Explore every episode of the podcast Future Projection
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Episode 94: Red Sox Risers On Our New Top 100 Update | 06 Sep 2024 | 01:25:33 | |
Ben and Carlos hop on the show to talk through our most recent top 100 update that dropped this week, including notable up-arrow moves from a number of Red Sox prospects—most prominently Roman Anthony and Kristian Campbell. The two work through a number of risers on the list, including Chase Dollander, Kumar Rocker, Alejandro Rosario and Tyler Black, then also talk about a couple of players who have slid or fallen out of the list entirely. Ben makes a point on potentially overvaluing athleticism in baseball, the two discuss whether or not Rhett Lowder’s pure stuff is underrated, wonder how much margin for error Thomas Harrington has and take a listener email about draft pick trading. — Time Stamps
Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 93: MLB Draft Standouts From The Summer Circuit | 29 Aug 2024 | 01:09:18 | |
Ben and Carlos are back on the mic to talk about their travels and the prospects they’ve seen over the last few weeks and months of the summer showcase circuit. Ben breaks down a few high-upside pitching prospects from the 2026 class who wowed him this summer and Carlos does the same for two prep righties in the upcoming 2025 high school class. The two wonder if spin rate monsters are becoming increasingly common, try and see where Seth Hernandez stacks up with recent elite pitching prospects, talk through a handful of talented two-way players and more. The show closes with a listener email about the top international prospects from the most recent class, and how Ben would line those players up in a theoretical international draft. — Time Stamps
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| Episode 84: (Jackson) Holliday Season & Paul Skenes Domination | 11 Apr 2024 | 01:43:56 | |
Carlos and Ben talk about Jackson Holliday’s big league promotion and what to expect of him from the jump with the Orioles. The two debate the validity of jersey retirements but otherwise agree on many of the topics of today’s episode which includes… The much-talked about pitcher injury epidemic. Velocity and max effort throwing certainly seems like a factor, but what about others like the pitch clock? New pitching development and pitch design? Managing workloads too critically or not critically enough? Changes to youth baseball and the velocity you’re seeing at those levels? What about shoulder injuries? After that the two move on to the top pitching prospect in baseball, Paul Skenes who made quick work of Triple-A hitters in his first two starts of the season. They talk about how he’s looked and get into another conversation about fastball shape and why it’s not the end all be all for pitchers and also wonder about when he should be promoted to the majors. Next the two pivot to the 2024 draft class and talk about the barrage of home runs that Wake Forest first baseman Nick Kurtz has hit in the last two weeks. Has he re-entered the 1-1 conversation and how does he stack up against fellow first baseman Jac Caglianone tool-for-tool? That leads into a conversation about the top of the draft class generally, and Ben asks about who the best pitcher in the class is after Chase Burns and Hagen Smith which leads to talk about ECU righthander Trey Yesavage. After that Ben brings up another righthander who might deserve a bit more attention in Vanderbilt righthander Bryce Cunningham. The two close the podcast with thoughts on Boston’s contract extension of center fielder and shortstop Ceddanne Rafaela. — Time Stamps (0:00) Jackson Holliday (14:00) Retiring numbers (18:00) The pitcher injury epidemic (25:00) High school pitchers throwing harder (33:00) Ben’s thoughts on shoulder injuries (35:30) Is the pitch clock a factor? (38:00) Paul Skenes and fastball shape (49:00) When should Skenes be in the majors? (55:00) Nick Kurtz’s home run binge (1:05:00) Nick Kurtz vs. Jac Caglianone (1:15:00) ECU RHP Trey Yesavage (1:25:00) Vanderbilt RHP Bryce Cunningham (1:30:00) The Ceddanne Rafaela contract extension — Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 83: Are Charlie Condon And Travis Bazzana Still Somehow Underrated? | 05 Apr 2024 | 01:59:04 | |
Ben and Carlos hop on the show to talk about the top of the 2024 draft class and notable minor league prospect assignments. Before getting into the show the two talk about the news that the A’s will be relocating to Sacramento’s Triple-A stadium after the 2024 season. It’s just the latest of a shocking number of relocation gaffes from the franchise. After that the two talk about how dynamic both Charlie Condon and Travis Bazzana have been halfway through the college season. Where do their numbers stack up with recent elite college hitters at the top of the class? And can we truly read directly into those numbers given the offensive environment of college baseball in 2024? How do the two compare and contrast to elite college prospects like Dylan Crews and Wyatt Langford and what holds them back from belonging in the same tier—if they still don’t actually fit there? Where would each rank on the Top 100 Prospects list? Following that conversation the two talk about minor league names—and assignments—to know. Carlos continues his love of Dylan Lesko and gets excited about his slider development, the two both praise the Mariners’ ability to find and develop impact college arms and the two talk through a number of players including: Reds catcher Alfredo Duno, Dodgers outfielder Josue De Paula, Brewers outfielder Yophery Rodriguez, Angels outfielder Nelson Rada, Rangers shortstop Sebastian Walcott, Reds righthander Rhett Lowder, Braves righthander Hurston Waldrep, Guardians infielder Ralphy Velazquez and more. The show closes with a listener email asking about how things would change if MLB adopted an NBA draft system where players had to go to college but could leave for pro ball whenever they wanted after that. — Time Stamps 0:20 A’s to Sacramento Talk 6:20 Charlie Condon’s insane numbers 10:00 College baseball’s offensive environment and how to contextualize for that 16:45 Condon and Travis Bazzana compared to Dylan Crews and Wyatt Langford 35:15 Condon/Bazzana compared to recent elite college profiles 40:00 Where Condon/Bazzana would fit on a Top 100 list 54:13 Transition to minor league prospect talk 1:02:05 Jackson Jobe’s brilliance 1:06:00 The Mariners knack for finding and developing college arms 1:13:05 Josue De Paula 1:17:40 Alfredo Duno 1:24:15 Sebastian Walcott 1:29 Hurston Waldrep and Rhett Lowder 1:41:25 If MLB’s draft system was changed to the NBA format — Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 82: MLB Predictions & Opening Day Thoughts | 29 Mar 2024 | 02:01:13 | |
Happy (day after) Opening Day! Ben and Carlos hop back on the podcast to talk about Opening Day of the big league season and some of the main storylines of the year. The two talk about their World Series picks and talk through some of the more interesting divisions to keep tabs on then debate the most disappointing offseason in the league. The two also give their thoughts on the Shohei Ohtani-Ippei Mizuhara situation before turning their eyes to the amateur space. Ben breaks down his recent trip to the Dominican Republic and gives an early preview of upcoming international classes, including Andrew Salas who is projected to sign with the Marlins and the younger brother of Padres catching phenom Ethan Salas. The two then talk about a defensive spectrum debate that Carlos stumbled upon between second base and right field and give their thoughts on the skills required for both. After that, the two talk through some 2024 draft buzz, including the continued domination of Chase Burns and Hagen Smith, whether or not Brody Brecht’s walk rate is too high for the first round and how we should think through Jac Caglianone as a two-way player, as a hitter and as a pitcher. The two also discuss pop-up players and how teams scout them. How should a team weigh spring performance and looks vs. extended history and track record of a player? — Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 81: Should Wyatt Langford & Jackson Holliday Start In The Big Leagues? | 13 Mar 2024 | 01:34:44 | |
