Latest / Sports Avenue Twisted Podcast / Episode 53 Part II feat. Owen Hurd - Top Prospects Next in Line, Owen's top list, Orioles and Nationals future

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Episode 53 Part II feat. Owen Hurd - Top Prospects Next in Line, Owen's top list, Orioles and Nationals future · Sports Avenue Twisted Podcast

0:01
So I want to ask you the next question and that is players who
0:05
could be called up later this year, if not next year.
0:10
And you know, the two names that come in mind is Bubble Chandler,
0:13
Sam Bassio, like 2 of the top prospects in the system.
0:17
And it's still baffling to think that those guys are not up.
0:20
And we can mention other names like the Owen Casey, the Trey
0:23
Savage, like guys who could be up this year and next year.
0:26
Like who else do you think could get called up?
0:29
And you could mention those guys and talk about those guys
0:32
because why aren't they up like that?
0:34
That, to me, is a bigger question.
0:36
Yeah, I mean, I think I think it really comes down to is, you
0:40
know, the I think by selling at the deadline, the Orioles kind
0:43
of admitted that more of the focus is on the future.
0:47
It does not really make sense from their perspective to
0:50
graduate their top prospects this year when they can bring
0:54
them up after the August 15th time, maintain PPI eligibility
0:57
for next season with Samuel Basayo that is.
1:01
So I do think it I, I, I thought early on it, you know, should
1:06
they have been in contention, it would have been possible that
1:08
they brought him up earlier. Now I, I understand why he isn't
1:12
Dylan Beavers is another that I think kind of fits that same
1:15
bill. He's another one is I feel like
1:18
kind of the, the market hasn't really caught up to him and the
1:21
improvements he's made yet. He has a really fun profile, you
1:25
know, and having a really good season in AAA. 3O742152016
1:30
percent walk rate, 17.1 K rate, 16 home runs, 46 RBIs, 22 stolen
1:35
bases. The approach has taken big
1:37
strides this year. The The K rate is down.
1:40
The the contact skills have improved.
1:42
The zone contact is up over 10%. The swing strike rate is down
1:46
nearly 3%. The Chase rate is down 6%.
1:50
The overall contact rate is up over 5%.
1:52
He has got plus speed. He's a solid defender in the
1:55
outfield. So Dylan Beavers is he's he's a
1:57
profile that it really excites me a lot, especially from a
2:01
fantasy perspective as a guy who can give you a bit of power.
2:04
He's a solidator. He'll give you some stolen
2:06
bases. And I think he's somebody, I
2:08
have him, I have him on my top 75 overall.
2:11
I think a lot of places don't even have him as a top 100 guy.
2:14
So I think Dylan Beavers is another one that I think we'll
2:17
see him later this season. Robbie Snelling is another one I
2:22
think definitely a lot more, definitely a lot cloudier now
2:25
than it was pretty deadline, especially with Sandy Alcantra
2:28
and Edward Cabrera still on the team.
2:32
But I think there is still a chance.
2:34
Snelling is up this year. He's had a really good year in
2:37
AAA, 2 point O, 8 ERA. The stuff has taken a step
2:39
forward. The Velo is up, the secondaries
2:43
have improved. You know, I kind of, you know,
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he's definitely, he's taken a kind of complete 180 from his
2:49
kind of really bad 2024 season in which he would kind of
2:52
dropped off a lot of lists and the stuff is approved.
2:54
So I think snowing could be, you know, I, I, I think now it was
2:59
like going into 2025 it was, I think snowing is more of a back
3:03
end arm. I think now he can be a number 3
3:05
#4 type. We've seen the the, the the
3:09
strikeout stuff has been a lot better than it was in the past.
3:13
So I think yeah, Robbie Snelling is another one that excites me a
3:15
lot and named that. I would look for another one to
3:18
go over to the Reds farm system. There's a couple, couple, couple
3:24
infielders that they have. Sal Stewart and Hector Rodriguez
3:28
are some names that I would also keep an eye on for after the
3:31
August 15th deadline. Sal Stewart is Sal Stewart's a
3:35
really, he's somebody I've been high on a while.
3:38
The approach is really good. He hits, he can give you some
3:41
solid power. He can give you some stolen
3:43
bases. I think it's a really
3:44
well-rounded profile, you know, doesn't I, I think, I think it's
3:49
a profile that's going to fit really well in that park.
3:51
To be a little nitpicky, I don't love the chase rate.
3:56
That's a 36.7% right now, but you know, he's still still 21
4:02
years old to a bit young for triple AI.
4:06
Think he's kind of more likely in early next season call up.
4:10
But he's definitely a name that I would keep an eye on.
4:13
Good, good on base deals, good approach.
4:15
I think there's there's 20 to 25 home run pop there.
4:18
So I think he could be a very interesting both real life and
4:21
fantasy player. And then Hector Rodriguez, he
4:24
was actually acquired by the Reds in the Tyler Naquin deal.
