Community Positional Prospect #41 RUNOFF
by auclairkeithbc on Dec 31, 2025 11:04 AM EST
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PrintAfter 24 hours of voting, Kolten Wong and Jedd Gyorko are separated by 1 vote and will now face off head to head to determine the 41st positional prospect.
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#01 - BRYCE HARPER - 59.2%
#02 - MIKE TROUT - 38.8% (In Poll #1)
#03 - JURICKSON PROFAR - 52.9%
#04 - MANNY MACHADO - 31.5% (55.1% In Runoff)
#05 - DEVIN MESORACO - 45.1%
#06 - WILL MYERS - 31.6% (51.4% In Runoff)
#07 - JESUS MONTERO - 61.3%
#08 - ANTHONY RENDON - 53.1%
#09 - TRAVIS D'ARNAUD - 46.6%
#10 - NOLAN ARENADO - 33.3%
#11 - MIGUEL SANO - 37.3%
#12 - YONDER ALONSO - 22.5% (45.3% In 3-Way Runoff)
#13 - FRANCISCO LINDOR - 26.1%
#14 - BUBBA STARLING - 33.8%
#15 - XANDER BOGAERTS - 25.0% (55.2% In 3-Way Runoff)
#16 - ANTHONY RIZZO - 27.8%
#17 - OSCAR TAVERAS - 40.3%
#18 - BRETT JACKSON - 20.3% (58.7% In Runoff)
#19 - YASMANI GRANDAL - 31.3%
#20 - JAKE MARISNICK - 27.3%
#21 - HAK-JU LEE - 28.0%
#22 - NICK FRANKLIN - 24.3%
#23 - CHESLOR CUTHBERT - 30.3%
#24 - CHRISTIAN YELICH - 27.1%
#25 - JONATHAN SINGLETON - 21.9% (53.8% In Runoff)
#26 - MIKE OLT - 21.5% (67.7% In Runoff)
#27 - ANTHONY GOSE -22.7% (70.5% In Runoff)
#28 - GEORGE SPRINGER - 23.6% (59.6% In Runoff)
#29 - JOSH BELL - 27.1%
#30 - MICHAEL CHOICE - 17.4% (63.2% In Runoff)
#31 - GARY SANCHEZ - 24.6%
#32 - RYAN LAVARNWAY - 24.7%
#33 - GARY BROWN - 26.7%
#34 - LEONYS MARTIN - 20.3% (63.0% In Runoff)
#35 - NICK CASTELLANOS - 24.6% (58.5% In Runoff)
#36 - WILIN ROSARIO - 20.0% (51.7% In Runoff)
#37 - STARLING MARTE - 30.6%
#38 - JEAN SEGURA - 18.5% (52.2% In Runoff)
#39 - RYMER LIRIANO - 29.5%
#40 - JONATHAN SCHOOP - 27.3%
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+1
http://bullpenbanter.com
RIP Randy "Macho Man" Savage
by gatling on Dec 31, 2025 12:05 PM EST up reply actions
+1
Happy Holliday's everybody. Be safe and, enjoy! - Case
by casejud on Dec 31, 2025 12:30 PM EST up reply actions
+1
"When the going gets tough, the tough get going."
by BenMc5 on Dec 31, 2025 6:05 PM EST up reply actions
20
"When the going gets tough, the tough get going."
by BenMc5 on Dec 31, 2025 6:33 PM EST up reply actions
+1
"Hey Laserlips. Your mama was a snowblower."
by AirmanSD on Dec 31, 2025 9:47 PM EST up reply actions
Don't make the Wong choice here
. . or, rather, do make it.
Lets see here, this year Wong entered the Midwest League with zero pro experience as a 20/21 real old and raked immediately - .335/.401/.510. In 2010 Gyorko entered the MWL as a 21/22 year old after a month in the Northwest League and wasn;’t nearly as good - .284/.366/.389
Gyorko was obviously outstanding in the hitter friendly Cal League but, not nearly as much so in either the Midwest Leagyue or, the Texas League. Wong looks like he could have an advantage in positional value as well. Seems like an easy choice to me.
Can’t go wrong with Wong!
Happy Holliday's everybody. Be safe and, enjoy! - Case
by casejud on Dec 31, 2025 12:30 PM EST reply actions
Wong looks like he could have an advantage in positional value as well.
How do you figure?
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RIP Randy "Macho Man" Savage
by gatling on Dec 31, 2025 12:36 PM EST up reply actions
Decent second baseman vs a maybe decent third baseman? Not entirely sure about that but, I have heard at least talk of Gyroko moving off of third, where he would be back at his college position, second base.
Maybe we could call there future defensive values a wash at this point or, do are you certain of Gyroko being solid at third?
Happy Holliday's everybody. Be safe and, enjoy! - Case
by casejud on Dec 31, 2025 7:01 PM EST up reply actions
I don't think there are any real concerns anymore
in regards to Gyorko sticking at 3B and being at least average there. This isn’t a James Darnell situation. 3B=2B on the positional adjustment scale, so I don’t think it’s right to characterize Wong as having an advantage there. And I say that as someone who voted for Wong here, though these two aren’t far apart on my overall list.
