Eric Longenhagen Prospects Chat: 1/23/06

Eric A Longenhagen: Good morning from Tempe the place the brand new neighbors have folks gutting the home for the following week plus, and jackhammering has been concerned.

Eric A Longenhagen: I believe we’re gonna go lengthy right now, so buckle in, throw on some music or a pod, and play pepper within the queue with me for the following short while.

Brown: Any information/hypothesis on what the Giants are doing with the IFA cash they simply traded for?

Eric A Longenhagen: Truly, no. Lemme see if I can supply the quantity of area traded throughout chat right now. (Observe from Eric after chat: the quantity acquired was $250,000, most likely for somebody that they had already agreed with, in accordance with a supply)

Potato: Eric, is it humorous that Semien first moved to 2B in deference to Bo at SS in Toronto, and now Bo is shifting to 3B as a substitute of 2B in deference to Semien in NY? Or am I reaching?

Eric A Longenhagen: It’s form of enjoyable and funky that these two have now performed collectively at a number of spots however I don’ know that I’d say Bo is what moved Semian off of shortstop, Semien kinda moved himself out of there. Nice hitter, wasn’t an incredible shortstop.

Eric A Longenhagen: Wasn’t shortstop

Eric A Longenhagen: Bo has been nice there, physique seems to be prefer it’s aged out, which is fairly regular.

Sleepless in Seattle: Why is Brennen Davis not listed in Fangraphs prime prospects?  This needs to be an oversight no?

Eric A Longenhagen: (Johnny Carson voice) Chatters who’ve been in a coma since 2019

Eric A Longenhagen: No, even by way of the haze of the web I can inform your tongue is planted firmly in your cheek.

Eric A Longenhagen: Accidents, man. Hope Brennen will get to put on a giant league uni in some unspecified time in the future.

NFP: Is Jordan Sanchez nonetheless a 40+ for you?

Eric A Longenhagen: That one’s powerful. Scary contact charge, love the swing/bat pace and upside of lefty energy like this. Positively too dangerous to *actually* stuff, like within the 45 tier or higher, 40+ I believe correctly displays his ceiling, but additionally possibly doesn’t sufficiently account for his threat now that he’s had a 63% contact season within the DSL.

Mike Trout: Did the Mets surrender an excessive amount of? Would you quite have Gore or Peralta, contemplating the prices?

Eric A Longenhagen: I don’t assume it’s an excessive amount of. I do assume they kinda shot themselves within the foot with each Jett’s and Sproat’s worth, although…

Eric A Longenhagen: Sproat acquired worse after making adjustments in ’25. Is it the org that wished him to make these adjustments? The Mets are fairly good at growing pitchers total, however on this case the tweaks coincided with the participant regressing.

Eric A Longenhagen: Jett they need to’ve let play CF and 2B earlier. He’s hit his approach to triple a however nonetheless isn’t good at any place, which scares the crap out of me.

Eric A Longenhagen: I like each prospects, to be clear.

MLB Rooney Rule: Stunned by the shift in grade from final 12 months on Juan Brito. Dude barely performed in 2025, so what actually modified?

Eric A Longenhagen: I believe I over-ranked him final 12 months.

Eric A Longenhagen: And likewise hamstring surgical procedure is frightening. He was *barely* scraping by at 2B and has been enjoying mainly all 1B in LIDOM (the place he didn’t hit nicely fwiw).

MLB Rooney Rule: Did that unnamed Venezuelan participant you have been frightened about ever get in a foreign country and signal?

Eric A Longenhagen: Sure, the staff felt like he’d be okay after I requested them if he was nonetheless there or not within the days instantly following the airstrikes.

George: Eric, I appreciated your piece on the Gore commerce. I’m a Nats fan, and there’s been some native media who’re saying that the Nats is likely to be thought-about a prime 5 minor league system. Am I mistaken for seeing them extra within the 10-15 vary?

Eric A Longenhagen: I had the precise within the very center on the finish of ’25. I believe their transactions this offseason transfer them nearer to tenth. Our methodology favors top-heavy programs, and within the Gore commerce it was extra guys I’ve 45s, 40+s on, they solely transfer the needle a lot.

Eric A Longenhagen: I believe it’s extra true that they set themselves as much as have a prime 5 system in like 2 years, when among the Fien/Fitz-Gerald/Yeremy group has matured.

bushupking: How worrisome are shoulder accidents for hitting prospects basically? Are accidents to the lead shoulder extra alarming than an harm to the again shoulder? (Am serious about Bryce Rainer specifically.)

Eric A Longenhagen: It is determined by the precise nature of it. Take into consideration Tatis and Corbin Caroll’s shoulder accidents, from mainly being too explosive for their very own good. They’ve survived these. When it’s a traumatic harm from a collision or fall, these freak accidents are a person-to-person, incident-to-incident sort of factor.