4:29
Rodriguez has been somebody, the approach has been super rash
4:33
coming up. But you know, I think now just
4:37
seeing the contact he's been able to make and the power that
4:39
he's been able to hit for despite the chase rate has been
4:42
really encouraging to me. The chase rate is 35.8 right
4:46
now, but he's making contact in the zone of near 93% clip, 84%
4:50
overall contact rate. The swing strike rate is down to
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8.3. I mean the the E VS are good.
4:57
It's 91.1 average, 110.7 Max. The launch angles aren't great.
5:03
So that's kind of one thing to me that I think kind of blurs
5:06
the makes the power outlook a bit murkier than some other
5:09
places. But I think Rodriguez is a
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really fun player. I think he's a good hitter with
5:14
a 15 ish home run pump second base.
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And so it's it's very bad first profile defensively.
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He definitely has some big questions there.
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It would not surprise me to see either of those two also up at
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some point down the stretch of the season.
5:31
I got a couple names I want to mention.
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The Mets have a Big Three and Brandon Spro, Jonah, Tom and
5:37
Noah McClain. When you when you see those guys
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getting called up. Yeah, I think most likely down
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the stretch this year to get called up with McLean.
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He's having a really good year this year in AAA.
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The sweeper is the sweeper is kind of the sweeper is a
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dominant pitch. I think he's kind of more, I
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don't think he has the upside of the other two names you
5:59
mentioned in that category, but I think he's a pretty safe bet
6:03
as you know, third or second starter in a big league rotation
6:07
if everything comes together. Jonah Tong is, he's somebody
6:13
I've been a bit lower on than some other places believe.
6:17
I want to say is, I want to say is my #8 or #9 yeah #8 right
6:23
hand pitching, probably. Hold on, make sure I'm getting
6:27
this. Yeah, I want to say he's #8 or
6:31
#9 on my right hand pitching, right.
6:34
I don't love the delivery at all.
6:36
I don't think the secondary's play against big league hitters.
6:40
I think it's kind of a fastball change up profile right now.
6:44
I mean, I don't think he's I don't think it's a bad prospect
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of them. If I want to say 5058 overall,
6:50
so kind of firmly in the Tier 2 of pitching prospects, but I I
6:55
get some pause when I see people, you know, push him up to
6:57
their top 20 to top 25 range. I just don't, I don't think 1 he
7:02
has that upside and two, I think the risk is definitely there
7:06
too. Is like, you know, everyone
7:07
points to, you know, oh, like Tim Lincecum had that delivery.
7:11
It's like, where's the part where Tim Lincecum had a, a
7:13
prolonged league career? So I think he's Jonah Tong is
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definitely polarizing. You either love him or you hate
7:19
him. I'm definitely more on the kind
7:20
of I have my, I have my skeptics side with him.
7:24
Braden Sproat, the stuff has taken a, a big step for the last
7:28
few starts, which has been super encouraging to see.
7:31
For a while it was, it really looked like, you know, he just
7:35
kind of fell apart and everything unraveled when he got
7:37
to AAA. But you know, I think now, I
7:41
mean, I, I really like the stuff a lot.
7:42
If the command can hold up, I think there's #2 upside there
7:46
with Brandon Stroke and definitely as a late, the
7:49
performance has been super encouraging.
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He's somebody that I'm going to bump back on to my top 100 and
7:54
my August update. And so I think he could also be
7:57
someone, along with McLean, who could be up later this year.
8:01
You put out a a list recently of some right-handed pitching
8:04
prospects with some of the names that you've mentioned already
8:09
and we've talked about here. So talk about some of the the
8:12
names on that list, maybe some of the names we haven't talked
8:15
about yet, some of your favorite guys.
8:18
Yeah, so we touched, we touched on, we touched on Chase Burns a
8:22
bit. He's my number one right now
8:24
with miss graduating, Burns also is believe he'll also hit
8:29
service time in a few days. So he'll be off in the near
8:32
future as well. Bubba Chandler is my second one
8:35
for me. I the the fastball slider is
8:37
really, really good. I really kind of question why
8:40
he's still down in AAA right now.
8:42
I think he's somebody who should be up right now.
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I do. I mean the, the control at times
8:48
has been pretty spotty and I don't think he has established
8:51
of a third pitch as from Smizzy Roski.
8:54
So he's been, he's, he's been a bit lower for me than some other
8:57
places. I've got some Flack for that.
8:59
But I believe he's top 15 overalls and not a bad rank at
9:03
all by any means. Andrew Painter is number 3 for
9:06
me right now. He's had an up and down season
9:10
kind of coming off TJ, but as of late it's been a lot better.
9:13
I still like the stuff. It's still like the upside.
9:14
He's somebody who's kind of remains high for me, even kind
9:17
of amidst the struggles and inconsistencies.
9:21
Travis Sicoro is number 4 for me.
9:23
Really kind of devastating that he's going down with Tommy John.
