Future Projection: Grady Emerson, 2025 International Prospects & Listener Questions
Image credit: Grady Emerson (Mike Janes/Four Seam Images)
On this week’s Future Projection, Ben Badler and Carlos Collazo discuss Ben’s recently-released international bonus board for the 2025 signing class. Ben talks through his process this year and the specific challenges that persist when ranking international prospects before discussion touches on how Roki Sasaki can and will shake things up when he signs.
After that, they discuss Grady Emerson, the top-ranked prospect in the 2026 draft class, flipping his college commitment from TCU to Texas. Does it even matter if he’s not likely to get to campus? What does this say about Texas? And how does Emerson compare to both top high school players in the 2025 draft class and some of the best prep players in recent years?
Discussion briefly turns to the Dodgers signing Blake Snell before Ben and Carlos open up a bigger-than-average listener mailbag that hits on: the Astros signing older international players; whether or not Brewers outfielder Jose Anderson should get lumped in with players like Jesus Made; the value of international competition when scouting players; the Braves internal shortstop options and more.
Time Stamps
- (1:30) Ben’s International Bonus Board
- (11:50) The large Roki Sasaki caveat
- (18:30) The diminished Cuban talent pool
- (21:30) Grady Emerson
- (35:00) Emerson vs. other top high school players
- (42:00) Blake Snell’s deal with the Dodgers
- (48:00) Astros and older international signings
- (54:00) Why is Brewers OF Jose Anderson not lumped in with Jesus Made?
- (57:00) How do we value international competition?
- (1:05:00) Do the Braves have any internal SS candidates?
- (1:09:00) Where will IFA players rank in their team’s top 30s?
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