Ben and Carlos chat about spring training standouts in big league camp, headlined by two players in the very elite tier of baseball prospects who have a case to start the year in the majors: Jackson Holliday and Wyatt Langford. Ben and Carlos talk about the cases for and against those two being pushed aggressively and then the two talk about a number of other spring training performances including Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill, Pirates righthander Jared Jones, Cardinals shortstop Thomas Saggese, Padres outfielder and infielder Graham Pauley and Brewers first baseman Wes Clarke, among others. After that the two discuss a loaded Wake Forest-Duke series from last weekend that Carlos saw in person. The two revisit Chase Burns and talk through just how much he’s elevated his draft stock, plus get in depth on the divergent hitting approaches of Seaver King and Nick Kurtz. The two touch on Jonathan Santucci, Josh Hartle and Michael Massey as well and talk briefly about the top of the draft board. – Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 80: Chase Burns, Hagen Smith & Scouting Reliever Risk | 01 Mar 2024 | 02:03:09 | |
Ben and Carlos talk about the first two weeks of college baseball action including scorching offensive starts from Georgia’s Charlie Condon and Oregon State’s Travis Bazzana. Are they more in the mix to be the No. 1 pick in a still unsettled draft class? And what are the early changes beyond just strong production? The two then move on to pitching and break down early-season outings from Arkansas lefthander Hagen Smith and Wake Forest righthander Chase Burns. The two have solid cases as having the best pure stuff from the left and right side respectively, and now they are looking to reinforce their starting profiles and remove some of the reliever risk they entered the spring with. How do Ben and Carlos view the two? Which would they take? How do they view reliever risk in general and which factors are the most concerning: Command? Diversity of stuff? Delivery? Medical history? Durability? Track record? After that the two talk about a few early spring training performances from players who have impressed including Pirates second baseman Termarr Johnson, Nationals outfielders James Wood and Dylan Crews and Brewers outfielder (or infielder?) Sal Frelick. The show closes with Ben’s early preview of the 2026 high school draft class, which looks to have both impressive depth of talent and a standout headliner at the top in Texas shortstop Grady Emerson. – Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 79: Drafting 2024 Prospect Teams | 16 Feb 2024 | 01:38:15 | |
Ben and Carlos are joined by Peter Flaherty in a special edition of the show, where the three look ahead to the 2024 amateur season by drafting teams of 2024 class prospects. The three writers go back and forth in an attempt to create the best team possible from the 2024 class. Here are the rules: Each drafter must fill the following positions and select at least six high school players and at least six college players:
While the teams will be revisited after the draft to see whose teams had the best draft capital, the ultimate goal is to create the best possible team, so we’ll have to wait a few years to determine the ultimate winners. However, that doesn't stop you from chiming in now with feedback on the exercise. Are you Team Ben? Team Peter? Or Team Carlos? Let us know. – Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 78: All-Americans, 2024 Draft Prospects & Ethan Holliday’s 1-1 Case | 09 Feb 2024 | 01:41:39 | |
Carlos and Ben banter about the announced Netflix documentary following the Red Sox and think about what their ideal baseball documentary looks like. After that the two talk through the Royals mega-extension of franchise shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and how the deal is a win for all parties involved. Then the two talk through Matt Eddy’s PPI eligible players piece and think about the ramifications of the program and whether or not it’s good for the game—spoiler: it is. The two think about the favorites for winning rookie of the year of this pool of players and talk through some of the draft changes related to the PPI program that remove incentives for teams to bottom out year after year. After that the two talk through BA’s preseason all-America teams, including why the teams are predictive of the year’s first round round draft picks and also talk briefly about the updated 2025 draft rankings on the site. The two answer a listener question about Ethan Holliday’s 1-1 case for the 2025 class, and then end the show with a listener email about how agents, teams and players play the signing bonus game on draft day. – Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 77: Breaking Down The New MLB Draft Rankings | 02 Feb 2024 | 01:46:17 | |
Ben and Carlos hop on the show and talk through a few major league news items, including the Tigers extension of Colt Keith, the Twins-Mariners Jorge Polanco trade and the news that the Orioles are being sold to (hopefully) new and improved owners. After that, the two get into Carlos’s big draft update ahead of the college baseball season. The list expands from 100 to 200, with a new name up top and plenty of new reports to consume. Ben peppers Carlos with plenty of questions about the state of the class and the two discuss the various strengths and weaknesses of the group at this stage. The show closes with a listener question about the impacts of the 20-round draft and the contracted minor league team and player system. – Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 76: Answering Your Prospect Questions | 26 Jan 2024 | 01:38:55 | |
Ben and Carlos talk about the week’s Hall of Fame results and debate the various cases for some of the players who were on this year’s ballot before looking ahead to future candidates and looking at the surprisingly strong track record of No. 1 overall picks making the Hall of Fame. After that the two open up the listener mailbag and get into your prospect questions. Those involve plenty of topics including: are the Padres too trade-happy with their prospects? Is Coby Mayo more valuable for the Orioles as trade bait or as a member of the young hitting core? How would Samuel Basallo look as a prospect if he was being developed by another organization? Who will be the fastest pitcher to the big leagues from the 2024 draft class? Where do we stand on Mets righthander Blade Tidwell? How does Ben evaluate the Giants’ current standing in the international market? How much upside can we expect for Marlins prep pitchers Noble Meyer and Thomas White? – Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 75: Breaking Down The 2024 Top 100 Prospects List | 19 Jan 2024 | 01:49:07 | |
Ben and Carlos spend most of the episode getting into the weeds on our recently released 2024 Top 100 Prospects list. Before that conversation starts, Ben breaks down his January 15 experience and how it compared to previous years. Padres prospect Leodalis De Vries serves as the bridge from international signing day to our Top 100, as the lone member of the 2024 class to land on the list. What makes him deserving and why is this a profile to get excited about? Ben tells you all you need to know. After that, the two break down the top of the list, talk about their various tier breaks, agree on philosophies about pitching prospects and injury risk and then talk about how they would line up the top pitching prospects in the game. The two then talk through the players they are higher or lower on than the Top 100 itself, including names like Andrew Painter, Robby Snelling, Ricky Tiedemann, Adael Amador, Dylan Lesko, Noah Schultz, Colt Emerson, Michael Busch, Bryce Eldridge, Jacob Wilson, Nick Frasso, Gavin Stone, Brayden Taylor, Ceddanne Rafaela, Chase Petty and more. The two have a slight disagreement on 2023 arms Rhett Lowder and Chase Dollander, then think about some of the players who might be poised to shoot up this list in the future. The show ends with a listener email about where Braves righthander AJ Smith-Shawver might rank if he was part of the 2024 draft class. – Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 92: MLB Draft Mega Preview For All 30 Teams | 11 Jul 2024 | 02:17:25 | |
