Update
My main focus right now is working on the Top 120 Prospect List revision. This involves study and research on, well, somewhere around 175-200 candidates. I tend to tinker with these things too long, but my current plan is to have it out on Monday. However, some part of me thinks I should wait until after the Futures Game to finish the list, in order to incorporate impression and information from the game. I will be attending the Futures Game in person this year (having it 20 miles away instead of 500 or 1000 is a big help with the budget).
Which would you prefer, a list pre-futures game or a list post-futures game? There are benefits to either. My current thinking is to get the list out on Monday, then do another list in August, incorporating players from the 2012 draft. Right now i'm not looking at those guys.
33 comments
|
Add comment
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Monday sounds great!
I can’t wait to see where guys like Tyler Austin, Josh Sale, Matt Barnes, Jackie Bradley, Holmberg, and Jose Fernandez rank.
by delmonfan on Jun 29, 2025 11:50 AM EDT reply actions
+1
There will also be new information coming in — so unless you think the Futures Game will change things significantly, I say go ahead and finish it for now. Thanks!!
by Yabu on Jun 29, 2025 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions
+1
To much leading on, need the list if possible, was built up, thought today, can deal with Monday.
by Jax5 on Jun 29, 2025 2:36 PM EDT up reply actions
sorry, i didn't mean to lead anyone on
I don’t want to release something I’m not happy with though, and I keep finding things to change
by John Sickels on Jun 29, 2025 3:22 PM EDT up reply actions
Is no big
Not complaining, just value your opinion, and highly anticipating your list now. I agree, with the Monday, and modify in August.
Thanks,
Jax
by Jax5 on Jun 29, 2025 4:49 PM EDT up reply actions
yea now that the excitement of his hot start has died off im not even sure he is top 5 rays for me right now
Archer, Lee, Guerreri, Mahtook, Romero, Brett, Hernandez, Vettleson may all be higher
by Dbullsfan on Jun 30, 2025 11:05 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
More Lists
I know it’s more work for you, but people love lists. We all love them.
From a traffic perspective, two list will probably lead to double the clicks.
by seabass on Jun 29, 2025 11:54 AM EDT reply actions
Agreed
I think that posting essentially a rough pre-list will generate a ton of discussion. And then you can either use the discussion and the futures game or just the futures game as a review of the list to edit and make changes.
And since most guys will already be ranked, it’d be just a matter of pushing guys up and down a few spots.
by kicker31 on Jun 29, 2025 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions
"Which would you prefer, a list pre-futures game or a list post-futures game?"
Pre
by mlbprospectpulse on Jun 29, 2025 11:56 AM EDT reply actions
There's obviously a lot of demand for a list sooner than later
I recommend finalizing one by Monday then doing a “risers/fallers” post-Futures Game (rather than a full re-rank).
"Denard's 2010 was spent redefining what one man can do." - Brian @ mgoblog
by Jivas on Jun 29, 2025 12:24 PM EDT reply actions
I like the idea of Monday and then another in August with 2012 draftees
by sethbeno on Jun 29, 2025 2:15 PM EDT reply actions
+1
It’d give us something great to read on a holiday week. I would guess 4th of July will equal less to read about anyway. More work for you, which is really appreciated!!!
by noelman31 on Jun 29, 2025 3:00 PM EDT up reply actions
Definitely Monday
In fact, I may be in the minority, but I would rather have you just go through your respective top 50 lists and give us a riser/faller/by how much sense more often than actually really redoing the list. For example, I’ve been wondering since mid-May about Francisco Lindor. My sense from what you wrote during a Prospect Notes is that he’s moved up. But I don’t have any sense how much; he was the #21 position player prospect pre-season. Is he pretty much where he was, is he in the teens, around ten? Those generalities would be about the same use/interest for me and, I think, a lot less work for you, which you enable you to do more other stuff.
Does anyone else feel the same?
by Ben Hall on Jun 29, 2025 2:27 PM EDT reply actions
More work for you, but....
I’d much rather have the Monday and then August option. The Futures Game adjustments would be in the August one, anyway. You’d also still have us clamoring for a list with new draftees if you did the update after the Futures Game.
by TomReagan on Jun 29, 2025 2:36 PM EDT reply actions
John
I must say that you were one of the only guys that ranked Andrelton Simmons(B+) highly preseason, evev though you dropped him in the book, you still were aggressive with grade.
by Jay212033 on Jun 29, 2025 4:28 PM EDT reply actions
John also had him ranked higher than BA, KG, or KLaw even after the grade drop
The only list I remember having him higher was the MLB.com list.
by nixa37 on Jun 29, 2025 4:47 PM EDT up reply actions
Top Prospect Lists
John, you simply have to realize that your reputation and the respect that you engender among the masses has just continued to grow. I think you would frustrate a lot of people hanging on your evaluations if you delayed till after the futures game. Perhaps you could post your list as a work in progress and update it when you feel compelled to do so. Either way — I think you are a great ambassador of the game and a true example of what is great about the game.
by Irishbeerman on Jun 29, 2025 4:55 PM EDT reply actions
thank you for the kind words
I’ll have it done by Monday
by John Sickels on Jun 29, 2025 5:50 PM EDT up reply actions
This is something that will probably never happen but
a site with a daily-updated top 100+ list would be amazing. Even if it wasn’t perfectly accurate and just accounted for recent trends I’d check it every day to see where my Cubbies rank.
by YaoPau on Jun 29, 2025 7:00 PM EDT reply actions
John- Are you going to add some input on Puig?
J.P. Hoornstra @jphoornstra
Spoke to someone today who’s seen Puig play and said he’s as good as advertised. "Cespedes can be a star. Puig can be a superstar."
In the time it took you to read this, Dee Gordon grounded out to first twice.
by Taylor Maricle on Jun 29, 2025 8:05 PM EDT reply actions
Puig
I don’t know much about him other than what is commonly known. I do know that opinions are somewhat mixed….some people really love him and others are more “eh”.
by John Sickels on Jun 29, 2025 8:30 PM EDT up reply actions
Do you think that someone works for the Dodgers?
He does cover the Dodgers after all. Sources that don’t have any reason to be biased don’t seem nearly as high on him, though obviously very few people have seen him recently.
by nixa37 on Jun 29, 2025 10:35 PM EDT up reply actions
I watched the video of him myself and liked what I saw but i'm nothing close to a scout.
J.P. Hoornstra is a reporter that covers the Dodgers but he doesn’t work for them directly as far as I know.
In the time it took you to read this, Dee Gordon grounded out to first twice.
by Taylor Maricle on Jun 29, 2025 10:37 PM EDT up reply actions
I wasn't saying he works for the Dodgers
But when you cover a particular team, chances are most of your closer contacts work for that team. Even if not, you’re generally more likely to publish the most optimistic scouting report instead of the least optimistic (for example one of the BA writers mentioned people saying he might not have even gone in the first round if he were in the draft this past year).
by nixa37 on Jun 29, 2025 11:26 PM EDT up reply actions
mid year minor league draft
john im in 2 leagues where we have a mid year minor league draft before the futures game theres a BUNCH of guys including me who are looking forward to your list monday would be freat if possible thanks
by slapnutz on Jun 29, 2025 11:36 PM EDT reply actions
not sure im ready to go top 120 yet
But I wonder who will be the first major prospect evaluator to go out on a limb with Oscar Hernandez hé is hitting well and reports on his game calling and framing behind the plate have been very good
by Dbullsfan on Jun 30, 2025 10:21 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
Something to say? Choose one of these options to log in.

- » Create a new SB Nation account
- » Already registered with SB Nation? Log in!

by John Sickels on 