9:25
Likely won't see him until 20/20/20, late 2026 at the very
9:30
earliest 2027, yeah, I mean in that still even then the kind of
9:35
lockouts in in question. So really kind of bad break for
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Travis Sicora. I mean he was on his way well on
9:42
his way to being the number one pitching prospects in the near
9:44
future. In my opinion.
9:46
Seth Hernandez is number 5 for me.
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I think the the stuff is just really special from a prep arm.
9:54
I mean, I it it really reminds me of Jackson job kind of coming
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out of the draft and going into the Detroit.
10:00
And I think Seth Hernandez legitimately you can put him in
10:03
that conversation of Chase Burns, Jacob Izirowski, Andrew
10:07
Painter, Bubba Chandler as having that true ace upside.
10:10
I think it's a term that's vastly overused when it comes to
10:13
pitching prospects, but I think Seth Hernandez is right up there
10:16
with the stuff that he has now. He's a solid strike thrower.
10:19
You can really dream on the the impact big league pitcher that
10:23
he can become. No one.
10:25
McLean, who we mentioned a bit, is number six for me.
10:27
Ryan Sloane is #7 he's someone I really like.
10:31
I mean, I've liked him coming out of the draft a lot.
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Super polished for a prep arm, really good developmental fit
10:36
with the Mariners, really good stuff.
10:39
He's having a good year so far in low A and I thought, yeah, I,
10:45
I, I thought for me, you know, he's, he's definitely a big
10:48
power pitcher too. So 65220 he's got a great size
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for a 19 year old 3.7 ERA, 2.98 fib, just under ten strike up
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for 9 in single a so far right now.
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But yeah, I, Ryan Sloane has an arm that I really liked.
11:04
He was 1. He I, I, I want to say he's just
11:07
outside top 50 overall for me right now.
11:10
Jackson Wiggins is number 8 for me.
11:14
He's somebody that I've kind of shoved as a late.
11:16
I I think the fastball is a 70 grade.
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I think the the change up is also change up is also really
11:23
good and you know, the, the command is also looked really
11:27
good. The slider is plus.
11:29
So yeah, I think Wiggins for me and that definitely one of my
11:32
more controversial ones and having Jackson Wiggins over
11:35
Jonah Tong. But I think Wiggins can go stuff
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for stuff with Jonah Tong, who I have at #9 and doesn't really
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have, doesn't have the same level of risk in my opinion.
11:44
Treya Savage is at #10 for me. I I I like the stuff kind of
11:50
like Tong, don't love the delivery and don't love the
11:54
don't love kind of the inconsistent control he's had in
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the upper minor so far. I think he's more of a 2026 call
11:59
up. I don't think with especially
12:02
with the Blue Jays rotation as a now that they'll rush him.
12:07
Brody Hopkins I have at 11. He's somebody I think is super
12:10
underrated arm. He was acquired by the rays in
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the Randy Rosa arena trade. But fastball slider both plus
12:17
the change of cutter both have above average potential.
12:20
He's a big frame starter 64200. He's having a really good year
12:26
at AA. The walks are still a bit of an
12:30
issue, but just under 11 strikeouts for 94.6 walks for 93
12:35
point, O3 ERA through 4/6, fifth over 20 starts, 92 innings
12:39
pitched. So Brody Hopkins is an arm,
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especially in a development system that has had a lot of
12:44
success in these kind of stuff over command arms and improving
12:48
them. So Brody Hopkins is an arm.
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I really like Sproat. We talked about a bit.
12:52
Is it #12 for me, Esteban Mejia, is that #13 for me with the
12:56
Baltimore Orioles? I think he's another.
12:59
He's another arm for me. Super special stuff for an 18
13:03
year old. Very raw.
13:04
But I think the fastball is fastball is double plus.
13:07
It's been up to one O 2 if I'm getting that correctly.
13:12
He's been between the complex and single A this year in the
13:16
complex, just under 12. Strike us for 92.45 ERA over 11
13:20
starts. Still yet to see him pitch deep
13:22
into games and still got some room to go into his frame.
13:24
But but he has an arm that really excites me and he's
13:27
somebody who's development, I'll be falling closely and then I'll
13:30
pair 14 and 15. I've got Alejandro Rosario who
13:33
still has not gotten Tommy John surgery, frustratingly, not sure
13:36
what the hold up is there, but he has three, He has three plus
13:40
pitches, but it's just kind of going to be a matter of when
13:43
he's back on the mounds now and then.
13:45
Carlos LaGrange is 15 for me, really like the stuff.
13:50
I I mean the commands going into the year was probably a thirty
13:54
grade to put it generously. I think now I still do have some
13:59
kind of questions about it, but I don't think it's nearly as bad
14:02
as it was coming in. It's kind of crept back up in
14:08
AA, but in hi a we cut the cut the walks per 9 from 8.16 in
14:13
single a last year to 2.59. So that was super encouraging to
14:16
me and I think stuff is really good.