It’s almost draft day, and with that Ben and Carlos are joined by Peter Flaherty for a joint draft/Future Projection episode where the team does their best to break down round one for each team in the game. We go through every team in the first round and talk through their potential options for this year’s draft, talk through draft strategy, debate players, talk through team philosophies and much more. Buckle up, this is a long one and will hopefully get you ready for draft day. — Time Stamps
— Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 74: Everything You Need To Know About The 2024 International Class | 12 Jan 2024 | 01:39:59 | |
Today’s episode is spent entirely on international prospects, as we are just days away from January 15. In this episode, Carlos grills Ben on all things international: Who are the top prospects to know? What’s the current state of the international signing system? What are the pros and cons of signing day coming in January compared to July? Which teams are doing the best on the international market? Which teams have taken significant steps forward on this front in the last five years or so? Ben answers all those questions and more. The two talk about the developmental challenges that international prospects face, both before and after signing with their pro teams. How do the changes to the minor league system post-covid still impact international players? Will any players in the 2024 international class be immediate candidates for the top 100? And who are other, low-level international prospects you should be keeping an eye on? It’s a fairly wide-ranging and thorough discussion on the international market and if you need a primer on this year’s class and all things international prospects—this is the episode for you. – Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 73: The State Of AL West Farm Systems | 05 Jan 2024 | 01:45:27 | |
Ben and Carlos kick off the new year with the final installment of their division-by-division breakdown of farm systems, saving the worst (?) group of teams for last. Before that the two talk through Ben’s international board for the 2024 class, which is lined up based on the expected bonuses for the top 50 players in the class. Ben breaks down a few of the top names, including Braves shortstop signee Jose Perdomo and Padres shortstop signee Leodalis De Vries before getting into some overall 2024 international class discussion. Where are all the pitchers? Who are some players who are trending up to know about? And how confident can we ever be with international signings at this stage of the calendar? After that the two talk through AL West farm systems, including a top-heavy and exciting Rangers group led by a potential pair of top-five prospects in Evan Carter and Wyatt Langford; a middle-of-the-pack Mariners farm system that one co-host likes more than another; an A’s farm system that has taken a step forward but is not at the level it should be given the state of the major league team; an Angels farm system that continues to lack impact talent despite some quick-to-the-majors movers; and an Astros system that might have a case for one of the worst in baseball. The podcast closes with a listener question about the success of MLB teams after having a top-five farm system. – Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 72: The State Of AL Central Farm Systems | 22 Dec 2023 | 01:55:28 | |
Ben and Carlos celebrate the fact that the 2024 Prospect Handbook has been shipped by breaking down AL Central prospect talent. Without much happening on the major league front, the two get straight into prospect talk, starting with a strong Tigers system. The two talk about their excitement for No. 1 prospect Max Clark and wonder about his power potential for the future, and then discuss whether or not righthander Jackson Jobe has a case to be made as the top pitching prospect in baseball. It doesn’t fall off after that either with exciting offensive players like Colt Keith, Jace Jung, Justyn-Henry Malloy and Parker Meadows. The farm system caliber does fall off after the Tigers, though Ben and Carlos disagree somewhat about their enthusiasm for the depth of the Twins—though neither disagrees about how excited they are for Walker Jenkins and Brooks Lee. After that, the two debate whether or not the Guardians or the White Sox system is better, with both teams boasting solid prospects up top—Chase DeLauter, Brayan Rocchio, Colson Mongtomery and Noah Schultz—but more questions beyond that. Finally, the two talk about the Royals and the lack of excitement there is to be found throughout the farm—though there are two catching prospects of note to monitor—before getting into the last listener mailbag of the year, which includes questions about Jac Caglianone and college summer camps. Happy Holidays! – Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 71: The State Of AL East Farm Systems | 15 Dec 2023 | 02:00:28 | |
Ben and Carlos discuss their caffeine of choice during the busy December prospect season, then react a bit to Shohei Ohtani’s historic contract with the Dodgers. After that, the two get straight into prospect talk and analyze the farm systems of the AL East, which includes four good to great systems—including the Orioles, who have the easy No. 1 group in the league—and one that’s maybe a bit less exciting. The two discuss how close Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony are in terms of overall prospect status, talk through the impressive depth of the Yankees, try and figure out the best infield alignment for the Orioles and which prospects might be best utilized in a trade and also talk through how expectations could impact us more when looking at the Rays than other orgs. After talking through the farm systems, the two take a few listener questions, including where the top-ranked international prospect for the 2024 signing class would fit into the 2024 draft class, how often teams try and steal international players who already have deals with other clubs, thoughts on college vs. pro development and the top third base prospects in the 2024 prep class. – Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 70: Analyzing The Draft Lottery + The Shohei Ohtani Narrative | 08 Dec 2023 | 01:50:14 | |
Ben and Carlos break down the second annual draft lottery and the implications that come from the Guardians and Reds leaping up to secure the top two picks in the 2024 draft. The two discuss how this could impact Cleveland’s draft strategy and whether or not the top players in the class fit their typical MO on prospects, as well as look at some of the draft lottery “losers” including the A’s, White Sox and Nationals. Is the draft lottery system working as intended? Are Ben and Carlos fans of the system? What tweaks would they recommend for the future and how could the viewing experience be improved for die-hard draftniks and casual baseball fans alike. After that, the two turn their eyes towards the Winter Meetings and break down the one big trade that actually happened at the event: the Padres trading hitting savant Juan Soto to the Yankees for a package of big-league ready (or near ready) pitchers, headlined by righthanders Drew Thorpe and Michael King. Finally, the two discuss the developing narrative surrounding Shohei Ohtani as he pursues a more clandestine free agent process than many national baseball writers would like. Does anyone truly care how he goes about the free agent process? Are the Winter Meetings still necessary? And what is Ohtani’s dog’s name??? The podcast closes with a few listener questions, including SoCal prep prospects in the 2024 draft class and where Rays infielder Junior Caminero might land on Ben and Carlos’s personal top 100 lists. – Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 69: The State of NL West Farm Systems | 01 Dec 2023 | 02:03:15 | |
