Prospect Hot Sheet Chat (May 27)

Ben Badler: Happy Urias Day!

Teddy (Buenos Aires): Hey Ben, has the thoughts on the future value of AJ Reed changed at all this season? I know he has been injured but have not heard a lot talked about him, although he was on seemingly every Hot Sheet last year.
Ben Badler: Still projects as a masher in the middle of the lineup with big OBP and slugging potential. One of the best prospects in the game.

Matt (Va): Does Eloy Jimenez get a promo to Myrtle Beach this season?
Ben Badler: Maybe around the last month or two of the season, but there’s no rush there.

Pat "Hosegow" Gillespie (Florida): Urias, here to stay or one and done? And if he stays, will it likely be in a full-time bullpen role?
Ben Badler: If he has success, he’s probably going to stay. At some point, to limit his workload, you will probably see a move to the bullpen temporarily.

Todd (Minneapolis): How is Buxton left off the Hot Sheet this week after hitting .500 with 2 2Bs, 1 3B, 3 HRs and 2 SBs?
Ben Badler: Alas, Buxton is no longer officially a prospect after crossing the playing time threshold, but he has been outstanding in Triple-A. Anyone giving up on him at this point will sorely regret it.

Topkat Harhay (Ruh Roh): Can you currently tell me who the top 3 Defensive SS prospects are? Would you consider Barreto one?
Ben Badler: I don’t even think Barreto can play shortstop. Javier Guerra with the Padres and Gift Ngoepe of the Pirates are two of the better pure defenders in the minors.

Jim (Berlin, NJ): With Adrian Gonzalez signed through 2018, is Bellinger athletic enough to handle LF if his power stays present? Crawford and Ethier are finally off the books after next year.
Ben Badler: Bellinger is one of the most athletic first basemen you can find. He’s a legit solid-average runner who would have above-average range for a corner outfielder if you put him out there.

Stave d'ustherzy (Shark Tank, CA): Will we look back on the 2015 draft and say, "Alex Bregman was the steal of the draft?"
Ben Badler: He was the No. 2 overall pick!

Troy (Chicago): Lucas Giollito has not lived up to the hype this season. Is there any particular reason why...mechanics/injury/bad luck?
Ben Badler: Our reports from scouts who have seen him are that the stuff is still there. The fastball is regularly in the mid-90s, the curveball is still a knockout pitch. He just hasn’t thrown strikes, his mechanics have gotten a little out of whack and so he’s falling behind in too many counts and giving up too many walks. Given that the stuff is still there and that he has a track record of being a strike-thrower, I think he’s going to turn it around soon.

Jas (Delta): Should I be concerned if I have Anderson Espinoza in a dynasty league?
Ben Badler: He’s an 18-year-old pitcher with a chance for three plus or better pitches, a smooth delivery, he’s throwing strikes and has more than 10 K/9 in Low-A. Concerned, no. Excited, yes.

Tim (Toronto): Has Victor Robles worked his was up to be in the discussion for top 10 overall prospect?
Ben Badler: If I re-ranked my preseason list today, I’d have Robles right around No. 15. So yes, you could put him in that mix, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up there by the end of the year.

Jairo (Santa Fe): How does Urias compare to another Dodger lefty who made his debut at 20...that guy named Kershaw? Are there any comps?
Ben Badler: From seeing Kershaw right before he got called up and covering him throughout his time as a prospect, I’d give the edge to Kershaw as a prospect. The separator for me was Kershaw’s curveball, which was a ridiculous plus-plus pitch. Kershaw had similar velocity, clean arm action/mechanics, a changeup that showed plus potential and good feel for pitching for his age, although I’d give the pitchability and command edge to Urias at the same stage. Overall, I’d take Kershaw at the same point when he made his major league debut, but he was also one of the best pitching prospects I’ve ever covered.

Matt (Va): Do you expect Cuba to actually bring their top players to the NY next month?
Ben Badler: I saw their pre-selection roster, which has Luis Robert and Julio Pablo Martinez. There just isn’t a ton of talent left in Cuba beyond the super young kids, so it’s mostly going to be a veteran roster of org-filler types, but if those two make the trip, you’ll have some good prospects to watch there.

Levine (Briss, NY): What is Eloy Jimenez' time line, and how does it affect the Cubs' current roster construction? Heyward to CF?
Ben Badler: He’s a 19-year-old in Low-A. I don’t know that there is a timeline, other than a generally vague one that he’s probably still a few years away. I like Jimenez, but the Cubs don’t need to be making any plans or alterations to the major league roster yet to account for him.

Mark (Forida): Swanson and Bregman will be forever linked after going #1 and #2 in last Summer's draft. Although both are off to excellent starts this season, which player do you see having the more productive big league career?
Ben Badler: It’s very close. I’d give a slight edge to Bregman right now, but they’re both pushing top 10 overall prospect in baseball status.

robert (New York): Ben, On the AL minor league side, who is nearest caliber of Urias. Urias looks lights out....anyone on the AL side have similar tools at any level? Thanks
Ben Badler: Nobody in the AL at that level who is close to contributing. Alex Reyes, Tyler Glasnow, Cody Reed (Cincinnati version) are all NL guys. Anderson Espinoza has No. 1 starter upside, but he’s still in Low-A.

