Community Pitching Prospect #5
by auclairkeithbc on Nov 9, 2025 10:19 PM EST
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PrintWith 40.0% of the vote, Trevor Bauer is elected Community Pitching Prospect #4.
RESULTS:
Trevor Bauer: 40.0%
Tyler Skaggs: 16.3%
Danny Hultzen: 15.0%
Gerrit Cole: 10% (write in)
Jameson Taillon: 6.3%
Taijuan Walker: 3.8%
Drew Pomeranz: 3.8%
Jarrod Parker: 2.5%
Carlos Martinez: 1.3%
Dylan Bundy: 1.3% (write in)
James Paxton: 0%
Martin Perez: 0%
CANDIDATES: Tyler Skaggs, Danny Hultzen, Gerrit Cole, Jameson Taillon, Taijuan Walker, Drew Pomeranz, Jarrod Parker, Carlos Martinez, Dylan Bundy, Jacob Turner
IN ROTATION: James Paxton (#4 - 0%), Martin Perez (#4 - 0%)
TESTERS: Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler, Brad Peacock, Archie Bradley
#01 - MATT MOORE - 91.0%
#02 - JULIO TEHERAN - 57.3%
#03 - SHELBY MILLER - 66.7%
#04 - TREVOR BAUER - 40.0%
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+1
Rather surprised this is the first Skaggs vote…
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by Dan Strittmatter on Nov 10, 2025 12:13 AM EST up reply actions
+1
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+1
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+1
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by rwperu34 on Nov 10, 2025 1:30 AM EST up reply actions
+1
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by Jeff Reese on Nov 10, 2025 8:32 AM EST up reply actions
+1
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by mathisrocks5 on Nov 9, 2025 11:14 PM EST up reply actions
+1
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by oriolenation on Nov 9, 2025 11:46 PM EST up reply actions
+1
"We did a lot of good things last year, and now we've got Julio ... That does nothing but improve the offense, and we expect to do better. That's our goal, to lead the NFL in everything. Every offensive category." -Roddy White
by Beachy Keen on Nov 10, 2025 1:49 AM EST up reply actions
+1
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btho Iowa State
by MonkeyEpoxy on Nov 10, 2025 8:26 AM EST up reply actions
+1
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+1
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by Marisa Ingemi on Nov 10, 2025 11:25 AM EST up reply actions
That's 20
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by casejud on Nov 10, 2025 5:42 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
+1
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by prestonb1291 on Nov 10, 2025 10:40 AM EST up reply actions
+1
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by McCutchenIsTheTruth on Nov 9, 2025 10:28 PM EST up reply actions
+1
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by Archie A on Nov 9, 2025 11:29 PM EST up reply actions
+1
" It's never just a game when you're winning" - George Carlin
by casejud on Nov 10, 2025 12:03 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
+1
Yoenis Cespedes
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=15469
^ the bottom video ^
by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Nov 10, 2025 5:00 AM EST up reply actions
+1
"When the going gets tough, the tough get going."
by BenMc5 on Nov 9, 2025 10:56 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
+1
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by doublestix on Nov 9, 2025 11:06 PM EST up reply actions
+1
Alex Bunbury = good. Teal Bunbury = a colour
by Lesean25 on Nov 9, 2025 11:18 PM EST up reply actions
+1
I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin'
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+1
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by CaptainCanuck on Nov 10, 2025 12:44 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
+1
Yoenis Cespedes
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=15469
^ the bottom video ^
by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Nov 10, 2025 5:00 AM EST up reply actions
scratch it
he’d be next for me though, ahead of Skaggs.
Yoenis Cespedes
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=15469
^ the bottom video ^
by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Nov 10, 2025 5:01 AM EST up reply actions
me too
I’d leave him on for next round
by PrincetonCubs on Nov 10, 2025 10:12 AM EST up reply actions
OTHERS (Please Post Player Name Then Reply +1 To Make Official Vote For Non-Listed Player)
by auclairkeithbc on Nov 9, 2025 10:22 PM EST reply actions 4 recs
Archie Bradley, Jed Bradley
" It's never just a game when you're winning" - George Carlin
by casejud on Nov 10, 2025 12:13 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Hell
if we are just throwing out names, Luis Heredia.