14:19
So LaGrange is, I want to say in the top, just outside my top 75
14:25
overall. So what are your top five?
14:29
Let's just go to the top five left-handed pitching prospects
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because I believe you also put on the list for for the lefties.
14:35
I know there's a lot of exciting arms on that list, so just give
14:39
us some of your favorite guys. Yeah, I mean, Thomas White is #1
14:45
for me right now, he's having having having a really good
14:49
stretch as a late. I do think, I don't think he's
14:52
somebody we're going to see even late this year or early next
14:56
year. I think he's more of a kind of
14:58
late next year call up. But fastball, slider, both,
15:01
both. Plus he's got good size for a
15:03
starter, 65240 having a really good year in double A / 14.5 KS
15:10
per nine, 2.55 ERA, little over four walks per 9 two point O 4
15:16
fit. But I, I, I really like Thomas
15:17
Wade a lot. He's somebody that I have him in
15:20
my top thirty overall. Not far behind him, Kate
15:22
Anderson, who we talked about a bit earlier #3 is another
15:27
recently, another recent draftee, Jamie Arnold with the
15:30
athletics #4 I have Liam Doyle with the Cardinals, then another
15:37
A's arm and #5 is a gauge jump. Johnny King at six.
15:44
He's somebody that I've I've, I actually have him ranked higher
15:48
than Yasavich. Not the consensus opinion, but I
15:50
really love what Johnny King brings to the table as a barely
15:54
19 year old pitching prospect. Just the stuff he has, the
15:57
control is kind of steadily improved, start over start and
16:00
single life. That could really encouraging to
16:01
see. But really I think he could be a
16:03
future 3 plus pitch arm. So he's somebody that I, I hold
16:07
very highly. Peyton Tolley is #7 for me, he's
16:11
somebody that I have been lower on than other places.
16:14
I have him. I'll he'll, he was, I want to
16:18
say like 88 overall on my July update.
16:21
I'll probably bump him up a little bit, probably top 80 ish.
16:24
But I mean, he's been dominant. The results definitely speak for
16:27
themselves. But I kind of question whether
16:29
it's a big league starters. Arsenal as a, the first ball is
16:32
double plus. But I think he's a two pitch guy
16:35
on a good day, so that kind of gives me some hesitancy.
16:38
As you know, the fastball's really good.
16:40
No doubting that. The slider is inconsistent.
16:43
It has flashed average. The change up isn't really the
16:47
change up doesn't impress me that much.
16:48
So I do think that he, I, I think his fastball can be
16:52
effective in an up open roll right now.
16:54
I think it's a matter of, you know, developing that third
16:57
pitch and continuing to refine that slider before I kind of
17:00
have them as high as, you know, some other some other some other
17:03
people do and, you know, as up with some of those other arms.
17:06
And then I'll just kind of quick fire here.
17:08
Next few. Robbie Snelling at 9:00.
17:10
And we talked about Quinn Matthews at 10.
17:12
He's fallen a bit for me. The secondary stuff looks good.
17:16
The Velo Velo has kind of been hit or miss.
17:19
It's been better as a late. But yeah, I, I don't know.
17:23
He's, he's kind of, I thought somebody we would see this year,
17:25
probably more early next year. Just on hill with the Twins is I
17:30
have it #11 like King, like his stuff a lot from a young arm.
17:36
Hagan Smith have him at 12. The stuff has been good.
17:40
The strikeouts have been good. It's just a matter of Kenny
17:43
throwing up strikes. That's the control has been a
17:45
question mark this year. And then Cam Caminiti, Ricky
17:49
Tideman and Jackson Faris are 1314 and 15.
17:53
I want to mention one name and he's the ambidextrous pitcher
17:58
that you know, he's. He's a rarity as Dirangelo
18:01
Sinchi. Like he pitches both sides.
18:04
Where? Where would you classify him as?
18:06
Like is he better at the right side or is he better in the left
18:10
hand side? Yeah, I mean, I, I, I think he's
18:13
better for the right side. I, I think it'll, I mean, he, I
18:19
think that's where the stuff plays better.
18:21
I mean, I don't think really right-handed starter,
18:24
left-handed reliever is completely out of the question.
18:26
He's really a Unicorn. You just don't really see many
18:28
players like him. He's somebody he's like top top
18:33
125 overall ish range for me. So a little bit off my top 100.
18:37
But I mean, really, I we we talked about how hard pitching
18:42
is just pitching from one side and being able to pump upper
18:45
90s, being able to do it from both, much less like have a
18:50
chance to carve out a big league role with both as both a righty
18:55
and a lefty, just Uber impressive prospect.
18:57
So yeah, really fascinating prospect.
19:00
I know the results kind of haven't been there this year
19:03
yet. And hi a but he's somebody he's
19:06
fascinating long term. And you know, I, I do think I
19:09
would favor him from the right side, but I do think there still
19:12
is, there's, there's still is some potential there from the
19:14
left side to be an impact demo of the year and some role.
