Dellin Betances vs. Jarred Cosart Final Poll Question

by John Sickels on Jan 17, 2026 2:15 PM EST

Jarred Cosart (photo by Al Messerschmidt, Getty Images)

The poll question voting between Dellin Betances and Jarred Cosart is extremely close.

With Taylor Guerrieri suspending his campaign, it comes down to Betances and Cosart in the South Carolina primary. . .I mean the voting, to determine which young pitcher is the better prospect according to Minor League Ball readers.

Both pitchers are Grade B prospects for me. I asked this question because the final spot on the Top 50 pitching prospects list came down to either Betances, Cosart, or Guerrieri. I already made my decision and it can't be changed, but I don't want to influence your thinking (yet) and I will reveal it after we have a few days of voting and discussion here.

So, Betances or Cosart? Cosart or Betances? Both have huge upside. Both have question-marks. Who is the better prospect?

Poll

Who is the better prospect?

Dellin Betances, RHP, New York Yankees

426 votes

Jarred Cosart, RHP, Houston Astros

500 votes

926 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 33 comments | Add comment | 0 recs |

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Comments

dellin Betances

South Carolina primaries are all about who plays the dirtiest and Dellin Betances is filthy.

by delmonfan on Jan 17, 2026 2:20 PM EST reply actions

If there is such a thing as an "inverted W" and it's a problem

Then it’s a problem for Cosart, who (based on this picture) seems to have it in spades. It’s much more noticeable than Strasburg’s.

by d_c_guy on Jan 17, 2026 2:39 PM EST reply actions

always wondered

Why they don’t just call it the “M”, isn’t that what a inverted W is basically?

Mourning Guy Carbonneau...
Royals obscure player to watch in ST: Lenny DiNardo

by playingwithfire on Jan 17, 2026 2:40 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs

Ha ha

Yes, same here.

by Matt0330 on Jan 17, 2026 2:51 PM EST up reply actions

http://www.drivelinebaseball.com/2011/09/08/why-its-called-the-inverted-w-and-not-the-m/

Driveline Baseball - Advanced Training for the Baseball Athlete (located in Seattle, WA)

by Kyle Boddy on Jan 17, 2026 5:27 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

Thank you

Mourning Guy Carbonneau...
Royals obscure player to watch in ST: Lenny DiNardo

by playingwithfire on Jan 18, 2026 12:48 AM EST up reply actions

said the same thing before

by cookiedabookie on Jan 17, 2026 8:30 PM EST up reply actions

It doesn't look as bad at this angle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvOVM1bJ58s

His mechanics definitely are not good though.

http://www.crawfishboxes.com

by OremLK on Jan 17, 2026 2:57 PM EST up reply actions

Animated image...

Driveline Baseball - Advanced Training for the Baseball Athlete (located in Seattle, WA)

by Kyle Boddy on Jan 17, 2026 5:35 PM EST up reply actions

Wonder if that's meant to sway the voting......

by msgg139 on Jan 17, 2026 3:55 PM EST up reply actions

you really have to wonder when teams will catch on....

Almost every single pitcher who has employed the “Inverted W” (or L, or V) has seen major arm/shoulder problems. Even the ones who have had longer-term success did not really have full careers due to arm/shoulder issues (Smoltz, Drysdale)

http://www.chrisoleary.com/projects/PitchingMechanics101/Essays/DeathToTheInvertedW.html

With that in mind, I voted for Betances. I think he’s a better bet long-term.

by FLCubFan on Jan 18, 2026 12:17 AM EST up reply actions

With his control issues, Betances is probably a reliever, IMO.

Cosart has a good shot to remain a starter, so I’d take him easily.

by WhyGodWhy on Jan 17, 2026 3:04 PM EST reply actions

voted Guerrieri

but I’d take Betances next. Closer to the majors, and I think his floor is as an impact reliever in the show.

by PrincetonCubs on Jan 17, 2026 3:09 PM EST reply actions

The picture is painful and made me vote for Betances

Just don't piss her off, otherwise she'll get all Dien Bien Phu up in your Boxer Rebellion - caknuck

btho Iowa State

by MonkeyEpoxy on Jan 17, 2026 3:20 PM EST reply actions

Cosart.

Both pitchers have issues that that they need to address to make it as starters. Betances has a better curveball, but Cosart has a better fastball. I think they’re pretty even, but Cosart is two years younger, which is a big deal. I go with Cosart.

