[SPEAKER_02]: and he swings, hit to high, and deep, and go!

[SPEAKER_02]: Still got it, man!

[UNKNOWN]: Wow!

[SPEAKER_02]: All I have, got to come to the favorings.

[SPEAKER_02]: Need to center field, and it is gone!

[SPEAKER_02]: Wow, his first big league swing.

[SPEAKER_02]: He's gonna be a grand slam on the home run.

[SPEAKER_02]: Swagging drive, not tonight.

[SPEAKER_02]: Welcome to the show!

[SPEAKER_01]: time for another heat sheet here on the call up, which means you got arm latent Elijah Evans.

[SPEAKER_01]: We've got a lot of bats, some arms, and I would say some a little bit more upper level bats.

[SPEAKER_01]: Of course, that's because the low A season is winding down, but we still have a couple bats on that front to talk about, but trip away, some of the more notable prospects are really heating up and sprinting through the finish line.

[SPEAKER_01]: We're going to talk about that, and then some arms that have been very impressive.

[SPEAKER_01]: Elijah, you put together this list as always.

[SPEAKER_01]: I like the idea of the top prospects and some guys that we've kind of been waiting on, sprinting through the finish line here and I feel like that's kind of the theme here.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'll at least with the bats of this episode.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, definitely.

[SPEAKER_00]: There's a lot of guys that we've talked about before, but we have wanted to see that next step and now you're seeing it at the end of the season and it puts some of these guys in a really good position to enter next year on a high note and just be ready to tackle on next season and I think guys that we're expecting to be in the bigs fairly soon in the next season.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's not just like, oh, they're gonna be in the bigs later next season.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's guys that with a strong last month of the year, now they're in position to go into spring training and they can earn a spot.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's the big thing, right?

[SPEAKER_01]: Especially the AAA guys.

[SPEAKER_01]: If you sprint through the finish line here, how much momentum can you carry into the offseason and to spring training with a good spring to just show enough at the end of AAA season to maybe break camp.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I feel like that's gonna be the conversation with the first three guys that we talk about here on the heat sheet.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, definitely.

[SPEAKER_00]: And then even some more that are in double A still potentially.

[SPEAKER_00]: The first one is Travis Bzana.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think that's probably the most obvious player that fits this bucket of what we just alluded to there.

[SPEAKER_00]: Bzana has had the injuries.

[SPEAKER_00]: He wasn't that great in double A.

It's not to say he was bad at all because he still has stood.

[SPEAKER_00]: But for first overall pick, there were some things where he were like, okay, we want to see a little more from him.

[SPEAKER_00]: First 25 AAA games for Bazana.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's a 143 WRC Plus.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's walking at a 24% clip.

[SPEAKER_00]: Still striking out a good amount, but he's getting on base with the best of him at a 427 mark of just an on base percentage.

[SPEAKER_00]: You know he's going to get those walks, but now it's at an incredibly high level, and you're still seeing him kind of slowly but surely tap into more of that impact.

[SPEAKER_00]: Bazana, like, I don't think it's this year because the guardians are [SPEAKER_00]: probably out of it.

[SPEAKER_00]: If they somehow go on a 5-game links repair this week, like I wouldn't completely rule it out, but at the very least, like he's going in a spring training with the ability to earn a spot in a game.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and I think that's something that you look at the the offense or like they're off, and you've assumed they're probably not going to be super aggressive in the free agent market, and Cleveland, Bazana's a guy that could easily break camping is a rookie of the year candidate just off of, you know, I think what the floor can be.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think this stretch.

[SPEAKER_01]: he's fascinating though because I think it's a new kind of reimagined high floor and the respect that Bazana's not the 60 plus hit tool guy that I think he was advertised as an amateur and maybe that's still in there and it needs to be unlocked and we'll see but at least what I'm seeing is [SPEAKER_01]: the the play discipline is elite and he's going to sell out for that that power now and and eight power didn't really appear to be the the leading aspect of his game when we saw him in college but um it was there right and that the ability to air pull in all those things.

[SPEAKER_01]: he's extremely patient and I think borders on passive but the swing decisions are mostly really solid and I think does it pretty good job offending off the the passiveness for the most part where you can see that kind of through the zone swing but I mean we're talking about a 26 game stretch here where he's chasing at a 13% clip that's great right that's what's resulted in that ridiculously high walk rate a lot of deep counts though you're gonna punch if if you're not [SPEAKER_01]: Even just the contact rates over the course of the season, they're not bad, but they're not elite.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's 79% contact rate.

[SPEAKER_01]: That's fine.

[SPEAKER_01]: 83% in zone contact rate.

[SPEAKER_01]: That's fine.

[SPEAKER_01]: Those are both slightly above average figures.

[SPEAKER_01]: But that's not, I think, what people were fully expecting.

[SPEAKER_01]: That's okay if the plate discipline is what it's been and he's getting his from a slug perspective.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's funny.

[SPEAKER_01]: It seems like Pazana's kind of skewing a little bit more towards the three true outcomes.

[SPEAKER_01]: That will still be a productive player and he gives you some speed on the base paths and things like that as well.

[SPEAKER_01]: Maybe he centers himself a little bit more as he gets more comfortable.

[SPEAKER_01]: But he seems okay being the guy that, you know, let's it eat, tries to really get into that slog.

[SPEAKER_01]: And if he strikes out 25% of the time, it doesn't seem like it's a huge concern to him.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I will say over the stretch of these [SPEAKER_01]: handful of games.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's slugging.

[SPEAKER_01]: Man, I mean, he had a multi-homer game.

[SPEAKER_01]: He had four homers in a four-game stretch.

[SPEAKER_01]: And then even the last couple games where he was hit list, he's walked three times.

[SPEAKER_01]: So it seems like the OB-P side is going to be his high floor.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, that's interesting.

[SPEAKER_00]: And it's funny to see that the shift in kind of how we're viewing him as a player in just over a year now and and maybe this still changes at the see evolves, but it is different to see him categorize as this, you know, above average hit tool guy who can get on basis on by walking and is going to tap into power compared to this like, you know, [SPEAKER_00]: potential 70 grade hit tool that we were talking about out of the draft last year, right?

[SPEAKER_00]: So you kind of hit on that there, but it's like, it is a different profile than I think we initially anticipated from Bazana, nonetheless, he still could be one of Cleveland's, you know, three best hitters next season and it wouldn't surprise anybody really.

[SPEAKER_01]: No, no, no, exactly.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think we've seen some guys get up to the show and start to unlock a little bit more juice than the balls.

[SPEAKER_01]: Even even this year where it's been a little bit, there's been a little bit more drag with the ball.

[SPEAKER_01]: You still see the EVs pop a little bit more.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think when these guys get to the show.

[SPEAKER_01]: So if he has a little bit more there, that's gonna help.

[SPEAKER_01]: But there's pressure on him to slug here now with the way that he's leaning into it.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think there's currently 20 home run pop and here and that's what we're seeing.

[SPEAKER_01]: But the other thing that still stands out to me is he's got the ability to spoil the out is on contact rates are still really solid.

[SPEAKER_01]: So maybe that's something that it becomes a little bit more a part of his game as he gets more comfortable and maybe the hit tool creeps back in.

[SPEAKER_01]: I do think it ultimately is going to be that closer to average hit, really good plate discipline.

[SPEAKER_01]: And then it's just how much is he going to slug there that determines his ceiling.

[SPEAKER_01]: And it's going to be an uphill battle, given his defense to get to that 34 war plateau.

[SPEAKER_01]: But if you're a 20 plus home or guy who's walking at a really high cliff and can grab 20 bags, it's still going to be a really valuable player at second base and think we're seeing him get closer and closer to that with this hot stretch.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, definitely still a valuable piece and still, you know, a top 50 prospect of baseball even if he's fallen a little bit off of where he once was.

[SPEAKER_00]: The next guy up is another one who's a big-time name top draft pick and that is Walker Jenkins of the twins organization.

[SPEAKER_00]: We talked about him about a month ago when he was starting to find his groove kind of and starting to really show that upside.

[SPEAKER_00]: The past week and a half just in September so far for Jenkins has been like the culmination of all that I think his last, you know, his eight game so far in September.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's 14 for 33.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's 424 average, five extra base hits in those eight games.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, he's whipping a little bit.

