Eric Longenhagen Prospects Chat: 1/30/26

Eric A Longenhagen: Hey everybody, good to be with you once more on a crisp Friday morning within the desert.

Eric A Longenhagen: Please go take a look at the Phils scouting stories: Philadelphia Phillies High 34 Prospects | FanGraphs Baseball

Eric A Longenhagen: and the Angels Los Angeles Angels High 36 Prospects | FanGraphs Baseball

Eric A Longenhagen: And for the newbs, see that there’s all types of different cool stuff on The Board The Board | FanGraphs Baseball

Matt: For the reason that Angels record simply went up from Brendan, curious in case you have any “system overview ideas” in regards to the Angels system?

Eric A Longenhagen: I believe it’s slightly extra enjoyable than it’s good. I actually just like the toolsy worldwide guys, I like Alvarez, Quintero, Flores (all potential high 100 guys twelve months from now), they discover onerous throwers that don’t all the time develop in different methods however typically they do (Jose Soriano turned out to be good)…

Eric A Longenhagen: TGA is a Choose to Click on for each Brendan and I. It’s not a nasty system, my instincts are that it’s within the center third of programs, however in all probability towards the underside of that third.

Eric A Longenhagen: I actually suppose their draft technique is just too slim. There’s undoubtedly one thing to be stated for polished gamers attending to the bigs shortly, and it was one factor to do this throughout the Trout and Ohtani window, however now they’re too usually punting on upside with their early picks. They’ve balanced considerably with excessive schoolers later within the draft, however dudes like Will Smith and Bo Bichette go after the first spherical on a regular basis, give yourselves the chance to finish up with them.

Rodger: Is Ryan Ward a basic quad A man or ought to he be traded to a staff that can provide him a chance?

Eric A Longenhagen: I believe he’s an above substitute participant so possibly not basic Quad A man who can’t do something within the bigs. I do suppose it’ll take him trickling right down to a rebuilding staff for him to get a prolonged shot, and that he may have a 3 yr window of excellent numbers if that occurs

Rodney – Buckeye AZ: 2027 Dynasty rank for every participant if issues go good:  Stewart, Benge, Emerson, Snelling and Tong

Eric A Longenhagen: Emerson (supplants Crawford and is the on a regular basis SS in a potent lineup), Benge (stays in CF and it’s okay, swing truly works, high of the order man in a potent lineup), Stewie (stays at 3B sufficient to qualify, rakes), Tong (strikes enhance, two monster pitches), Snelling (rock strong no. 4)

Rodger: Who’s a barely much less heralded arm that would have Misiorowski kind ascension with a midseason name up? Klassen? Hopkins? Wiggins?

Eric A Longenhagen: It’d simply be Bishop Letson if you happen to’re on the lookout for Miz-like traits

Eric A Longenhagen: Possibly Brooks Auger? like if I’m mining actually deep for guys who could possibly be Miz for the explanations Miz is Miz, Extension is the place you begin trying

Vic: Who makes a much bigger affect this yr Wetherholt or McGonigle?   I respect these chats!

Eric A Longenhagen: I’ll say KMac as a result of we’re speaking potential affect on a postseason race

Matt D: Thanks for doing these chats! Curious what you concentrate on Kristian Campbell as type of post-hype/latest grad. I believe it’s far too early to surrender on the child personally. Did something change your outlook from final yr?

Eric A Longenhagen: Swing has modified, set-up regarded totally different in Puerto Ricko. Swinging it onerous however late a number of the time. I’m fearful about him.

RH: Are you aware if there’s a constituency within the rrom for negotiations preventing to maintain 4 ranges of affiliated Milb? I’ve misplaced hope for A- coming again

Eric A Longenhagen: It has tended to be the conduct of the union to slowly conform to issues that trigger the rights and privileges of the novice and minor league gamers to erode. Now that minor leaguers are unionized, they’ll advocate for themselves greater than earlier than, however even when it doesn’t occur within the subsequent CBA I’ve to think about that over time we’ll have fewer associates, dev might be outsourced to school baseball as a lot as potential, and so forth.

JP: Aidan Miller ETA? And the way quickly will Philly remorse the Trea Turner contract that goes via 2033 when he might be 40?

Eric A Longenhagen: Most likely finish of ’26, late sufficient that he retains rookie eligibility in ’27. Trea led the league in hits this yr proper? There’s all the time been a part of me that desires to see him in CF, and possibly at a sure level Philly’s finest alignment might be Miller at SS (he’s not nice there, I don’t love Turner there both regardless of what the numbers say however he’s higher than Miller) and Trea in CF. Most long run offers really feel dangerous on the finish. They’ve come near successful all of it with this man so it’s onerous to say it was a nasty choice.