19:18
I'd like to dive into your third base prospect list and talk
19:22
about how you came up with that and what, what you believe in
19:27
like and there's and, and you see, look at the depth right now
19:30
at at third base because you said, you mentioned about Sal.
19:33
So, but you could mention about the guys that was on that list.
19:36
And how did, how did you come up with that list?
19:39
Because some of the names some fans are not familiar with.
19:42
You could break it down and and state your reason.
19:45
Yeah, I mean, this is a, this is a really thin position.
19:48
Really it. I mean Sal Stewart and Jacob,
19:51
sorry, I'm sorry. Like it a lot of these, like you
19:55
look at some other positions and everybody that I would list is
19:59
top 100 or close to it after the kind of top five of Sal Stewart,
20:03
Jacob Reamer, Caleb Bonimer, Brady House, who graduated I
20:07
believe a day or two after I posted mine, and then Chase
20:10
Harlan. None of those are top 100 guys
20:13
for me. So it's definitely a thinner
20:14
list. Sal Stewart, we talked about him
20:16
a bit earlier. Jacob Reemer, I really like his
20:19
combo of hitting power. Caleb Bonimer is 1.
20:22
I had a lot of questions about the hit tool coming out of the
20:24
class, but you know, he showed showed some good pop, but the
20:28
contact rates have been better. So he's somebody that he's kind
20:31
of moved into that back end of my top 100.
20:34
I want to say he's around just around 90 overall.
20:37
Chase Harlan is he's somebody for me who's moved up a lot.
20:41
I liked him a lot coming out of the the class, but I think he's
20:43
a potential 45 hit 70 power and from 1/3 baseman that really
20:48
excites me a lot. Tommy White I have at number six
20:53
with his good pop, good on base skills.
20:56
Kind of reminds me of the Eugenio Suarez, Max Muncie type
21:00
of player. Don't think the average is going
21:02
to be all that great to chase us a lot.
21:04
The contact is OK, so definitely have some kind of question marks
21:09
there, but I think the power and on base skills are solid.
21:13
Sammy Antonagi is I have him at #7 super underrated prospect.
21:17
I think really you know, he elite contact hitter, you know,
21:22
elite on base skills, just kind of ran through as as just carved
21:27
through AA pitching. I think if he if we were talking
21:31
about if, if he was a if I thought he could be a potential
21:35
fifteen home run hitter, he would probably be top five and a
21:38
top 100 guy for me right now. I just have a lot of questions
21:41
of what kind of power is he going to provide?
21:44
But I mean, I I like the profile.
21:46
It's it's it it has some shades of chase my draw on the White
21:49
Sox. Now it's interesting to have
21:51
kind of an organizational cop, but that's the one that kind of
21:54
sticks out to me. Brock Wilkin, I have him at 8.
21:58
The strikeouts of him improved this year.
22:01
Takes a good amount of walks. He's got some good pop.
22:04
I think it's just a question of does he hit enough to be a
22:06
regular? I think he does.
22:08
Definitely some question about that though.
22:10
Cam Collier I have at 9. He's somebody who was formerly a
22:13
top 100 prospect for me. Last year's move down a good
22:15
bit. The game power just hasn't been
22:18
there this year. So definitely a kind of added
22:20
added element there. Question.
22:23
Jesus Rodriguez had him at 10. He was traded to the Giants in
22:28
the Camila Duvall deal. I mean, I I think Rodriguez
22:31
isn't flashy, but he does a lot of things well across the board
22:34
or a lot of things solid average or better across the board.
22:37
How you lead is another one. He's another one is called floor
22:40
types. Solid hitter, lifts the ball
22:43
well, maybe if everything, if everything clicks. 15 to 18 home
22:48
run hitter in the major is good on base skills.
22:51
I think maybe probably more of a utility in fielder than a
22:54
regular, but I do like how you lead Carson De Martini.
22:58
I have him at 12. Definitely have some questions
23:00
about the swing and miss, but the contact has improved as a
23:04
pro and I I think he has thirty home run potential at third
23:08
base. So somebody who definitely to
23:12
TBD. What if he's going to be more of
23:14
a regular or kind of what kind of future big league who's going
23:18
to be? But I I do like De Martini and
23:21
then 1314 and 15 are Luke James Gruber with the Diamondbacks,
23:25
Mikey Romero, some employees, Jordan with the Cardinals.
23:31
So I wanted to dive into to some of the the Oreo situation with
23:36
other position player prospects. You know, you got like Gunner,
23:40
Henderson, Jackson Holiday, they're Boris clients, Jordan
23:45
Westberg, Colton Couser and then you got guys like Sam Bacillo,
23:50
Adly Rushman's there. You know, like what do they do
23:54
there? Enrique Bradfield Junior, Dylan
23:57
Bevers, like you mentioned might get called up this year.