Ben and Carlos talk about the rumored Jackson Chourio extension with the Brewers and talk through evaluating risk for prospects vs. risk for veteran players. After that the two talk through Carlos’s updated 2024 draft rankings and discuss the state of a very muddled draft class. Which player would be the No. 1 pick if the draft were today? Is there any separation on the pitching side? Which players made the most notable jumps up the board? The two find themselves liking the depth of pitching on the high school side, but also acknowledge some of the pitfalls of this year’s class. After that the conversation turns pro, and the two talk through each of the farm systems in the NL West. Is the top-heavy impact of the Padres better than a deep Dodgers system? Why is Carlos high on the Giants? And where do the Rockies and D-backs line up among this group? They end the show with a solid listener question about players who have been better than expected as pros. Kyle’s story on Padres prospects traded — Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 68: The State Of NL Central Farm Systems | 17 Nov 2023 | 02:05:42 | |
Ben and Carlos chat about MLB awards season, despite the fact that most of the winners were unanimous and ultimately not too surprising. After that the two talk about the PPI picks that the D-Backs and Orioles will receive thanks to Corbin Carroll and Gunnar Henderson, and the pros and cons of all of the new rule changes in regards to the draft—and it seems like mostly pros outside of additional headaches that Carlos has to deal with. The two briefly talk about the Braves-White Sox trade that put Aaron Bummer in Atlanta and sent a five-player package to Chicago, before touching on the 40-man roster deadline and talking a bit of Rule 5 draft. The two also examine some of the first round misses that the protection deadline highlighted, including Twins shortstop Keoni Cavaco, Twins first baseman Aaron Sabato and Royals lefthander Asa Lacy. What are the lessons to be drawn from those picks? The bulk of the episode is spent analyzing the farm systems for the NL Central clubs. Just how good is the Brewers farm system? Which of these teams has surged forward over the second half of the season given their 2023 draft and prospect finishes? And which clubs or prospects do the two disagree on? All that and more. — Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 67: What Makes A Good Manager? | 10 Nov 2023 | 02:10:25 | |
Ben and Carlos talk about a number of the managerial moves in the big leagues in recent weeks, and then Ben talks about the traits and skills that he would want to have in a big league manager. It’s hard to quantify the value of big league managers with precision, but Ben breaks down the various hard and soft skills that he thinks might be important for the modern game. The two talk about whether or not playing backgrounds are important or necessary for big league managers, the value of managerial experience, the value of being on the same page philosophically with your front office and whether or not you need different managers for teams at different competitive stages. After that, the two talk about the Yankees and the various comments made recently by owner Hal Steinbrenner and general manager Brian Cashman. Are the narratives surrounding the Yankees’ “disappointing” 2023 season accurate, and what’s the current state of the organization in a routinely competitive AL East division? Next, the two move on to some free agency talk, think about how historic Shohei Ohtani is on the free agent market and work through some of the top available pitchers and hitters available. The two end by discussing national signing day for the 2024 high school class, talk through a few of the best classes of talent and then take a few listener questions that get into more scouting talk. – Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 66: Scouting Speed | 03 Nov 2023 | 02:16:12 | |
Ben and Carlos have a long conversation about speed on today’s episode. How they evaluate it, how much it matters, which players the tool is most important for and how to project it into the future. Rule changes in MLB mean steals are more common than ever, and Diamondbacks rookie Corbin Carroll was a great example of a young player with both elite speed and elite baserunning instincts. Who could be the next Carroll? The two talk through a number of minor league candidates who are speed demons and could shortly find themselves atop the big league stolen base leaderboards. After that, they briefly touch on speedsters in the 2024 and 2025 draft classes and Ben gives a few dark horse candidates from the international ranks. The episode closes with a large mailbag section from listeners, including hypothetical prospect-for-prospect trades, Twins prospect Kala’i Rosario’s offensive profile and some fun platoon split/bunt talk surrounding Cardinals outfielder Victor Scott. – Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 65: The State Of NL East Farm Systems | 27 Oct 2023 | 02:09:28 | |
Ben and Carlos hop on the podcast and talk about the Marlins and Kim Ng splitting up—or more accurately Kim Ng deciding that she wanted no part in the Marlins hiring someone above her after one of the organization’s most successful seasons in recent memory. The two talk about the state of the Marlins and whether or not the team has an optimistic future outlook, look at the state of the farm system and the team’s recent draft history and then attempt to line up the various states of the NL East—all of whom are now done for the year with the Phillies falling to the D-Backs in the NLCS. Conversation about the teams’ various farm systems becomes a conversation about the relative strength of the top prospects in baseball at the moment, before the two move to World Series talk and then take a few listener questions. How much weight is placed on offense vs. defense when evaluating prospects? Which top 100 prospects do Ben and Carlos expect to be the high man on for 2024? — Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 91: Up-Arrow Prospects To Know On Our Top 100 Update | 03 Jul 2024 | 01:28:05 | |
Ben and Carlos talk about what they’ve been up to over the last month. Ben’s been focused on the start of the summer showcase season and provides an early preview of the 2025 and 2026 high school classes, while Carlos breaks down his experience at this year’s MLB Draft combine and talks about some late-process 2024 draft class notes. The two briefly then talk about some of the more prominent up-arrow prospects on our recently released midseason top 100 update including: Tigers pure hitter Kevin McGonigle, A’s shortstop and contact savant Jacob Wilson, Rays first baseman Xavier Isaac, Cardinals lefthander Quinn Mathews and Twins righthander Zebby Matthews. Next Ben breaks down a few standouts from the early parts of the Dominican Summer League season and the two close the show by opening up the listener mailbag. Topics include this year’s Futures Game rosters, the Angels 2024 draft strategy, personal cheeseballs from the 2024 draft class and where the top tier of prospects is in this year’s class. — Time Stamps
– Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 64: MLB Postseason Drama & Winning 54% | 13 Oct 2023 | 01:43:12 | |
