AQA Thread

If I had to bet money, I’d bet against him being anything more than a role player.

My logic and reason say it is way way way too early to make that call. But you said ot go with heart-of-hearts, ie, intuition, and my intuition says he’s not going to turn into a great player.

Hard to say of course…lots of things can change between then and now, injuries, people imploding, other people rising to take their place. But yes, it looks like it is a very strong draft. Andy Seiler over at mlbbonusbaby would have a better feel for it right now than I do, but what i’ve heard is that it should be strong in both hitting and pitching. As good as 2005? I don’t know. But certainly one of the top two or three in the last decade.

Well all I have are scouting reports and some video. He looks like someone who should hit for average and at least moderate power to me. But I am not very good at projecting success for high school hitters….I have a much better feel for pitchers than hitters at that level.

I like Thames a lot as a future platoon bat. Maybe he can platoon with Mastro? Mastro is more of a speed guy while Thames adds power. Yes, I can see them both being useful in the majors, although I am more confident in Thames.

No, I didn’t write it, and I don’t know who did. There are some things I would change on it, but I think it is tacky to edit your own wikipedia page, lol, so I leave it alone.

I see him more as a stopgap than a 5-year solution.

Davis…boy I don’t know what to make of him. I saw him play this past week in OKC, and he looked pretty decent again…he always seems to do well when I see him in Triple-A, doesnt’ flail at stuff wildly. I think he’s a definite change of scenery guy.

but I’m exited to see what Desmond Jennings will do in TB (even if only as a PR/Defensive replacement and Hellickson as a reliever could be dirty)

pegs the top 10 contributors (as in value added) the rest of the way weekly. His latest list is Jennings, Pineda, Chapman, Britton, Montero, Scheppers, Lyles, Ackley, Belt, Goedert. One of these things is not like the others.

Very intriguing pitcher, yes, althoug his walk rate has shot up in Double-A, granted that’s a big jump from the Midwest League. Yes, I like the grounders with a decent strikeout rate and reports of plus stuff. Comps….I dunno. Grade right now would be in the B range I think, maybe B-, not sure yet. Need to tap Midwest sources.

He’s been terrible this year. Yes he has power potential, but he’s got to get above the Mendoza Line in the Midwest League. Power/speed combination is attractive and maybe he’s just been unlucky this year. The Rays are usually pretty conservative, so I wouldn’t expec them to rush him. I doubt you’ll see him anywhere close to the majors for awhile.

Yes Freeman is ahead of Carter now. I had him at 12 on my most recent Rotowire list, with Carter at 23

The power was always there, but he’s been held back by a bad approach. His BB/K is still lousy in Double-A, and I think his .332 average is a fluke. I’d give him a C+

He’s undersized but has some decent tools. I think the breakout is about 60% real and 40% luck. He could be a useful reserve outfielder.

I’d say 4th starter or long reliever. There is some chance he could get beyond that given his youth.

Minor’s progress is genuine in my view. I see him as a future number two starter assuming he does not get hurt

Well it is too early to panic given the tiny major league sample size. But I do have some concerns. Plate discipline was supposed to be one of his best attributes in college, but he hasn’t really carried this to the high minors or majors, at least not if BB/K is any indication. I think the Astros just need to let him play, and I expect he’ll still be a good player, but probably not the superstar slugger originally envisioned.

He’s a prospect due to his power, but his strikeout rate is quite high and he might not hit for much of an average at higher levels. C/C+ prospect.

I’m getting this question a lot. Is there some rumor somewhere that he’ll get called up? Because I wouldn’t do that myself, but they didnt’ ask me

Well the main difficulty I have right now is lack of time and resources. It is a minimum of a 250 mile drive for me to see a minor league game now that Wichita lost their franchise. Any scouting trip I make, the money has to come out of my pocket. This year I have also had family matters that have prevented me from scouting as much as I want to. I have been taking quick one-day jaunts around Omaha, Des Moines, and OKC, but it isn’t as much as I want, so I’m having to rely more on spies, video, and sources who can see more games thatn I can.

As for the scouting itself. . .well, I’m pretty confident in my ability to analyze pitchers. Hitters I still struggle with things like swing mechanics. When I’m at a park, this may sound strange, but the biggest problem I have is weather….early in the year I tend to freeze, in the summer the heat gets to me and is very distracting. I about passed out in OKC last week.

I’d take Hamilton.

