, place so as, stats?  Unsure the facility improve to this point in AAA is sustainable with the EV numbers posted.

Eric A Longenhagen: I believe he’s good.

Eric A Longenhagen: I believe James and I would reassess what I wrote from the time of the commerce

Dan Grant: Ideas on Demetrio Crisantes? I discover fairly a little bit of variance on him on the completely different high prospect lists.

Eric A Longenhagen: Smaller skillful man, plus second base and first base defender however not a SS/3B for me. Swing tends to chop via the underside of the zone, I ponder how he’ll deal with elevated velo as he climbs. Good prospect, nice decide the place they bought him.

Wannabe GM: So I discovered my daughter’s science instructor is a cousin of Nick Markakis and she or he is the college’s softball workforce coach.   Fairly cool.

Vic: Will Shane Smith stick in CWS rotation?    Hope you’re feeling higher!!

Eric A Longenhagen: He’s actual, they made him higher than MIL did, which is a superb signal for that org.

Alek: How is ethan holliday doing? Its so laborious to get experiences on him

Eric A Longenhagen: For me, the high-profile HS guys experiences are absolutely baked. In need of including the pop up guys to my draft checklist. Other than checking in on their conditioning/energy and such, I’m far more eager about how they did in opposition to their elite friends final summer time than I’m in watching them hit 450 foot tanks with an aluminum bat in opposition to youngsters throwing 82

Eric A Longenhagen: Ethan will go actually excessive, perhaps first

Eric A Longenhagen: He has enormo energy however didn’t actually get to it in video games on the showcase circuit.

Dodger Fan: What’s it going to take for Hyun-Seok Jang to lock in his management and absolutely harness his stuff?

Eric A Longenhagen: Simply time, noticed him twice this spring and his stuff was down, extra 92-94

David: Seth Hernandez along with his latest performances.. is he trending to be the favourite for 1-1?

Eric A Longenhagen: I’d be shocked if anybody took a HS pitcher first

Springfielder: Is there a extra dishonest stat than Yohel Pozo weighs 201?

Eric A Longenhagen: lol, that’s perhaps the craziest one.

sup3rjosh: How are you feeling about Dasan Hill early on? IIRC you had a primary spherical grade on him final yr

Eric A Longenhagen: Noticed he shoved however there’s no broadcast so I didn’t double again to examine on it. He sat 94.5 to 97.5 that day, although, so yeah to this point good name by 2024 Eric.

David: Any ideas on the Improvement plan for Jurrangelo Cijntje. Main starter RH with a Left handed aid look between begins.

Eric A Longenhagen: I had no advance data of this, I used to be simply spit balling on the cellphone with Jordan Schusterman and conceived of it as a risk, and now that’s taking place.

For The Birds: Simply noticed from Aram Leighton that Allsup averaged 96.5 in his begin yesterday. 24 swstr% 10 Ks, 19 whiffs on 79 pitches (that’s a LOT in the event you have a look at how Os starters have been restricted final yr within the decrease ranges). Do you’ve gotten any takeaways from that begin?

Eric A Longenhagen: It’s true, he was 96-98 for many of it, cutter 88 or so, slider 80-82, Threw about that onerous every of his first two outings. Cautious to not get too overzealous with him, that physique is horrifying and he’s had risky efficiency previously. Claro, I’ve a positive grade on him, for a man who was a 4th rounder final yr to be a 40+ already is nuts.

Lord Thunder: Are you aware what sort of harm has sidelined KBO 3Bman Do Yeong Kim for all however 2 at bats this season?

Eric A Longenhagen: Somebody instructed me after which I forgot, I believe Laurila is aware of.

planet zebulon: Is zebby matthews velo bump actual? is the command effected? what does this make him now?

Eric A Longenhagen: I believe he’s good, haven’t watched him although, he’s now not a rookie.

notbrandonzink: Now that the O’s checklist has dropped, the place do you’re feeling that their system sits in comparison with the remainder of the league? I’m used to seeing them with a slew of fifty FV + prospects, it looks like their system has thinned out significantly with promotions and trades and they’re sitting perhaps within the seventh to tenth vary for his or her complete system?

Eric A Longenhagen: I wrote about this within the System Overview. I believe it’s an above-average system. On common every workforce has three high 100 prospects, and so they’re proper there at that mark. The depth of 45 and 40+ guys is absolutely sturdy and thrilling. They have been sixth final yr with a “worse” system Farm System Rankings | FanGraphs Baseball

Identify Fan: What’s your favourite identify (actually the identify, not participant) with a practical likelihood to make the majors?

Eric A Longenhagen: Dick Fitts is already there, Identify Fan.

Tyler: How fast are you to edit your priors primarily based on early season information? Ex: if a prospect hit a ball with max EV 5 MPH tougher than their earlier profession excessive on Day 2, would that be sufficient to bump up their energy grade by itself?

Eric A Longenhagen: I’d wanna see extra than simply a kind of.

Eric A Longenhagen: Once I’m souring information I’m souring an enormous quantity of it at one time and basically calling in a favor to take action. I’m not about to do this after per week

Visitor: Does the NCAA’s (pending) settlement that removes scholarship limits make it simpler for Manfred + Co to additional slash the minors despite the fact that it’s clearly harmed the event of younger gamers? Can not consider these house owners insist on saving pennies to the detriment of the large league produt.

Eric A Longenhagen: I believe MLB wish to outsource dev to NCAA as a lot as potential as a cost-saving measure. IDK what number of house owners view dev as an funding moderately than a price. They are going to must be those who converse up about this throughout the subsequent CBA.

Eric A Longenhagen: Okay, thanks for coming right here once more this week, please contemplate a sub to our website in the event you don’t have already got one. See you subsequent Friday.