Eric A Longenhagen: Like a number of groups in some unspecified time in the future they’ll have to rebuild. Fairly pure.

Jonathan: For those who have been operating a staff’s scouting division and have been inexplicably given 2-3x as massive a funds because the next-largest scouting funds in baseball, how would you attempt to finest create aggressive imbalances in favor of your staff?  Rent extra skilled scouts?  Rent extra scouts, interval, to get larger protection?  Put money into know-how in your scouts?  Higher synergy with PD, S&C, and so forth.?  Different stuff?

Eric A Longenhagen: Cash alone can’t accomplish *all* of that stuff. And keep in mind it’s simply the scouting division with loopy cash in your state of affairs so the PD, R&D, and so forth. stuff I can’t actually contact. We might undoubtedly have scout tremendous staff and the division can be massive. I’d possibly attempt to rent each single public-facing prospect particular person to create an enormous vacuum simply to see what’d occur in that area. There aren’t many people.

Greg: What share of the best way to getting essentially the most correct potential particular person defensive stats are we?

With fashionable know-how we’re in a position to measure positioning, vary, ball flight trajectory and exit velo, throw pace/accuracy, switch instances, pitch framing, and so forth.

It looks as if at this level now we have kind of the entire vital inputs we’ll ever have, no? I perceive this will differ by infield, outfield, catcher, pitcher

Eric A Longenhagen: It relies upon the way you need to take a look at it. There are nuances within the high quality and cleanliness of gamers actions that sign extra about their potential than simply whether or not the ball was seen to first base in time. But in addition, all that kinda issues is whether or not it obtained there in time. So Alcides Escobar can decide a troublesome hop with the sexiest glovework you’ve ever seen, and Dan Uggla can get down on a knee, the ball hits his physique, he will get up and nonetheless has time to make the play, they usually’re each outs. And there are undoubtedly some individuals who solely care about it in a binary sense like that.

Eric A Longenhagen: So shorter reply is that sure, extra of protection is quantifiable than prior to now, there are nonetheless issues the etch isn’t assessing which are significant to me after I’m parsing gamers, however these issues may solely be significant on the uncommon event once they’re the distinction between an out or not and a few folks skinny kthat’s uncommon sufficient to not care a lot.

Lord Thunder: The ZIPS projection for Thayron Liranzo was past brutal. What was behind his horrible yr at Double-A and what are the probabilities of a major rebound?

Eric A Longenhagen: My intestine is to remain on him as a result of catchers typically simply have seasons like this, however Brendan and I’ve Tigers on our docket right here shortly and we’ll have a extra conclusive reply shortly.

BI: Final chat you talked about they may do a ten spherical draft with no hs gamers eligible + take away one of many A ranges so I obtained a pair questions inside that. First do you see groups focusing on extra HS gamers over the subsequent 2 drafts since that received’t be allowed. Secondly, if the draft is being modified, do you see the IFA system getting tweaked in any respect? Lastly how would taking out an A stage impact improvement, you noticed taking away quick season ball actually have an effect on some HS and Latin gamers

Eric A Longenhagen: I didn’t say something about rounds

Eric A Longenhagen: “First do you see groups focusing on extra HS gamers over the subsequent 2 drafts since that received’t be allowed?”

Eric A Longenhagen: No, that doesn’t make sense to me. If something, “taking a bunch of HS children after which they develop for a yr or two and now you may solely take faculty children” creates a clog of same-aged gamers. If there’s going to be a response to no HS gamers, it’ll be one yr of HS gamers reclassifying to sneak into the final draft with HS gamers.

Eric A Longenhagen: “Secondly, if the draft is being modified, do you see the IFA system getting tweaked in any respect?” It’s been talked about earlier than and I think about the league will attempt. Groups are working as if it received’t change as a result of that’s the best way to finest keep ready. If it modifications then everybody begins from scratch, until there’s a wink wink and everybody simply drafts the gamers they already agreed to offers with, which might be hilarious.

Eric A Longenhagen: “Lastly how would taking out an A stage impact improvement, you noticed taking away quick season ball actually have an effect on some HS and Latin gamers”

Eric A Longenhagen: I believe the standard of baseball at Low-A was impacted severely by removing of the quick season leagues, and I’d must suppose Excessive and Double A can be impacted if Low-A is excised.

drplantwrench: tyler bremner just isn’t the decide i might have made, however i feel the choice may be overhated.  hes a yr faraway from being the most effective pitcher in faculty, did high quality final yr regardless of actually extenuating circumstances.  certain there have been larger upside however larger danger decisions, however the angels cant afford that luxurious cuz they need assistance ASAP (as a result of arte wont spend).  am i validating a nasty selection or did the angels possibly not do one thing incorrect for as soon as?

