Eric Longenhagen Prospects Chat: 8/22/25

Eric A Longenhagen: Good day from sweaty, stormy Tempe the place we’ve had a bizarre mixture of 110+ diploma warmth and moisture the previous few days. There have been a number of heat-related incidents with gamers at Bridge Camp yesterday. Seems prefer it’s going to interrupt subsequent week and our climate patterns will change.

Eric A Longenhagen: Let’s get to your questions, may be a shorter chat this week as the one sport on the town is west valley in the present day, which suggests an extended commute for you pleasant neighborhood prospect author.

Mike: Minnesota going to maintain Abel and Bradley within the minors to lose each sport?

Eric A Longenhagen: Their deadline was the one one which felt like a real, full bottoming out, so possibly? I can see them wanting to provide Zebby all of the runway, however Urena and Hatch idk. Did Hatch tweak one thing in Japan they wish to see vs MLB hitters for an prolonged spell? Making an attempt to take essentially the most beneficiant learn of the state of affairs however yeah they may simply be tanking. Which, okay.

Alex: Do the Braves have an opportunity to have a couple of(Didier Fuentes) High 100-ish prospects for 2026?

Eric A Longenhagen: Ritchie’s had a very good yr and held his stuff despite the fact that his innings load has doubled. Will they be as aggressive with him as the opposite younger arms, or will they be gun shy as a result of AJSS and Fuentes have been clearly undercooked?

db: Massive night time for Aidan Miller final night time, two moonshots. Have you ever observed something totally different in his setup / swing in his latest turnaround? Or is it extra strategy based mostly?

Eric A Longenhagen: He’s seemed fantastic all yr, tools-wise. His bat path is such that he’ll most likely Ok some, he’s not a 60 hit device man, however he’s going to get to energy due to the energy and verve in his arms. He’s fantastic, wild in-season adjustments to him I’d represent as an overreaction.

J36T: Thanks for all of the prospect information.  You and the positioning really convey worth.  I needed to know should you suppose if Joshua Baez has finished sufficient but for a an upward revision in hit device grade?  His Ok’s are down across the 20% since July 1st – questioning if the in-zone contact and chase fee has improved together with the Ok fee, and has he finished this lengthy sufficient to justify a 40 or 45 hit device grade?

Eric A Longenhagen: I don’t suppose that man goes to hit in any respect.

Alek: Felt such as you have been somewhat mild on Jackson Kent…suppose a forty five and even mid rotation SP is a risk?

Eric A Longenhagen: Perhaps, changeup has carried out like a 70 this yr, different stuff continues to be common or under

Only a bit outdoors…: Is Chase DeLauter a misplaced trigger within the OF?  DH solely bat?

Eric A Longenhagen: He’s in uncharted territory so far as harm frequency for a place participant, I do not know how that’s going to shake out.

Arn Anderson: Sam Brown will get traded to the Nats and turns into CJ Kayfus in a single day. Something new there or simply SSS variance?

Eric A Longenhagen: Radical shift in hitting surroundings leaving Madison, I believe he’s a very good hitter and has huge league utility however most likely not the facility to be an influence man (identical with Kayfus btw)

Casey: I’ve a buddy who’s a Brewers fan who stated he wouldn’t commerce Made straight up for Skenes. How dumb is he?

Eric A Longenhagen: I imply, I believe most of us would take the recognized elite entity. There’s loads of wishcasting within the queue in the present day if I’m being trustworthy.

Yokozuna: Fairly a debut for Eli Willits final night time. Comps?

Eric A Longenhagen: IDK if there’s a flush comp to make, he’s a extremely good prospect although.

Phaser Ramon: Ethan Petry leads all draftees in OPS to date. Excessive EV’s, walks lots. 30 physique/defender/velocity. Ideas right here?

Eric A Longenhagen: In that DH solely space, exits have all the time been big, lotta 4A traits, fringe man however certainly a prospect.

Jason: In your report on Jarlin Susana, you indicated his harm from earlier within the yr slid him to the again of the 55 FV tier. Since he’s come again, he’s been dominating. You additionally talked about within the report that we must always take his AA outcomes with a grain of salt. So my query is…how excited ought to we be about Jarlin and the place would he be inside that 55 FV tier now?

Eric A Longenhagen: Look superior, joyful to have him stuffed.

5 Run Homer: So does Basallo’s extension imply dangerous issues for Adley or is Basallo simply not a catcher for the Orioles?

Eric A Longenhagen: Constructive spin: what in the event that they each catch a bunch and each 1B/DH a bunch, everybody stays wholesome and performs at their peak on offense all yr.

Edouard Boolean: What are the probabilities we see Kevin McGonigle earlier than the tip of this season, and the probabilities we see him on Detroit’s opening day roster in 2026?

