WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.360 --> 00:00:02.240 Ninety five miles. 2 00:00:01.879 --> 00:00:06.639 An hour, riding too his head. He hop it down 3 00:00:06.879 --> 00:00:12.359 first with the lumpbonius face, and on the very next 4 00:00:12.480 --> 00:00:15.839 pitch he up and stole second phase. 5 00:00:17.760 --> 00:00:28.800 With gradest be he wasn't born, he had the yes univonn. 6 00:00:28.480 --> 00:00:31.960 Well, thanks for joining us Prospect B Sides Podcast. This 7 00:00:32.039 --> 00:00:36.320 is episode forty three where Matt and I will continue 8 00:00:36.399 --> 00:00:40.479 our what six part series, going division by division, picking 9 00:00:40.520 --> 00:00:43.920 out some of our favorite zero to one maybe two 10 00:00:43.960 --> 00:00:48.520 percent rostered and fan tracks prospects we maybe like as 11 00:00:48.640 --> 00:00:52.640 gaining some more Dynasty utility in twenty twenty five. Tonight 12 00:00:52.640 --> 00:00:55.640 we're going to talk about aos selections and I'm looking 13 00:00:55.679 --> 00:00:58.600 forward to it because it's been a week man, and 14 00:00:58.640 --> 00:01:01.320 I'm just looking forward to talking some ball. Rook. How 15 00:01:01.359 --> 00:01:01.640 are you. 16 00:01:01.960 --> 00:01:05.640 I'm great, Nate. You know, it's always a good time 17 00:01:05.760 --> 00:01:08.599 to talk baseball. I feel like none better than today. 18 00:01:08.719 --> 00:01:11.680 I feel like this is what everybody's waiting for, is 19 00:01:12.040 --> 00:01:15.799 this analysis about als B side prospects. 20 00:01:15.920 --> 00:01:17.040 Probably I can't think of. 21 00:01:17.239 --> 00:01:21.879 Anything else happening in the world. Frankly, that's more important 22 00:01:21.920 --> 00:01:25.760 than this on November sixth, So you know, we're just 23 00:01:25.840 --> 00:01:28.000 giving the people what they need, what they want so, 24 00:01:28.280 --> 00:01:31.480 I'm thrilled to be here and always bumped to talk 25 00:01:31.519 --> 00:01:32.000 to you, buddy. 26 00:01:32.079 --> 00:01:35.000 It was a day. I'm getting pounded with snow. As 27 00:01:35.040 --> 00:01:37.680 I told you before, I ate shit the other day 28 00:01:37.680 --> 00:01:40.840 on my driveway twice. I am feeling very beat up, 29 00:01:40.879 --> 00:01:42.519 but I'm going to power through here. 30 00:01:43.680 --> 00:01:47.000 Any housekeeping stuff, I mean, I know you've been watching 31 00:01:47.040 --> 00:01:49.799 some AFL, any any like things at the at the 32 00:01:49.879 --> 00:01:51.079 top you want to hit on. 33 00:01:51.280 --> 00:01:53.400 Yeah, I've been watching some AFL, but I don't know 34 00:01:53.400 --> 00:01:57.719 if there's anything like super outstanding noteworthy. Catching My attention 35 00:01:58.560 --> 00:02:01.120 was almost over right. It's like, yeah, there after tonight, 36 00:02:01.159 --> 00:02:03.719 there are five games left. I'm just trying to hang 37 00:02:03.760 --> 00:02:06.319 on to my lead in the AFL. Rodo. 38 00:02:06.560 --> 00:02:08.919 I was going to ask you your Caleb Durbin number 39 00:02:08.919 --> 00:02:12.199 two overall pick is paying massive dividends. Are you going 40 00:02:12.280 --> 00:02:12.960 to win the whole thing? 41 00:02:13.080 --> 00:02:15.280 It is? Going into tonight, I had a ten point 42 00:02:15.360 --> 00:02:18.319 lead a lse it can change quickly though. 43 00:02:18.400 --> 00:02:21.080 A month one is just like three starters, right. 44 00:02:21.400 --> 00:02:24.000 Right, Yeah, one of your bats has a monster night 45 00:02:24.080 --> 00:02:26.240 that can bump you up quite a bit. But I 46 00:02:26.280 --> 00:02:28.840 think my bats did well tonight, so I may have 47 00:02:28.879 --> 00:02:33.039 found my most successful format the AFL road a line, 48 00:02:33.199 --> 00:02:35.919 big Bucks, who do you want to talk about first? 