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RIP Randy "Macho Man" Savage
by gatling on Jan 1, 2026 12:36 AM EST up reply actions
Perhaps you are right
. . and of course someone smarter than me decided tyhese things but, I don’t see how a position up the middle of the diamond that is most responsible (along with the shortstop) of the vital function of a team’s defense, that of turning the double play on a regular basis, has equal defensive value to third base. I just don’t see it. I think a good second-baseman at least has more value.
Happy Holliday's everybody. Be safe and, enjoy! - Case
by casejud on Jan 1, 2026 12:42 PM EST up reply actions
There are some points that support you
First, the adjustments are obviously just estimates, not exact amounts, so it is possible that 2B is a little more valuable. Second, they are based on historical data that goes back to when the game was played in a different way. Part of the reason 3B ranks highly is because it was a very important position to play when bunts played a larger role in the game, and I believe 2B is held back by the relatively small number of double plays earlier in the games history.
by nixa37 on Jan 1, 2026 12:49 PM EST up reply actions
Thanks
. . that would be highly bizarre if a cutting edge stat like WAR had basic probelms with its positional adjustment. That almost makes me want to defend them If It would make so many fans of the stat wet themselves if it were true :)
Happy Holliday's everybody. Be safe and, enjoy! - Case
by casejud on Jan 1, 2026 1:17 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Well WAR is an estimate
I still think the positional adjustments are a good guide, but I don’t think they’re meant to be as accurate as some people think.
by nixa37 on Jan 1, 2026 1:21 PM EST up reply actions
That's an interesting take on it
To me, it seems like we’re finally starting to value 3B defense more accurately because for too long 3B was considered too similar to 1B and was looked at too heavily on the offensive side. Teams seem to be putting more emphasis on 3B defense and that has bled over into the statistical analysis as well.
You’ve definitely given me something else to consider there and I’d love to see some sort of study to see if the positional adjustment for 3B is too heavily weighted by much older data. Maybe I’m being a bit naive, but if there was a drastic influence in that regard, wouldn’t someone like Tom Tango or Dave Cameron or someone in that vein have tackled that and tried to tweak it in hopes of creating a more accurate valuation?
http://bullpenbanter.com
RIP Randy "Macho Man" Savage
by gatling on Jan 1, 2026 5:29 PM EST up reply actions
I think it was necessary to get a large enough sample size
And they’re meant to be estimates instead of hard values because of the inherent error involved in such a study makes “more accurate” basically meaningless. They could try and make it look more accurate, but that doesn’t actually mean it would be a more accurate predictor.
I do agree though that 3B defense was underrated for a long time. Obviously its much tougher to play than 1B, but it was treated as similar for a long time. Its much closer to 2B than it is to 1B.
by nixa37 on Jan 1, 2026 6:41 PM EST up reply actions
Based on the gap in MWL #'s
Wong should put up a 1.289 OPS in high A-ball to see the same gap continue. Leaving Gyorko’s 2011 out of the equation makes Wong look like the better prospect. If we are to include what Gyorko did this year, which includes the following rankings covering the entire minor leagues -
hits (192) - 1st
TB (318) - 1st
2b (47) - 5th
runs (119) - 3rd
rbi (114) - 2nd
by Amish_Willy on Dec 31, 2025 1:34 PM EST up reply actions
Gyorko
did that in the Cal League though
two years ago, Goldschmidt put up similar numbers in the Cal League at the same age Gyorko did this past year, albeit with a much higher strikeout rate, and he didn’t sniff a Top 100 list
i’m actually pretty worried still about Gyorko as a prospect, especially since he doesn’t seem like a guarantee to stick at 3B. i want to see him in a full season at AA, and if he can continue to put up monster numbers like what Goldschmidt did (again, same age), then that’ll make me a believer
by blue bulldog on Dec 31, 2025 3:05 PM EST up reply actions
Where do I start
Couple of points, the difference in K% is huge, Gyorko -16.8%, Goldschmidt - 26.9% - Or to put another way, Goldy strikes out 60% more (174 vs. 114 w/same PA’s). That’s huge. Gyorko had a wRC of 169 to Goldy’s 152 mark. Not to mention the difference in home parks. Both guys are right-handed bats, with Visala having a HR PF of 130, to Lake Elsinore’s mark of 52, making Gyorko’s numbers that much more impressive.
As far as your concerns about Gyorko sticking to 3b, everything I’ve read of late (BA/BP/JS/Padres outlets) has put those concerns to rest. Everyone expects him to stick at 3b, and be average at worst. The Padres actions speak pretty loudly too, with Headley available not only now but at the deadline as well, when Gyorko could feasibly step in.
Goldy like a lot of young slugging 1b, got knocked because he plays the least valuable defensive position.
by Amish_Willy on Dec 31, 2025 4:39 PM EST up reply actions
maybe....
i just really don’t trust Cal League numbers
i’m just not comfortable being optimistic about Gyorko until i see him do something similar in AA
by blue bulldog on Dec 31, 2025 8:20 PM EST up reply actions
It's not like he really struggled in the Texas league
.288/.358/.428 with 7 home runs as a 22 year old getting his first shot at the level. It obviously isn’t spectacular, but he more than held his own.
by walnut falcons on Dec 31, 2025 8:56 PM EST up reply actions
no it isn't bad
. . but 22 years old is not young for AA (as far as predictiveness for big league sucess) and, the major leagues are filled with guys who were really good in AA (especially among good major leaguers) not, guys who have held thier own.