Eric A Longenhagen: After which you’ve the accidents involving nerves and veins and stuff….entire different world.

NFP: How do groups stability the defensive growth of fellows on comparable timelines who play the identical place? That is principally a Wehiwa Aloy / Colin Yeaman query for 2026. They may simply stick Aloy in Frederick and Yeaman in Delmarva, in fact.

Eric A Longenhagen: In these guys’ case I believe they’ll each play a number of positions. However yeah you should use the DH to make sure they each get at-bats or stagger which associates they begin at.

Jonathan: One of many issues AI can’t but do nicely is predict one thing that it hasn’t been uncovered to in its coaching information.  I determine scouts have large inner libraries of prospects.  Are you able to consider anybody (and even any pitch, or any trait) that’s very uncommon and even singular, {that a} CV-based agent educated on video from the final 5+ years might need hassle assessing in addition to a human would?

Eric A Longenhagen: I assume I’d be interested by what sort of video it’s been fed, similar to sport footage, excessive pace stuff? Mocap stuff? There are issues scouts see visually that positively can/have change into measurable by way of tech (bat pace, bat path angles, jumps on protection, even actual time biomechanical information) and I’d wanna understand how a lot of that stuff AI is taking a look at, information and video…

Eric A Longenhagen: I care about stuff like physique composition and posture; I care about how our bodies look in movement and assume you possibly can study quite a bit by how cleanly these guys discipline and excahnge the baseball. If what you’re speaking about can assess stuff like that it’s reducing deeper into what scouts have nonetheless been in a position to provide through the TrackMan period.

Eric A Longenhagen: Then there’s the interpersonal stuff, Attending to know the participant as an individual continues to be necessary, though generally I believe we overestimate our potential to essentially understand how somebody goes to regulate to professional baseball simply by having espresso with them and their household.

romorr: Orioles and Rangers paid comparable costs for Gore/Baz. Contemplating the prospects + pitchers, which do you favor?

Eric A Longenhagen: Gimme the Gore package deal. Rosario’s ceiling is that of a participant you mainly can’t purchase. Tampa didn’t get that within the Baz deal.

David Wiers: In fact it isn’t why you’re there, however what was the very best/your favourite MiLB mid-inning leisure?

Eric A Longenhagen: That is like 15% of why I’m right here.

Eric A Longenhagen: Cookie Face

Eric A Longenhagen: For many who don’t know, Cookie Face is the competition the place the contestants put like an Oreo on their brow after which should attempt to transfer it into their mouth with out utilizing their fingers. When cameraperson shoots it good, it’s tense and hilarious.

Eric A Longenhagen: My favourite to do throughout my IronPigs period (we have been usually crops for this sstuff on the sphere, idk if the franchise didn’t have insurance coverage for the precise followers to do them or what)  was the bungie wire run. You recognize what I imply, when two persons are tied by a bungi wire on the waist and should fill a bucket will baseballs in reverse instructions?

big_carlos: What do you consider the Ryan Weathers return for Miami?  Do you assume there’s a centerpiece in that deal?

Eric A Longenhagen: Positively behind the opposite packages we’ve mentioned right now. Weathers hasn’t been as nice (although he’s positively a rotation piece) as the opposite two guys, nor as wholesome. Matheus is my favourite from the fellows they acquired as a result of I believe he has the very best probability of truly hitting. Lewis might be second, his instruments are big.

Damaged Bat: Eric, actually take pleasure in these Friday chats. I’ve a query on the Mets commerce with the Brewers, #1, I’m nit a Met fan, however seemingly Stern has IMO made them the NLE. favorites. My ? Is relating to Sproat and Tong. They re each ranked excessive by you and different publications. I really feel sure Brewers needed to get Sproat as their most well-liked younger pitcher over Tong. Brewers have SP choices w/o pushing Sproat this 12 months. Was it a coin flip between these two? Who would you’ve requested for between them, and why?

Eric A Longenhagen: I believe if you happen to’re a pitcher on the 40-man roster then you definately’re virtually definitely going to be within the huge leagues in some unspecified time in the future. I agree that Sproat, who has all three of his choices remaining, is unlikely to interrupt camp within the huge leagues due to that. I additionally agree that he’s extra stylistically just like a whole lot of the Brewers starters, which doesn’t actually have the Tong-style vertical fastball man (Miz is a freak simply take him off the board, that man isn’t a “sort” he’s his personal factor).