Possibility for back end of the top 50 yes. Low 90s fastball that flashes higher, more velocity projectable. Curve and change improving. Throws strikes, good statisitcal performance this year. Potential number two starter if everything works out.

I don’t think he has the tools or upside to rank in the 100, but he’s polished and has some baseball skills. Could be a nice superutility guy

but they are both in another league as Torres. They have deeper repetoires and better command. Interested to see what John says on Torres, though.

doesn’t have the track record to think he may be any more than a solid regular…

the batting average is a fluke. I think he’s a .260-.280 hitter with moderate power.

Anyone who thinks they know what Bailey will do, or makes a firm prediction regarding his future, is taking too much acid. Bad acid laced with rat poison.

My guess is that he’ll always tease. If he does pan out, it would be in a Gil Mecheish way.

.300 with 20-25 homers is the kind of upside scouts would project for Arenado, yes.

If he gets there, he’s going to have to do a better job than he did this year. Very sharp home/road splits for him….947 OPS at home in Asheville, .670 on the road. That’s suspicious. But he’s very young and a lot of scouts love him. We’ll see.

If they don’t expect him to hit 20 homers, why not? Think Joe Randa.

lol no idea

Well….most polished /fastest to the majors would be someone like Wimmers or McGuire. Biggest long-term impact…Taillon, Allie, or (a sleeper) perhaps luke jackson.

Hosmer. He’s really impressed me this year. He looked pretty lousy last season but with the vision correction and better overall health, he exploded, and I think it is genuine.

Oh, boy, what a great question.

On a meta level, I think a lot of posters here aren’t humble enough and make (or want me to make) firm declarative statements that really can’t be justified by the available data. I used to be like that myself…go back and read stuff I wrote in 1996, I was a lot more arrogant then…but nowadays I’ve become increasingly aware of what I DO NOT know. I think this is a matter of youth, frankly….the boards have a lot of guys in their 20s, which is great….young guys are enthusiastic and we need young enthusiastic baseball fans. But trust me…by the time you are 40, if you have any intellectual flexibility at all, you will get more humble.

On a more specifiic level, I don’t completely buy into BABIP theory and I still use H/IP when analyzing pitchers even though this seems to annoy statheads.

Interesting sleeper prospect, I saw him pitch in college. Good at keeping guys off balance, changes speeds well, through strikes, excellent K/BB ratio this year, but rather hittable. Possible fourth starter in the finesse category, but an interesting one. C+ maybe B-

I don’t mind it, he’s been lights out in A-ball this year and a couple of Double-A starts won’t hurt anything at this point. Stats are outstanding, scouting reports are pretty positive, it will be interesting to see where he ranks on various lists at the end of the year. I could see him as high as a Grade B prospect once I tap my sources and get reports.

Well….he is the kind of guy who can hit .230 with 15 homers and 20 steals…not sure how that would rank in terms of major league shortstops. I expect he’ll have a long career but I don’t think he’ll be a frequent all star or anything like that.

Because real scouts sometimes have as much problems projecting high school hitters as I do, lol.

The Angels tend to draft raw athlete types, and those guys tend to have contact and pitch recognition issues.

http://firstinning.com/players/Andre-Rienzo-a/

http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/future-sox/2010/08/andre-rienzo-comparison.html

“Rienzo has a mid 90s fastball and developing off speed pitches. His fastball certainly helps him to over power hitters at this level. His secondary stuff will be counted on as he moves up the system, but he certainly has good potential and he matches up comparably with De Los Santos.”

Sounds about right to me. Not a superduper star, but a guy who will have a job for 15 years.

Huge improvement this year with his command, and an underrated prospect who deserves more attention. Ultimate ceiling is a number two starter, more likely a number three or strong four. but I like him…he’s from the Midwest.

Cruz has strong command and has put up some nice numbers in the Florida State League…good K/BB, decent strikeouts, hit rate a bit high, low 90s, can hit 95 at times, improving his secondary pitches. Strong C+ guy.

Cobb is a year older but at a higher level in Double-A, also has a good statistical set, good K/BB and K/IP, hits a bit high, doesn’t throw quite as hard as Cruz but has a better curve. Another C+ guy. They are very even. I’d probably take Cruz since he is younger.