23:59
So what are what's their situation going forward and how
24:03
is that roster? Do you expect it to be
24:05
constructed when it's all said and done going in the future?
24:09
Yeah. I mean, I think like like I
24:11
touched on a bit earlier is how they played the starting
24:13
pitching market this offseason is going to be very telling.
24:16
We know we've said for two years they need that true top of the
24:19
rotation arm. And, you know, there's only so
24:22
long that that window is going to be open for them to do that
24:24
potentially is because, you know, like you mentioned, Gunner
24:28
Henderson boards client, Jackson Holiday boards client.
24:31
There are a lot of guys who kind of question are they going to be
24:33
able to keep them long term? And yeah, I mean, I, I, I think
24:38
it's it's tough to say right now.
24:40
I would to some extent they would have learned their lesson
24:43
from last season in which they got Charlie Morton, who I mean,
24:47
he he was fine as kind of the season went on trading him to
24:51
the Tigers in the deadline. But you know, Kyle Gibson, DFA,
24:54
those can't be your two biggest starting pitching addition this
24:56
offseason. So as Zac Eflin is also a free
24:59
agent, really, I mean, the rotation just has a ton of
25:03
question marks that you like some of the pitching depth that
25:05
they have and the up in the upper minors right now and
25:07
coming up the system. But you can't count on those
25:10
guys really with kind of, in my opinion, what is a playoff
25:13
caliber line up. So, yeah, I mean, I, I would
25:17
really, I, I think what I would say right now is that I would
25:21
hope that they would have learned a couple things from how
25:23
last offseason went and how their pitching additions went.
25:26
And that, you know, you can't continue to sign these kind of
25:29
back end death caliber arms, you know, when truly you need a
25:34
headliner for that rotation. But we'll see.
25:36
Really. I do think that though they're
25:38
not a team that should be slept on at all.
25:40
But really it comes down to, you know, what kind of player are
25:43
they in the pitching market? I want to ask you this is
25:46
because like they don't have any extension signed and like I
25:51
don't know what the window is because if you look at the way
25:53
they drafted, they drafted Caden Boda and Ike Irish like and well
25:58
he alloy, it seems like they that's like they play positions
26:02
that are already covered up like with guys like Gunner Henderson
26:05
and Ally Rushman, right So and and another name is Vance
26:10
Honeycutt. So how do you look at this core?
26:14
Because it seems like in my eyes, I don't know because they
26:19
don't have any extension signed and I don't know where this
26:23
goes, but I feel like they're finding their next core of this
26:25
team. Like how do you look at this?
26:29
Yeah, I mean, I I pay very little attention to position
26:32
amongst prospects. To me it's it's, it's, it's
26:35
rather irrelevant. Teams draft a lot of short
26:38
stops. They're athletic, they can move
26:40
all over. It doesn't mean they're going to
26:41
end up at shortstop. I think it's something that fans
26:44
as well can get a little over fixated on.
26:47
Honestly, I don't like a lot of the a lot of a lot of their kind
26:51
of early picks. Like with UAE Loy, his hit tool
26:53
is really bad. I worry it's something that's
26:55
going to get exposed as a pro Kaden Bodine, one of the best
26:58
hitters in the class, but you know, he's he's somebody who he
27:03
he's not. He wasn't hitting double digit
27:04
home runs with metal bats. You put him with a wood bat.
27:07
Is this a 5 to 8 home run hitter?
27:09
And I, I, I don't think so, no, So I think it's he's fine as a
27:13
second catcher. Not somebody really I would have
27:15
taken there not a profile. I really like Irish.
27:17
I do like, I'm not a Vance Honeycutt guy.
27:21
I just don't you know, I, I don't really think he hits
27:24
enough to be a regular. It's a, it's a, it's a really
27:26
polarizing profile because it's he's like a, it's kind of like a
27:32
not quite the kind of not quite the impact and the speed combo,
27:37
but kind of like a Spencer Jones like where you look at the rest
27:40
of profile and you're like, if he hits enough, you can dream on
27:43
what the upside is. Maybe like APCA type if absolute
27:48
99 percentile outcome probably doesn't happen, but you can
27:51
dream on that kind of upside. But I'm not really an Enrique
27:54
Bradfield junior guy doesn't really hit for power, I don't
27:57
think. I think the hit tool was OK.
27:58
The speed and defense is good. But I mean, I think it's like I
28:02
I I think it's a Chandler Simpson type profile, which
28:05
doesn't really wow me all that much.
28:07
That are much, I mean, miles away like a complete musical
28:12
glove defender compared to Simpson, who is maybe at best an
28:16
average defender. But I mean, from a bat
28:19
perspective, yeah. I mean, I wouldn't I don't
28:23
really, I don't know, I guess is where I'd say is like, I don't
28:26
think they're drafting to replace the core and not going
28:30
to really like a ton of the guys they have drafted anyway.