[SPEAKER_00]: I still think that's going to happen.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I think you just don't want to see the walk rate.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think for a Jenkins to pick up a little bit from where it is.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's 10% so far in AAA, but still, you're seeing the best version of him that we saw spurts of a few weeks ago and earlier in the last few months, and now the past week or two, you're really seeing that full version of him, at least at AAA, start to shine through.

[SPEAKER_01]: no doubt.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I also have been so we're going to do like a Arizona fall league prospects breakdown.

[SPEAKER_01]: I was hoping Jenkins would be out there and surprised that he's not.

[SPEAKER_01]: But this has been a really encouraging stretch.

[SPEAKER_01]: I agree with the walk thing.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I just wonder if historically the place as one has been so good.

[SPEAKER_01]: I wonder if it's partly him trying to make up for lost time, you know, and trying to do too much.

[SPEAKER_01]: But at the same time, it [SPEAKER_01]: would you call it doing too much when he is doing everything right now that you want to see so he's he's seeing the ball and really well and he's he's feasting so it's hard to you know I guess say that he should swing less but I do think over the macro scale yeah you want to see him get back to who he is [SPEAKER_01]: and be that well-balanced, you know, plate discipline, bat-to-ball, and then the power starts to shine through.

[SPEAKER_01]: That's the big thing for me, too, is, the quality of contact when he first came back was not great, and now you're seeing that quality of contact starts to really perk up a little bit here.

[SPEAKER_01]: There was a 99 mile per hour sinker from Luis May that he turned around 110 miles per hour.

[SPEAKER_01]: And that seems to be Jenkins M.O.

[SPEAKER_01]: now is like I don't think he's going to take these crazy aggressive hacks or whatever, but I do think he's going to turn it around and like the harder it comes in the harder it's going to go out.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think the baseline is solid, but we're seeing now against higher velocity.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's going to take that same swing and it seems to be going out a little bit harder, but there's not that violence with this swing, but I think that's okay.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think there's still clearly enough strength and pop and he's starting to flash that more and [SPEAKER_01]: In that stretch, he's only put the ball on the ground 16% of the time.

[SPEAKER_01]: So finding a lot more air, and then that's kind of been the trend since he's come back period.

[SPEAKER_01]: The last 40 games to 34% ground ball rate.

[SPEAKER_01]: So he's getting the ball in the air, the quality of contact is slowly getting better and better.

[SPEAKER_01]: And clearly, he's had no issue acclimating to AAA, even with him being a little bit more aggressive than he normally is.

[SPEAKER_01]: So those are all really encouraging things, and I think if you're a twins fan, you can't help but think about him as a break camp candidate going into next year as well, even though it's been a short stint and triple A, they probably will want to see a few more games out of them there, and maybe they'll prioritize the extra year of control.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think he's at least making an conversation here if he can continue this over the next week or so, and finish strong, but I mean, when you're talking about a stretch here, it was a three-hit game.

[SPEAKER_01]: two hit game, two hit game, two hit game, three hit game.

[SPEAKER_01]: That's all going to be a really good sign heading into the offseason.

[SPEAKER_01]: You just want to see a little bit more swag, but I think it's coming.

[SPEAKER_00]: and one note on your your point there with just him kind of impact in the ball more yeah the the EV might be one ten right now might not be pop in one fifteen one sixteen but it's over fifty percent hard hit rate since getting to triple it right so that that's kind of that jump where you're still seeing him make good quality contact more often now compared to earlier in the season which is a great note just for him moving forward and i think you're your spot on there with like the twins that i'm interested to see how they handle it because like they're not going to compete next year so part of me thinks they may be a little more patient with them [SPEAKER_00]: at the same time, you could come into spring training and just light it up and then they can't like hold him back right.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and you also bring up the point of, so you may not get the the 115's and that's fine because to your point, getting a lot of 95's and a lot of 100's and a lot of 103's and that's kind of the, letting the pitcher supply the power thing because he's got enough strength.

[SPEAKER_01]: You might get the 1-11's, 1-12's when it comes in really hard, but the thing is, if he's starting to hit the ball at the right angles, when you've got a lot of loft, and it's 95 plus at a high clip, you're going to still hit plenty of home runs.

[SPEAKER_01]: So it doesn't really need much more raw power at this point.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think that's the important thing, and it's going to really just come down to that hit tool, continuing to be, you know, what we have seen in that approach, continuing to be what we have seen as well.

[SPEAKER_01]: So one of the best prospects and baseball is looking like one of the best prospects and [SPEAKER_01]: You know about health for him really above all.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, definitely.

[SPEAKER_00]: The next guy up is another one who I think this guy's a pretty much a slam down to be in the bigs next year.

[SPEAKER_00]: Rafael Flores of the Pirates Organization was traded over to Pittsburgh in that David Bednar trade, this deadline from the Yankees.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yankees have done a good job with some some catching development here in the past handful years.

[SPEAKER_00]: This is another guy who at the time of the trade was looking like an up-air role prospect and lately has taken his stock in Triple A and made it even stronger.

[SPEAKER_00]: His last 19 games.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's a 347 batting average with a 10 48 OPS 169 WRC plus the powers there strike out rate is at a reasonable clip for for for for as my question to you is like is he the the future behind the dish for Pittsburgh that he's playing some first two he's passed played first and caught for Pittsburgh what do you think the timeline is here right now with for as [SPEAKER_01]: I think he's he's probably a guy that is of the three that we just talked about maybe the most likely to break camp because you look at the desperation for offense and Pittsburgh.

[SPEAKER_01]: You'll get their catching situation with Henry Davis and just the way things have kind of gone.

[SPEAKER_01]: I feel like you kind of have a guy that can do both here where if you still want to give some other catchers some run, you can do that and allow those guys to still get some opportunities.

[SPEAKER_01]: But you don't have to worry about you know, fully cutting into four as is a piece because you can go play some first base, you can de-age a little bit as well because [SPEAKER_01]: I'm sure they still think Joey Bart can be a little bit more of a contributor as well.

[SPEAKER_01]: But I think Florida is a guy that can end up taking that primary catcher role for them and it wouldn't surprise me at all because the defense has gotten so much better or the receiving has become a good asset forum.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think the catch and throw has gotten better as well.

[SPEAKER_01]: But then yeah, you keep you mentioned the offense.

[SPEAKER_01]: he's hitting the ball hard and and they need bats period whether he's catching whether playing first whether he's de-aching but now the fact that he can actually catch and then also be an asset for you in the lineup I think it would make sense for him to be on that opening day roster especially for a pirate team that does not need to be a good offense to to hang around the wild card as we know they've got plenty of pitching so [SPEAKER_01]: I think that the trend, I mean, you got a 995 OPS over the last 20 games since the ball in the air.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's at the ball hard.

[SPEAKER_01]: That's always been his ML, but now just getting in the air more consistently.

[SPEAKER_01]: The swing decisions continue to look better and better and then the defense being where it's at for a guy who's 64 to 30.

[SPEAKER_01]: I feel like the pirates have to be really excited about for us here.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and he's sneaky, like almost 25 too.

[SPEAKER_00]: He was a little bit of a late blimmer in terms of the prospect stuff.

[SPEAKER_00]: So there's reason to believe there.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like if he was 22 doing this in AAA, maybe you take your time with him a little more.

[SPEAKER_00]: But for a pirate's team that needs a little bit more help, at catching position, but generally on offense, of course, he's 25 years old a little into next season.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like that seems like kind of a no-brainer to make your roster and be even if you don't feel like he's your five, six days a week catcher.

[SPEAKER_00]: Sure, he's a four-day a week catcher, or three-day a week catcher, at least at the onset of his career.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I think the one thing would just be like cutting down the run game a little bit more, but if he's a great receiver and I don't think it's as big of a deal on the catch and throw side of things.

[SPEAKER_01]: If he's catching three four times a week and hitting, you know, the first base DH spot the other couple times a week, it's better than a lot.

[SPEAKER_01]: And as more upside than a lot of the other bats they've been rolling out there.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, exactly.

[SPEAKER_00]: So definitely seems like a guy who should break camp and is as someone, you know, has been even better now than he's been for the rest of the season.

[SPEAKER_00]: So an up arrow guy, the next catcher up, another catcher, we've given a lot of love to the trio in Detroit, but we definitely have, you know, given more to Kevin McGonagall and Max Clark, because both of them have been incredible.

[SPEAKER_00]: Who's way per se, you know, that the third piece of that group, it's also free to kill it, man.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's really good, and we've talked about the power for him, but lately in AA, it's all coming together, because he has had a little bit of a slower transition in AA compared to those other two guys.