49 00:02:35.960 --> 00:02:39.159 Here, you know, in the interest of dealing with fandom 50 00:02:39.479 --> 00:02:42.240 and kind of getting the shitty stuff out of the 51 00:02:42.240 --> 00:02:46.000 way first, Like, let's start with Houston. Let's start the 52 00:02:46.120 --> 00:02:48.400 Houston trash can bang and astros. 53 00:02:48.759 --> 00:02:51.159 All right, Well, my arm, I don't think it's going 54 00:02:51.199 --> 00:02:54.560 to be any surprise to you at least or anyone 55 00:02:54.639 --> 00:02:57.560 in the dynasty dugout discord, But I. 56 00:02:57.479 --> 00:03:00.759 Think I wrote this one down like months ago. Yeah, 57 00:03:01.479 --> 00:03:03.439 this is Houston. 58 00:03:03.159 --> 00:03:07.000 Arm, no brainer for me. But I'm going with Ryan Gusto. Gusto. 59 00:03:07.120 --> 00:03:10.639 I've heard it pronounce both ways on broadcasts as members 60 00:03:10.680 --> 00:03:13.599 of that chat. Well know, I'm quite fond of him, 61 00:03:13.639 --> 00:03:15.879 and maybe kind of lucked out because I wasn't going 62 00:03:15.960 --> 00:03:19.159 to pick anyone who had debuted already in the majors, 63 00:03:19.199 --> 00:03:22.120 and he was actually scheduled to make his debut their 64 00:03:22.240 --> 00:03:25.120 last game of the season, which got canceled. Maybe a 65 00:03:25.159 --> 00:03:27.759 bit of a technicality there, but he was still in 66 00:03:27.800 --> 00:03:30.840 September only rostered in one percent of fan tracks leads, 67 00:03:30.879 --> 00:03:33.879 so still within our constraints. Here's a twenty five year 68 00:03:33.919 --> 00:03:36.000 old right hander listed at six ' four. He was 69 00:03:36.039 --> 00:03:38.520 an eleventh round pick in twenty nineteen out of a 70 00:03:38.639 --> 00:03:42.400 junior college in Florida, And Matt, you read that little 71 00:03:42.439 --> 00:03:46.199 piece that that was shared right on him. Yep, it's 72 00:03:46.280 --> 00:03:48.520 kind of a fun story. He didn't make his high 73 00:03:48.560 --> 00:03:52.439 school team, tried out for like this juco school and 74 00:03:52.759 --> 00:03:55.560 they want him and didn't realize. I don't think that 75 00:03:55.680 --> 00:03:58.439 he didn't wasn't on his high school team. And the 76 00:03:58.479 --> 00:04:00.439 gist of the story, in my take a way of 77 00:04:00.479 --> 00:04:02.879 that piece, which was awesome, is that this is a. 78 00:04:02.840 --> 00:04:05.039 Guy seriously, we should we should find that and share 79 00:04:05.080 --> 00:04:07.439 that because that piece was so cool. Honestly, one of 80 00:04:07.479 --> 00:04:08.759 the coolest stories of the year. 81 00:04:09.159 --> 00:04:11.360 Yeah, Like, this is a guy who just I don't know, 82 00:04:11.560 --> 00:04:15.080 just that's not himself and tells coaches what he's gonna 83 00:04:15.120 --> 00:04:18.399 do and hops along and makes them take them and 84 00:04:18.480 --> 00:04:22.480 he has had success and this season was phenomenal in 85 00:04:22.959 --> 00:04:25.720 a few different aspects. I think, Matt, like, I don't 86 00:04:25.759 --> 00:04:29.399 know if I've seen a player have quite a turnaround 87 00:04:29.560 --> 00:04:33.240 at least production wise, as Gusto did in the PCL 88 00:04:33.439 --> 00:04:36.120 like Man his first eleven starts, he went forty in 89 00:04:36.160 --> 00:04:39.199 a thirty had era over eight, a whip over two, 90 00:04:39.519 --> 00:04:43.839 striking out twenty one percent, walking thirteen percent, throwing