He hasn’t been terrible, and at age 17 in the Northwest League, that’s pretty damn impressive. The Rangers tend to be aggressive about moving guys up, so I could see him starting next year as high as High-A. If it were up to me, I’d have him in Low-A.

well he has the tools to be a starter…but he’s got to do a better job stealing bases, he’s got 28 bags but has been caught 14 times, a poor ratio. His power hasn’t developed yet, and he’s struggling with contact after moving up to Double-A. On the other hand, he’s only 20.

Future center field starter is the ceiling, fifth outfielder is the floor. My guess is that he never quite hits enough to be a quality starter year in and year out.

we have to see him out of HIgh Desert and the Cal League. He’s a prospect and I like the power potential, but I don’t buy him as a complete hitter, not yet anyway. Have to see what he can do in a not-as-friendly environment.

My sources seem to think he’s mostly for real, perhaps not quite THIS good, but likely to have success in the future.

Toughie.

McNutt’s command is better so I might go with him. But I like Archer a lot too. Honestly, they are close enough that if faced with this choice in real life, i’d pay a lot of attention to the “intangibles”…which one works harder and has a good personaltiy, etc. I don’t have any information about those things, so it is hard to say. But based on what I do know, I’d probably go with Mcnutt.

We’ll I’d like to know what kind of defense he has behind him..he’s a ground ball guy. This would be something a scout or observer who has seen him frequently would be better qualified ot answer.

I’m seeing 21 walks, not 13, but even so the K/BB is excellent at 125/21. #3 sounds right for a ceiling.

.339/.446/.556 in the Appy League, 20 walks, 27 Ks in 124 at-bats. Very fine numbers….but as a college guy in the Appy League, he should be doing well. Let’s see what happens at Beloit next year…..but yes, I did have him as a sleeper pre-draft, and as a Twins fan i’m glad they drafted him. his tools are underrated and he’s hit everywhere he’s been.

It’s a good rotation, but the KC rotation in Double-A has a higher ceiling.

I hate answering questions about guys who havent’ played yet….it is a very apples/oranges thing.

Lee would rank in the Top 10 dodgers prospects certainly, probably top five, but beyond that I don’t know at this stage.

But I’m jealous that you have those guys in your system.

Zach Lee really resembles Kelly, I hope he has the same success.

If healthy, Ranaudo has a higher ceiling. I think his stuff is better.

He’s considered right now to be one of the top three picks in the ’11 draft

Oh, yeah. he has number one starter potential. . .left-handed Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, that sort of thing.

Doesn’t mean he’ll GET there. But that is the ceiling you’re talking about with Purke.

I had not heard about the 97, but i’m not surprised, he hit 94 last year and with another year of maturity better velocity often happens. Yes, his velocity is up and down a bit, sometimes in the upper-80s, often higher, seems to depend on if he’s used as a starter or releiver and how heavy his workloadhas been.

I’d give him a Grade B right now.

Probably not. He’s got enormous power potential, but I think he’s even rawer than Stanton was at the same stage. I mean, it COULD happen. But I don’t think it is likely.

Honestly, how many questions do you think you just asked - pick 1 player.

Chacin 2 Wood 3 Leake 2 Norris 4 Mazzaro BP, Enright 3, Holland 2 Oliver 3

Straight A is possible, won’t decide until the season ends and I start working on the book. . ETA late 2011.

He’s got some pretty serious contact issues to work through. Ceiling would be a 20/20 player, although I don’t think he’ll ever hit for a great batting average.

Well…both are capable of it, if they get the opportunity. I haven’t followed the Cleveland and Cincinnati roster situations or plans well enough to know if that opportunity will come in ’11 or not.

Allie has a much better fastball and thus has a higher ceiling….he could be a number one starter or a superb closer if it all comes together. ZVR is more of a number three starter type, albeit he could be a very good one….efficient, throws strikes, etc. if his velocity picks up a bit more he could be a number two.

My guess is that they end up leaving the current system alone or with very marginal changes. Every time there is a collective bargaining year, they talk about big draft changes but always get cold feet and just tinker with it a little.

Well it depends on the player, obviously. some are more advanced than others. A guy like Machado would be handled differently than Joe Shlabotnick from Moose Patrol Maine.

As for Machado himself, it doesn’t look like he’s going to play this year. I would see how he looks in spring training. If he performs well, send him to Low-A to start the year. If he has problems and is overwhelmed, keep him in extended spring and then send him to the New York Penn League in June. But my guess is that he’ll start off next year in Low-A, and that would be the right move.