Ben Badler and Carlos Collazo recap their trip to Jupiter and break down some of the most interesting players they saw. They also talk about the value of scouting an event like Jupiter, which has so much going on at once. After that, the two pivot to big league talk and discuss the postseason. The two give their thoughts on the many blowout series we have had so far, lament the brutal start from Clayton Kershaw and talk about the randomness of the playoffs in general, and especially the current 12-team format. After that, the two talk about Braves-Phillies, which has been the most interesting division series so far, and give their thoughts on the Bryce Harper/Orlando Arcia drama. Finally, the two discuss Mariners president Jerry Dipoto’s comments about winning 54% of the time and the merits of trying to build a sustainable team vs. setting the bar too low. — Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 63: Previewing The Postseason + Scouting Jupiter | 03 Oct 2023 | 01:52:56 | |
The postseason field is set and October baseball is here. Ben and Carlos talk about the field and think through which teams are well-positioned to advance to the World Series as much as possible given the randomness of playoff baseball. The two talk about styles of play, which teams have the toughest and easiest paths, and then try and figure out which playoff teams are best positioned for success in the next five years. After that the two discuss the careers of four big league legends: Miguel Cabrera, Adam Wainwright, Joey Votto and Zack Greinke. Next the two move into the amateur baseball space and look at the state of the 2025 high school draft class, thanks to Ben’s recently updated top 100 list. Ethan Holliday continues to top the list, but there are plenty of shortstops to get excited about and a few standout arms as well. Finally the two talk about their upcoming trip to Jupiter for Perfect Game’s WWBA World Championship. Who are the teams and players to know? Are more high school players taking the fall off? Does that even matter? And do you really need to bring an umbrella to the field? All that and more. — Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 62: Scouting The Arizona Fall League | 29 Sep 2023 | 01:59:56 | |
Ben and Carlos dig into some of the more interesting prospects to know from the Arizona Fall League rosters, including a few well-known players with a chance to make up for lost time, and a few lesser known names who could jump on the scene. Players include Guardians outfielder Chase DeLauter, Tigers righthander Jackson Jobe and Blue Jays lefthander Ricky Tiedemann, among others. After that, the two talk about more big league call-ups, led by Phillies righthander Orion Kerkering, who went from an inconsistent starter and reliever at South Florida to one of the most exciting relievers in baseball in just over a year’s time. They touch on Junior Caminero’s promotion, and briefly look ahead to the top tier of prospects for the 2024 season, before talking about Evan Carter’s power surge in the big leagues, and also touch on Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, lefthander Jordan Wicks, Reds infielder Noelvi Marte and Dodgers righthander Kyle Hurt. After that, the two talk about baseball’s youth movement. The 2023 rookie hitting class is historic, and at the minor league level players are being pushed quicker than ever before. Why is that? Is it a good thing? And what are the pros and cons between development pro ball vs. college anyway? Finally, the two take a listener email that gets at some of these same questions. — Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 61: Trouble In San Diego? | 22 Sep 2023 | 01:51:26 | |
Carlos and Ben briefly talk about Corbin Carroll’s historic rookie season and the rare company that he has joined with his power/speed combination. Then, they look at the NL MVP race that is heating up between Ronald Acuña Jr. and Mookie Betts and try and figure out who, if either, has the edge. That leads to a conversation about stolen base and base running value in the game today before diving into some season-ending team retrospectives. The two focus in particular on the Padres and try to dig into a few of the explanations for why the team underperformed so massively. Was it the front office and AJ Preller? Was it the chemistry of the clubhouse? Was it bad luck and randomness? Or was it something else entirely? After that the two talk through each of the teams hovering around .500 or below this season and gauge whether or not the near future for those clubs is something to get excited about or something to be concerned with. And while the Reds are above .500, are the recent struggles for Elly De La Cruz a red flag for his future, or should we still be optimistic about his long-term success? — Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 60: Down Performers We Are Still Buying | 15 Sep 2023 | 01:38:36 | |
Ben and Carlos talk about a few recent high-profile front office moves, led by the Red Sox decision to fire chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom, as well as the Mets hiring of David Stearns and an extension for Mike Rizzo with the Nationals. The two talk about Bloom’s tenure with Boston and try to assess the job he did with the organization, before looking ahead to how the Mets could look with Stearns in charge in New York. After that, the two talk about the seasons that Japanese players Kodai Senga and Masataka Yoshida have had—do they exceed, meet or underwhelm our expectations? The two touch on George Kirby’s polarizing post-game comments and briefly talk about the big league promotions of Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and Orioles outfielder Heston Kjerstad before reviewing the 2023 season of Marcelo Mayer in light of his injury news. Finally, the two talk through a few standouts in the lower levels of the minors and also pick out a few players with down statistical years who they are still in on as prospects before getting into a couple Top 100 focused listener questions. — Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 59: Next Up Names To Know For The Top 100 | 08 Sep 2023 | 02:06:46 | |
Ben and Carlos talk about Jordan Lawlar’s big league promotion and what to expect from him, then look back at the 2021 draft class and debate who they would take early in the draft with the benefit of a few years of hindsight. They then talk about the odd pro debut and shutdown of 2023 No. 1 overall pick Paul Skenes and what we can take away from that—if anything. After that, the two talk about the minor league player of the year race and make the cases for both Orioles shortstop Jackson Holliday and Rays infielder Junior Caminero. According to Ben, now is the time to get on the Caminero hype train, and he’s one of four players who are solidly in the mix for the status of top overall prospect in baseball. The two close out the show by talking about a number of prospects who are not currently on the top 100, including players with the Mets, Rays, Mariners, Red Sox and Tigers. Carlos and Ben also take a listener email following up on last week’s LSU/A’s hypothetical. — Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 58: Aggressive Promotions + Hot & Cold Draft Picks | 01 Sep 2023 | 02:15:15 | |