Da'Sean Butler - A Mountaineer Legend
by McCutchenIsTheTruth on Nov 10, 2025 9:27 AM EST up reply actions
you would vote for Luis Heredia next?
Seriously?
by siddfynch on Nov 10, 2025 10:48 AM EST up reply actions
Arodys Vizcaino
"When the going gets tough, the tough get going."
by BenMc5 on Nov 10, 2025 10:55 AM EST up reply actions
I just
love Taillon’s overall package. I’ll admit to homerism, but he’s 19 with an impressive frame, virtually clean mechanics, and a present 70-75 FB and a curveball that already might be better.
That’s bold praise of the curveball, but here’s a quote from a Piratesprospect article…
I spoke with an American League scout about Taillon earlier this year, and got a great review. The scout called Taillon’s curveball the best in the game. Not the South Atlantic League. Not minor league baseball. All of baseball. If you’ve ever seen Taillon’s curveball, you’d agree that the pitch has to at least be up there. It’s a major league pitch already, and is making low-A hitters look foolish. Taillon sets up the curveball with his fastball, which has been sitting around 94-96 MPH this year, and has reached 98-99 MPH in the past.
Now that’s only one scout’s assessment, and it’s probably embellishment, but I saw Taillon pitch about a half dozen times from right behind home plate last summer. The curve is devastatingly filthy. Honestly, The scout may be right, but even if he’s not Taillon’s curve isn’t behind many and it isn’t much behind the ones it fails to match.
His change-up has also flashed plus or better, but again he’s 19. His control was very good this year and his command needs refinement but improved during the course of the year according to reports and there’s no reason to think he can’t have plus command in time.
Of the pitchers left, I’m not sure if any have better upside than Taillon, other than Bundy and, in my opinion, Bundy is simply Taillon with a bit more polish and a bit less impressive frame. The difference is Bundy hasn’t throw a pro pitch and hasn’t made it through a full season without injury or the wheels falling off.
Da'Sean Butler - A Mountaineer Legend
by McCutchenIsTheTruth on Nov 9, 2025 10:41 PM EST up reply actions
I am sure Tailon's curve is phenominal, but lets not get ahead of ourselves.
There are some nasty curves. Just stop for a second and mentally compare it to Kershaw’s, Verlander’s, and Strausburgs.
Does he really have a legit 75 grade fastball? That is pretty much a grade that Verlander would get for his fastball. It has to be really really good.
Maybe I am being too skeptic, but this wouldn’t be the first time a player low in the minors recieved grades that are too high.
I like Tailon, but Hultzen, imo, also has a very high upside and much less risk.
by mr. maniac on Nov 9, 2025 11:24 PM EST up reply actions
I'm surprised by the Hultzen ardor
Well it isn’t unexpected I guess as many seem to like him here post-draft, but I don’t see the case for him over Tyler Skaggs for 1 & the Cole-Taillon-D.Bundy triumvarate seems to offer so much more raw upside (with reasonable floors considering their talent advantages - in my opinion).
He’s a fine prospect & I liked the draft choice but I am sort of stunned he’s outpacing Skaggs who is not dissimilar at this point.
by Matt0330 on Nov 9, 2025 11:56 PM EST up reply actions
Drew Pomeranz too
I prefer him to Danny Hultzen also (albeit not by a great deal).
by Matt0330 on Nov 9, 2025 11:57 PM EST up reply actions
The thing is...
Taillon’s hype is not stat based(good, but not great stats this year), he is pitching for a team which has a history of having top minor league arms that require some type of surgery, which likely causes many to sub-consciously shy away from these prospects, and it has even been a full year following the hype from being the “arm with the most upside in the draft” which usually results in a higher ranking for arms with very little or no pro data and glowing, but usuaully not completely accurate, amateur scouting reports. His stuff has lived up to the hype that he had received pre-draft and he has been flat out dominant at times. Stuff-wise, I would only take Moore over Taillon.