[SPEAKER_00]: His last 14 games, though, at the AA level, 145 WRC+.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's slugging at a 464 clip.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's getting on base at a very solid clip.

[SPEAKER_00]: The walk rates up to 12% in that time frame from Percenio.

[SPEAKER_00]: He just looks like he's found his groove in AA after a little bit of a transition period, and now you're going to next season, and then like, [SPEAKER_00]: You know, the Tigers have a lot of options with the way they handle this roster the rest of this year But also just more going into next year and beyond like they've got a lot of talent on the big league roster and then they've got a trio of prospects that like It wouldn't be crazy for all those guys to debut next year, and you could see them making an impact in their own ways You just got to figure out how that offense looks from roster standpoint still Yeah, because they've got guys, you know that are doing well at the big league level.

[SPEAKER_01]: So there's a great problem to have and I think it was a little bit of a slower [SPEAKER_01]: acclamation for Bracenio just because he's expected to do more right you got a handle catching a double a staff and I think that's been the craziest part to me is I really was skeptical from the looks that I got And Bracenio and well way and whether he was gonna be able to actually catch I thought maybe you just start to transition this thing into to first-based full-time and I still think [SPEAKER_01]: the defense is is fringy, but he's 100% improved himself from a catch and throw perspective.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's been limiting the running game really well this year.

[SPEAKER_01]: The blocking we're saving, I think that's where he starts to look a lot more like a six four, you know, longer guy where sometimes he doesn't move as well or as quickly, but he's easy pretty good athlete for his size back there.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think he's got a shot to be, you know, and [SPEAKER_01]: close enough to average catcher in the aggregate, but it's all about the bat here with him.

[SPEAKER_01]: And the reason why he's just continues to climb is how exciting the upside is offensively as you alluded to.

[SPEAKER_01]: And you know, we're seeing that.

[SPEAKER_01]: And you imagine that the focus for him is very much been defensively, because I think the tigers want to see him.

[SPEAKER_01]: And now potentially just just be able to catch even a few times a week.

[SPEAKER_01]: But if he really was just focusing on the bat, like we saw that's kind of where the offensive break out really came last year after the knee [SPEAKER_01]: just he went nuts offensively as they were mostly de-aching him and plan them at first and we saw that in the fall week as well where he didn't really catch And I think now we're seeing him just settle in as maybe the catching is Become less of a learning curve and he settled in there, but I imagine if they ever put the catching thing on ice I'm not saying they should but it would it would make things even easier for him offensively where he could move really quickly but [SPEAKER_01]: If he continues to develop as this well-rounded player here who can even be a 40-grade catcher with the offense that he brings to the table, still just 20 years old.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, this is one of the more exciting young power bats in the minor leagues.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, you look at some of the data points.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's 107 mile per hour and 90th percentile.

[SPEAKER_01]: Exit velocity.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's a 45 percent heart hit rate.

[SPEAKER_01]: And as you mentioned in those last 10 games to be doing what he's doing in AA, striking out less than 20 percent of the time.

[SPEAKER_01]: And probably one of the biggest shifts in spray I've seen in a while where in low [SPEAKER_01]: He was putting the ball on the ground 50 plus per cent of the time and then once he came back from that knee issue and cleaned up his mechanics a little bit all the sudden he sent in the ball near all the time this year to 31 percent ground ball rate And and that's just been so impressive when you pair that with you know the the raw power to [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, definitely.

[SPEAKER_00]: And what's interesting with the Tiger situation is you've got Dylan Dingler there who's actually been a really solid catcher this season too.

[SPEAKER_00]: So that's what's tricky is and you've got torquals in it first as well.

[SPEAKER_00]: So with percent, you know, like, you don't want to put the catching on the ice necessarily like you mentioned there, but he can be your two three day week catcher while mashing in the DH the rest of the day is and being dinglers back up almost because dinglers of quality catcher, like you're not you're not feeling pressure to get Dingler off of catching or get to any wave.

[SPEAKER_00]: So you can have percent, you know, be the second half of a catching poll tune while also just absolutely raking a DH a handful of days a week.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think we're seeing a changing of the guard a little bit, right?

[SPEAKER_01]: In terms of how teams approach this if the if the opportunity presents itself, right?

[SPEAKER_01]: Like we talked about it with the Orioles.

[SPEAKER_01]: Adly Ruchman is not getting traded because of the besyio extension.

[SPEAKER_01]: But we've always traditionally thought backup catcher should be defensive oriented, [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, if your primary catcher is more offensive, minded sure, but if you happen to have a primary catcher who's pretty good hitter and a really good defender and you have a prospect coming up who rakes with the universal DH now.

[SPEAKER_01]: It really does open up different opportunities here, and you can now maximize things, get your catcher out of the, your starting catcher out of the crouch a little bit, but not compromise offense, like having a pitcher essentially hitting for you, which is the way it is with some of these backup catchers through the years.

[SPEAKER_01]: So I think we're seeing a new, [SPEAKER_01]: catching tandem, if possible, obviously not every team, as the liberty of having these kinds of setups, but we're seeing it more and more now.

[SPEAKER_01]: And that's why, for Seniors of 40 grade catcher, he's only doing it a couple of times a week, and in aggregate at the position, you're going to still have a above average defensive production, because for Seniors not killing you, and Dingo is a well above average defender who's catching the majority of the time, [SPEAKER_01]: getting dingo or a couple of days off here and there with with percentio being able to fill in.

[SPEAKER_01]: So I like that new kind of reimagined tandem for catchers for teams that have that situation.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think that's exactly what the Tigers can look forward to with percentio.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and there's plenty of other teams doing that, right?

[SPEAKER_00]: It's not only even just like an offensive mind to back up, right?

[SPEAKER_00]: You think about, I think about the White Sox right now with Teal and Caro, where it's like this, there's, there's touching tendums around baseball right now.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I think it's becoming more and more common, like you just said there.

[SPEAKER_00]: So, percent you know, if he's the, the less catching, but matching, back, you know, end of the, of the tigers.

[SPEAKER_00]: that team man when you put McGonagall in at short stop and then you factor max Clark into that outfield when you look at you know center field being hobby but also just kind of having been a little bit of weak spot for them you look at the twenty twenty six tigers and you have max Clark and center potentially Kevin McGonagall is short and percent you as you're catching the hdoel like whoo man that's an astutee [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, they're in a really good spot moving forward and they've got plenty of talent at the big league level right now too.

[SPEAKER_01]: So it's going to be interesting to see how they can kind of allocate things.

[SPEAKER_01]: It makes it really easy with the short stop and center field situation because those are kind of two obvious gaps.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, exactly.

[SPEAKER_00]: The next guy up, there's a different Brewerish prospect every week that we're talking about at this point, and this guy we really haven't gotten the chance to talk to, we talk about yet, and we need to, because Blake Burke, Brewerish traffic last year, has been really, really impressive.

[SPEAKER_00]: Since getting to AA in the southern league, one of the harder places to hit, he's played 34 games so far in AA, and he's good for a 377 on base percentage, 555, 555 slug, 171, WRC plus in that time.

[SPEAKER_00]: reasonable 24 25% which is high but like that is his profile.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's walking into good clip nine home runs in those first 34 games in double-ed for Blake Burke.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's been really, really impressive as you alluded to.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I've just got liked out of the draft and then got a couple looks at him and spring training.

[SPEAKER_01]: And he felt like every at bat I watched.

[SPEAKER_01]: He rockets.

[SPEAKER_01]: He was rocketing balls.

[SPEAKER_01]: And there was one that I know I posted on Axe.

[SPEAKER_01]: It was like a backside laser beam.

[SPEAKER_01]: Like, okay, this guy's got some special low effort bat speed here.

[SPEAKER_01]: The thing that was interesting in the early part of the year, a little bit over aggressive, a little bit, I think that the aggression would result in an aground ball right those a bit high and the path could get a bit flat.

[SPEAKER_01]: Since he's got to double a as you mentioned, like it's just been different.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I thought, [SPEAKER_01]: Well, it could go one or two ways, right?

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, you go to the Southern League.

[SPEAKER_01]: And it's a lot of places that are tough to hit in.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think sometimes it just feels like the ball is not flying.

[SPEAKER_01]: You're a little bit aggressive already.

[SPEAKER_01]: The stuff is a bit better.

[SPEAKER_01]: You're going to see some challenges here.

[SPEAKER_01]: But he really was proving that whatever he had figured out in high A was significant enough to convert into AA as well.