Ben and Carlos talk about the most disappointing teams in the big leagues this year, and then follow up on a 90th Percentile Podcast conversation from Geoff Pontes about how many games the 2023 Louisiana State team could win against the 2023 Oakland A’s. The two then move into a few notable prospect promotions that have happened recently, including Padres catcher Ethan Salas moving to Double-A as a 17-year-old, Rangers outfielder Evan Carter moving up to Triple-A and a number of 2023 draftee assignments: Cubs shortstop Matt Shaw, Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews, Pirates righthander Paul Skenes and Braves righthander Hurston Waldrep all going to Double-A. After that, the two talk about a number of 2023 draftees off to hot starts (Mariners SS Colt Emerson, Blue Jays OF Jace Bohrofen, Orioles OF Enrique Bradfield, Nationals 3B Yohandy Morales, etc.) and a few more who are starting their pro careers a bit cold (Reds SS Sammy Stafura, Red Sox SS Nazzan Zanetello, White Sox SS Jacob Gonzalez, Royals C Blake Mitchell & Cardinals OF Chase Davis). Finally the two talk about BA’s recently released Cape Cod League and USA Collegiate National Team top prospects lists and dig into a few notable 2024 draft prospects. — Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 57: Midseason Farm System Rankings | 18 Aug 2023 | 02:02:34 | |
Ben and Carlos get back on the podcast train after a month of busy travel watching some of the top high school players in the country. First on the docket in today’s episode is the surprise announcement that the Angels are calling up 2023 first rounder Nolan Schanuel. After that, the two start with a conversation about our midseason farm system rankings. How much separation is there at the top with the Orioles, Mariners and Dodgers? And which teams beyond that top trio stand out to us? How do we view top-heavy systems like the Padres and the Nationals compared to systems with less impact talent, but solid quality depth throughout? Then they discuss how many teams have a “case” for a bottom of the barrel system, and also talk through a few teams who have been in “rebuild mode” for a few years, but who have considerably different farm systems right now. After that, things turn towards amateur baseball and the two talk about their early impressions of the 2024 draft class, mention a few prospects who stood out and get unreasonably excited about the future potential of the latest in the Holliday line: 2025 lefthanded-hitting infielder Ethan Holliday. — Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 56: Favorite Picks & Classes From The 2023 Draft | 20 Jul 2023 | 02:45:30 | |
Ben and Carlos review the 2023 draft and talk through some of their favorite picks and draft classes, as well as talk about surprising bonuses and look through a couple of over slot players drafted later who are names to keep in mind. The two discuss the 2024 draft class and talk about how the class currently has a number of question marks, and then talk about a few prominent movers on the top 100 update—including where the top-ranked 2023 draftees slotted in. They end the podcast with a few listener questions—both on the draft and minor league prospects. — Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 55: MLB Draft Preview For All 30 Teams | 07 Jul 2023 | 02:16:50 | |
Carlos and Ben have a deep draft preview, going pick by pick through the first round to cover the potential picks for all 30 teams. They walk through different scenarios, player/team connections for each club, the players who could potentially go earlier than expected on under-slot deals and the players who might end up sliding down the board. — Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 90: The BA 500 & International Reviews | 30 May 2024 | 02:03:45 | |
Ben and Carlos talk through two significant pillars of content that hit the site this week: the annual BA 500 for the 2024 class and our international reviews that give you all the information you need as the DSL season gets underway. The two talk briefly about the Field of 64 and the NCAA Tournament that kicks off this weekend. Ben asks how much the tournament games can move the needle for scouting departments and the two also talk about whether or not high-pressure or clutch performances in these games bring additional value for reports or projecting a player. After that, the two get into the BA 500 update and talk through the class, particularly the weaknesses of this year’s prep demographic. Who are the high school players we are actually confident in being selected in the first round? And what profiles are we confident in for that 10-30 range period? There are fewer options than a typical draft class. The two also talk through a switch-pitcher on the rise and a handful of up-arrow high school arms before getting into Ben’s international reviews. He talks about the process of putting them together this year and then mentions a few lower bonus players who are trending in the right direction. Ben praises the Rockies for identifying and signing pitching talent from the international market and then dives into a few tooled up, exciting prospects to know about. The show ends with a few notable prospect promotions and a Phillies-oriented Aidan Miller/Mick Abel debate. — Time Stamps (2:00) Ben’s international review process (9:00) How much do the tournament games matter for draft stock (12:30) Makeup and performance in high-pressure games (15:00) Favorites for the NCAA tournament (21:00) Draft talk/HS risks (28:00) HS players we are confident in first round (30:00) Where do teams pivot this year? (35:00) Christian Moore (39:00) Walker Janek (41:00) Jurrangelo Cijntje (43:00) Up-arrow HS players (49:00) Kash Mayfield vs. Cam Caminiti (54:00) International Reviews (1:00:00) Lower $$ signs who are trending up (1:05:30) International pitchers to know (1:10:00) Rockies doing a nice job IDing INT pitching (1:16:00) A Blue Jays offensive shortstop to know (1:17:30) A Yankees international slugger to know (1:20:00) A Rockies speed demon to know (1:24:00) A Phillies catcher with a cannon (1:30:00) Spencer Schwellenbach (1:35:00) Noble Meyer & Thomas White (1:45:00) Luke Keaschall (1:50:00) Aidan Miller vs. Mick Abel – Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 54: The New Top 100 | 07 Jun 2023 | 01:26:03 | |
Ben and Carlos chat briefly about Ben’s updated top 100 2024 prospect list, and then the two discuss the start of the summer showcase season. What are their preferred events? Which are the big events to know on the calendar? After that, the two talk about Paul Skenes and his recent 124-pitch outing in the regionals for LSU. How many pitches is too many pitches for a college player with big-time draft aspirations in a few weeks and a long career ahead of him? The two try to get into a deeper conversation about this polarizing topic and attack it from multiple angles. Then they discuss the newest top 100 update on the site, and how the rest of the BA staff outnumbered them. What’s the state of the talent in the top 100? Who are notable up/down movers on the list? They get into all of that, and also take a few listener questions that include the strategy of lining up estimated timelines with draft picks, prospect eligibility and how long it takes to get a feel for players debuting in the complex leagues. — Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 53: Prospect Promotions & Draft Popups | 02 Jun 2023 | 02:29:33 | |
Ben and Carlos talk through our most recent draft update, which was the release of the BA 500—always a fun milestone to reach on the draft calendar. The two talk through a few players of note on the list, including Arizona outfielder Chase Davis and a prominent pop-up player in Southern California, among others. After that, the two talk about the value of team workouts. What sort of information are scouting departments trying to gather in this setting and how important are they when trying to properly evaluate a prospect? Next, the two discuss a few prominent prospect promotions, including: Braves righthander AJ Smith-Shawver, Padres catcher Ethan Salas, Nationals outfielder James Wood, Red Sox shortstop Marcelo Mayer and Rays infielder Junior Caminero. After that, the two discuss a few notable pitching prospects including Dodgers righthander Emmet Sheehan and Brewers righthander Jacob Misiorowski. The two end the show with listener questions, which includes a comparison of Elly De La Cruz and Oneil Cruz, more 2023 draft topics—such as if the Pirates go a bit off the board at No. 1—and how Ben and Carlos were both inspired to pursue baseball writing as a career. — Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 52: Players We Like More Than The Industry | 26 May 2023 | 02:03:23 | |