ETHAN MARTIN!!!!
by joegonzo on Nov 10, 2025 12:51 AM EST up reply actions
+1
my next five are probably going to be Bundy, Taillon, Cole, Pomeranz, Hultzen
though i’m open to being convinced otherwise
by blue bulldog on Nov 10, 2025 5:27 AM EST up reply actions
actually no
scratch that, i don’t think i like Cole higher than the other two
by blue bulldog on Nov 10, 2025 5:29 AM EST up reply actions
I like Skaggs and agree that he is quite similar.
Hultzen is just a personal preference on mine. Something about him makes me feel that he has “it”, if you know what I mean.
And to put it this way, I feel Hultzen has legit ace upside. His stuff seems like it will just get better, and I feel his command will continue to sharpen.
At some point, ranking players becomes subjective. Two guys can both be projectable, but it depends who you believe will change the most. If I was trying to be as objective and unbiased as I could be, I would rank them around neck and neck.
I can’t speak for the other voters, but I am going to guess the AFL game has a lot to do with it.
by mr. maniac on Nov 10, 2025 9:05 AM EST up reply actions
it's kinda weird
but i’d have Hultzen higher if he were pitching for an NL team, since i think his bat has the potential to be 0.5-1.0 WAR better than other pitchers
since he’s most likely pitching in the AL though, that takes away that advantage
by blue bulldog on Nov 10, 2025 11:42 AM EST up reply actions
i'm confused
why do you think this affects his ranking?
by blue bulldog on Nov 10, 2025 12:51 PM EST up reply actions
Oh wow.
Nevermind, I completely misread your post. I missed “bat”, which turned out to be a pretty important word.
by mr. maniac on Nov 10, 2025 3:11 PM EST up reply actions
Which
is why I doubt the scout and chalk it up to sensationalism. Still, it is very good, and he’s only 19, so it may be get better. Even with Bauer still on the farm, it may be the best curve in the minor leagues. This isn’t meant to be a knock or a personal attack, but I guess you just may need to see it to really believe.
No joke, I saw him pitch about 5 starts this past summer and I don’t think I saw a player hit his curveball. I don’t mean get a hit, and I don’t mean put it in play, heck I don’t mean even foul it off, I don’t remember a player making ANY type of contact with his curveball, and I probably saw 20+ curveballs and at least half of those were for strikes, either looking or swining.
Again, there’s plenty to still be skeptical about; he’s years away and didn’t put up super-special numbers. His fastball command needs refinement, which isn’t a guarantee. he doesn’t really have a third pitch right now (This could spark a huge debate, because people will claim he has a slider; Again watching him for several starts, I’m 100% he never threw a slider. He either scrapped it or draft reports simply saw his curve and thought it was a slider because it has insane horizontal movement but is definitely a curveball).
I certainly wouldn’t quarrel with someone who dropped Taillon multiple spots in their personal list. If he starts dropping outside the top 10 pitching prospects, my eyebrows might raise.
Da'Sean Butler - A Mountaineer Legend
by McCutchenIsTheTruth on Nov 10, 2025 8:04 AM EST up reply actions
Also
Would Verlander’s fastball not be a clear 80 at this point? I mean I know 80 grades aren’t given out too often, but I was under the impression that Verlander’s fastball is top 3 in the game, if not simply the best, and that has to be an 80 grade, no?
Da'Sean Butler - A Mountaineer Legend
by McCutchenIsTheTruth on Nov 10, 2025 8:51 AM EST up reply actions
The problem with giving Verlander an 80 grade is that you are syaing there is nothing better.
Chapman’s probably has the edge (even though he can’t control it) and you have to think some oldies like Nolan Ryan would object.
I’m just not big on giving out 80 grades.
by mr. maniac on Nov 10, 2025 8:58 AM EST up reply actions
Um
that is not what an 80 grade, at least in my book, is.
If I’m understanding you right, for Bryce Harper to have 80 power, no one has better power than him?
That’s just not how it works, according to Baseball America. For example, Mike Trout is given 80 speed here. I’m fairly sure basically everyone would agree Billy Hamilton has better speed, so Trout shouldn’t have 80 speed in your theory, but he does. In fact, if you flip down a few pages to #50, Hamilton is there with 80 speed.