28:33
But I do think that it it's it's like going to become a bigger
28:37
question as in, you know, who are going to be the guys that
28:41
they can lock up long term. You know, we know how Scott
28:44
Boris is with his kind of pre free agency extensions with his
28:47
clients. And you know what is what is
28:51
what what is this team? Is this team gonna like we
28:54
everywhere. The talk was when David
28:56
Rubenstein took over is oh, we're going to see kind of the
28:59
the the financial prowess of the Orioles unlocked and we haven't
29:02
seen it yet. Is if he's not going to extend
29:05
these guys when it comes time to pay these guys, is he going to
29:07
pay these guys? And I, I, I don't know is, is
29:11
really kind of where I'm at is we know what we know what they
29:15
can spend. But with how they've spent so
29:17
far, I do think it's right to question how much of their
29:21
current cores and are they going to be able to keep beyond their
29:25
current contracts. Let's talk about the crosstown
29:29
team, and that's the Washington Nationals.
29:33
And they've been having an underwhelming season as itself
29:37
as well. And these are the questions we
29:39
have to ask here is like, we saw them firing Mike Rizzo and David
29:46
Martinez, right? So and looking at the way
29:49
they've been developing players, it's been pretty underwhelming
29:52
too. If you look at the way they've
29:54
been using their guys and the guys that been benefit is pretty
29:57
much through trades if you look at it that way, like the
29:59
McKenzie Gore's, the CJ Abrams, the James Wood, who looks like
30:04
another star in the horizon. So the question is, is what's
30:09
going on with Washington because they've been getting multiple #1
30:12
picks and they've been trying to build around these.
30:15
We've mentioned about Eli Willits and the question is, and
30:19
that the hottest topic in town was Mackenzie Gore, whether he's
30:25
going to get traded the offseason, another Boris guy.
30:27
And I think with Mike Rizzo, I think he's he was inclined to do
30:32
deals with Boris guys and they seem to pave in a different
30:36
direction now with Mike De Bortello as the GM, right for
30:41
the time being. So what are your thoughts about
30:43
Washington? What direction do they hold?
30:45
And do you think they will have an opportunity to trade a guy
30:49
like Gore in the offseason? Yeah, I mean, I think, I mean,
30:54
my opinion is in baseball you can you can either not have one
30:58
of two things between developing well and not spending.
31:02
We see teams like the Rays and Brewers that develop at
31:05
exceptional rates and they don't have the payrolls, big market
31:07
teams and they still are able to remain competitive because they
31:10
just produce guys out of the pipeline.
31:12
You can't do both of those things poorly.
31:15
I think that's kind of where the Nationals are right now is if
31:18
you're in a spot where you don't develop talent and you don't
31:21
spend money, that's not a recipe for a big league contender.
31:24
So I do think, yeah, can can those things change?
31:28
And I think that's in part is why a new regime change was
31:31
needed is, you know, we've seen the struggles from their kind of
31:35
recent draft picks and Elijah Green, Seaver King.
31:39
Now I do think kind of the change was needed.
31:42
But where they are, I do think, I mean, CJ Abrams I believe is a
31:47
is a free agent after 2029. So I don't think he's somebody
31:51
that is going to be traded in the near future.
31:54
I mean, I think James Wood is probably close to untouchable.
31:57
Mackenzie Gore's an interesting 1, though, is he's got two years
32:01
of control after this season. I do think this offseason could
32:04
be he could be a potential guy to watch for to get traded.
32:07
But yeah, I mean, I, I, I can't speak for the Nationals
32:12
internally, but I think really it comes down to why, why
32:16
they're at where they're at is, you know, you combo of not
32:20
developing talent and not spending money is just not a
32:23
recipe to be a big league contender.
32:25
But that's just kind of think what it comes down to.
32:29
So I want to finish off with this question.
32:32
What teams do you think it could be relevant next year?
32:35
We've seen a lot of teams this year have down seasons and
32:39
there's been a lot of, you know, they're, it's kind of wide open
32:43
this year. So wow, what are the teams that
32:45
you that you project that you think that's going to be
32:47
relevant next year? Yeah, I mean, I'll go with I'll
32:51
go with my one of my picks this year who I thought was going to
32:54
be much better than they have been to this point, and that's
32:56
the Cincinnati Reds. I think you look at next year
32:59
having the potential of a full season of puncher Green and
33:02
Chase Burns stop the rotation with still the pitchers that
33:05
they have after that. Nick Ladolo, Brady singer,
33:07
Andrew Abbott. That's a very good rotation
33:09
right there. Then I I think the bats are more
33:12
of a question mark, but I think you know, you've got Sal Stewart
33:15
and Hector Rodriguez coming up. You've got obviously you've got
33:19
Ellie De La Cruz. I think the outfield is a big
33:22
question mark it. But I think there are like in
33:25
the lineup. I like the well be Marte.
33:28
We we know what Christian Encarnacion strand's upside is.