Eric A Longenhagen: IDK how a lot it’s “hated”, I used to be fairly heavy on Bremner  for properly over a yr and suppose it was completely justified to take him the place he went. It got here out of left area not in a expertise sense, however in that we principally didn’t have mock draft dope that it was potential. All of us would have achieved higher to place Bremner with LAA primarily based on their tendencies quite than the intel all of us obtained, which turned out to be B.S.

Eric A Longenhagen: As a result of it caught us off guard from a mock standpoint, I concern it got here off to the web that it was wild from a expertise standpoint. It wasn’t, he’s good.

Potato: Falvey information is bizarre timing, proper?

Eric A Longenhagen: It’s regular if you’ve had an possession change for one thing like this to occur not lengthy after. So it’s not bizarre in that respect. The timing relative to the remainder of the baseball calendar is kinda bizarre, however from what I can inform, since Zoll turned GM he’s the man all of the ops choices you affiliate with a baseball exec have gone via. There’s not like a clunky baton move or something taking place right here, this isn’t a home cleansing.

Eric A Longenhagen: I don’t suppose.

wheelhouse: do the yankees have anyplace close to sufficient place participant depth to justify buying and selling away dominguez and/or jones? not that both man is a few budding famous person, however within the state of affairs the place grisham, stanton, and even bellinger are gone after 2027 it appears very potential they’d remorse having dealt one in every of them for, i dunno, a center reliever

Eric A Longenhagen: You’ll be able to consider each of these guys as being on a three-year clock to point out the org they’re truly good. They’ll get sufficient alternatives throughout that point to make it apparent I believe. The Yankees are inclined to make late-drafted pitchers higher fairly shortly after which that’s who they commerce.

Salty: It’s a giant benefit in deep dynasty leagues to determine groups whose drafting/PDev is on the upswing earlier than the lots discover.  Pondering a staff like Baltimore prior to now, and extra lately, Detroit.  Wanting forward, I believe Colorado may be the subsequent staff to take that bounce.  Would you agree, or is {that a} bit untimely, and possibly there’s one other org you suppose may match that position?

Eric A Longenhagen: I agree. I ended up with Rockies in my Diamond Thoughts draft (24 groups, 40-man rosters, hold 25 on the finish of the yr) for precisely this cause, I view all of them as basically benefitting from a change of surroundings.

JKD: What’s a sensible set of expectations for Jonah Tong, this yr and subsequent? Wanting simply on the outcomes, it’s straightforward to dream however he’s additionally only a fairly small man with some unorthodox stuff occurring. Nolan McLean is fairly straightforward to know as a future (and doubtlessly current) Dude however I can’t fairly wrap my head round Tong.

Eric A Longenhagen: I’m with this, too. I like Tong however suppose it’s beneath common really feel. His fastball performs in a method that’ll permit hit to be okay. The Lincecum comps should not serving to to maintain expectations in a sensible place.

Ben: How would you usually consider Brian Barber’s tenure as scouting director? The lack to develop relievers have drained the system in recent times (soto, estevez, duran) however its tough to parse if thats a improvement or drafting situation. Additionally theres been a reasonably brutal lack of affect bats come up via him (miller, stott as exceptions).

Eric A Longenhagen: I believe it’s going okay and I don’t love Nori or Burkholder. Keep in mind that they needed to have guys to commerce for these relievers you talked about. They drafted and signed these guys. Klassen, Tait…they’re not within the system anymore however they’re good.

Visitor: Any ideas on potential newest unheralded Yankee pitcher to come back out of the lab as shock prospect?

Eric A Longenhagen: We’re about 6 weeks away from realizing who that’s.

Lord Thunder: Does Shunpeita Yamashita nonetheless have the best ceiling amongst NPB gamers who may come over to the States?

Eric A Longenhagen: I believe so. Nasty energy pitcher no 2/3 kind

Jonny: Is there a participant comp for Hayden Alvarez if he hits 75% of his proper tail consequence

Eric A Longenhagen: Terrence Lengthy

Alec: This may increasingly simply be an apparent reply given the FV grades, however when factoring in distance from the large leagues and the organizations they’re in do you are feeling higher about Jean Cabrera or TGA going ahead with their respective golf equipment?

Eric A Longenhagen: TGA has like no. 3 starter upside however is years away, Cabrera I believe is a backend starter proper now. So I wanna worth TGA greater than Cabrera however I don’t need to stuff TGA up there with guys who’re gonna be no. 3 starters tomorrow. That is why the 45+ FV tier exists.