I would send him there with the idea that he will stay there the whole season. If he’s tearing the place up on July 1st, you re-assess and think about moving him up to High-A.

I have Myers at Number 17 on my most recent Rotowire Top 100 list. Although I have concerns about where he ends up defensively, the bat is outstanding.

Grades…he was a Grade B in the book, probably an A- now.

ETA depends on how he develops defensively.

Eury Perez: very impressive speed. No power yet, and on-base skills need work, but he’s young enough at 20 to improve those. C+ prospect I think.

Sanchez I know less about. He’s hit for a high average this year but has a gawdaful 2/28 BB/K in 47 games between the GCL and Hagerstown. I will be interested in post-season scouting reports on him…can’t grade him until I talk to some people or see some video.

I’d guess Heyward will hit for the best average, Montero will have the best OBP, and Stanton will have the highest average.

Hmmmm….

Heyward, Stanton, Montero in that order. All three will be or should be All-stars.

My main INT source seems to think it is real. I’d be interested in what the Reds think. He’s been great the second half but the sample is pretty small…we should see him in the majors next year.

Well the Pirates tend to take it easy with young pitchers. If it was the Tigers I’d say 2012, lol.

mid-season 2013 would be optimistic.

88-92 MPH. Good splitter, has a slider. Already 25, but I don’t see why he can’t be a workable 10th or 11th man in a pen.

I don’t know…I’ve got mixed reactions from people who have seen him in the Texas League, some thought he simply looked totally overmatched (and perhaps overrated) but others were still very impressed with his stuff and thought he was just rushed too fast and a bit unlucky. The numbers were pretty ugly but he’s only 19. If he’d spent the year in Low-A (where most kids his age are), it would probably look a lot better and people wouldn’t be worried. His stock has dropped a bit for me, but he’s still elite.

I think it is important. What I really like to see are a strong GB rate combined with a strong K/IP ratio. In my opinion that combination is a very positive indicator for the future.

Bill James disagrees with me about that, he doesn’t think that combination matters too much, at least in the most recent conversation I had with him about the subject.

Archer. Great name for a pitcher.

Ultimate upside…..number two starter if his command sharpens up considerably. More probably a number three or a power reliever. ETA late next year if the Cubs are wise.

I haven’t followed the specifics of the decision closely enough to have an opinion, other than that the Braves are pretty smart.

I like the K/IP and H/IP ratios, very strong. Walk rate is higher than ideal. I’ll have to tap some sources about a scouting report, I don’t know any off the top of my head for him.

Accounting for EVERYTHING? Also this is apples/oranges since some of theese guys have considerable major league experience.

Stanton, McCutchen, Rasmus, Dom Brown, Trout. Trout is hard to rank with the others since he hasn’t played above A-ball

A Mets person who has seen him pitch more than I have would have a better feel for this. I really don’t like the way he was handled this year.

Yeah it is tough to get a read on this one. Ft. Myers is a tough park, but he’s actually got a slightly better SLG at home than on the road. Given his age and tools I expect he can rebound next year. Stock level I’d say.

That is a really hard question. My view is that there are a small handful of teams that “get the most” out of players…the Rays and the Twins are two that come to mind….and a small handful of teams that totally stink at it for whatever reason. But the vast majority of teams are just somewhere in the middle. It is also not a static thing, it changes over time as personnel come and go through various systems

If I had to bet right now I’d say neither one of them ever makes a big impact.

Both are young enough to prove me wrong, especially Triunfel. But gun to the head, I say neither.

Anyone in the top five rounds pretty much gets in automatically. After that, it depends on a combination of performance and potential. Tommy Shirley will get in. I haven’t made any decisions beyond that.

His walk rate is still too high for me to project immediate success. I think I’d leave him as a starter for now and let him build up more innings to try and calm the walks down, but in the long run he’ll probably end up in the pen.

To do this probably I’d have to look up reports on defense, etc. and in this format that would take some time.

I will say that I like Billy Hamilton a lot, and Cozart is going to have a long major league career, at least as a utility guy.

Montero, Hosmer, Freeman, Arencibia, and Carter all have to be looked at. I expect Brett Lawrie will develop a lot of home run power as he matures.

Holland has already shown he can sometimes get major league hitters out.

Pretty solid. I would be happy if I was an Indians fan.

Early Guys I like: Pomeranz, Wolters, Blair, Lavisky, Cooper, Holt. I’m not wild about Washington and Cook.