Eric A Longenhagen: I believe it’s like 5-10%? Powerful to interchange Gleyber at 2B and I don’t suppose Ok-Mac is an effective sufficient SS defender to simply get thrown into the hearth there and be okay with the large league tempo of play.

Lord Thunder: What’s happening with Thayron Liranzo‘s horrible second half? Will you be reducing his FV?

Eric A Longenhagen: In all probability not, I have a tendency to maneuver catchers conservatively as a result of he may be coping with an ailment we don’t learn about. Plus, switch-hitting catcher with big energy, let it air out.

Alicia: What do you consider Jacob Wilson윌슨 as a hitter? It’s a bizarre profile, however I are likely to suppose he’ll get stronger + that park will add energy. Am I loopy to suppose he may Altuve-ey?

Eric A Longenhagen: In the identical approach Mike Harris and PCA have had their chase-driven curler coasters, I’d count on that from Jacob. However he’s good, he’s their on a regular basis SS for the lengthy haul I believe.

Alex: Re: your dedication to breaking information – any information on Didier Fuentes’s harm that landed him on the 7-day IL?

Eric A Longenhagen: Is that not on the market? That’d be kinda nutty if it’s not, he was a giant leaguer and certainly there’s a very good Braves beat who has reported that, proper?

Eric A Longenhagen: If not I’ll get on it.

Nervous Flyball Pitcher: Any ideas on latest Baltimore risers like Trey Gibson or Nate George? I noticed George received the bump to 40 FV

Eric A Longenhagen: Gibson you could possibly argue is a 50, George’s contact profile is so oppo-driven it’s terrifying.

Carl: The consensus on Andrew Fischer gave the impression to be that it was optimistic of the Brewers to announce him as a 3B. Early days nonetheless, however what has the preliminary impression of his protection been?

Eric A Longenhagen: I haven’t finished a deep dive on his protection since turning professional, I believe the beginner report nonetheless holds water.

Brian: How shut is the password to being a 50? Any probability he can get there?

Eric A Longenhagen: He may have some seasons the place he’s producing on that stage, CF protection is much less steady than the PCA/Harris sorts and he has the chase piece, too. Feast/famine kind if given long run run.

Brad: Does Josuar Gonzalez have prime 10 prospect upside? Future 60 potential? What wouldn’t it appear to be for him to get there?

Eric A Longenhagen: It’s potential, let’s simply see how he matures, bodily.

metties: I’ve seen you employ the ‘time period tightly’ wound to explain some prospects prior to now month however can’t fairly discover what you imply (it wasn’t within the visible scouting primers) — what does that imply and why is it probably a crimson flag?

Eric A Longenhagen: Tight within the hamstrings and hips, often.

Eric A Longenhagen: Ketel Marte is tightly wound. He doesn’t bend effectively, he will get damage, he’s nonetheless a stud.

Oaktown Blues: Nick Kurtz nonetheless a 55 for you? (You stated sure final time I requested however that was earlier than his 4 HR sport and continued awesomeness)

Eric A Longenhagen: What do you suppose he’s?

Colton: Do you might have a favourite complicated right here within the valley? I’m in south Tempe so Diablo is the closest stadium to me, caught fairly a number of ACL video games there final yr. Actually just like the Giants complicated close to outdated city and the Cubs and A’s are each a fast drive from right here

Eric A Longenhagen: Giants is cool due to the view of the rocks. Salt River is cool throughout the ACL season due to the way in which the sunsets play off their 3b aspect, Camelback Ranch and Shock are cool as a result of they’re the simplest locations to doubles up.

Sam: Your write up on Robby Snelling notes you’re the low man based mostly on stuff considerations and low whiff charges on the slider. Small pattern, however seems to be like in AAA he has principally changed the slider w a curve that’s getting 45% whiffs, does that change the eval considerably for you? Thanks!

Eric A Longenhagen: Typically I believe the automated pitch tagging it classifying the identical pitch as a number of totally different pitches. Like only a cursory look at Snelling’s Synergy readout exhibits his curveballs all ending within the backside half of the zone and under, whereas his sliders are ending within the prime half of the zone. SO are they two totally different pitches or is the Triple-A statcast auto pitch tagging simply seeing those he exectues effectively as having sufficient depth to think about them curveballs? And whether it is, then there’s a variety bias within the 45% miss fee you’re citing.

Eric A Longenhagen: It’s the kind of factor that you might want to watch the catcher’s indicators to infer, or see Snelling’s pitch grip on launch.

Eric A Longenhagen: Lemme have a look at his different knowledge actual fast to see if the pitch traits are wildly totally different.