Eric A Longenhagen: To create a price placeholder for these excessive upside guys who we all know have danger however are doubtlessly ok to be untradeable.

Jonny: Do you suppose Edward Florentino will hit?

Eric A Longenhagen: Sure

Oaktown Blues: Jesus Made hit 6 HR final yr, whereas Leo De Vries hit 18. For those who’ll forgive my scouting of the stat strains, why are you a lot extra assured in Made’s energy potential, long run?

Eric A Longenhagen: Higher hit instrument with which to entry the ability

Potato: When is Prospect week this yr? Any new supplementary contributors or articles we are able to look ahead to?

Eric A Longenhagen: After the Tremendous Bowl beginning midweek and spanning into the center of the next week

Eric A Longenhagen: No new additions, it’s me and Beeg in a full time capability and James as contributor. Others from the location will chip in with prospecty content material however not on grades or rankings

Nils: What number of 50 FV+ prospects would you count on in a mean yr?  How about this yr?

Eric A Longenhagen: There are fewer than 100 of them who will truly be that good, however we hit the fuel pedal in locations the place they *may* be that good as an trade, which I believe is okay. For my type that’s like 110 guys per yr. I believe we’re in that space this offseason, possibly even slightly extra.

Dax Kilby’s Grandmother: Are you a Dax Kilby believer? A number of hype!

Eric A Longenhagen: Was I the best on him pre draft?

Eric A Longenhagen: maintain on lemme look

Eric A Longenhagen: I had him twenty third The Board | FanGraphs Baseball

Eric A Longenhagen: Carlos had him seventy fifth (no shade, Carlos is nice, simply stating information right here) 2025 High MLB Draft Prospects

Eric A Longenhagen: Kiley had him 51st 2025 MLB draft rankings: High 150 prospects, mini-mock draft – ESPN

Eric A Longenhagen: Pipeline had him 62 2025 High Baseball Draft Prospects

Eric A Longenhagen: i’m struggling to search out keith’s, cmon Instances

Eric A Longenhagen: Schusterman simply has these in a spreadsheet someplace

Eric A Longenhagen: sixty fifth 2025 MLB Draft high 100 prospects: Ethan Holliday, Liam Doyle high a category with depth – The Athletic

Eric A Longenhagen: SO sure, I like him

Large Fan: Braves fan right here and I’m all the time lamenting that the farm system is close to the underside of MLB, whereas groups just like the Dodgers and Mets draft late however are nearer to the highest.  I do know the fast ascension of many prospects impacts lists, and successful video games not farm system awards issues, however are there obtrusive ways in which the Braves farm system and participant dev machine must get higher?

Eric A Longenhagen: I want they’d cease doing one massive $4 million man internationally

Eric A Longenhagen: They haven’t hit on their massive cash Int’l guys

millville meltdown: will a well-applied mascara save a prospect with in any other case poor make-up

Eric A Longenhagen: I may do again shaving tutorial movies

Eric A Longenhagen: I as soon as used a part of my bike lock to achieve again there myself. The pandemic was a bizarre time.

David: Hit instrument query for Lazaro Montes. his stroll charges and his contact %, is his situation principally simply lacking pitches or are their additionally swing choices points as properly. Nobody is ideal at swing choices simply surprise if it principally ‘simply’ lacking pitches or are their different points.

Eric A Longenhagen: In-zone miss is the place his information is scariest, together with fastballs proper down the center. He’s close to or at double the large league common.

Eric A Longenhagen: His chase stuff is okay, at or barely higher than the large league common whilst you take a look at his splits with two strikes, in opposition to breaking balls, what have you ever.

Mas Datos, Por Favor: Do groups hold observe of every scouts grades on gamers after which afterward cross reference these with precise participant outcomes? For those who did that, you might get a tough concept of scout x is basically good at catcher D, however dangerous at recreation energy eval, and so forth.

Eric A Longenhagen: Some do, some do it relative to bonus quantity so there’s faster suggestions.

Bryan Ramos: Very low probabilities a nasty 3B mission groups retains me from heading to Charlotte? Purple Sox and Angels like ex-White Sox (Romy and Yoan). Nationals and Rockies dangerous at 3B too.

Eric A Longenhagen: Who values protection most from that group? Rockies can be fascinating. Milwaukee favor him to Seigler?

Mas Datos, Por Favor: Do you additionally observe a few of your instrument grades and examine afterward to see the place you strengths are and the place you may hold enhancing?