Yankees.

He has the natural talent to end up on a top 50 list eventually, but a lot of guys do who never make it. I cuold see closing as an eventual option, although if I were the Mets I’d leave him in the rotation for now and build up his experience level. His run of three strong starts in August shows what he’s capable of when things are right with him. He is still just 20, still has time to figure his craft out.

He looks like a number four guy to me, maybe a three if everything goes perfectly.

i see enormous potential with this one….he has that high-strikeout/high-grounder combination that I spoke of earlier. He also has too many walks, but the stuff looks very impressive statistcally and by report as well. Just needs more experience and command

I don’t know to be honest.

Well you summarize it pretty well I’d say. My guess is that he stays about the same in 2011, then in 2012 he either 1) gets hurt and collapses 2) takes a big step forward.

And he could develop into a genuine anchor if all goes well, yes

It is a big jump. Hitters in Double-A are much more disciplined, less likely to chase garbage pitches, more likely to make adjustments, etc. Double-A seperates the wheat from the chaff, especially with finesse pitchers.

He’s lost a bit in my eyes…I’d hoped he could develop additional power and be more than just a speed guy….but he’s still an elite prospect. I’d give him a B+.

He’s fairly marginal….reports from Iowa aren’t that hot. I could see him being a good utility pticher.

Martin has sucked a bit more, so he’s more disappointing. What’s wrong with him? He’s a young pitcher with command issues…it doesn’t get more complicated than that. The SPECIFIC problem and if it is fixable would take some video work or a scout who has seen him multiple times, but basically it boils down to inability to throw strikes.

He’s slugged .496 outside of Richmond, and I was impressed with hiim in the Arizona Fall League last year. I still think he can be a solid regular outfielder, not a star, but a good player.

i have not followed the Braves major league situation closely enough to predict this.

well….It probably isn’t too good for him, he sometimes has problems with his swing mechanics going sour, and pinch-hitting/iiregular play is known to mess up swings. But on the other hand, just hanging around the major league team in a pennant race could be good for his emotional and knowledge development.

If he gets regular playing time in 2011, either in Triple-A or the majors, I’m not concerend. If they start using him part-time in the majors in ‘11, then I’d be worried.

His bat won’t play at a corner spot without more power development. But he’s strong and young, and the power may come in time. Of course…he’ll probably lose some speed in time as well. I rate him as a Grade C right now, toolsy but still quite raw.

Homer Bailey

Is it legit this time, or is Homer going to forever be a late-season tease?

by gore51 on Aug 22, 2025 6:46 PM PDT

Just sayin’, you might want to pick something else.

If he works out, it will be similar to what Gil Meche did.

I hate comparing hitters and pitchers on the same list. hate it hate it hate it.

Splitting them up, I’d go Hellickson, Mejia, Phelps, although I like Phelps quite a bit.
Heyward, Kalish, Carter, Singleton, Jones.

Midwest League source VERY impressed with the bat. Glove….that needs a lot of work.

I wish they would just stick him at one level so we can get a good age-appopriate sample size.

I don’t have a clue what he will become at this point. he could be a .300, 20 homer guy. He could be a .260, 10 homer guy. He could fizzle in Triple-A. I have no idea what to think about him at this point.

It’s…well, unique i guess. I wouldn’t have done it myself, woudl probably have kept him in the rotation until he met a pre-determined innings limit.

…here’s an interesting article David Huzzard at Federal Baseball found with a Harrisburg blogger’s take on Milone. Have you or anyone in your network seen him? I wish that I’d been able to trek up to Harrisburg sometime this year. OT: Much happier that the Nats picked up Harrisburg over Richmond as their AA affiliate going forward.

He’s rather hittable, but the K/BB points to significant potential as a control artist.

Because he doesn’t throw that hard, scouts will be skeptical until he shows he can get major league hitters out. But I believe in meritocracy, and he deserves a full and fair trial in Triple-A next year. if that works out, then he deserves a full trial in the majors too.

However, baseball is not a pure meritocracy.

Never watched it. I seldom have time for TV anymore.

Also, the more I think about the Star Trek movie, the more I want to punch J.J. Abrams in the stomach.

Because of the injury, the statistical sample is pretty small. I’m not surprised by the lack of power. Reports on glove are still good, although minor league range factor is poor…keep in mind that RF is a flawed number, esp. at the minor league level,but it is interesting that it doesn’t match up with the scouting reports.

future very good hitter.

