Prospect Hot Sheet Chat (May 12)

Ben Badler: Hey, what’s up guys? Thanks for all the questions in here already, let’s get started.

Philip (San Diego): Anything new on luis robert? Would you say couple of the team are more front runners than others in the 6 you've mentioned?
Ben Badler: Whichever owner wants to write the biggest check.

Mike (Arlington): Do you see JP Crawford turning it around? Has his ceiling lowered? Is the hit tool in serious question?
Ben Badler: I do, I’m still a believer in Crawford, but at some point, you want to see the performance to justify being ranked as one of the premium prospects in the game. The strike-zone discipline is great and I think the components are there for him to have success, but we’re past small sample size territory with him just not getting the job done as a hitter in Triple-A.

Steve (Boston): Lots of people are talking about Devers playing in Boston by July. Is this everyone listening to each other or is there legit talk within the organization? Can he handle a midseason call up?
Ben Badler: I think it’s premature, and I say that as one of the world’s biggest believers in Rafael Devers.

Tim (Hoboken, NJ): I've heard the Iglesias comp on V. Gutierrez before - does he really have that kind of arsenal? Is he more likely to hang around as a starter than Raisel (who has turned himself into a pretty damn good MLB reliever)?Thanks
Ben Badler: I don’t see the similarities. Gutierrez has more of a starter profile, although I’d like to revisit that at the end of August just to see how he holds up under a starter’s full-season workload for the first time in his life.

Josh Olson (Cincinnati): I am confused that BA still has Alex Reyes ranked significantly higher as a prospect than Amir Garrett. Wouldn't the risk of TJ and his power pitching tamper down the expectations especially considering that Garrett has performed solidly in the MLB? Just thought that 10 vs 66 is a large gap. Maybe not just a question.
Ben Badler: Reyes still projects better long-term than Garrett. I do think there’s a case (one that I made internally) to move Reyes down the list more because of the added risk of TJ and not knowing yet how his stuff will look when he returns, but he still has frontline starter potential. Garrett for me is more of a back-end guy with his own risks in terms of command and secondary stuff consistency.

Mark (ATL): I find myself getting more and more excited about Travis Demeritte's potential. I know the K rate is alarming, but how much should I temper my excitement?
Ben Badler: I think he gets to the big leagues, but I’m not betting on him developing into an everyday regular.

Dave (Toronto): What's the story with Rhys Hoskins? He hit 38 homers last year and is killing the ball again this year, yet he doesn't show up on many top 100 lists.
Ben Badler: He’s on ours.

Formerly the Smasher: Considering his age and ascent, do you think Vladdy jr is in the running for number 1 this time next year? Tell us something cool about him Ben, us Jays fans need this.
Ben Badler: Not No. 1, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in the top 10 pretty soon. My goodness, what a special bat.

Roger (Greenville, SC): At one point do you think we have some feel for whether or not Alex Jackson can stick at catcher? Is midseason too soon? End of season?
Ben Badler: What he’s shown so far hasn’t looked good, but I also recognize we have to keep his context in mind. I don’t expect he will stick back there, but I would say by the end of the season is a fair timetable to see how much progress he can make.

phil (san diego): Do you think Berrios is now going to be the star we thought he was going to be?
Ben Badler: He’s more of a back-end starter, for me.

Elliot (Youngstown OH): "McKenzie has quickly put himself in the conversation among the game’s best pitching prospects" sounds like than higher than No. 56 on the Top 100 list issued this week!
Ben Badler: A lot of McKenzie fans at BA, but I think you’re probably talking to the high man on him here internally. I don’t need two hands to count the number of pitching prospects in the minors I like more than him.

Ryan (San Diego): Kolby Allard is off to a great start in double A. What is the earliest you see him getting up to Atlanta and what is his top upside?
Ben Badler: Next year. Potential No. 2 starter. Love the fastball/curveball combo to miss bats from the left side and pound the strike zone. Good combination of stuff and polish for his age.

Chris (Arizona): Hey Ben, What Happened to Hector Mendoza? Haven't heard about him lately. Isn't he able to sign?
Ben Badler: He is. Recent reports from scouts who’ve seen him have been mixed.

Anthony (D.C.): Ron Acuna - if he fixes the strikeout problem (sure no small task) but keeps up these gaudy numbers that we saw over the winter, in spring training, in A ball and now a very small taste of AA - this guy could be victor robles 2.0 right? Is there a chance his ceiling is higher?
Ben Badler: I think Robles is a better hitter, better fielder and a better runner than Acuna. I like Acuna, just not quite at that level.

Jeff (Arizona): Do you think DJ Peterson will make it to the majors this year? And what's wrong with Harold Ramirez? He seems to have hit a wall.
Ben Badler: Possible on Peterson, but not too high on either one. From what I’ve seen of Ramirez this year, if I hadn’t known who he was before the games, I wouldn’t have known he was a prospect. A pretty vanilla look.

Matt (Mi): Luis Urias upside?
Ben Badler: I’m a big Luis Urias fan. Top of the lineup bat who can hit .300 with big OBPs, a lot of doubles and occasionally sneak some balls out to his pull side.

Hirokov (Fukuoka): Which of OF prospects has the highest ceiling offensively? R.Acuna, J.Soto, L.Taveras or A.Alford?
Ben Badler: Pure offense? Juan Soto.

Cory (STL MO): Any feel for contract Luis Robert is likely to get? Moncada money? Isn't he seen nearly identical?
Ben Badler: As a general policy, I don’t like to comment on potential contract values for unsigned Cuban players, but I liked Moncada more when he came out than Robert.

Jeff (Toronto): Should Toronto Fans be getting super excited about Bo Bichette?
Ben Badler: Oh yeah. Fantastic bat speed, big power, innate feel for the barrel, mature approach for his age. I’m super excited, I can tell you that.

Lewis (ATl): Max fried potential #2 ? Good strikeout numbers ? Thanks.
Ben Badler: I’m probably lighter on Max Fried than the rest of the BA staff. More of a back-end starter or a reliever for me with significant command and durability risk factors.

Tyler (Chi): Brandon woodruff #3 best case? Thanks.
Ben Badler: I agree with that.

Cw (Houston, Texas): If you are the Astros, do you trade tucker for starting pitching?
Ben Badler: If there’s a front-end starter with multiple years of team control on an affordable contract, I’d consider it, but I hesitate to give up a top 20 hitting prospect. Those guys are gold.

Mike (Fl): Thoughts on Micker Adolfo? Seems locked in of late some Chicago guys talking about something "clicking" for him.
Ben Badler: Still very much a free-swinger and it’s not the easiest swing either.

Ryan (New York): Do you think Rosario is ready for the big leagues or does hitting in Vegas not teach much at this level?
Ben Badler: Defensively, no question, and offensively I think he could handle himself fine if they brought him up tomorrow, but from a development standpoint, I would like to see him get more time in Triple-A. He’s basically had two thirds of a season worth of games above the A-ball level.

Ben Badler: Thanks for all the questions, but I’ve got to run. Enjoy the weekend.