Today Ben and Carlos talk about the potential benefits of replacing extended spring training with a full-season league in the minors, and then get into a conversation about the pros and cons of scouting history and getting fresh-eyed looks on players from others. The two talk about players they have different history or personal experiences with and also dive into a couple prospects who they either like a lot personally, or think should get a bit more attention. Players include Mariners first baseman Tyler Locklear, D-Backs second baseman Ryan Bliss, Rockies outfielder Yanquiel Fernandez, Braves shortstop Ignacio Alvarez and White Sox righthander Jonathan Cannon. The two also revisit the No. 1 prospect conversation and talk about upside and risk with Reds shortstop Elly de la Cruz and Orioles shortstop Jackson Holliday. The two also talk about the draft, touch on a few players they like further down boards and also talk about recent draftees who are old for the level but still putting up impressive performances. — Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 51: Is Jackson Holliday The Best Prospect In Baseball? | 19 May 2023 | 02:04:35 | |
Ben and Carlos talk about how impressive Orioles shortstop Jackson Holliday has been since he was drafted and make the case for him as the No. 1 prospect in baseball. The 19-year-old shortstop has an extremely well-rounded game with few, if any, holes to speak of—who else is in the conversation and competing with him right now? After that, the two discuss a few other players who were taken with the first few picks of the 2022 draft, including Rangers righthander Kumar Rocker, D-Backs outfielder Druw Jones and Pirates second baseman Termarr Johnson. What’s the level of concern with all three players, and is there any underlying data to give us confidence moving forward? Is it simply too soon to get skeptical of the high school hitters? How quickly do we change our opinions on recent draftees based on pro data and how quickly should we change our minds? After that, the two talk about the 2023 draft rankings update process and dive into a few players who are especially difficult to place—most notably Tennessee righthander Chase Dollander. Where does he fit with the top tier of pitching prospects and how do we compare and contrast the performance and consistency of Wake Forest righthander Rhett Lowder with the elite pure stuff of Florida righty Hurston Waldrep, in addition to the more risky but exciting prep profiles of Noble Meyer and Thomas White. Finally the two talk about how impressive Braves righthander AJ Smith-Shawver has been this season and get into a few listener questions. — Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 50: Under-The-Radar International Prospects | 12 May 2023 | 01:54:37 | |
Ben and Carlos open with some draft talk, where the two discuss the most recent Baseball America mock draft and talk about why they are still so high on the depth of the 2023 draft class. After that, the two break down a few notable movers on the most recent update to the top 100 prospect list—headlined by Rangers outfielder Evan Carter, who was a surprise draft pick at the time and is now looking like a savvy scouting move. Ben and Carlos both pick a few movers they are either higher or lower on than the staff before getting into Ben’s exhaustive international coverage. Ben provides insight into a number of players to know, but particularly digs into a few pitchers in the Yankees and Rays systems, and hitters with the Marlins and D-Backs. — Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 49: Low-A Hitters Shining & Scuffling | 05 May 2023 | 02:21:35 | |
Ben and Carlos talk about Ben’s trip to the Dominican Republic and get into a few players who stood out, and Ben gives some insight on the difficulty of contextualizing the current IFA class to previous ones at this point in the calendar. The two talk about Kyle Glaser’s story on the ‘Enhanced Grip’ baseball that is being tested in the Double-A Southern League, and try and think through the ramifications it has for player development and player evaluation. After that, the two dive into a ton of interesting teenage hitters in the low levels of the minors. That includes standouts like Ryan Clifford (Astros), Brady House (Nationals) and Leonardo Bernal (Cardinals) to name a few, as well as players off to slower starts, like Elijah Green (Nationals) Miguel Bleis (Red Sox) and Tucker Toman (Blue Jays). The two end with a listener mailbag that includes questions on: divisive prospects in the 2023 draft class; Cubs outfielder Owen Caissie’s odd line and what to do about it; what Ben would change about the IFA process if he could, which leads into a discussion of college baseball’s new recruiting rules and how that could impact players. — Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 48: A Top 400 Draft Update | 28 Apr 2023 | 01:13:58 | |
Carlos is joined by Peter Flaherty to discuss the current state of the 2023 draft class and our recently updated top 400 draft list. The two talk about the first round and the players getting a lot of buzz at the top of the class, talk through some of the strengths and weaknesses of the group as we see it today, and then get into a few of the biggest rising players on the draft board. After that, Carlos and Peter each pick a player in each quadrant of the draft board who interests them for one reason or another—there’s top of the draft talk, day two draft talk, and sleeper names to know for potentially the third day of the draft as well. It’s not too late to get your primer on the 2023 draft class and today’s podcast serves as a brief audio version of that! — Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Peter's Twitter: @PeterGFlaherty Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 47: An Off The Charts Episode | 14 Apr 2023 | 01:40:30 | |
Ben and Carlos chat about their varying levels of disdain for the phrases “have a catch,” “off the charts,” and new pitch classification trends before getting into a conversation about why evaluating younger players is so exciting—and difficult!—at times. The two talk about how excellent the Rays have been early this season, starting the year 13-0, and seemingly winning every trade they make. Carlos makes the case that Wander Franco is in the midst of a breakout season and Ben makes the case that he’s already the superstar player we all expected and hoped he would be. Then they get into the depth of the Rays system and talk about some of their impressive upper-level bats. The duo then discuss how electric Orioles shortstop Jackson Holliday has continued to be, and compare and contrast him with another 2022 first-round shortstop who has similarly done nothing but produce in his professional time so far: Mariners No. 2 prospect Cole Young. After that, the two talk about D-backs prospect Druw Jones and his fantastic catch, and try to think about how they would place Jones with the current 2023 high school outfield duo of Walker Jenkins and Max Clark. At the end of the podcast, the two take a few listener questions, including complex league talk, a rising prep prospect in the 2023 class and how they would tier break the top of the 2023 draft class. — Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 46: Early Season Standouts | 07 Apr 2023 | 02:13:18 | |