Eric A Longenhagen: Sproat I desire to Tong if you happen to guarantee me his changeup from ’24 and prior comes again

MLB Rooney Rule: I hear much less about summer season wooden bat leagues in scouting reviews nowadays throughout the board. With BBCOR bats muddying energy grades within the NCAA that doesn’t make a lot sense to me. Shouldn’t scouts be prioritizing these seems to be? Cap Cod and Northwoods League Trackman information feels prefer it needs to be extremely coveted data for groups. It’s changing into clear the Cubs have carried out so in current drafts. I simply don’t see the identical in different groups or public evals.

Eric A Longenhagen: I believe everybody cares about that stuff. Cape information tends to be in small samples and is harder to supply (at the very least for me) than the professional and NCAA stuff.

Eric A Longenhagen: Wooden could be nice to make use of all over the place. It’s costly and hard to journey with whenever you’re a school program.

Adobe: I’m struck by the way in which the D-backs appear to gather these 40-45 varieties in a means that’s nicely outdoors the norm. Who drives the participant acquisition technique? Any thought why that is the popular technique? I get the sensation that they’re a staff that has lengthy relied on cheap participant to “subsidize” a star or two and so these are the potential subsidies. Nevertheless it comes at the price of drafting potential stars. What provides?

Eric A Longenhagen: IDK if that’s true, keep in mind there was a degree when one may have thought-about Corbin Carroll to be a type of little 45-grade varieties.

Eric A Longenhagen: I believe the DBacks do job of balancing guys like Corbin, Kayson Cunningham, Alek Thomas with toolsy, bigger-framed dudes. Particularly whenever you account for his or her method internationally. Crisantes is an efficient little man, too.

Lowe Distribution System: How come the tippity prime of Japanese pitchers are premier aces in MLB however the tippity prime of Japanese hitters are possibly above common dudes?

Eric A Longenhagen: Mmmm, I believe Ichiro and Ohtani and Hideki Matsui are prime of the heap guys. The perfect Japanese hitters may not essentially be capable of hit MLB pitching, and we don’t know till they fight. Pitching is accountable for the pitcher. There’s going to be the next charge of wrongness when evaluating the hitters in an surroundings that doesn’t actually replicate he one you’re projecting them into.

Eric A Longenhagen: We possibly may do a population-based research on elite MLB gamers per capita and see if Japan is really not producing elite guys as usually because the D.R. or wherever, however they gave us actually the very best man.

Adobe: Possibly a query for Ben Clemens, however I get a bizarre sense that the Ketel Marte commerce rumors held up the market, and when he was lastly pulled off the market, issues began to stream. Coincidence or may there be a shred of fact there?

Eric A Longenhagen: Possibly a shred of fact for the reason that market this offseason has appeared to stream in the way in which you’re describing: The highest participant indicators or will get traded after which there are dominoes because the runner-up groups scramble to discover a dance companion. I don’t understand how shut Ketel commerce talks got here to any form of precise deal, although.

Alec: Was studying some Pipeline articles this week for his or her tackle prime ten prospects at every place and was stunned they referred to as out Hao-Yu Lee as a possible RoY candidate at third base. Do you share an identical stage of optimism for Lee? I’m a bit skeptical that he’ll have sufficient enjoying time this 12 months to make an impression, however he’s taken a gentle rise by way of the minors that Detroit appears to desire their prospects full earlier than debuting.

Eric A Longenhagen: Positively a participant who seems to be superior on the Trackman spreadsheet. Like him, assume he’s extra of an element time participant particularly with that membership. They’ve depth amongst gamers like him each in entrance and behind, it’s too crowded a bunch for me to contemplate him a RoY fave, however I do assume he’s hitter.

Brett: Put up-prospect, I do know, however is Acuna going to be the de-facto CF for the ChiSox?

Eric A Longenhagen: You guys ought to be happy to ask me about whoever, I don’t cease watching or caring once they’re not rookies anymore, they simply go away the board and such. I guess he roves 2B/OF.

Eric A Longenhagen: On a contending staff that man is a utility payer, may as nicely begin shifting him round now.

Visitor: I haven’t seen an article on the location concerning the Peralta commerce so wished your suggestions. Being a Brewer fan and having seen them perform, I belief they did their homework and can get probably the most out of Sproat and Jett. What lifelike consequence do you see for the pair and the way do you assume the Brewers did within the commerce?

Eric A Longenhagen: Brewing with Gasoline: Evaluating Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat | FanGraphs Baseball

Eric A Longenhagen: Brendan wrote that one up.

Eric A Longenhagen: Once more, shortly: I like each guys. Sproat I like extra, particularly if Milwaukee recaptures 2020-2024 Sproat. Jett is harder, he’s mold-breaking, he hasn’t gotten higher at throwing from shortstop and has barely performed CF or 2B. He’d be a defensive legal responsibility if you happen to put him on a giant league discipline tomorrow. Love the facility/pace combo and assume he’s going to provide as a hitter regardless of Ok’s.