[SPEAKER_01]: And now he's really allowing that natural ability to shine through.

[SPEAKER_01]: He really turned some heads earlier this year too, [SPEAKER_01]: He popped a 117 and I think that was one where like to even some some people in the brewer's or there was some buzz about that It's like, well, okay, he's got that in the tank and then beyond that, you know, you're just seeing how easily he can hit the ball hard consistently And this 30 game stretch 304 378589 slash line 53% hard hit rate in that span in an EV 90 of a hundred eight miles per hour But when you watch him hit [SPEAKER_01]: it doesn't look like there's requires much effort to get into that and that makes me feel good about how consistently he's going to be just putting up 95 pluses and probably you guys can get away with a little bit higher of a ground ball right or a little bit lower of a hard hit launch angle because of how hard he hits the ball consistently but also leaves you thinking how much more powers in the tank if he can start elevating just a little bit more and I think we're already starting to see that a bit.

[SPEAKER_01]: The [SPEAKER_01]: The only thing that I'm not really worried about that, the only thing I'm looking at is the chase.

[SPEAKER_01]: And it's not a big issue right now.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think the field of hit for how powerful he is is going to help hedge that concern.

[SPEAKER_01]: But that chase is hovered north at 30% all year.

[SPEAKER_01]: And it's just something that you think can rear its head against higher quality secondaries.

[SPEAKER_01]: Clearly, it's not an issue yet.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's just something to monitor a little bit.

[SPEAKER_01]: But he seems to hedge that with still pretty good swing decisions when he needs to bear it out.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, yet another guy in the brewer system who might be a couple things to work on but there's still a lot of talent there and a lot of excitement and then you know, there's another brewer's guy we're going to talk about in a little while and just how it goes and I'm looking through these heat sheets and every week there's more and more brewer players that are standing out honestly.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's a testament to the org, but I think it's the scouting side of things, of course, but then really recognizing the types of players that they can succeed with in terms of the development side of things.

[SPEAKER_01]: And you see Fisher who they just took, another first basement type that moved similarly, their ID in these types of guys, these bigger body guys that move a little bit better than they get credit for, and they're able to maximize those mechanics and biomechanics, which I know the brewers are big on.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[SPEAKER_00]: Definitely, man.

[SPEAKER_00]: Sebastian Walker has arrived.

[SPEAKER_00]: Texas Rangers top prospect top 10 prospect in baseball.

[SPEAKER_00]: We've talked about multiple times this year how it's been a little bit of a slow acclamation to AA 19 year old shortstop.

[SPEAKER_00]: We've tried to encourage the patients there and I think everybody has been patient with him.

[SPEAKER_00]: But man, the last three weeks for Walker, it has been like everything that you want to see from Walker.

[SPEAKER_00]: his past three weeks, it's a 166 WRC plus OPS of 929 in that span, walking at a 17% clip, only striking out at an 11% clip, the numbers are just entirely different from where they weren't earlier in the season.

[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, on the year you're still looking at a 20% K rate earlier in the season, though, it was in that 25 range, now it's [SPEAKER_00]: 11 in the past three week three weeks plus at this point.

[SPEAKER_00]: And yeah, it's a small sample, but like it's not a week sample.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's it's almost a month now of him not striking out walking more and producing even more impact.

[SPEAKER_00]: Sebastian Walker is 19 right he's not going to be 20 until spring training next year.

[SPEAKER_00]: And he's already now, you know, after a season of acclimating, looking like he can handle double it.

[SPEAKER_01]: I imagine this was the plan all along.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't think the Rangers were saying, oh, if he's not breaking in the first half, like we were expecting to get him up to triple by the, by, you know, the all-star break.

[SPEAKER_01]: No, they knew he was gonna struggle a little bit and there was gonna be a process here.

[SPEAKER_01]: But it's funny.

[SPEAKER_01]: You mentioned like he was at 25% and then he cut it down.

[SPEAKER_01]: If you told me going into this year a Sebastian Walkout's gonna strike out 25% of the time in AA for the entirety of the season.

[SPEAKER_01]: That's it.

[SPEAKER_01]: Okay.

[SPEAKER_01]: That's fine.

[SPEAKER_01]: That's not a big deal.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's the 19-year-old six-four power hitter in the Texas League, who just earned 19.

[SPEAKER_01]: But the fact that that was the high point and now it's on down and down and down and that we have a 20-game stretch here where he has struck out 11 times and walks 16 times [SPEAKER_01]: Full season now, or it is, by decimal point below 20% K-8, and by the end of the season, will be comfortably, I think, closer to 19%.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, that is the most exciting side of things.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, 738 OPS on the season, whatever.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't think I need to convince people about Sebastian Walcott's upside.

[SPEAKER_01]: The fact that he's surviving and sprinting through the finish line here, I think he's so encouraging.

[SPEAKER_01]: There was never really a stretch where he looked blatantly overmatched.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think there was just stretches where he just wasn't getting to the peak of his powers because he was more in defense mode.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think more just trying to survive.

[SPEAKER_01]: But there's a difference between battling.

[SPEAKER_01]: and being overmatched.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think for him it was he met his match.

[SPEAKER_01]: And if a 19 year old is meeting his match in double way, I think that's a really good sign of things to come and think we're already seeing that now.

[SPEAKER_01]: And it's also like this 20 game stretch, he's still working to get into the game power a little bit more.

[SPEAKER_01]: So the fact that he in 20 games has two home runs, [SPEAKER_01]: But it's still just lacing line drives all over the field and hitting 325 in that span is really encouraging.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think he's still a candidate to refine the mechanics a little bit to allow him to create a little bit more loft.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think he can get a little bit flattened a little bit long to the ball at times.

[SPEAKER_01]: But...

[SPEAKER_01]: That's something that I think you can find in the offseason.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think he's already started to find a little bit in this hot stretch and as he finds a little bit more loft, I think you're going to see a lot more gain power there.

[SPEAKER_01]: But clearly, he's just hit the ball heart so hard consistently that it's going to get through a lot, to me a lot of line drive base hits and things of that nature.

[SPEAKER_01]: But I think as you can find a little bit more of that ability to air pull, which will come, I think, which is cleaning things up just a bit in the box.

[SPEAKER_01]: This, this, this, the sky is the limit with a guy like him.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, it's hard not to just look at what he's doing and look at the improvement and it's in dream on the guy who could be, you know, the top two, three prospecting baseball and not just that, but like, you know, if, if he doesn't graduate before us, assuming Connor Griffin and they end Kevin McConnell graduate before walk out like there's legitimate top prospecting baseball upside here and you're starting to really see the next level of that for someone who's still so young man.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's so young for the level.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yep.

[SPEAKER_00]: So, a lot to be excited about there with Walcott.

[SPEAKER_00]: A couple of names here that I'm not sure, we definitely haven't talked about here, and I don't know how much you have from your early with, and I just saw the numbers and they popped out, and I've had my eye on a Danielle or T's of the Cardinal's organization.

[SPEAKER_00]: I've almost put them in a couple other heat sheets, because he's been really good all season.

[SPEAKER_00]: This was a 16-ground pick last year, since getting to high A, about a month and a half ago, and finishing out his season in high A.

It's 30 games at a 169WRC plus in that span with an OPS at 938.

[SPEAKER_01]: uh...

i don't know a ton on or tease i i've seen the numbers all season weight traffic uh...

just a shout here because he's been really really good consistently for for multiple months now which you got on him yeah i don't know a ton either which is the fun part of these heat sheets is sometimes just guys that you know we're not totally on the radar uh...

it's a pretty unorthodox operation but the thing that i think impresses me with him is is the ability to hit hard in the air to all fields and i mean he is foul pulled a foul pull [SPEAKER_01]: also quick enough if it's a hanger to catch it out front and pull it hard in the air and when you've got a 30-game stretch for a guy sitting 330, that's going to be really encouraging stuff.

[SPEAKER_01]: I just turned 21, so probably about age to level at high A now, I think at low A, you're expecting a guy like that to maybe get comfortable and start to feast, but I think the swing decisions in the angles are what's really interesting to me.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think he's going to swing and [SPEAKER_01]: make the good swing decisions be very patient, produce above average eggs of velocity and hit them on the air, like a guy like that's always got a chance.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think there's starting to transition him a little bit more to first base, so that may put a bit more pressure on the bat, but there's no doubting that he is unlocked something offensively this year.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think there's several hitters in this in this Cardinals award, you'll get a Josh Bias as well, who has [SPEAKER_01]: It seemed to be stalled out at the lower levels this year or the last few years and then broke out in a big way this year as well, and now doing it at AA, seems like the Cardinals have had some success with some of their guys that maybe didn't show the best things in the last couple years and had the ability though and are starting to really convert that into game production.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, definitely.