Eric A Longenhagen: sure, correctly valuing guys with unimaginable command and realizing when a man is an effective sufficient hitter to outperform their uncooked energy are the place I’ve struggled to be correct

Eric A Longenhagen: I’m in all probability finest at protection and “binary no” hit instrument guys.

DAVEC: Who’s your decide between bat first guys Ryan Clifford or Jacob Reimer for “finest” prospect?

Eric A Longenhagen: Reimer

Roch Cholowsky: (I used to be thirty sixth on the FG 2023 record with a forty five FV. Have I “confirmed” my bat thus far? Once more caveat have to do it once more this season)

Eric A Longenhagen: Yeah, really feel for tucking your fingers in and barreling stuff on the inside half is method higher now than HS, if you have been longer and scarier. Physique hasn’t trended nice, although.

SCJH: The “maxed out” tag in scouting stories all the time fascinates me. What’s the most effective consequence you may consider from a man you thought-about bodily maxed out at a younger age?

Eric A Longenhagen: Devers, Kirk, Jean Segura, Schwarber, Joc, even guys like Adam Eaton have been kinda maxed. They are often good, however you see how that group trended defensively. Kirk is superb however catching is a special factor than taking part in a place.

ProsserInTorts: Franklin arias a midseason 60fv if the rumored added energy manifests itself in an ev bump, extra lifting and pulling?

Eric A Longenhagen: The prospect within the present group almost definitely to be Maikel Garcia

ProsserInTorts: extra prone to ever grow to be a 55fv: marcus phillips or juan valera?

Eric A Longenhagen: Phillips for me, extra starter-y in physique and supply. Valera it’s straight fuel however violent and wild.

Michael – FG since 2016: Keith legislation thinks leaping Konnor Griffin into majors is a ridiculous concept.   First particular person noticed that expressed warning WRT griffin.  After Jac C I’m involved with speeding him as properly.  What say you?

Eric A Longenhagen: Take into consideration how they dealt with Skenes. Late ’26

Insert Witty Identify Right here: What’s the best extension you’ve seen from a prospect? We learn about basketball gamers turning into TE’s, however would somebody who has freakishly lengthy arms get sufficient extension the place the fastball would look 105+?

Eric A Longenhagen: The one man whose title you may not know a all is Griffin Kilander within the BoSox system. The oher guys you’ve heard of. Logan Gilbert, Serwinowski, Miz, Letson, Aroldis Chapman, Gervase, Glasnow

Panini Senior Bowl: Any standouts of yours from Senior Bowl apply?

Eric A Longenhagen: The child from John Carroll who was a critical basketball participant after which began taking part in flag soccer, the child from Florida who weighs 380 and broke the grip energy tester, a bunch of O linemen, the nook from Tennessee. I simply watched the primary day and have the opposite periods recorded

Eric A Longenhagen: however I’ve been listening to mcshay and the rogers/sikkema pods

Eric A Longenhagen: whereas i write high 100 blurbs

War2D2: Hello Eric! Thanks for all you do! Keith Legislation had his top-100 come out lately, and I used to be stunned that Jaxon Wiggins was nowhere to be seen (he additionally wasn’t on KLaw honorable mentions record). Has his inventory fallen or is he a kind of high-variance guys that individuals are in every single place on?

Eric A Longenhagen: I believe having him towards the again primarily based on damage historical past is okay, Keith has him about that spot

Matt: I actually loved Brendan’s Angels record, however are you able to classify Samue Aldegheri’s time within the Majors as a “cup of espresso” as a substitute of a “cup of a espresso” going forward- from a fellow Italian. Grazi!

Eric A Longenhagen: An oversight from our italian-speaking prospectorino

Eric A Longenhagen: prospectorando?

Eric A Longenhagen:

TameImp: Is Dax Kilby a 2b man ultimately or outfield?

Eric A Longenhagen: OF

Jacob from Earth: Is Camelback Mountain to Phoenix points of interest as pace is to prospect grades (visually interesting, get’s folks excited, very hardly ever delivers on the promise)?

Eric A Longenhagen: That’s a reasonably good comp. The Musical Instrument Museum is plate self-discipline

Panini Senior Bowl: Because you painted the image above, what does a farm run by you, BG, Callis, Mayo, Collazo, Kiley, Legislation, and so forth. appear like?

Eric A Longenhagen: Too Many Cooks | Grownup Swim

Eric A Longenhagen: Okay ‘Graphites, I’ve gotta prep for a name with James and Brendan to do Prospect Week work. I’ve additionally simply been knowledgeable Catherine O’Hara died, which is horrible.

Eric A Longenhagen: So I’m gonna go. Speak subsequent Friday, your questions have been excellent once more this week. Thanks for coming, see ya.