MLB Rooney Rule: What NCAA tactic do you wish to see Vitello deploy on the MLB stage that’ll have extra conventional followers up in arms?

Eric A Longenhagen: I simply assume it’ll be fascinating to see his (and Drew Gilbert’s) model of machismo interacts with the tradition of the town/area.

romorr: So do you agree that we is likely to be just some quick years away from no HS gamers within the draft? 20 spherical draft all the way down to 10?

Eric A Longenhagen: Sure, this has been a rumor for some time. Reduce one other minor league affiliate, centralize extra video games onto the spring coaching complexes, no HS gamers within the draft and as a substitute one-and-done fashion in faculty just like the NBA.

Eric A Longenhagen: Proprietor incentives: If there aren’t any HS gamers within the draft then we will’t actually have 19-20 12 months outdated debuts, after which we don’t should pay 26-year-old Manny Machado as a free agent, we pay 28-year-old Machado as a substitute.

Adam: Is Jadher Areinamo going to be the following out of nowhere Rays prospect?

Eric A Longenhagen: Been a reasonably good prospect since ’23 imo, good hitter. He’s a whole lot of enjoyable to look at swing. Beneath avg athlete with under avg energy at 2B. Good participant, however not Junior Caminero or something like that.

Johnny5Alive: Y’all have been excessive on Alex Freeland final 12 months and he carried out nicely once more in AAA. However he’s additionally a dodgers prospect so will he get an actual shot there or does he must be traded to get actual run within the bigs?

Eric A Longenhagen: I guess he takes some at-bats away from Edman (in opposition to righties), and if an OF will get harm then their finest alignment is likely to be Mookie –> OF Freeland begins at SS. I do know the Roster Useful resource fellas have Rojas in there proper now however I believe Freeland is a greater roster match in the meanwhile.

Adam: What are your ideas on Xavier Isaac? Is his prospect standing mainly the identical as getting into final 12 months?

Eric A Longenhagen: He had mind surgical procedure final 12 months, I do not know account for that from a eval/worth standpoint. I’m actually glad it looks like he’s gonna be okay.

romorr: Once you see a 17 12 months outdated hit A ball, and strike out 50% of the time in 100 PAs, like Stiven Martinez, not a whole lot of weight placed on that, proper? He needs to be in A-, however since there isn’t one anymore…

Eric A Longenhagen: Right.

Eric A Longenhagen: There are most likely people in baseball who’d inform you that him hanging out a ton in full season ball is dispositive and it could have been that means no matter whether or not he had the chance to play in Bluefield for a summer season.

Eric A Longenhagen: I’m undecided that’s proper, it’s a conveniently unprovable factor for the oldsters who’ve lopped off quick season ball

Salty: On the 20-80 scale, how excited are you to be lacking the newest model of Snowmageddon?  And if given the flexibility to teleport, however with solely two choices, would like to be jackhammer-free shoveling a foot of snow with temps within the teenagers or keep heat and dry with incessant hammering?

Eric A Longenhagen: It drizzled right here final evening so I really feel like I’m one in all you guys.

Eric A Longenhagen: Truly my dad simply had foot surgical procedure and may’t do something for a number of months. He’s usually the man shoveling the walks of his aged neighbors (and each of my grandmothers) in Catty however he’s on the 60-day and I really feel fairly responsible about being in Arizona whereas they’re all getting 15 inches.

Eric A Longenhagen: (that’s not an exaggeration, that’s the forecast)

Oaktown Blues: Do the A’s have sufficient intriguing pitching within the higher minors to make a run this 12 months? Soar/Arnold/Nett/Lin really feel like they may enhance the employees in a rush

Eric A Longenhagen: I agree, plus 12 months two of Morales and all of their younger hitters getting somewhat higher… Sneaky sneaky A’s

Swarm Legend: Thayron Liranzo and Josue Briceño have each been penciled in as Detroit’s future backstops, Is it attainable we may see Liranzo at 1B and Briceno at C..? Is it attainable this season in some unspecified time in the future..?

Eric A Longenhagen: I believe the reverse (Liranzo C, Briceno 1B) is extra doubtless. Most likely not this 12 months. Liranzo goes to be a sluggish burn, guess he doesn’t actually get constant huge league time till 28

Z: The place would you charge the nats farm system after the strikes they’ve made this offseason? And any risk Abrams will get moved previous to the beginning of the season?

Eric A Longenhagen: I’ve gotta assume there’s a shot CJ will get moved, particularly if Ketel is really off the market now. If it’s a contending staff they could anna transfer him to the OF and that is likely to be a hurdle for completion if CJ isn’t on board with it.