Teddy (Buenos Aires): Hey Ben, what are your thoughts on Ariel Sandoval (LAD)? He's been putting together a good season for the Great Lakes squad
Ben Badler: I like the athleticism and the tools quite a bit. The speed, the raw power and arm strength are all 50-60 tools, but he’s going to have to learn the difference between balls and strikes. When the pitch is in the strike zone, his bat-to-ball skills are good, but he gets himself out by chasing too many pitches off the plate and getting too pull-conscious. He’ll tease you with his upside in flashes, but the hitting approach is going to take time to come around.

Luis (Camarillo, CA): What's the latest on Lazarito?
Ben Badler: Lazaro Armenteros has had a couple of open showcase games with other Cuban players, including Jose Miguel Fernandez, the last couple of weeks at the Padres and Tigers academies out in San Pedro de Macoris in the Dominican Republic. Talent-wise, he’s still the same player as our previous reports. Athletic, strong, runs well for his size, unconventional swing but a good track record of hitting in Cuba and during international tournaments. He’s not the over-the-top superstar talent that other media reports have tried to turn him into, but he’s a very good prospect for his age.

Ross Esterdahl (Peoria, IL): What is your opinion on Jake Gatewood? Will he live up to his tools?
Ben Badler: Hyper-aggressive free-swinger with a lot of empty swings. Big raw power, but not a believer it the approach allowing it to play as he moves up.

Mick (Chicago): After Max Kepler, what non traditional baseball country prospect would you pick to appear on an upcoming hot sheet list?
Ben Badler: We haven’t seen too many players coming from Nicaragua, but Ronniel Raudes of the Red Sox has been excellent for an 18-year-old in Low-A. The fastball is still on the lighter side, but he has an out pitch in his breaking ball and his feel for pitching is far beyond his years.

Richard (Nor Cal): You guys have Yoan Moncada as the top prospect in baseball at the moment I believe, what are his weaknesses and how much power do you see from him in the future ?
Ben Badler: We will have new rankings coming out in our midseason prospect update, but Moncada was No. 3 coming into the season and the only two ahead of him (Seager and Buxton) are no longer prospects, and No. 4 (Urias) is in the big leagues now, so he’s a good bet to be there when that list publishes. He has to get better defensively, but he’s a super athlete with at least a plus arm, so I think he just needs time and repetition to turn himself into an above-average defender. I think he has way more power upside than he’s shown so far in games. He has huge raw power, but in games he goes with more of a line-drive oriented approach. But I honestly believe he has the raw power to hit 25-30 home runs if he reaches his ceiling.

Yes Cheese (Cheese Nation): Christin Stewart - legit or old?
Ben Badler: It’s is first year out of college and he’s 22 in the FSL. I don’t consider that behind schedule by any means. He’s showing huge power in a league that generally kills power hitters, and the strikeouts haven’t been nearly as bad as some expected.

Jake Debted (Ring, NY): Will Eloy Jimenez be a top 5 prospect by year's end?
Ben Badler: Assuming you mean top five Cubs prospect. There’s no chance he’s a top five overall prospect.

Hal (Dallas): Are you high on Kevin Newman? He doesn't appear to have much power, but everything else sounds like it's there.
Ben Badler: His hand-eye coordination and strike-zone control makes him an extremely high contact frequency guy, so he’s going to put the ball in play and hit for a high batting average, but there’s minimal power there and I don’t see that changing. He is a solid prospect, but the impact potential is still limited.

Richard (Nor Cal): Top prospect in the SAL so far ? Rodgers, Robles or Espinoza ?
Ben Badler: Brendan Rodgers.

Bucky (Dallas): Lulu Ortiz started his AA career with 6 IP, 6K, 1 BB, and 7 hits. If he continues his dominance of the minor leagues at AA at age 20, we thinking possible T25 prospect?
Ben Badler: When he’s on the mound, Ortiz looks like a frontline starter. Big fastball, nasty slider, the changeup shows promising signs and he’s a high-level strike thrower. The biggest thing I want to see from him is just to stay on the mound and healthy a full season, because durability is a question mark. If he does that, yeah, I can see running up there.

B's Shredded P (Washington DC): With Urias being called up, who are the next crop of best Left Handed Pitching prospects?
Ben Badler: Cody Reed of the Reds should be a midseason callup. He’s ready now and there’s frontline starter upside with that big fastball and plus-plus slider.