Eric A Longenhagen: The info is totally different sufficient to recommend they may be two totally different choices

What did Jesus Make?: What’s Made’s potential HR output at his peak? Is 20 inside motive?

Eric A Longenhagen: I’d take the over

Adam D.: Jhonny Stage sees the large leagues as a 20-year-old. True or false.

Eric A Longenhagen: FAlse

Visitor: FG was decrease on David Shields than I anticipated this yr. Has his season modified that viewpoint to any actual diploma? Looks like a Top100 kind arm personally

Eric A Longenhagen: I really feel fairly snug with the place he’s at. He’s a low A pitcher whose fastball is averaging 90 mph. I do suppose it’s a sneakier fastball than its velo, but it surely’s not like this man has dominant stuff proper now. The kind of man who’s a forty five FV when he’s nearer to the bigs.

Squish The Fish: Are the struggles of the Jackson Three (Holliday, Chourio, Merrill) merely a mirrored image of their youth or are there indicators they could not dwell as much as their lofty prospect scores?

Eric A Longenhagen: I suppose I’m somewhat fearful about Holliday as a result of his grade was biggity huge huge. Merrill I’m not fearful, and Chourio is having one other 3 WAR season, he’s monitoring according to his grade precisely.

Aviaries: What’s your concern stage wrt Zyhir Hope’s actually poor contact charges within the low minors? You continue to have him ranked fairly extremely amongst all prospects, and whereas I perceive he has loads of pop it simply appears loopy that somebody whiffing on a 3rd of his swings in A+ is a top-50 prospect.

Eric A Longenhagen: It’s loads of whiffing, he’s most likely nonetheless a 50 for me however I’d count on his ordinal rank to drop on subsequent replace

Arcadian: I’ve heard some rumblings that Benge has a flat swing, doesn’t appear to mess along with his capability to place the ball within the air. Is that this a priority for you with him or normally for different flat swingers?

Eric A Longenhagen: His common launch is 11 levels, that’s fairly regular. Your clandestine, underground sources may be overstating it.

Lord Thunder: Did Grant Taylor lose his eligibility for The Board?  What are the probabilities he’s now locked into bullpen responsibility?

Eric A Longenhagen: Hopefully this can be a workload factor they usually revisit him within the rotation subsequent yr.

Eric A Longenhagen: However I don’t have any dope on that.

G4: Are you actually a pilot?

Eric A Longenhagen: No, I lie within the excerpt on a regular basis. I used to be dropping Rowley off on the airport.

Oddball Herrera: Am I simply impatient/unrealistic or does it really feel like Walcott has stagnated?  I get he’s younger, however for a “potential number one general prospect” kind you actually wish to see greater than a league common wRC after almost a full season there

Eric A Longenhagen: Seems somewhat fatigued, nonetheless fairly unbelievable what he’s doing at his age, nonetheless has elite bodily projection.

GA Blood: Did you catch any of Parker Messick’s debut? I’m curious as to how consultant that efficiency was for him as a result of I got here away very impressed. I think his velo was increased than regular, however his command was good and he did an excellent job of limiting onerous contact.

Eric A Longenhagen: I did, he’s good. He’s been within the 45-50 FV space for 3 years, that’s about proper based mostly on how he’s seemed once more this season.

ballstrike: Dax Kilby have 70 grade hit device risk given the efficiency to date?

Eric A Longenhagen: He’s performed 8 video games.

Eric A Longenhagen: and is hitting .214

Eric A Longenhagen: what’s taking place right here in the present day?

Oaktown Blues: Jack Perkins has acquitted himself fairly effectively within the A’s rotation to date. Do you continue to have him pegged for a bullpen function long run?

Eric A Longenhagen: I believe so however I do know scouts who suppose he can begin. He’s constructed like a starter and strikes like a starter, the strikes have all the time been actually crude in my seems to be.

Eric A Longenhagen: They need to definitely attempt it

Eric A Longenhagen: they don’t have anything to lose by attempting it proper now, be taught all you possibly can and see what occurs

Kevin C: why do folks appear so low on Ty Johnson of the Rays? This man has been dealing since he received traded to Tampa and passes the attention take a look at as effectively

Eric A Longenhagen: Suppose the BP people have been fairly stoked on him, no?

Insert Witty Title Right here: Would you place Painter within the Pen for the playoffs a la 2007 David Worth?

Eric A Longenhagen: He doesn’t look in place to reach that approach proper now, he’s laboring.

Avery: Dalton Speeding has been simply really terrible within the bigs to date, what do his possibilities of being the 60 FV man he was rated at pre-season appear to be for you now?

Eric A Longenhagen: Powerful to gauge when he’s not getting common time.

Bob Myrick: Is Pete Crow-Armstrong possible having essentially the most priceless yr ever for a place participant with a sub-.300 OBP?