[SPEAKER_00]: Just a fun name to watch there.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think the cardinal system is one that is trending the right direction general.

[SPEAKER_00]: This is an example of a guy who is not on any prospect radar and it's had a really good season and you've seen just quality growth from him and then there's many other examples of that in St.

[SPEAKER_00]: Louis.

[SPEAKER_01]: I would say bias, you know, if we owe him like a priori segment at some point in the next few episodes, I know he's not technically a heat sheet candidate to come down a little bit, but just in the sake of that conversation, I'm looking at his dad on what he's done this year.

[SPEAKER_01]: What a 180 from him.

[SPEAKER_01]: And when we update the rest of the farm systems, it's going to be fun to kind of dive into what other cardinals of, we're talking about Randy and Rodriguez as well.

[SPEAKER_01]: But [SPEAKER_01]: How many Cardinals have taken an offensive leap this year in that system?

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, definitely a good amount of the lower levels of teams like another guy who has a, you know, not a ton of a, I've had a degree here, traded over in the Camilo Dvoltrade with the Yankees, Park's Harbor of the Giants organization, great name.

[SPEAKER_00]: First of all, and since coming over to the Giants and that devaltrade, he's played 25 games for Terran's just go in at the high-a level, has put up 195 WRC+, nearly an 1100 OPS of since joining the Giants.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's walking in a good clip, not striking out a ton, he's tapping into power.

[SPEAKER_00]: I've heard some really good things from someone in the Giants organization who thinks that this is one of their better offensive prospects even though he just got there about a month ago.

[SPEAKER_01]: When I was looking at the data when we did the Yankee system, the raw power was crazy.

[SPEAKER_01]: There was enough bat to ball in the zone.

[SPEAKER_01]: But then there was a outrageous, like, out of zone width.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I'm like, man, usually when I see that, it's, because the guys are very stiff mover and he has like one swing for one spot.

[SPEAKER_01]: But I don't know if that's necessarily the case for Harbor and he's gotten a lot better at that, especially since changing works.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think maybe just losing it up a little bit in the box, having a bit more maliability, and that's been starting to shine through.

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, I thought maybe a bit more of a mistake in her and I still think he excused towards that.

[SPEAKER_01]: But you're starting to see that out-of-zone contact rate and prove, and I think that's been a big part of him cutting down on the K-ray.

[SPEAKER_01]: And then the swing decisions are still really solid as well.

[SPEAKER_01]: Harbor, it looks like a good get for them.

[SPEAKER_01]: We talked about the eggs of loss.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's man, 56% heart hit rate on the year and an EV 90 of 108.

[SPEAKER_01]: Again, for reference, like, [SPEAKER_01]: I would say the average EV 90 at the double way or high-A level, it's probably going to be around 102.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't have the exact number in front of me, but I can promise you it's several standard deviations below 108.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's in the living crap out of the ball, and I think this is just a fun power bat.

[SPEAKER_01]: A lot of pressure on the bat, because there's not a ton of defensive utility, but what I think is interesting is since he's joined the giant story, they've started to roll him out on that field a little bit.

[SPEAKER_01]: maybe maybe he can get it come along a little bit more there.

[SPEAKER_01]: They've been really focused on playing in a third.

[SPEAKER_01]: We'll see.

[SPEAKER_01]: But this is a fun get for a reliever and a guy that, yes, he's a little bit older.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think that's probably why he's going to skew a little bit towards the more forgotten side of things on prospect lists.

[SPEAKER_01]: But when you got those bad at ball specs, no matter the age, I'm intrigued.

[SPEAKER_01]: But we'll see how he adjusts to double a next year.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think that'll be a big test.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I was gonna ask you about the defensive value because it is interesting to note that he hasn't played any first for the Giants and he's a primarily played third with some corner outfield mixed in there.

[SPEAKER_00]: Obviously, if you can play the corner outfield spot or especially let feel to take a little bit of pressure off of the offensive profile and some of the things he's still working for their offensively.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I mean, it can't hurt.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think if you could just be survivable out there, I think you're going to feel pretty good about just the fact that, hey, we got a guy that had me Yankees looked at as a first basement and we can at least move him around a little bit here.

[SPEAKER_01]: So I'm excited.

[SPEAKER_01]: I took video down and probably going to do.

[SPEAKER_01]: And it's funny.

[SPEAKER_01]: We just did the giant system, but I'm probably going to have to update it a little bit more with some of those trades and some of the players that have emerged.

[SPEAKER_01]: And Harbor is going to be one of those guys.

[SPEAKER_01]: It probably sneaks into that, you know, top 15 consideration.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, definitely.

[SPEAKER_00]: Last hit or up here before we move over to the pitching side.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's another brewer.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's Eric Batonti and I know this is a guy that you've had your eye on for a while here and it's been, I wanted to say a rough season but a development season for Batonti who spent the whole year in in single as a, a raw but powerful, you know, young high school draft pick there.

[SPEAKER_00]: His last week, just finishing out the single A season, and they've got, they're not in the playoffs, I believe, so I think his season is done now, but the last week for Batonty, seven games of 10 for 21, so he goes across that last week, goes 10 for 21 with three home, or three extra base heads, nine walks, only four strikeouts in that span, obviously a super small sample, but when we're talking about heat cheat, sometimes we're looking just really recently, and it's cool to see Batonty after an up and down season, just finish on such a high note.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and especially I'm glad you bring them up because I can't just can't quit this guy.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I understand the risks here.

[SPEAKER_01]: And, and...

[SPEAKER_01]: The funny thing is, is when I was getting ready for this heat sheet, I'm thinking, okay, well, I was kind of hoping he'd make a leap this year, I even thought of him as a potential breakout guy.

[SPEAKER_01]: And like, ah, well, yeah, maybe maybe next year, yeah, he'll be 20, 21 years old, probably.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's still 19, like that.

[SPEAKER_01]: He'll be 20 years old next year, but I thought he was 20 by now.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's easy to forget that the student still just 19 years old.

[SPEAKER_01]: He hit his way off of the complex, and all that good stuff, and the early positive signs at low-way.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think it was easy to think, oh, he could be this super accelerated prospect here.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's six, five, two hundred, twenty-five pounds, and one of the younger guys for the class.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm going to take a little bit here.

[SPEAKER_01]: So the fact that he spent through the finish line, I think, was really encouraging.

[SPEAKER_01]: I understand that there's a chance he may never hit enough, but he's athletic for his size He hits the living crap out of the ball.

[SPEAKER_01]: He has a decent field for the zone And it's just a guy that it could click at 22 as well.

[SPEAKER_01]: Hey, make click next year But even in this somewhat disappointing year [SPEAKER_01]: It's a 760-1 OPS because of the way he finished the strike out rates too high, obviously at 33 and a half percent.

[SPEAKER_01]: But over that 10 game stretches you mentioned cut it down a good bit over like the final 15 games of the season.

[SPEAKER_01]: Below 20-25 percent or right of 25 percent.

[SPEAKER_01]: So it was heading in the right direction.

[SPEAKER_01]: And if you start to sort by just right east, east, a lot better in that regard too.

[SPEAKER_01]: So the worst, maybe a guy that you shelter from left east.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm never going to count out, or at least it's going to take me a lot longer than H-19 season account out.

[SPEAKER_01]: A guy this powerful that moves the way that he does.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, that's exactly how I feel about it.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think it's hard to rule out a guy who just has this much upside still and is, you know, you're seeing sports of it here to end out the season.

[SPEAKER_00]: Before we dive into some pictures, let's take a quick break.

[SPEAKER_00]: We're back with more guys on the heat sheet on the pitching side, there's nobody that I think we can reasonably start with right now other than Robbie snowing because we've been a big fan of him for a while.

[SPEAKER_00]: We've talked about him a bunch.

[SPEAKER_00]: But the Marlins prospect like this isn't like a, you know, and the results are what matters here and there what speaks here It's been an insane two months frankly for first telling two and a half months now really since July.

[SPEAKER_00]: He has been incredible lately You know his last start two days ago six innings of one run three hit ball seven strikeouts the start before that seven innings of one run ball 13 strikeouts no walks [SPEAKER_00]: The two starts before that, six innings of no run, eight strike out ball, six innings of nine strike out, no run ball.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like more starts than not of his for three months straight have been no runs or maybe one run, right?