Ben and Carlos talk about how impressive Padres catching prospect Ethan Salas has been, and the two try to contextualize how good he is compared to recent top international prospects. After that, the two pivot to the big leagues, where they talk about a trio of Brewers hitters who have come out of the gates hot, as well as a few pitching debuts and prospects from the Dodgers and A’s. After that, Carlos recounts his trip to see Paul Skenes and Dylan Crews in Baton Rouge, and the two wonder how the two LSU stars compare with some of the better pitching and hitting prospects in the minors. Where would they place on a top 100 prospect list, for instance? Lastly they discuss the recent minor league CBA and the various pros and cons that come with it for the players. — Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 45: The Area Scout Life, With Hudson Belinsky | 31 Mar 2023 | 02:16:42 | |
Today Ben and Carlos have an interview with Hudson Belinsky. Belinsky led Baseball America’s draft coverage from 2015-2017 and then joined the Arizona Diamondbacks as a Georgia area scout, where he worked for the team for five years. He is the signing scout for 2022 first-round outfielder Druw Jones, 2021 ninth-round lefthander Jake Rice, 2019 13th-round second baseman Cam Coursey, 2019 third-round first baseman Tristin English and 2018 NDFA lefthander Trevor McKenna. He’s currently an agent with Kares Sports Management. The three talk about his background with Baseball America and his experiences as a scout with the D-backs. The conversation goes in plenty of directions, in classic Future Projection fashion, and the trio touch on topics including:
— Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 89: Prospect Promotions And Big Arms To Watch | 23 May 2024 | 01:30:25 | |
Ben and Carlos chat about college conference tournaments and briefly get into the dreadful track record of first round first basemen in recent years. Will that impact how teams view players like Nick Kurtz and Jac Caglianone? The two talk about the SEC’s decision to roll out and experiment with a new double first base bag at the SEC tournament and then get into more serious business of prospect promotions. There are a number of intriguing players moving up the minor league ladder including: Red Sox RHP Luis Perales, D-backs 1B Deyvison De Los Santos, Guardians LHP Matt “Tugboat” Wilkinson, Cardinals LHP Quinn Mathews, White Sox LHP Noah Schultz, White Sox SS Jacob Gonzalez and Mets RHP/OF Nolan McLean. After that Ben points out a few prospects who he thinks should be getting more hype than they are currently receiving—one an outfielder with the Orioles and the other a Guardians middle infield prospect. At the close of the show Carlos asks Ben if he’d rather have Bobby Witt Jr. or Gunnar Henderson moving forward and the two briefly talk about the value of switch hitting and whether or not hitters should simply focus on their best sides. – Time Stamps (0:00) College conference tournaments (5:00) The scary first round 1B track record (10:00) Two bags at first base? (16:45) Luis Perales (22:00) Deyvison De Los Santos (29:00) Matt Wilkinson (35:00) Quinn Mathews (42:30) Noah Schultz (51:00) Jacob Gonzalez (58:00) Nolan McLean (1:02:00) Reggie Crawford (1:06:20) Dylan Beavers (1:11:00) Angel Genao (1:15:00) Bobby Witt Jr. vs. Gunnar Henderson (1:23:00) Switch hitting questions – Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 44: World Baseball Classic Lessons, Spring Prospect Buzz | 24 Mar 2023 | 02:02:03 | |
Ben and Carlos give their final thoughts on the World Baseball Classic, including Ben’s victory lap on splitter usage and thoughts on how we talk about high-energy vs. low-energy players—including the fact that we might just have it backwards most of the time. The two discuss how the WBC impacts our anticipation for Opening Day and touch on a few more spring training players of note, including: Reds third baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Blue Jays lefthander Ricky Tiedemann, Angels righthander Ben Joyce and Yankees outfielder Jasson Dominguez. How concerned are we about Encarnacion-Strand’s approach and contact? How does Tiedemann’s amateur path pave the way for others? Will Joyce be a lockdown big league reliever? And will the Dominguez expectations ever be fair? All that and more. The two then talk about how tricky it can be to scout elite high school hitters during their spring seasons when they are getting pitched around and then take a few listener questions, including: “Should we attempt to quantify certainty with individual tool grades?” “Is a batter’s eye part of the hit tool or something else entirely?” “What are our favorite non-MLB venues?” — Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 43: Rebuilds, Extensions & Mock Drafts | 17 Mar 2023 | 01:34:44 | |
Ben and Carlos talk about the latest in the World Baseball Classic—the good, the bad and the ugly—before breaking down the contract extensions recently signed by Corbin Carroll and Keibert Ruiz. After that the two discuss the Nationals rebuild and the state of their farm system in the wake of the news that righthander Cade Cavalli will miss the 2023 season with a UCL injury. The two talk about the excitement about the top of the system but wonder a bit more about the depth, while acknowledging that the team is in a good position to address that this year thanks to early draft capital and what’s looking like a strong 2023 draft class. The two try to compare the strength of the top of the 2023 class compared to recent years, talk a bit about Carlos’s first mock draft of the year and then revisit the Walker Jenkins vs. Max Clark debate. They close with listener questions and a breakdown of another former MLB all-star with a son who is making a name for himself as a prospect to watch. — Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 42: Prospects To Watch In The World Baseball Classic | 10 Mar 2023 | 01:39:27 | |
Ben and Carlos talk about the World Baseball Classic! Who are the favorites in the competition itself and then who are the most interesting prospects to keep an eye on at the event? Roki Sasaki is certainly the No. 1 name to keep an eye on thanks to his immense stuff, but don’t forget about another Japanese righthander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who might get into the big leagues much sooner. After talking about those electric Japanese pitchers, Ben and Carlos dive into the most interesting affiliated prospects in the event, including a few top 100 prospects and some names further down teams’ lists who maybe aren’t as highly regarded but should still be fun to see in action. Following that, Ben talks about a few countries he thinks could be on the rise over the next 15-30 years on the international stage and the two discuss which states would be the favorites in a hypothetical “American Baseball Classic.” Finally the two take listener questions including: “Do you feel the travel ball influence on baseball has been a good thing?” “Are there any non-D1 players to know in the 2023 draft class?” And a question about an interesting Gunnar Henderson comparison. — Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Episode 41: Spring Training Standouts | 03 Mar 2023 | 01:55:35 | |
Ben and Carlos chat about how the pitch clock has looked so far in spring training and then dive into our recently published farm system rankings. Just how good are the Orioles in the No. 1 spot and how do they compare to some of the best No. 1 systems we’ve had in the past? What’s the tier break to the next group and how many teams are included? The two then talk about a few systems throughout the top 30 that they like and wind up getting into a conversation about who should actually count as “prospects.” That’s followed by a conversation about spring training, what you can actually take away from it and dive into a few early standout players, including Garrett Mitchell, Heston Kjerstad, Ronny Mauricio, Edouard Julien, Brett Baty, Triston Casas, Jackson Merrill, Brooks Lee, Kyle Muller and Hayden Wesneski, among others. Finally they take a few listener questions including: “How do teams go deeper than just strikeouts and walks for control and command?” “Should Anthony Volpe start the year in the majors?” “Is Jarlin Susana a starter or a reliever?” — Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||