The bird is struggling out of the egg. The egg is the world. Whoever wants to be born, must first destroy a world.

by Stupendous Man on Jan 17, 2026 3:22 PM EST reply actions

+1

Age is the determining factor for me.

by Traindogger on Jan 17, 2026 3:26 PM EST up reply actions

Betances

I like swings and misses.

by acerimusdux on Jan 17, 2026 3:57 PM EST reply actions

Neither.

I can think of about 50 pitching prospects I’d rather have. Betances is likely a reliever and Cosart’s mechanics look like his arm is about to fall off.

by johnorpheus on Jan 17, 2026 4:06 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

Cosart has an injury history...

He has suffered elbow injuries in the past. This should definitely impact someone’s future evaluation of him.

Driveline Baseball - Advanced Training for the Baseball Athlete (located in Seattle, WA)

by Kyle Boddy on Jan 17, 2026 5:28 PM EST reply actions

Betances had elbow ligament surgery in '09.

His injury history is a bit more worrisome than Cosart’s at this point in time.

The bird is struggling out of the egg. The egg is the world. Whoever wants to be born, must first destroy a world.

by Stupendous Man on Jan 17, 2026 5:37 PM EST up reply actions

True, was just pointing out Cosart was hurt as well.

Driveline Baseball - Advanced Training for the Baseball Athlete (located in Seattle, WA)

by Kyle Boddy on Jan 17, 2026 5:39 PM EST up reply actions

Confused

look at the community pitching prospect rankings and betances is significantly higher than cosart (who hasnt yet been ranked) so im surprised to now see the same people voting cosart above betances

by Noah McKinnie Braun on Jan 17, 2026 6:54 PM EST reply actions

What Do You Mean

Guerrieri suspended his campaign?

by Hairylady on Jan 17, 2026 7:19 PM EST reply actions

It was a political joke

by MjwW on Jan 17, 2026 7:44 PM EST up reply actions

Betances

Better stuff, better results, and showed in 2010 that he can have better control.

by cookiedabookie on Jan 17, 2026 8:31 PM EST reply actions

Yup.

Those were some pretty significant 85.1 innings.

by mr. maniac on Jan 18, 2026 9:01 AM EST up reply actions

Key word "can"

Not “does” or “will”

by cookiedabookie on Jan 18, 2026 10:32 AM EST up reply actions

I don't think you can successfully argue that Betances has better control based on 2010

Cosart in ’09-10 was better in terms of control at a younger age, and his career walk rate is a lot lower overall.

Overall results are debatable, depends on how you value the varying factors involved; Betances strikes out more batters and has posted lower ERAs. Cosart walks fewer batters, gets more groundballs, and has consistently been younger for his level than Betances.

I think it’s very close between these two and you can make an argument for either one depending on how you weigh all the different things involved.

http://www.crawfishboxes.com

by OremLK on Jan 18, 2026 3:24 PM EST up reply actions

I am not arguing that he does have better control

Only that he has shown he can, when everything is clicking (which with his size and mechanics is not always so).

by cookiedabookie on Jan 18, 2026 4:17 PM EST up reply actions

"can"

Any player “can” have control. I’m trying to say those 85 innings were more fluke than a demonstration that he has command.

by mr. maniac on Jan 19, 2026 8:54 AM EST up reply actions

Frankie Piliere in 2010

“Overall, his delivery was much more clean and consistent than I anticipated. That said, he still can get out of sync in a hurry, and that happened a couple times over the course of this particular outing. He lost his arm slot at one point against Clearwater and began to lose the feel for his fastball. To his credit, he was able to right himself rather quickly. "

“Still, although his fastball command is solid, it’s not pinpoint. That’s a lot to ask at this stage in his career. It will continue to develop, and he’s already very aggressive in the zone right now with average command. "

Did he take a step back this year in this aspect? Yes. Can he get back to where he was in 2010 contro-wise? I believe so.

From http://www.aolnews.com/2010/08/20/full-scouting-report-dellin-betances/

by cookiedabookie on Jan 20, 2026 10:33 AM EST up reply actions

Its a hard choice for me, as I really am not a big fan of either.

But I’ll Take Cosart. I think both of them end up in the Pen at some point, but I think Cosart has a decent shot at a few years as a starter before the serious injuries throw him in there.

Down 2 in the bottom of the ninth?
Lets Bring in Willie Harris!

by ShaqKazaam on Jan 17, 2026 9:26 PM EST reply actions

ive only seen betances throw live

in his cup of coffee at the major league level last year, and his control looked so far from big league starter level… i just dont see it at this point

by kyuss94 on Jan 17, 2026 10:49 PM EST reply actions