[SPEAKER_00]: Where is just, where's your head out with snowing in terms of just how good he can be?

[SPEAKER_00]: Because I know we think he's going to obviously debut for Miami next season, if not, you know, I don't think the end of this year, but definitely in 2021 is actually going to debut.

[SPEAKER_00]: Just how good can he be?

[SPEAKER_00]: Because we're seeing another level of snowing now in the past couple months.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and I think having him on the show, it's kind of just like breakdown what he is, what clicks for him.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think really is eye-opening to what he can ultimately be, right?

[SPEAKER_01]: Because how did you gain a tick or almost two ticks on the fast?

[SPEAKER_01]: Well actually now it's like three ticks on the fastball.

[SPEAKER_01]: But not only that.

[SPEAKER_01]: How did you gain the [SPEAKER_01]: like focused on the mechanics and my delivery and how I could say behind the ball.

[SPEAKER_01]: And it's like, okay, that is a clear improvement there that seems like a sustainable uptick there in velocity and fastball quality.

[SPEAKER_01]: And it's held all year.

[SPEAKER_01]: And then what did you find with the secondary that's been so good for you?

[SPEAKER_01]: Well, the mechanical adjustments that I've made are helping me just throw more strikes and have a good feel for it.

[SPEAKER_01]: Also, I'm paraphrasing for him, but also, the curve ball that I love [SPEAKER_01]: previous ore guy was with, told me to scrap it.

[SPEAKER_01]: Now I get to throw it again and it's been a huge part of my success.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's very right about that.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's been the second most used pitch form and opponent's rating 233 against it with a 680 PS, but since he's got to trip away, they're barely hitting by the Mendoza line with a 500 OPS, but you think about this, fastball with more ride than ever and harder than ever.

[SPEAKER_01]: And a down or curve ball off of that.

[SPEAKER_01]: tunnel nightmare now the change up is playing up because of that even though it's not a great pitch shape wise it's it's pretty good plays up because the fastball sets the tone the way that it does and then the marlins and him worked on this kind of bridge slider that has been a fine fourth pitch to just mix in there but [SPEAKER_01]: I think the fastball quality has changed everything from a ceiling perspective now.

[SPEAKER_01]: We're seeing an age-old baseball guys that don't have the best stuff from like a stuff plus perspective.

[SPEAKER_01]: Look at an Andrew Abbott, who is just continuing to succeed.

[SPEAKER_01]: Lefty is with just deception or good, like fastballs that are going to perform a little bit better than you think.

[SPEAKER_01]: Really, it sets the tone for everything else.

[SPEAKER_01]: And when you look at Robby Snaling's fastball this year, [SPEAKER_01]: It's funny because I think nobody would have thought that you'd be referring to Robby Snowling's fastball as a plus pitch.

[SPEAKER_01]: But how could you not?

[SPEAKER_01]: 72% strike rate, a 27% in zone with rate, and opponents are hitting 165 against it.

[SPEAKER_01]: That's a plus heater from the left side.

[SPEAKER_01]: You could argue better than that.

[SPEAKER_01]: So filling up the zone with it Dominating in the zone with it and just frankly avoiding barrels That is that is a phenomenal heater and if you sort by triple A only it's been even more dominant his last 10 starts It's a 35% in zone with rate for reference like on a fastball [SPEAKER_01]: I think a good-in zone whiff rate in that league would be like 17, 18% at 19% would be probably like slightly above average.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's dominating with that heater, which is crazy because pitchability has never been a question for this guy.

[SPEAKER_01]: So now I'm looking at him and saying, [SPEAKER_01]: I think you can, if that fastball continues to play the same way, you can dream on a two starter here.

[SPEAKER_01]: But I think it's more likely that he's a really solid middle rotation arm with the intangibles to really maximize everything that he's got.

[SPEAKER_00]: yeah and there's a reason he was you know ranked as highly as he was but before he had a little bit of a down year last year right because he was so exciting and so much talent such a good athlete right coming out of coming out of high school even that there's just a lot to like there was snowing and now he's made that jump where you laid it all out perfectly there he he's gonna be you know a little rotation starter it seems like for Miami very soon [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I'm I'm very excited to see what he's going to do at the big level and he's he should absolutely break camp next year.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, no reason for him not to when you when you consider a couple spots in the rotation and are there for the taking right now.

[SPEAKER_00]: First time we're doing a trio here on the heat sheet.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I looked at each of these guys individually, and they've all had their ups and downs, but I'm not sure there's a better trio at one level in my early baseball for one team than the Yankees trio of Elmer Rodriguez Cruz, Carlos Lagrange, and Ben Hess right now.

[SPEAKER_00]: The three of them are our different pictures.

[SPEAKER_00]: They're all very unique, and an all three of them in their own right if that's an excellent outings lately.

[SPEAKER_00]: Elmer Rodriguez Cruz is coming off back to back, shut out outings of six and five innings, each strikeouts in each of those games.

[SPEAKER_00]: Carlos Lagrange coming off the game which he threw five innings of shutout ball with ten strikeouts and one walk and then you've got Ben Hess Who was a you know high-end college guy totally different type of guy than than the two other pieces in that in this trio his last two starts in a row Have been two starts in a row of one run ball in each of those games [SPEAKER_00]: These three are all very impressive in their own right.

[SPEAKER_00]: What do you see the kind of staggering here with three pictures for the Yankees and they've done a good job developing these guys?

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm very here to see which one of these three moves quicker and kind of how that goes.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I am too because Ben has, I mean the fastball has always been impressive and the carry that he gets on it.

[SPEAKER_01]: In the ability to fill up the zone with it was really, I think, a big intrigue, but he just didn't have a lot going for him secondaries wise and the command was just so iffy through the early parts of the season.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, you look at his first [SPEAKER_01]: 11 starts pretty much up until the all-star break.

[SPEAKER_01]: So 12 starts here.

[SPEAKER_01]: He walks 14% of batters.

[SPEAKER_01]: Since then, he's made 10 starts.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's walked 7% of batters.

[SPEAKER_01]: Ben has has while striking out 30%.

[SPEAKER_01]: So to see the command make a leap like that, super encouraging.

[SPEAKER_01]: Big part of the reason why is fastball just establishing that at the top of the zone with the 71% strike rate with the high carry than it gets.

[SPEAKER_01]: But then now, but the secondary command could [SPEAKER_01]: The curve ball has been effective for him at about a 60% strike rate.

[SPEAKER_01]: And then the slider in the change up still could be better from a command perspective.

[SPEAKER_01]: But at 56% it's enough where hitters have to respect that.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think that's.

[SPEAKER_01]: been the big wrinkle for him because I think through stretches earlier in the year it was those were pictures that hitters were could kind of eliminate to a degree.

[SPEAKER_01]: But I think that the forcing command has really unlocked a lot for has and that's the kind of picture that the Yankees seem to do a good job with and I think he's getting closer and closer to being able to be.

[SPEAKER_01]: you know, a legitimate piece for them.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think his stuff may translate as well as anybody to the big league level.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think with Rodriguez Cruz, there's some questions about how that pitch plot is going to translate at the highest level.

[SPEAKER_01]: But I think he's just going to outpitch the peripherals a little bit just because of the deep bag of offerings he has.

[SPEAKER_01]: And we've seen that over this stretch [SPEAKER_01]: in 80.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's a change up at 89.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's a four-seamer in 96.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's a sweeper at 83.

[SPEAKER_01]: And then another slider, a 90.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think when you look at the pitch shapes, none of them jump off the page.

[SPEAKER_01]: But it's very distinguishable velocity gaps.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think that's something that keeps hitters off balance and is enough to.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think be a differentiator for them and I think you could be more of a solid back into the rotation started, but when he's on, I think he's a guy that can absolutely shove.

[SPEAKER_01]: And then who was the third again?

[SPEAKER_01]: He called us the Grunge.

[SPEAKER_00]: Oh, true.

[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, he is.

[SPEAKER_01]: This stuff is crazy for the Grunge, it's just all about the command, but you know, I don't think I need to sell you on the stuff too much of a guy that [SPEAKER_01]: It's been a little bit of a velocity fluctuation thing where some outings he's been sitting 9900 and then other outings is more 97.98.

[SPEAKER_01]: Oh hard.

[SPEAKER_01]: But the last time out, he averaged 101 miles per hour on his fastball.