I haven’t focused enough on the 2011 draft to answer this without an hour of research.

Ask Andy Seiler at MLB Bonus Baby. he’d have a much better idea.

Huge progress turning his tools into skills this year. More homers will come eventually. ETA late 2011, although the Cubs like to promote people before I think they should.

that’s 3 questions. Please go re-read John’s original post and pick 1 guy. Remember he’s already doing this as a favor to us so at least respect his wishes.

I love all three of these guys.

A healthy McGee is a strong Grade B+ prospect, perhaps an A-.
Barnese is a strong B. Colome is at least that and maybe a B+.

Love the Rays. Love them.

He’s improved his reliability, lowering his error rate each year. He has the speed for the position from what I’m told and the numbers don’t dispute this.

I have him at number 48 on the most recent rotowire list.

In the book list, which is split between hitters and pitchers, he’ll likely rank in the 20-25 range of the hitters if current thinking holds and depending on what research reveals. I saw him in college and he’s made a lot of adjustments since then apparently.

He’s probably a #4 starter, or a nice long reliever. He has decent stuff, but nothing overpowering.

Given the way the Yankees love to deal prospects, Id be willing to bet he gets traded to a lower division team at some point and becomes their #4.

i like both these guys, and Phelps has really blossomed since college. I can see them both as strong inning-eating types, number threes or strong fours, if all works out.

I was a huge fan of mitchell before the injury. . .tools are excellent, polish improving, and makeup off the charts. With the injury, it is wait and see…reports on rehab are positive, but speed was his best attribute and if that gets reduced, he’ll have to take the other parts of his game forward. But I really like him alot if he’s healthy.

I would still have turner ahead but Oliver has made good progress this year. I have not heard anything specific about his pitch selection in Triple-A.

Reynolds….no strikeouts at Tulsa, not many grounders…he won’t make it with that profile.

My guess is that he’s a Triple-A/Quadruple-A guy, will see some major league action as a utility pitcher occasionally, but won’ t live up to his draft position.

Lesson? Pitchers get hurt. :)

Too broad. Good question for when the book is done.

They are pretty close. I’ll go with Joseph…he’s younger and healthier. I don’t expect either will be long term regulars.

Kipnis, Havens, Sizemore in that order. late 2011, late 2011, early 2011.

Well you’ve seen him, I haven’t. :) What did you see?

looking at the numbers he looks like a potential middle man to me. Would have to check sources for some scouting info.

When I was younger I could answer questions like that off the top of my head, but i just draw blanks nowadays when people just ask me to name names. this would take time to research properly. I could answer this better after I write the book and have the information fresh in my head.

Sands is a pretty impressive player, but I’d take all of those guys ahead of him.

I don’t get the hating on wimmers in some circles, but I’m a twins fan so I may be biased.

Not truly comparable to Minor I don’t think…but I can see some similarities to Leake, although Leake has a bigger arsenal.

this kid doesn’t wear batting gloves.

Very interesting player, Carpenter. I don’t think he’ll hit many homers, but if he can keep the BA and OBP high he could at least be a good bench guy. I don’t see a challenge to Freese in ST, but if he gets off to a slow start or gets hurt again, Carpenter could be up a year from now.

two years.

I think Bowden is a much better bet. Poreda is completely fouled up at this point and there is a high risk he never does anything. Bowden can at least be a decent reliever and could still start for some teams.

A healthy Ranaudo is a potential number one, ace starter.I will leave the comparisons at that.

Here is the deal though: I’m still suspicious about his arm, and expect that he’ll have a serious injury within the next year, no matter what the current reports say. Do I have any proof of that? No. But it is what I expect.

highly intriguing…..strong glove, bat looks good too, a well-kept secret that should be on your long-term prospect lists. Could be in Top 50 (or even MAYBE 25) this time next year.

I agree that Rizzo is ahead of Lars at this point. Carlos Pena type? Not sure about that. I don’t see 30 homer power out of Rizzo.

None of those guys have a clear path to a closer job in my view, although under the right circumstances it isn’t impossible.

I was skeptical about Devin but I’m buying into him now. He’s improved in all respects and is in better physical shape after battling injuries the last two years. He may need a consolidation season to get everything locked down, but he’s among the best catching prospects in the game now.

6. Hellickson and Dominic Brown.

Sorry about that.