Visitor: Good day Eric. What place do you believe you studied Leo De Vries will play when he debuts for the A’s? Contemplating the A’s have an All-Star occupying SS, which one will transfer to a different place?

Eric A Longenhagen: 2B

Bathroom: The place does Luciano find yourself when the carousel stops?

Eric A Longenhagen: Miami

David: Any perception as to what occurred with Dawel Joseph? As he signed it gave the impression of there have been already considerations about how he had developed since agreeing with the Mariners, and face planted about as arduous as you would for a prime 10-20 IFA man after two years within the DSL

Eric A Longenhagen: A biproduct of agreeing to a deal when the child has by no means shaved.

Visitor: Usually within the write ups of groups you guys point out the methods and the way nicely they do on each the IFA and draft facet. Was questioning what are the ideas on each of these for the Blue Jays

Eric A Longenhagen: Like their current method within the early and center components of drafts; Excessive ceiling HS shortstop early, then contact faculty bats, then dart throw at one other 1mil bonus HS man later mixture of issues they do, strike-throwing faculty guys you attempt to develop. Int’l they’ve had some excessive greenback whiffs.

Visitor: Do you foresee Juan Sanchez getting on the highest hundo this 12 months?

Eric A Longenhagen: That is the one exception, and yeah he’s a Decide to Click on candidate.

Visitor: Individuals who know greater than me counsel that, even with McLean and Tong graduating and Sproat being traded, the Mets have one other wave of fine pitching prospects within the higher ranges. Who’re the fellows we needs to be most enthusiastic about? I hear Wenninger, Watson, Thornton, and Gordon’s names quite a bit.

Eric A Longenhagen: I like Wenninger and Watson, yeah.

Eric A Longenhagen: They usually made one thing out of Aracena and traded him…

Eric A Longenhagen: they’re good at it.

Eric A Longenhagen: I imply simply taking a Harvard man within the twelfth spherical and in a number of months altering him sufficient to have the ability to transfer him for LouBob? That’s good things.

Nick: With Jefferson Rojas actually struggling after the bump to AA, do you continue to view him the identical as a consequence of his tremendous younger age or is he beginning to fall in standing?

Eric A Longenhagen: Nonetheless on him towards the again of the 100. Wrote up Aroon Escobar yesterday (Phillies checklist Monday people) and Rojas and Aroon are a pleasant apples to apples pair to stack in opposition to each other. proper in that 45/50 line space.

Sir Nerdlinton: No query, however the MLBPA is horrible at advertising. The speak of wage caps needs to be countered with equal income share arguments. Neither shall be amendable, nevertheless it’d get the general public to assume from the participant’s perspective for a second.

Eric A Longenhagen: Advertising?

Eric A Longenhagen: If what you’re speaking about is, “controlling on-line discourse” then I assume? However how would you want them to do this? Individuals are fairly dumb, correctly educating everybody about labor in order that public opinion favors the MLBPA’s goals appears unattainable to me.

Eric A Longenhagen: And I’m undecided public discourse issues. Like who cares if Stephen A Smith or Nick Wright thinks baseball ought to have a wage cap? Tony Clark shouldn’t give af about that stuff.

Eric A Longenhagen: The MLBPA must be good at negotiating, interval.

Jimmy Crooks: How totally different would Yesavage grade as a prospect this 12 months if he didnt have his postseason run final 12 months?

Eric A Longenhagen: He’d nonetheless be a 60 I believe however I believe it’s truthful to say postseason performers who stay rookies have been overranked basically. Arozarena has been near correctly ranked, however Evan Carter nah.

Damon Sublett: Eric, Why are J15 signings weighted a lot towards athletic place gamers vs. excessive ceiling pitchers like Defrank?  Appears very uncommon to see J15 pitchers get >$1mm.  Are the nice athletes merely funneled towards SS in Latin America, and there’s no such factor as an athletic pitcher-only at age 15?  I perceive pitching growth is rather more non-linear than hitting growth, do scouts merely understand what’s basically a highschool sophomore pitching prospect as essentially dangerous?  Would a staff ever think about going in opposition to the grain and focusing on pitching expertise in J15?

Eric A Longenhagen: Due to guys like Daniel Espino and Grayson Rodriguez and Forrest Whitley and Alex Reyes and Riley Pint and on and one. I like DeFrank quite a bit and he’s an incredible prospect, however he’s additionally going to be enjoying russian roulette along with his joints as soon as every week for the higher a part of the following half decade earlier than he even sniffs a 40-man roster spot. Many of the Latin American begins in MLB have been signed later, when the cement was extra dry on their our bodies and pitch potential, and their 40-man timeline coincided with a extra cheap tempo at which a starter will get developed.