He was an absolutely outstanding player in the Cal League and, a decent one in the TL but, there is considerable doubt aboput the big league future of someone who being considered for the 41st best position prospect in the minor leagues. There just won’t be 40 guys who become, good, starting major league players.
Happy Holliday's everybody. Be safe and, enjoy! - Case
by casejud on Dec 31, 2025 11:17 PM EST up reply actions
I still disagree with you on this....
Picking up where we left off a few days ago on the topic of prospects ranked outside the Top 100 and their potential to be a “big leaguer of any sort of acclaim,” as you put it. It seems that now you are lowering the bar to the Top 80 prospects, (that is assuming that the talent is evenly divided between pitchers and position players) since you are condemning the #41 positional prospect.
Are all 80 prospects going to “become, good, starting major league players”, No. But there are also plenty ranked lower that will. I don’t think it’s fair to write off someone ranked #81, #101 or #151. There are too many variables to draw the line at any specific point on any list on any given year.
First off, these lists are too subjective, even a community list like this one. Second, the current ranking of a prospect is just that, current. Like everything else, things change in time. Players evolve, circumstances change and opportunities come and go. Take into account the depth of talent, age of a player, experience and success, and it’s easy to see just how fluid all of this is from month to month, yet alone for an entire career. Even then, when it’s all over, it’s still subjective. Just take a look at the debate every year over the H.O.F. ballot, but that’s a topic for a different day.
My point being, that just because a prospect is ranked #81 right now, doesn’t mean that he can’t or won’t be better when it’s all said and done. If you look at Top 100 lists from the past decade, you will see the names of plenty of “good starting major leaguers” that were ranked #81 - #100. You will also find the names of All-Stars, MVPs and who knows, maybe even a Hall of Famer one day. And yes, there will also be plenty of “who? never heard of him” and “what ever happened to that guy?” as well. All of this is what makes this so much fun for all of us that love this game!
by Captain Jeter on Jan 1, 2026 2:05 AM EST up reply actions
I agree with much of this
It is all fluxuating and, difficult to predict, etc. that is why i try to keep in mind one thing . . . if we take one of these lists from say, ten years ago, any list. Then take all the players on it and list then from the most productive major league players to the least productive, there is a similar TOTAL of these players from year to year.
There may be a Hall of Famer who was ranked 81st or, 101st, or wherever but, I can assure you he was just ranked inprperly by whoever was making the list. This is understandable but, it happens more with players we don’t really know like a Lindor or, a Bradley or, some player who is going to blossom into a perenial All-Star out of the blue like say, Billy Hamilton or, something. It happens less with a player who we all have more data and, have seen more like Jedd Gyoroko.
I agree that unexpected things happen but, it is an absolute fact that we will look back ten years from now this list and, there won’t be 100 good major leaguers. I just think tghat is a good idea to keep in mind when we are projecting the 60th best starting pitcher to be a #3 starter. It isn’t going to happen. There aren’t enough job openings!
Happy Holliday's everybody. Be safe and, enjoy! - Case
by casejud on Jan 1, 2026 12:35 PM EST up reply actions
True.
But in the AFL which also a major hitters league, he repeated the numbers against better pitching.
I like Wong, but I want to see more then 217 PA before placing this high on the list. Just look at last year where Gyorko placed.
"Hey Laserlips. Your mama was a snowblower."
by AirmanSD on Jan 1, 2026 5:16 AM EST up reply actions
'(Paul Goldschmidt) didn’t sniff a Top 100 list'
Whoops..
by Matt0330 on Jan 3, 2026 2:14 PM EST up reply actions
i'm a Dbacks fan
and i wouldn’t have put Goldy on my Top 100 list
guys who strike out that many times very rarely make it to the majors. he drastically improved his contact abilities while making the most difficult jump in the minors, which is something no one would have expected. in large part because of a successful adjustment in mechanics.
i think you rank a guy based off expected value given the information you have at the time. when that information changes, you then adjust your expectations.
by blue bulldog on Jan 3, 2026 2:44 PM EST up reply actions
Silly question, but if both are separated by one vote, why is there a run-off?
by Kelsdad on Dec 31, 2025 2:34 PM EST reply actions
they do one for any close competition between two players
by Noah McKinnie Braun on Dec 31, 2025 2:35 PM EST up reply actions
Because
the “score” was 14 to 13 and there were 30 other votes for other players. It would be premature and not an accurate indicator of the community’s view to name Wong the winner without giving the 30 other people a chance to vote for Gyorko instead.
by McCutchenIsTheTruth on Dec 31, 2025 4:22 PM EST up reply actions
Which
seems to be what’s happening here as Gyorko has taken a large lead.
by McCutchenIsTheTruth on Dec 31, 2025 4:23 PM EST up reply actions
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