strikes 91 00:04:44.040 --> 00:04:46.000 sixty one and a half percent of the time, and 92 00:04:46.040 --> 00:04:48.879 then his last eighteen starts he goes one hundred and 93 00:04:48.920 --> 00:04:51.600 eight innings with a two point zero eight eer, a 94 00:04:51.680 --> 00:04:54.680 point nine to five whip, a twenty three k percentage, 95 00:04:54.720 --> 00:04:57.959 and cut his walks in over half at six point 96 00:04:58.040 --> 00:05:01.279 four percent, throwing strikes at almost seventy percent. What he 97 00:05:01.480 --> 00:05:05.759 finished the season with six fqos in his last eighteen 98 00:05:05.839 --> 00:05:09.360 starts at a run, Yeah, mind you again in the PCL. 99 00:05:09.439 --> 00:05:12.360 So I didn't really start paying attention to him until 100 00:05:12.600 --> 00:05:15.199 I don't maybe one or two starts into that run, 101 00:05:15.240 --> 00:05:17.720 and then I kind of watched him pretty religiously because 102 00:05:17.720 --> 00:05:19.560 I was just kind of hooked on what was going 103 00:05:19.600 --> 00:05:23.160 on here, and I just generically said, he's turned himself 104 00:05:23.160 --> 00:05:26.000 into a pretty good picture, the type that I think 105 00:05:26.120 --> 00:05:27.839 you and I like just kind of a lot of 106 00:05:27.839 --> 00:05:31.439 offerings mixes it up well, all that sort of thing, right. 107 00:05:31.439 --> 00:05:33.720 I don't think there's any offering that is off the 108 00:05:33.800 --> 00:05:37.160 charts stuff wise. He's got a fastball that's like ninety 109 00:05:37.199 --> 00:05:39.879 one ninety two, a curveball that comes in like the 110 00:05:39.959 --> 00:05:43.319 high seventies. Velocity wise, he's got a slider, a cutter, 111 00:05:43.399 --> 00:05:47.079 and a splitter. I think attack is maybe a bit 112 00:05:47.240 --> 00:05:51.079 more north south than east west. He's got some interesting splits. 113 00:05:51.079 --> 00:05:53.879 He's a little tougher on righties as a right hander, 114 00:05:53.920 --> 00:05:56.560 and he was lefties. But I was curious that, like 115 00:05:56.639 --> 00:05:59.639 what may have changed from it. It was literally the 116 00:05:59.680 --> 00:06:01.600 cand turned to June and then he was just like 117 00:06:01.680 --> 00:06:04.480 kind of a completely different pitcher, you know, production wise, 118 00:06:04.639 --> 00:06:07.240 and so you know, him being in Triple A all year, 119 00:06:07.319 --> 00:06:09.800 you get you know, all the Savant stuff. So I 120 00:06:09.800 --> 00:06:13.759 was just curious what is usage and offerings might have 121 00:06:13.920 --> 00:06:16.199 kind of looked like. And the last eighteen starts, he 122 00:06:16.199 --> 00:06:19.680 actually his fastball was like a tick slower. The biggest 123 00:06:19.759 --> 00:06:22.680 change that I can see, just like usage wise, as 124 00:06:22.720 --> 00:06:25.839 he threw his cutter a lot when those first eleven 125 00:06:26.120 --> 00:06:29.120 starts and then started throwing the slider a lot more 126 00:06:29.439 --> 00:06:32.079 during his hot stretch. Like as far as spin rates 127 00:06:32.120 --> 00:06:34.680 and velocity and like the kind of shape stuff that 128 00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:36.800 you can look at on Savant, I don't think anything 129 00:06:36.839 --> 00:06:39.639 really changed with his arsenal. Maybe a little bit of 130 00:06:39.639 --> 00:06:44.120 different usage obviously probably had a role in some of 131 00:06:44.199 --> 00:06:47.680 his success. The main thing was he just started pounding 132 00:06:47.680 --> 00:06:50.160 the strike zone more and then that worked. You know, 133 00:06:50.279 --> 00:06:52.639 he turned into a little bit more of a bowl 134 00:06:52.680 --> 00:06:55.120 than a matador. And you know, anyone who's gonna get 135 00:06:55.680 --> 00:06:59.399 starting pitching chance with the Astros will just like kind 136 00:06:59.399 --> 00:07:02.879 of automatic get my attention. And I don't know how 137 00:07:02.920 --> 00:07:06.680 good he might be in the majors, but at this 138 00:07:06.920 --> 00:07:10.920 raster percentage in a deeper league or what have you, 139 00:07:11.000 --> 00:07:14.519 I think it's a no brainer that you raster this guy. 140 00:07:14.959 --> 00:07:16.600 If you got a spot, I think you could do 141 00:07:16.680 --> 00:07:19.480 much worse with a roster spot than Ryan Gustau. 142 00:07:19.720 --> 00:07:22.319 Yeah, if for the story alone, and we'll find that 143 00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:25.199 and I'll make Nate share it on the Twitter verse. 144 00:07:25.680 --> 00:07:29.079 Gusto definitely is that kind of some of all of 145 00:07:29.120 --> 00:07:31.480 the parts kind of pitcher. I don't really feel like 146 00:07:31.600 --> 00:07:34.439 there's a lot of latent upside. You know, it's not 147 00:07:34.519 --> 00:07:36.680 like we're going to see we should expect a tick 148 00:07:36.759 --> 00:07:40.000 or two of velocity. It's not like there's one pitch 149 00:07:40.040 --> 00:07:42.319 that he needs to feature more. He knows how to pitch. 150 00:07:42.360 --> 00:07:45.279 He knows how to do his thing, and his success 151 00:07:45.319 --> 00:07:47.439 this year was super cool, especially that run to end 152 00:07:47.480 --> 00:07:50.319 the year. We were both pretty excited about that possible 153 00:07:50.360 --> 00:07:52.279 debut in the last day of the season. 154 00:07:52.079 --> 00:07:55.680 Reading that article. The intangible stuff like just having some 155 00:07:55.759 --> 00:07:59.560 stones and having confidence, and I think he's got all 156 00:07:59.600 --> 00:08:02.160 that sort of stuff in spades, and I'm always on 157 00:08:02.240 --> 00:08:03.399 board with guys like that. 158 00:08:03.639 --> 00:08:07.279 Yeah, definitely, definitely. Okay, Well, my guy, you know, doesn't 159 00:08:07.319 --> 00:08:10.360 have quite as cool as story my arm here, I'm 160 00:08:10.399 --> 00:08:13.519 going with Ethan Peco. Ethan Pecko. Did you get you 161 00:08:13.519 --> 00:08:15.120 get a chance to watch Peco much? 162 00:08:15.519 --> 00:08:15.800 Yep? 163 00:08:16.040 --> 00:08:19.160 Mister Pecko is a college writing. It's a bit of 164 00:08:19.199 --> 00:08:22.040 a theme for me. It seems to be the demographic 165 00:08:22.079 --> 00:08:24.839 I leaned towards in this exercise a bit more. He 166 00:08:25.720 --> 00:08:29.160 was out of Towson, kind of smaller school, didn't pitch 167 00:08:29.199 --> 00:08:31.879 a ton his first couple of seasons, think due to 168 00:08:31.920 --> 00:08:37.360 injury and ineffectiveness, but was their best starter down the 169 00:08:37.360 --> 00:08:40.919 stretch in his draft season in twenty twenty three, and 170 00:08:41.399 --> 00:08:46.200 Astros drafted him kind of late. I think, oh, no, 171 00:08:46.320 --> 00:08:48.840 six rounds, so you know, mid rounds. Like, still got 172 00:08:48.840 --> 00:08:52.639 a decent, decent signing bonus, and pitched a little bit 173 00:08:52.720 --> 00:08:55.240 last year in pro ball, but it was, you know, 174 00:08:55.480 --> 00:08:58.919 small samples, just fifteen innings, after the draft of solid 175 00:08:58.960 --> 00:09:03.519 work but nothing calcular, and this year he showed kind 176 00:09:03.519 --> 00:09:07.399 of what you expect a college arm with some pitch 177 00:09:07.440 --> 00:09:11.799 ability to do. He really dominated a ball and punched 178 00:09:11.799 --> 00:09:14.639 out a bunch of guys, kept the walks in check, 179 00:09:14.840 --> 00:09:17.080 kept the homers in check, kept the babbitb in check. 