Eric A Longenhagen: There are groups who mainly gained’t do $X00,000 for a pitcher, ever, in that market.

Travis: Hey Eric, actually recognize your evaluation and as a Rangers fan tremendous enthusiastic about Gore! Questioning if you happen to’ve had an opportunity to look at a few of Rocker this previous season. His prospect hype/minor league success versus MLB outcomes has been actually fascinating to me. Halfway by way of the season, he mainly shelved his “demise ball” slider that was his bread and butter, in favor of using a cutter. Have you ever ever seen a prospect fully abandon a pitch was profitable for years and achieve success as a starter? Do you assume he brings it again in some kind of capability with a purpose to stage out remainder of his arsenal Nonetheless hoping he generally is a starter for us with a sinker, 4S, cutter and that slider. Thanks!

Eric A Longenhagen: I’m undecided how issues will accept Rocker as a result of he’s already made a number of adjustments o his stuff and supply throughout an almost decade-long window as a recognized prospect. I believe the truth that he could make changes is a optimistic factor, however he’s at all times been extra of a fourth starter or nearer sort of prospect to me due to his well being and fastball playability points.

Ice Cream Helmet: Appears plate self-discipline and pitch recognition are the hardest instruments to truly enhance, particularly on the majors. However I nonetheless learn on a regular basis some model of “If Participant X can simply study to remain off the slider/enhance chase charge/and so forth.” Does anyone really get higher at this? Who’re the very best case examples gamers who’ve carried out it at MLB stage?
tldr: Is Michael Harris II destined to hit like Jeff Francoeur?

Eric A Longenhagen: They principally don’t get higher at it. Some profession huge leaguers present enchancment over a really lengthy time period however principally whether or not you ID balls and strikes nicely is a ability you’ve otherwise you don’t. I like MIchael Harris and assume he does sufficient stuff to be participant despite the fact that he goes by way of stretches the place he’s chasing all the pieces and sucks for a month.

Damon Sublett: Is it too early to get enthusiastic about Dexter McCleon Jr?  Or is that this man a generational expertise?

Eric A Longenhagen: It’s too early for “Generational” however he’s actually tooled up and gigantic for a 2028. Plus you’ve gotta love the intersport, multi-generational Remembering Some Guys.

Eric A Longenhagen: Watch Dex take BP and throw a bullpen right here final week. It was good. Nice occasion, as at all times, the Dream Collection.

Eric A Longenhagen: We’re approaching the two-hour mark however increasingly more of you might be displaying up so I’ll hold going for a bit but.

Shirtless George Brett: I’m mildly fascinated with Asbel Gonzalez. Do you assume he ever will get to extra (or any) energy as he ages? If not is there a path to MLB for a man along with his excessive instrument set?

Eric A Longenhagen: I actually like him and assume he has a shot to develop into related pop.

Coral: Wait do you’ve a large assortment of free MiLB giveaways?

Eric A Longenhagen: No, I wasn’t the man hoarding the giveaways. I’ve a JA Happ bobblehead and a seaside towel (which is in Catty) from my ‘Pigs time. I believe that’s it.

Eric A Longenhagen: A few of the giveaways I *do* need, like after I was final in Dunedin that they had a Chris Weinke bobblehead evening and I wanted that.

Muggsy: Is there something on the market displaying rise on 4 seamers will increase with vertical location? Looks like there could be extra runway to rise throwing to Decide versus say Altuve for excessive examples, if that is smart?

Eric A Longenhagen: Nyeah, see.

Eric A Longenhagen: It does make sense, like your sliders to the glove facet of the plate break greater than tan ones you find again door. Your place on the ball has modified sufficient to create kind of size on these pitches. But in addition the way in which the break is measured is impacted by the angle. Two fastballs which have the identical IVB/Horiz motion aren’t essentially the identical by way of high quality.

123: Do groups prospect hoard an excessive amount of or too little?

Eric A Longenhagen: Will depend on the staff. In the event you develop gamers nicely the reply might be “too little”, if you happen to will pay good long-term huge leaguers the reply might be “an excessive amount of”

Visitor: Do the yankees simply find yourself swallowing their intl cash or can they get any worth out of it in any respect ?

Eric A Longenhagen: They’ll be capable of do one thing with it, however most likely not a ton. It’s going to depend upon how joins that market late, a Cuban or Taiwanese pitcher possibly. Groups who’ve cash this late are topic to the randomness of the later entries. Arizona and St. Louis have cash left, too.

KB: Do followers ever acknowledge you at video games and are available up and speak to you? I do know most MiLB video games aren’t flooded with folks (apart from within the beer backyard) and you may usually spot scouts fairly simply.