Eric A Longenhagen: I’m attempting to consider different nice up the center defenders who’ve had huge energy seasons….

Eric A Longenhagen: is there a Zunino yr?

Eric A Longenhagen: Tony Batista?

Eric A Longenhagen: Javy BAez’s huge ones have been north of .300

Eric A Longenhagen: PCA may be

LenFuego: Jarlin Susana is trying sort of electrical; e.g.,13 Ks in 5 innings a number of days in the past.  Can we cease worrying about that early season UCL sprain, and would possibly he earn a rotation spot out of camp in 2026?

Eric A Longenhagen: Yep and yep, don’t see him as kind of prone to break than anybody else now that he’s bumping 103 once more

Wooden: Felix Reyes has been torching AA in a not so small pattern measurement after being a effectively under common bat the remainder of his profession. What are your ideas on him? I’ve discovered subsequent to no information on-line

Eric A Longenhagen: Don’t purchase his swing will play, KBO kind man for me

Bob Myrick: The place are you on Dylan Crews at this level? Is he the hitter most thought he was?

Eric A Longenhagen: Nonetheless on him

Eric A Longenhagen: This can be a man with a 3 bat who’ll nonetheless be priceless as a result of it’s 7 protection and playable energy

Eric A Longenhagen: Above-average FB/SLD combo proper now with strikes and large projection at an athletic 6-foot-5.

Seattle: Why do they refuse to convey harry ford up

Eric A Longenhagen: As a result of they’d need to burn a 40-man spot to do it. If Cal is catching mainly daily, and can throughout the playoffs in the event that they make it, the I’d prioritize depth and wish to maintain Garver round despite the fact that he’s been dangerous. If you happen to reduce Mitch and produce up Ford after which he will get damage, what do you do?

Philip: I’ve heard Juan Sanchez (Blue Jays DSL) has fairly absurd exit velo numbers? Is it potential so that you can go round his 90percentile exit velo? How does it examine to Made final yr?

Eric A Longenhagen: Good for his age however not loopy. He has a 115 max however based mostly on the character of the remainder of his knowledge I’m questioning if that’s a misinterpret. Plenty of people have trumedia logins now and never all of them are nice at parsing what they’re seeing, which is possibly potential in your supply

Okra: Pitcher age doesn’t matter, proper?  Clearly does for hitters, however appears pitchers solely have so many bullets earlier than they break.  You additionally see many pitchers achieve success into mid/late 30s not like hitters.

Eric A Longenhagen: I believe pitcher projection issues however that doesn’t all the time coincide with age

Eric A Longenhagen: deGrom is the intense instance of this

Visitor: I just lately observed in your up to date 2025 checklist that you simply fairly aggressively ranked Franklin Arias twenty sixth. Whereas just about everybody from 20 down is a 50, what makes you a lot extra assured in Arias succeeding within the bigs versus different guys with seemingly related skillsets like Nacho Alvarez, or say Tyler Freeman prior to now. He’d have to enhance lots within the energy division to even be common. Are you that assured that he can pull off a significant league SS with a suitable bat, or is there one thing in his batting profile I’m discounting?

Eric A Longenhagen: This can be a totally different stage SS defender than these guys

Visitor: When will Fangraphs add minor league splits?

Eric A Longenhagen: i’ll make an observation

Upstate Mets Fan: Of Baty, Vientos and Mauricio who do you suppose has essentially the most commerce worth?

Eric A Longenhagen: Man, that’s powerful. In all probability Mauricio simply due to the protection piece. Everybody of that group has a wart, take your choose.

Andre Dawson’s Creek: Given the misplaced growth time, ought to Tony Blanco be a candidate for the AFL to choose up some additional plate appearances? Or is {that a} bit too aggressive?

Eric A Longenhagen: Too younger

Chadwick: Have you learnt what Winston Santos‘ again harm is and if he’ll be again this yr?

The Prospector: Crew lists finished, prime 100 replace finished, draft prospects finished, IFA guys finished… what’s subsequent on the docket for ya?

Eric A Longenhagen: I’m engaged on constructing the 2026 draft database, cataloguing video from Space Codes and so forth., Graduate Tab upkeep and TLDR updates for grads and prime 100 guys, my fantasy soccer league had a steroid scandal, I’m writing about High 100 prospect shortstop protection for Monday, farm system developments because the draft, I’m doubling up at a bridge camp after which the large league sport tomorrow

Eric A Longenhagen: (we didn’t begin the hearth)

Eric A Longenhagen: Didier Fuentes has proper shoulder irritation

Eric A Longenhagen: And with that, my hour is up. Thanks for coming once more this week. Discuss to y’all subsequent friday