Future Projection Episode 89: Prospect Promotions And Big Arms To Watch

Image credit: Luis Perales (Mike Janes/Four Seam Images)

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