[SPEAKER_01]: And that's why he went five innings, no runs, one walk 10 case.

[SPEAKER_01]: His pitch shapes aren't as exciting, but he also throws harder than both of these guys.

[SPEAKER_01]: So I think he's going to be a [SPEAKER_01]: 98 to 100 versus 96 to 98, that fastball is going to be playing in the plus plus territory versus above average.

[SPEAKER_01]: I know you're thinking 96 to 98 above average, well, from his high release, it can flatten out on him a little bit to the view on matters.

[SPEAKER_01]: The gyrosliders disgusting, and that pitch is always going to be there for him.

[SPEAKER_01]: But he has kind of been a one to like a one to punch guy, meaning it's just been fastball slider.

[SPEAKER_01]: The sweeper and change up had been lagging behind at points.

[SPEAKER_01]: Now having that change up their form the last handful of starts, I think that's really unlocked more form and these guys are all really fascinating.

[SPEAKER_01]: They're all volatile.

[SPEAKER_01]: So I'm interested to see what that looks like.

[SPEAKER_01]: But all very exciting.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, when you've got a trio of prospects and double a that are all striking out 30 plus percent of matters like you got to feel excited even though they're different and they all have some range of outcomes.

[SPEAKER_00]: They're still all striking out the world as a double a level and they're all going to be in play next season.

[SPEAKER_00]: Maybe even if it's later in the season to help the Yankees in some role.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I think you can look at the stuff too and see that this [SPEAKER_00]: at least for Lagrangian has said maybe not as much cruise but Lagrangian has like if it doesn't come together as much like those are dogs in the bullpen potentially right if it's a worst outcome for any of these guys right you could get a really good high leverage arm out of those guys special 100%.

[SPEAKER_00]: So moving on to the other New York, a pair of guys in the Met system, and they're probably even more petrists who can talk about the Met system, and it feels like you guys have touched on Tom and Sproden, and everybody else in the client, of course, that another two guys coming up, Jonathan Santucci, and then Archie Gordon, is the other one I want to mention there from the Met system, [SPEAKER_00]: they just had nailed to the last year's draft.

[SPEAKER_00]: It feels like it feels like almost every pick in their 20s, 24 classes doing something impressive.

[SPEAKER_00]: San Tucci's been good for a while now.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's had a couple blowups, but largely has been very good.

[SPEAKER_00]: His last two starts have been six innings of one run ball, five innings of no run ball.

[SPEAKER_00]: he's just had a great season overall start to finish and then Arjun Gordon is a guy who was 13 brown pick and another guy that seems like the methods are just developing the heck out of just had a really rough start this last time out but before that he had gone three straight starts with no runs one one one run seven plus strikeouts and all three of those outings two more guys the methods are just developing well and they just keep doing this a lot of pitchers [SPEAKER_01]: Well, you're seeing what I said, too.

[SPEAKER_01]: She had some first round buzz going into his draft year.

[SPEAKER_01]: But of course, command was the big problem there.

[SPEAKER_01]: And it ended up pushing him outside of that first round.

[SPEAKER_01]: But since he's joined the Metsor, clearly, things have been cleaned up with his delivery.

[SPEAKER_01]: And you mentioned a couple of blobs.

[SPEAKER_01]: But for the most part, he's been filling up the zone at a significantly better clip than he was at Duke, which is always impressive.

[SPEAKER_01]: And yeah, I still think there's room for more.

[SPEAKER_01]: That's the crazy spot.

[SPEAKER_01]: Clearly, just a supernator, so like he is throwing that slider confidently for a strike like the last 10 outings.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's going to 70% strike rate on the on the slider.

[SPEAKER_01]: The fast ball strike rate is only 60%.

[SPEAKER_01]: So like if he could establish that heater, [SPEAKER_01]: in his zone a little bit more consistently.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think we'd see even more encouraging results.

[SPEAKER_01]: But this is still a guy that I mean, you look at what he's been able to do.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's so impressive because you know that they're still more in the tank.

[SPEAKER_01]: He can spin a good curve ball.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's just the command of it.

[SPEAKER_01]: And the last two outings when you've got no walks from San Tucci and 13 strikeouts, that's a really good trend to finish out the year.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's a fast ball that averages in the mid 90s.

[SPEAKER_01]: That upper 80s slider has been just dominant all year long.

[SPEAKER_01]: And then, you know, we'll see how the curve ball and change up come along.

[SPEAKER_01]: But that one, two punches is really impressive.

[SPEAKER_01]: And then, RJ Gordon is just, it's just a fun scatterplot to with him.

[SPEAKER_01]: He gets great carry on the fastball.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's got a sweeper that home mix in there that's like 10 inches of horizontal and zero, zero vert.

[SPEAKER_01]: Then he's got this gyro really short, gyro almost bullet slider that has been his best pitch all year.

[SPEAKER_01]: And the confidence with it is amazing.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's not even getting a ton of wiff within the zone on it.

[SPEAKER_01]: decent, but a ton of chase just below the zone, a ton of ground balls.

[SPEAKER_01]: And he's thrown it nearly 40% of the time.

[SPEAKER_01]: So more than his foreseamer and just dotting with it.

[SPEAKER_01]: 70% strike rate east west, just at the bottom of the zone, working it.

[SPEAKER_01]: And it's a really unique way to kind [SPEAKER_01]: use that bullet slider and get a lot of weak contact and ground balls.

[SPEAKER_01]: And then as you start to bring your sights down, that's where Holes sneaked the four seamer up.

[SPEAKER_01]: But then he's got the splitter that also works off of that well at a couple of six slower.

[SPEAKER_01]: And then he's got this curve ball that may end up being the best swing and miss pitch of the bunch that is just needs to execute a little bit better.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's a really fun pitch mix here and it seems like that's what the mets are doing is they're identifying these arms that they can really just overhaul the arsenal a little bit [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, definitely.

[SPEAKER_00]: And it seems like there's a lot of progress being made.

[SPEAKER_00]: That arsenal sounds pretty disgusting.

[SPEAKER_00]: I watched a couple of the days of Gordon and it looked really fun just because he can mix and match and kind of spot all over the place and keep batters off their hands and you know these guys are both in double a both college traffic.

[SPEAKER_00]: So I don't know where the mets are fitting all of his pitching, but it gives you reason to believe they don't [SPEAKER_00]: really need to spend much on pitching and they might still do it because they can, but like they've got a lot of pitching to deploy next season.

[SPEAKER_01]: And as we saw at the deadline, they're creating trade assets, too.

[SPEAKER_01]: Right.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, these are, they've traded several arms and if they wanted to do it in the off season or in the deadline again next year, they're just continuing to create assets.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and they're going to, you know, we know if the season trends the way it's trending right now and they don't have the best of seasons and finishes this year in the playoffs.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like Steve Collins not going to hesitate to do what needs to be done this off season.

[SPEAKER_00]: And there's a lot of guys in the system.

[SPEAKER_00]: You can look at and say, okay, that's a pretty appealing asset to a team that would be giving up a big time player to help out the minutes.

[SPEAKER_01]: No doubt.

[SPEAKER_01]: definitely.

[SPEAKER_00]: The next guy up is a BlueJace prospect and another organization we've talked with a lot of pictures this season.

[SPEAKER_00]: Gauge stand-offer is an interesting name to mention here at a 2022 pick out of high school for Toronto still just 21 years old and have really good season this year and just got promoted and got a bump to [SPEAKER_00]: double a had you know a little bit of a shaky first start in double a but generally speaking for for Stanford it has been really really solid season at the high level for him.

[SPEAKER_00]: I just wanted to see where you were at because before this promotion he had I think it was at eight straight starts of you know two or less runs allowed and then a good amount of strikeouts filling up the zone where what do you want but you got on him.

[SPEAKER_01]: Has there been a bigger 180 than the blue jays pitching land?

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, they used to be the joke that we'd make.

[SPEAKER_01]: Like, oh my gosh.

[SPEAKER_01]: And another, the blue jays took another picture of that poor guy.

[SPEAKER_01]: All right.

[SPEAKER_01]: Like, now it seems like every, every time that they've taken now in the last year or so, or a couple of years is just really trending in the right direction.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's been really fun to watch.

[SPEAKER_01]: high carry fastball at 95 that is just overwhelmed hitters and I think that's been a big part of it and then working off of that nasty curveball that I think creates a tonnelling nightmare and I curveball punituring 140 against with a 381 OPS for Stanford.