33:32
It's just now been being able to put it together at pig league
33:35
level. He's still somebody I'm in on
33:36
long term. I think there's some promising
33:39
young hitters in the lineup. I think it is one that is going
33:43
to be determined by how they invest in it and free agency.
33:47
So will they do that? I don't know.
33:48
But I think if they do add a bat or two this offseason, I think
33:52
this could be a very fun line up next year.
33:54
So that's one team that I think could could have a better 2026
34:00
than they have 2025. Another one I'd throw in there
34:03
is the Miami Marlins is I think, you know, we've seen their surge
34:07
as a late. They're now in the wild card
34:09
picture, which I I would have thought was crazy if you told me
34:12
that. But I mean, I think what, what's
34:16
really impressed me about the Peter Bendix era of the Marlins
34:19
is even if they do trade Sandy Alcantara this offseason or at
34:25
at some point, they still have the they have the death they
34:28
have, they have Ravi, they have Ravi snowing waiting in the
34:31
wings. They've got Thomas White who
34:33
will be up at some point next season.
34:35
And I think that's something that has impressed me the most
34:37
about them is, you know, just the just the death they've been
34:41
able to establish and, you know, obviously finding kind of
34:44
undervalued players in the traits that they have.
34:47
Kyle Stauer's of being a great one from Baltimore, you know,
34:51
getting, you know, Otto Lopez off waivers was a great get
34:55
Xavier Edwards from the Rays. You know, there's been they've
34:59
had a lot of really these Ronnie Henriquez is another one DFA by
35:04
the twins. They've had a lot of really good
35:06
finds from other teams. And I think they're it kind of
35:09
goes back to what we were saying earlier is they develop well,
35:13
they find undervalued players. Is that enough to overcome the
35:16
lack of spending? Maybe I'm not going to say the
35:19
Marlins are A-90 win team next season, but I mean, is this team
35:24
is this team that could go a little over 500 get a wild card
35:27
spot? I mean, I think so like the bats
35:30
are bats are bats are definitely going to be the bats I think
35:35
have kind of gone from, you know, a major question mark with
35:38
this team to know like it's it's it's solid.
35:41
I think there are definitely some questions about what the
35:44
rotation looks like next year. But I think between, you know,
35:49
Edward Cabrera, the prospects we've got, there's this, this
35:54
could be this has the potential to be a very fun one's team.
35:58
I want to ask you about two teams before you wrap this up,
36:02
and they're both in the same division.
36:03
And I want to ask you this who has the higher potential to
36:07
contend next year, the Angels or the Athletics?
36:12
I'm going to go with the Athletics and I think really it
36:15
comes down to both teams. Both teams have their pitching
36:19
questions, but I think the A's from a lineup standpoint alone
36:23
or a postseason contender. If you look at lineup alone,
36:26
like one through 9, that is a postseason lineup.
36:29
I think really it just comes down to getting this.
36:32
I mean, they're they're they're not going to get there with the
36:35
pitching they have, of course. But I think, you know, it'll be
36:39
interesting to see. It'll be interesting to see kind
36:42
of what kind of spenders that they are.
36:43
We've we've seen, we've seen John Fisher in the past, the
36:49
stingiest of the owners. We'll see what the we'll see if
36:52
the move changes anything. But yeah, it's it's miles away
36:56
the A's for me. I think, you know, the the
36:59
Angels do have some building blocks, Zach Neto namely.
37:04
But yeah, I think the A's are miles away the much deeper and
37:07
better line up. And so I think when looking at
37:10
both a similar weakness on the pitching side, I would go to A's
37:13
just because of the the just how much of a step over the Angels
37:18
they have on the hitting side. Owen, we appreciate you doing
37:22
this man. Thanks for taking your time and
37:25
great, great insight man. Very informative stuff and this
37:28
will be a listen. Where can we find you in social
37:31
media and everywhere else? Yeah, absolutely.
37:34
Thank you all for having me. Got got through a lot, so
37:36
definitely fun episode. You can find me find me on X at
37:40
Owen under score, FBB always post some stuff there, you know,
37:45
whether it be fantasy baseball related, Q&A's kind of prospect
37:49
write ups covering call ups for you.
37:52
So yeah, if that's your thing, shoot, shoot me a follow there.
37:56
You know, I'm always open. If you shoot me A tag, I'll get
37:58
to you to help you with those questions, help you with those
38:00
line UPS, help you trade. So yeah, that's where that's
38:02
where you can find me on social media.
38:05
Thanks for joining us, man. It was fun.
38:07
We had a great time. Yeah, it was it was it was a
38:10
blast. So hopefully we can get you on
38:12
again down the road, man. It would be great.
38:14
Yeah, absolutely. But thanks for joining us man,
38:17
it was fun. Yeah, thank you all for having
38:20
me. We will place the description
38:23
below where you can find Owen Heard.
38:24
But till next time, take care, be kind to each other.
38:28
Signing up for Sports Ave. Twisted podcast Monday, August
38:31
4th, 2025.