Eric A Longenhagen: On occasion. Search for me and are available say hello, simply hold it low key. I’m the good-looking one.

Shane: Who has the higher profession as a starter? Early or Tolle?

Eric A Longenhagen: Give me the higher athlete with the higher breaking stuff: Early.

Matt: I really feel just like the prospects/younger gamers who get the least consideration are the fellows who escape proper as they’re shedding their rookie eligibility. On this case I’m pondering of fellows like Troy Melton, Luis Morales, and Braxton Ashcraft, who all took steps ahead late final 12 months. Based mostly on what you noticed, would you improve any of these guys past the 50s you had on them in your final evaluations? Or do your final evaluations kind of maintain?

Eric A Longenhagen: nonetheless on these guys to that diploma, am glad they appeared good once they debuted as a result of I used to be form of on an island stuffing them (Ashcraft and Melton at the very least, Morales idk) as excessive as I did twelve months in the past.

Visitor: What’s your most well-liked technique to over caffeinate? Drip, espresso, Monster, and so forth.

Eric A Longenhagen: I’ve by no means had an power drink. I attempted a 4 Loko in faculty, I assume. Espresso. Drip at dwelling, Cortado out on the planet.

Eric A Longenhagen: I’m not crushing big quantities of caffeine and that i swear I like espresso for the scent, style, and holding a heat factor.

Jedixson Paez Ultras: Heard you on Sox Machine a month or so in the past speaking about guys like Paez or Duncan Davitt having maybe under-indexed upsides based mostly on the potential that they may wind up with like 7 command. Are there different participant achetypes/abilities that you just assume can result in guys having below appreciated potential proper tail outcomes?

Eric A Longenhagen: There are extra guys with hit instruments that may enable them to outperform their uncooked energy in video games and I don’t assume I’ve captured sufficient of them in my course of. Prefer it’s onlya  couple of fellows per 12 months who I would give a 50 uncooked energy, 55-60 sport energy to, and there are most likely a handful extra of them.

Insert Witty Title Right here: What do you wish to see Aroon do that 12 months to bump him up a half grade?

Eric A Longenhagen: Felt final 12 months like he was a forty five on expertise whose grade I nerfed to 40+ as a result of a) multi-year DSL, b) injured/small pattern in ’24

Eric A Longenhagen: As soon as he began hitting in full season ball it felt okay to 45 him

Eric A Longenhagen: He’s gonna keep there fyi

Eric A Longenhagen: Late on fastballs, simply okay 2B defender, information went from elite contact in ’24 small pattern to simply above common in ’25. Like him, 45 look 2B/3B

Randall Cunningham: Loved Brendan’s Mariners checklist. How concerned are you in that or does he seek the advice of you on the rankings/grades? Any gamers you might be increased or decrease on than his checklist?

Eric A Longenhagen: We’re cross-checking every others 40+ tier and above, and usually utilizing one another the way in which we might a scout supply whereas compiling the lists ourselves. I don’t assume Laz Montes will hit sufficient to have him the place Beeg put him, however I additionally don’t assume he’s loopy for doing it.

Farhandrew Zaidman: Sorry for the dumb query, however why does faculty use metallic bats anyway? When did that change into normal? I think about wooden bats have existed for lots longer….

Eric A Longenhagen: It’s not a silly query, however the reply may make you’re feeling kinda foolish: They don’t break. Travelling with sufficient wooden bats for the staff to account for breakage is logistically troublesome whenever you’re St. Joe’s going to play at St. Louis over the weekend after which again to Philly for midweek video games at Rider.

Jace, The Thoughts Sculptor: re: Northwoods League… I’m within the space and am contemplating sitting on it for every week. Are there sources that cowl it in any depth? It’d be good to have a fast who’s who earlier than going.

Eric A Longenhagen: To not my data, seems like a blast.

sodo mojo: In the event you have been Paul Podesta and attempting to rebuild the Rockies would you quite have a prime heavy farm just like the Mariners or a deeper farm system just like the Dbacks shifting ahead?

Eric A Longenhagen: You want depth whenever you’re ranging from scratch. Have a look at the offers that get carried out for Gore, and so forth. Many guys. To commerce many gamers and nonetheless have a wholesome farm system left requires depth. Rockies are most certainly to finish up nice gamers through newbie acquisition and commerce, not free company. Set your self as much as have homegrown gamers and make trades with plenty of dudes.

Ryan: Do the Diamondbacks have sufficient pitching to be contenders this 12 months?

Eric A Longenhagen: I just like the depth of their starters however assume the ceiling on the group is clearly means under the Gallen/Burnes Oopening Day crew of final 12 months. The bullpen is the world the place I believe they’re in place to be means, means higher than the previous couple of years.