[SPEAKER_01]: So just dominating with that one two punches is really impressive and so trying to find a consistent feel for a third pitch and I think he will get there but that fastball curveball combination has me feeling like at the [SPEAKER_01]: You know, a solid bullpin arm if it doesn't work out as a starter, but a 21-year-old he's got plenty of time to find that third pitch and over the last handful of starts.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's found a lot more confidence in his change up, which seems to have him on that, you know, course already.

[SPEAKER_01]: This is a very fascinating arm that I think is definitely flying under the radar.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and the J's traded a couple of big arms, the deadline, right?

[SPEAKER_00]: So now you fill in and he seems like he's kind of rising into that next tier of, of high-end Blue J's potential pitchers there.

[SPEAKER_00]: And, you know, should be getting a little more attention, because this season's been really good.

[SPEAKER_00]: And now he reaches AA and he'll probably start next season at AA.

[SPEAKER_00]: And yeah, the first thing I saw when I looked at the video was that fast, what curveball, and it's pretty disgusting.

[SPEAKER_00]: And you've got two plus pitches.

[SPEAKER_00]: If you can find that change up, if you can, you know, if you add another pitch even potentially down the road, you've got to at least the basis of a young guy with two really good pitches.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm counting right now.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think how many starts is here?

[SPEAKER_01]: He is struck out at least seven.

[SPEAKER_01]: The long wait.

[SPEAKER_01]: One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 starts where you struck out at least seven.

[SPEAKER_01]: And a lot of those were eight, a couple of 10 strike out games.

[SPEAKER_01]: Like, and a several nine strike out games like this.

[SPEAKER_01]: When he's on, he was just overpowering.

[SPEAKER_01]: Whoa, hey, mostly hiators.

[SPEAKER_00]: Hi, yeah, it's 36% strike I write on the ear.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's that's an arm to be watching for sure.

[SPEAKER_01]: No doubt.

[SPEAKER_00]: Next guy up is Joey Oki of the Cleveland Guardians organization, high school draft pick last year.

[SPEAKER_00]: A guy that I was a big fan of coming out of the draft.

[SPEAKER_00]: I remember having him keyed in on my board of high school guys who was drafted at had just turned 18 at time of draft last year.

[SPEAKER_00]: And it's taken a big step forward.

[SPEAKER_00]: The whole season.

[SPEAKER_00]: You know, he had a little bit of delay to the season.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's only thrown a number of games, and I believe it's what six games in single I now, for Oki this season.

[SPEAKER_00]: Those six games have been very impressive though.

[SPEAKER_00]: Particularly the last two, he's coming off of two straight 11 strikeouts, shut out outings, and it's not there on more than five innings in a game.

[SPEAKER_00]: Four and two thirds, one hit, one walk, 11 strikeouts, five innings, no hits, 11 strikeouts in the past two starts for Oki.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, he was a breakout, preseason breakout pick for me and maybe a little aggressive because of how careful they've been with him who I was 18 years old at the start of the season.

[SPEAKER_01]: They paid a lot of money.

[SPEAKER_01]: The Guardians had to signoki away and I mean, you can see why that fastball is averaged 96 miles per hour.

[SPEAKER_01]: The characteristics on it are really fascinating as well.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, it's a funky release that [SPEAKER_01]: I think for hitters, it's just tough to pick up and the command was a little bit inconsistent.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think in the early going and he's just still trying to adjust and find things and settle any 6, 3, 200 and with the funky release, but I think we're seeing now as he starts to hone in a little bit.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, this is a really unique look that between the fastball change up combination and then that slider that whole mix in as well.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's a very predictable three pitch mix that [SPEAKER_01]: No, it's sticking in a rotation and being quite nasty, but I love the fact that the fallback is a nasty leverage reliever, but this is a really fun player here that I think I'm going to pick again to break out next year because he was the breakout pick this year, but just seeing him be anywhere near the zone for a couple starts stretch.

[SPEAKER_01]: It had just what what it has done for him.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean in the beginning the change-up was not really there and the slider was hit or [SPEAKER_01]: Slider you added a curve and started to phase out the change up a little bit, which I think is interesting, and those results were really encouraging and just being able to establish the heater the way that he did.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think there's a lot more to be unlocked still because the strike rates even in those really sharp starts could have been better.

[SPEAKER_01]: So if you can find a little bit more command wise, I think this guy could be an absolute monster.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and now I've all of next season build up.

[SPEAKER_00]: They're going to take their sweet time with him.

[SPEAKER_00]: This is the type of upside arm that you don't need to rush.

[SPEAKER_00]: You be patient with, you see how it continues to develop.

[SPEAKER_00]: And the guardians are one of the better organizations to develop this type of pitcher.

[SPEAKER_00]: And you have to think, he'll slowly build up the settings next year.

[SPEAKER_00]: You'll get him more consistently than you five and he starts and such if he's healthy.

[SPEAKER_00]: And then he's still only going to be 19 going in next year.

[SPEAKER_00]: So there's so much time still to figure out what you want it with with Oki.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and it really seems like in the midst of this hot stretch, he was tinkering with pitch usage and things like that.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, to kind of phase out the change up and add in the curve ball and use the slider with more success.

[SPEAKER_01]: Like, I'm interested to see what kind of pitchmixie emerges with next year and again, the baseline template forum is one that's pretty exciting.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, last name on the heat sheet this week recently turned 19 year old Milwaukee brewer, guess he surprised surprised Melvin Hernandez.

[SPEAKER_00]: I don't know a ton about this guy, but I've seen a couple of videos, he had a really, really good season.

[SPEAKER_00]: Start to finish honestly, it's not overwhelming stuff, but it's really good command.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's spent the whole season in Singalai at pretty much 18 years old until recently.

[SPEAKER_00]: 121 innings of two ERA ball for Melvin Hernandez [SPEAKER_00]: four straight outings of one runner-less and five plus innings.

[SPEAKER_00]: The command is really good.

[SPEAKER_00]: I don't know what the upside books like, but an 18 year old with a 2-ERA for 120 innings sample is mentioning.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it's a kind of Carlos Hernandez dish where he's going to...

It's just this lower velocity, it's like 89 miles per hour, where you're going to get this kind of mixture of [SPEAKER_01]: heavy, heavy, sinker, change up.

[SPEAKER_01]: The change up is the pitch that I think is really dominated within the zone and been that equalizer for him.

[SPEAKER_01]: But then curve ball, slider, force hammer that'll sneak up at the top.

[SPEAKER_01]: So when you get the sinker, force hammer, change up curve ball, slider, he's just kind of going all four quadrants, keeping the off balance.

[SPEAKER_01]: And the fact that a guy that, you know, [SPEAKER_01]: sitting 89 with his fastball allowed just one home run on the year kind of shows you the way that he's able to pick up ground balls when he needs to get this wing and miss when he needs to obviously if there's more velocity in there that'll be really encouraging because if you can creep up to the to the lower 90s I think you're going to you can really start to talk yourself into a back end of the rotation arm but [SPEAKER_01]: He could easily see an uptick.

[SPEAKER_01]: He was 18 years old for the entirety of the season.

[SPEAKER_01]: So, or most of the season.

[SPEAKER_01]: So, it's a fun just developmental piece here that seems to be like at least a depth garment and aning zeter, but I think to see what he's done from a structural and perspective and then missing enough bats when he needs to, just another under the radar guy here in this brewer system.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, just a one more name to watch there for sure.

[SPEAKER_00]: I just thought I'd put it on the radar just because the numbers were leading the Carolina League in like walk rate and just the RA over the full season.

[SPEAKER_00]: So I was like, oh, this is, you know, we'll see if the stuff can tick up, but definitely got to keep an eye on.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's all we got for this week on the HGA.

[SPEAKER_00]: It was a fun one.

[SPEAKER_00]: This is a good group.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, again, I always like the idea of and I said Carlos and I was Carlos Rodriguez is my men, but Rodriguez kind of that change up sore fast ball mixture, but Rodriguez is closer to the low like 92 range, so like that's something that.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think you could kind of look at as a template and some that I know that the brewers have you know liked kind of building up, but yeah, what always fun with the new names and then you know just being able to check in on some of these guys will probably you mentioned what one of the types of heat sheets we could probably do next week [SPEAKER_01]: It's some really fun names heading out to the following some of the best prospects and baseball and also a Daniel Espino Siding so we're gonna talk a little bit about all of that But as always thank you for listening and look forward to talking crossroads to do it this week