Greg (Ozarks): When is Jose Miguel Fernandez going to sign? He's had 2 showcases. Any more scheduled/needed?
Ben Badler: It’s a good question, because Fernandez has been a free agent, had multiple open showcases since then and still hasn’t signed. And other than AJ Preller of the Padres and Alex Anthopolous of the Dodgers, there has been surprisingly little heat at these events from executives with the ability to authorize a big check. When Yoenis Cespedes, Jose Abreu, Yasmany Tomas and Hector Oliver had their showcases, there were a ton of execs flying in from the States—Ken Williams, Andrew Friedman, Josh Byrnes, etc.—but that hasn’t been the case with Fernandez. I like Fernandez quite a bit because I believe in the hitting ability and the plate discipline. And I know there are high-level scouts who are also high on him, but they’re with teams who either aren’t going to pay much for a Cuban player or don’t have an immediate need at second base at the MLB level, so they’re not going to play for Fernandez. Other teams have concerns about Fernandez’s defense, which I share, and he’s not a guy who’s going to wow you in a showcase either because he doesn’t have big power or speed or arm strength; his value is in his on-base skills, which isn’t the sexy/flashy attention-grabber at these workouts. As a general policy, I try to stay away from commenting on potential contract values for unsigned Cuban players, but given the circumstances, I’m curious to see where his market ends up.

Richard (Nor Cal): Surprised to see Rodgers over Robles as top SAL prospect. Curious what makes Rodgers a better prospect ?
Ben Badler: Bigger power potential with Rodgers. No knock on Robles, I love both those guys, but Rodgers might be a plus hitter with 20-25 home runs as an everyday shortstop.

JD (Houston): How soon can Bregman help the Astros? At his point last season they'd already bumped Correa up to AAA. Bregman's numbers are similar and he was an advanced college prospect. Shouldn't we see him at least in AAA anytime? As for the majors, is there an argument to be made he might be more productive than what's at 3B right now in Houston (Valbuena and Moran)?
Ben Badler: I think he could help them now and a Triple-A promotion probably isn’t far away, but I also understand why they haven’t promoted a guy who missed time with an injury and has only played 34 games in Double-A.

Joey Gallo (State of Confusion): Was I called up simply to take up (a lot of) space on the bench?
Ben Badler: Yeah, that one’s a head-scratcher. Either use him or let him play every day in Triple-A.

Dwil (Dallas): Tell me all you know about Andy Ibanez. How does he fit into the long term plans of the Rangers being that he is older and the log jam of MI talent in the system?
Ben Badler: I think he’s trade bait. Rougned Odor (who’s even younger than Ibanez) has second base locked down in Texas for a while. The problem is Ibanez is a second baseman with a good bat but no other standout tools, which is a profile that doesn’t tend to fetch much in trades.

Paul (SF): Will Giants stick with Lucius Fox in full season ball? Swing and miss to his game seems counterproductive for the speedster.
Ben Badler: There’s swing-and-miss to his game, but he does have plate patience and the time off he took from organized baseball last year I’m sure didn’t help him. I’d leave him there and hope he can make progress with his hitting ability in the second half.

Joey Bagadonuts (Fluffia): Yo, how about the Fightin' Phils take a bat like Senzel instead of an arm. Last in just about every offensive category and not a lot of pop in the minors.
Ben Badler: Take the best player available. No team should be drafting based on need with the No. 1 overall pick.

Ken (Lakewood CA): Hi Ben - and thanks for the chat. Yandy Diaz made the list. Would he be somebody we might see playing 3B for the Indians this year? Don't think I'd let Uribe stop me from bringing him up if he's deemed ready. Is there anybody else to consider at 3B?
Ben Badler: He’s growing on me. I wouldn’t bring him up yet, but I could see it happening by the end of the season if he starts driving the ball on the inner third with more authority to his pull side.

Pat o. G. (Florida): What can I expect to see from Urias tonight??
Ben Badler: Hard to make a prediction for one start, but if you’ve never seen him before, I think you’re going to be amazed at how easy and natural he makes pitching look for a 19-year-old.

Tim (Toronto): Thanks for the chat! Any new on Yulieski Gourriel?
Ben Badler: No showcases or anything like that yet. Still same ETA, probably not cleared to sign until late in the 2016 season, with the caveat that we’re talking about MLB and international decision-making here.

Levine & Starkey (Repo, NY): What prospect has improved his stock the most this year?
Ben Badler: Ronald Guzman is one that jumps to mind. He had stagnated and dropped off over the last two seasons, but he’s shown a better approach with more contact and more power while jumping to Double-A. Nice rebound for a guy who is still only 21 years old.

Greg (Daytona): What are your thoughts on Kevin Maitan?
Ben Badler: Incredibly talented prospect. We’re going to have a big international signing period preview story next week for BA subscribers and a ton of great July 2 coverage that I’m excited about leading up to the opening of the signing period.

IBC League (USA): Just wanted to take a moment and thank all our Troops and honor them on this Memorial Day Weekend!
Ben Badler: Amen to that. Thanks to for all the questions and a big thank you to all of you guys who have signed up to join Baseball America during our draft/July 2/prospect busy season. We’re trying to raise the bar every year for prospect information and analysis, so I’m glad to see all the kind feedback. Hope everyone enjoys the holiday weekend.