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Eric Longenhagen Prospects Chat
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Eric A Longenhagen
12:01
Good morning, everyone. I just got back from visiting family in PA and am looking forward to starting the mental lawnmower again. Let's get to as many of your questions as possible in the next hour-ish.
Taker55
12:01
Can Spencer Jones fake it in CF enough for the Yankees to run him out there next year? The price tags for Grisham and Bellinger go up by the week.
Eric A Longenhagen
12:03
I think you add him to the 40-man but need redundancy at the position in case he can't make enough contact to be good. They should try to re-sign one of those guys or seek an alternative option. I don't think it's advisable to just hand the job over to a guy striking out as much as Jones does with no other option.
Rob
12:04
With Lara getting promoted today, what looks good with him despite the awful AAA numbers?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:04
This is Jhancarlos Lara, btw. He throws really, really hard. I wouldn't add him if you're in your fantasy championship series or anything, he's too wild to trust in that way.
Pudge
12:04
How much has your view on Connelly Early shifted in the last couple weeks?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:05
He's good, was just outside the top 100 and on update might be in there. He's had a strong eval since leaping onto the radar. Stuff+ grades aren't as good as I thought they'd be, command has been better in his two big league outings.
Hazmat Corntail
12:05
I stocked with dynasty team with young arms heading into next year. How would you rank them?: Yesavage, Melton, Messick, Boyle, Henderson
Eric A Longenhagen
12:07
I'd probable have Boyle highest just because he seems like more of a lock to play a big role while the other guys can be optioned. Rank the injured guys lowest, and the guys with fastball playability highest. Watch how Yesavage's heater plays this month, that's a big variable.
Oaktown Blues
12:08
Does LDV having immediate success in AA change his timeline at all?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:10
If anything I think the A's rapidly improving and exciting situation at the big league level is what might promulgate acceleration there. But also, yes. If he'd suddenly started K'ing 30% of the time you'd have to pump the breaks, but he's doing well so you his pace/course at least stays the same.
Scotty
12:10
You buying this Kemp Alderman AAA performance at all or is this just a guy with 80 raw power going on a heater?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:11
Guys like him can come up and have a relevant window, for sure. Note how different his GB% is from Double-A compared to Triple-A. That's the sort of thing that'd make me want to look at his swing to see if there's been a change or if it's just a small sample anomaly. He's got to get to that power to be relevant. He could have a Franmil Reyes type arc.
Taker55
12:12
Is Rafael Flores another one of those bat first no glove catchers that the Yankees always seem to deal away?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:14
I wouldn't call him "no glove", the arm is the thing that limits him on defense but he's improved in the other areas. Think he has questionable plate coverage, too. But he has real power and standout big league physicality, the traits of a late-blooming catcher. A nice scouting & dev win for the Yankees to turn a small school guy into a tradeable prospect, and a totally defensible dart throw by the Pirates via trade.
RAH
12:14
T.J. Nichols really closed the season strong. A big part was a dramatic improvement in HRs allowed. Do you have ideas of what was behind it? Are park factors at play? Did he improve his FB shape, or establish the change, or lean more heavily on his slider?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:14
I don't have the specific changes off hand, it might be that his command has just trended better than I thought it would in a big wat.
Ahmad
12:14
You excited to see espino in the AFL ?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:15
I am, just hope the kid can feel what it's like to come off the mound healthy at the end of the season.
RAH
12:15
The Diamondbacks took a bunch of Rangers arms at the deadline. Do these guys have the profile to thrive in the desert?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:16
I like them, yeah. I do think both Bratt and Drake could be homer-prone here to an extent, but I'd expect both to debut next year and contribute to a competitive team's rotation for the next half decade or so.
Guest
12:16
Duno's season making you look smart, any chance he elevated to the 60 FV bucket?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:16
Thanks, probably still a 55 for me, still a risky fella as big as that ceiling is.
12:17
Just seemed, to me, like a freaky toolshed from the jump.  I haven't always been right about those guys (see: Bleis, Miguel) but yeah, this one so far I have been.
Guest
12:17
Getting knocked around in AAA, but Trey Gibson end the season on an up arrow relative to the pre-season report?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:18
Sure, if only because he's done well against better hitters and under another 30+ innings of stress.
Adam D.
12:18
Where do you think we'll see Josuar start next season, and where do you think he should start?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:18
Extended. He can go to San Jose at any time, but let him light up extended for a bit before you do that, imo.
mitch
12:20
who is likelier to be in the opening day rotation next year, george klassen or jaxon wiggins?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:20
I'd have to say Klassen based on the Angels tendencies to promote guys quickly.
On talent I think Wiggins has a better long term shot to be a starter.
Yovani Gallardo
12:20
I was wondering if you have attended all 30 MLB and all (however many) MiLB stadiums. And if you have any tips for somewhat serious fans to pull off all MiLB parks, please let us know!!
Eric A Longenhagen
12:23
I have been to: PHI, ATL, WSH, BOS, BAL, ARI, LAD, SD, SEA, CLE, CHC, PIT, STL, SF, COL, TEX
12:24
Man, doing all the minor league ones is tough. Just try to build a map and do chunks of it based on geography, structure your trips across multiple weeks (like make the middle of it the weekend) so matchups change and reshuffle your deck a bit
Eminor3rd
12:24
Any updated thoughts on Troy Melton from what he's shown in MLB this year?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:24
Not really, looks good to me. Fastball plays, wanna see him find changeup location consistency which might be tough given how deliberately short his arm action is.
JHench
12:24
Does a prospect playing on a team in the minor league playoffs factor into how you evaluate them?  I’ve heard some executives think that a playoff atmosphere helps a player’s development; wondering where you fall on that.
Eric A Longenhagen
12:25
I agree. It's a new sort of tension that they maybe haven't experienced in a while, or at all. I'd wanna see how they respond to that.
Chase
12:25
Good afternoon Eric, thanks for the chat as always. Luis De Leon of the Orioles, whom you've already put a nice grade on, is my favorite type of pitching prospect. Lefty with a heavy sinker, good slider, and elite at generating GB%. Hes only given up five (!!!) home runs in his minor league career thus far. When I watch his mechanics, he seems like a young Cristopher Sanchez. Do you like that comp as a ceiling?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:26
I see more of a Genesis Cabrera, mechanically at least.
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