Eric A Longenhagen: Particularly if Yilber Diaz seems to be in ’26 like he did  this winter.

Eric A Longenhagen: Cranton coming quick too I guess

Eric A Longenhagen: Can they sneak into the playoffs after which get Puk and Martinez again? That’d be nasty

Jonathan: Talking of gamers leaving the Board – I’d like to see FanGraphs at some point provide projected asset (surplus) worth based mostly on, I don’t know, ZiPS + contract information + prospect worth.  I do know it actually isn’t that reduce and dried however it could be enjoyable to see varied strengths of FG mixed that means.

Eric A Longenhagen: Famous, Org-wide energy rating with tables denoting huge league expertise in a vacuum, then additionally adjusted for wage, then farm worth, then possibly worth per draft decide above expectation….it’d be cool.

Farhandrew Zaidman: Is there a participant archetype you’re usually out on? 2 pitch relievers with no command, nook varieties with low OBP and dangerous protection, R/R 1B, moist noodle CF bats, and so forth?

Eric A Longenhagen: Chase-prone 3B/1B man

Eric A Longenhagen: righty hitting particularly

Daniel: Because the roster stands now it seems to be just like the Guardians plan to play Delauter in heart. How do you’re feeling about that each from a well being perspective in addition to his potential there?

Eric A Longenhagen: I believe it’s the defensive alignment that enables them to have probably the most potent offense however I don’t assume De Lauter is nice on the market.

Ben: What MiLB participant ought to pull the Bama basketball participant and go dominate faculty?

Eric A Longenhagen: Elijah Inexperienced

Salty: Do you assume groups could also be extra hesitant with late-season promotions of their prime prospects with the potential of a piece stoppage subsequent 12 months?

Eric A Longenhagen: Sure

Eric A Longenhagen: However that may not essentially imply they function extra conservatively, total.

Eric A Longenhagen: In the event you assume a deal you can also make right now will look higher after the following CBA is ratified, do it.

Alec Asher Wojchiechowski: In the event you push all draft-eligible gamers to school, you would doubtlessly have the Jurickson Profars debuting earlier than their American counterparts are even drafted.

Eric A Longenhagen: Except there’s a global draft

Gino Groover: What’s my ninetieth percentile consequence comp?

Eric A Longenhagen: Joe Crede? Wilmer Flores possibly extra just like the seventy fifth%

Dan: What do you consider Walcott? does he nonetheless have an opportunity to be a very particular participant?

Eric A Longenhagen: Hell yeah

Eric A Longenhagen: He’s a freak

Eric A Longenhagen: Give it a sec, he’s 19.

smm0589: The place do you see Joshua Baez FV? Imagine the hit instrument enhancements?

Eric A Longenhagen: 40+, I don’t

Eric A Longenhagen: Purely an instinctive and visually derived opinion, btw.

Farhandrew Zaidman: I respect the Mookie to OF alignment factor, however I’d be shocked if Mookie performed even 1 inning off the dust. He’s locked in at SS.

Eric A Longenhagen: Yeah however did the burden on his physique impression his offense?

Eric A Longenhagen: I say sure. Gimme RF Mookie who can really be a harmful playoff hitter

LarsBars: Some Yankees followers need George Lombard to start out on opening day, what’s a practical finish objective for him this 12 months, stage or development-wise?

Eric A Longenhagen: To allow them to be impatient with him, too? Let him crush in Scranton and kick the door down. In the event you’re going to burn the bridge with Volpe at the very least wait one other few months to ensure Lombard is certainly the man and that Volpe isnt.

Farhandrew Zaidman: Is Zach McKinstry unironically the very best prospect/younger participant the Dodgers have traded away previously 5 years?

Eric A Longenhagen: I’ll take Busch off the highest of my head.

Eric A Longenhagen: We is likely to be lacking somebody.

Alex: Greatest I can determine from BA’s worldwide signings tracker, the Cardinals nonetheless have someplace between $2M and $3M in worldwide cash. Is that this quantity remaining typical, and do you’ve any thought who they could spend it on?

Eric A Longenhagen: It’s widespread for the Cardinals and it’s a part of why they find yourself with plenty of Cuban and Taiwanese gamers.

Eric A Longenhagen: There are nonetheless extra of you nerds funneling in right here. It’s form of loopy what number of of you might be in right here proper now, it’s greater than double the same old.

Eric A Longenhagen: Kai Cenat be careful.

Damon Sublett: Aren’t all of us simply enjoying Russian roulette with our joints on a regular basis?

Eric A Longenhagen: And with that, I’m going to do my bodily remedy workouts. Your boy is an overpronator. Because of everybody for coming this week. I shall be again subsequent week to take extra of your questions. Go discover the remainder of our great web site and have an incredible weekend.