Hamilton’s speed is better than Trout’s, but Trout still gets an 80. 80’s are very rare, but aren’t simply the best in baseball of a certain tool or pitch.
Verlander’s fastball is really high up there, so I think most experts and people would rate it as an 80.
Hopefully that didn’t come off as arrogant or jerkish. I’m just trying to relay what I think is correct.
Da'Sean Butler - A Mountaineer Legend
by McCutchenIsTheTruth on Nov 10, 2025 9:15 AM EST up reply actions
I guess I view it differently then.
To clarify, I don’t mean if Player A is a tiny bit faster than Player B, then Player B can’t have 80 speed. As long as they are in the same class it is fair. Not ever grade 70 pitch is equal, if you know what I mean.
by mr. maniac on Nov 10, 2025 10:44 AM EST up reply actions
Right
but I think Verlander’s fastball is definitely an 80 pitch. It holds triple digits late into games and he has great command of it.
A 75 may be a bit high on Taillon, but for example BA had Taillon’s fastball at a 70 before last season.
Da'Sean Butler - A Mountaineer Legend
by McCutchenIsTheTruth on Nov 10, 2025 3:50 PM EST up reply actions
BA had 23 pitchers in their top 100 with 70 or higher fastballs
I’m pretty sure its not a present grade (which you claim it is in your initial post) and its obviously not especially rare when 47% of the pitchers who cracked their top 100 are grading out just as good or better.
by nixa37 on Nov 11, 2025 12:14 PM EST up reply actions
Potentially more upside
Gerrit Cole maybe? To me he’s head & shoulders the guy at this juncture (although Jameson Taillon & Dylan Bundy would be the next two)
by Matt0330 on Nov 9, 2025 11:44 PM EST up reply actions
In terms of upside
For the sake of the 2011-12 offseason, Tyler Skaggs would actually be #5 for me at this juncture of his ascent to clarify.
by Matt0330 on Nov 9, 2025 11:45 PM EST up reply actions
I actually
thought Cole, but I didn’t want to appear like a complete homer. Honest admission here, but I don’t know much about Skaggs right now, but I was under the impression his upside was tad lower. However, (and I’m actually looking at a bunch of stats right now, holy wow) that comes with an absolutely dominant 2011 across A+ and AA ball, giving him a decent floor at this point after proving himself at a higher level than most of the guys on this list (with Turner being the exception I guess).
Either way, I guess Zona made a good trade with Dan Haren after all. Skaggs and Saunders looked like (and Rodriguez + Corbin) looked iffy at the time for the Diamondbacks. Good for them.
Da'Sean Butler - A Mountaineer Legend
by McCutchenIsTheTruth on Nov 10, 2025 8:08 AM EST up reply actions
Well Cole obviously has a whole lot of upside.
That slider was dirty and his changeup could be lethal if he commands it better. I’m not sure why he struggled to miss a ton of bats in college, especially during that one stretch. Something scares me about that.
by mr. maniac on Nov 10, 2025 9:06 AM EST up reply actions
Ya
it was unnerving. I keep my fingers crossed that it was simply fastballs being left up and pitch sequencing, two things that can be fixed fairly easily, and allegedly progress is already being made on the former.
I’m hoping he comes out and dominates next year.
Da'Sean Butler - A Mountaineer Legend
by McCutchenIsTheTruth on Nov 10, 2025 9:16 AM EST up reply actions
I really don't know what to expect from him, so I just feel like I can't rank him that highly.
I hope things do turn out okay for him, though.
by mr. maniac on Nov 10, 2025 10:46 AM EST up reply actions
Taillon is next on my list after Skaggs
And sixth overall.
by cookiedabookie on Nov 10, 2025 12:45 AM EST up reply actions
I'm closing this poll
After 90 votes, Skaggs wins with 27 total votes, 7 more than Danny Hultzen and 10 more than Gerrit Cole.
by auclairkeithbc on Nov 10, 2025 6:53 PM EST reply actions
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