180 00:09:17.360 --> 00:09:20.840 Across forty six and two thirds innings in a ball 181 00:09:20.919 --> 00:09:24.320 he ran a two seventy nine fifth with almost forty 182 00:09:24.320 --> 00:09:28.759 six percent ground ball rate and a really healthy thirty 183 00:09:28.799 --> 00:09:32.840 three percent strikeout rate to ten percent walk rate, so 184 00:09:33.080 --> 00:09:36.639 you know, really good came iOS BB and was obviously 185 00:09:36.679 --> 00:09:39.639 more talented than the pitcher than the hitters early in 186 00:09:39.679 --> 00:09:43.240 the season. He got bumped mid season up to High 187 00:09:43.320 --> 00:09:47.720 A and things on the surface didn't go as well, 188 00:09:47.799 --> 00:09:51.639 but the strikeouts continued to be strong. He actually walked 189 00:09:51.919 --> 00:09:55.440 fewer batters and so his k iOS BB actually went up, 190 00:09:55.519 --> 00:09:57.919 which you always liked to see. He got hit a 191 00:09:57.919 --> 00:10:02.000 little bit harder. The babbit was almost four hundred, so, 192 00:10:02.159 --> 00:10:04.919 like his era, was really bad seven point one point 193 00:10:04.919 --> 00:10:07.919 five in twenty two and two thirds innings at HIGA, 194 00:10:08.159 --> 00:10:10.320 and he gave up some home runs, which again in 195 00:10:10.399 --> 00:10:13.440 that kind of a sample, I'm inclined to say, like, 196 00:10:13.759 --> 00:10:17.399 that's kind of unfortunate. It's probably just a luck thing. 197 00:10:17.679 --> 00:10:20.519 I don't think anything about his arsenal has suggested that 198 00:10:20.559 --> 00:10:23.559 he is definitely more homer prone or not. So to me, 199 00:10:23.639 --> 00:10:26.360 that was a blip that makes him a buying opportunity 200 00:10:26.399 --> 00:10:28.639 because then he got promoted again to double A and 201 00:10:28.720 --> 00:10:31.559 closed the year out really strong, twenty six and two 202 00:10:31.600 --> 00:10:34.559 thirds innings, doing the thing that the Astros tend to do. 203 00:10:34.600 --> 00:10:37.240 He did some piggybacking. His outings were a little bit 204 00:10:37.279 --> 00:10:39.320 shorter again because I think they were trying to manage 205 00:10:39.320 --> 00:10:43.080 his innings, but he still struck out twenty seven percent 206 00:10:43.200 --> 00:10:47.240 of batters, only walked eight percent of batters, and that's 207 00:10:47.559 --> 00:10:51.120 really solid. Like, that's a very very good double A line, 208 00:10:51.200 --> 00:10:53.279 even if the talent level might have been a little 209 00:10:53.320 --> 00:10:55.159 bit down at the end of the season when he 210 00:10:55.240 --> 00:10:57.080 was there and the outings were shorter. I really like 211 00:10:57.159 --> 00:11:01.000 what Piccos got again part of this Astro pitching development, 212 00:11:01.159 --> 00:11:03.720 which really do a good job getting a lot out 213 00:11:03.759 --> 00:11:07.720 of their pitchers, even there unheralded mid major types. And 214 00:11:08.440 --> 00:11:10.360 one of the reasons I like him is kind of 215 00:11:10.399 --> 00:11:15.279 like Gusto, he has a ton of pitches in various outings. 216 00:11:15.360 --> 00:11:19.279 I counted six different pitches, a four seamer, a two seamer, 217 00:11:19.360 --> 00:11:22.360 a slider, a cutter, a change, and a curve. Now 218 00:11:22.600 --> 00:11:26.000 he'll dial them up and down depending on the handedness 219 00:11:26.000 --> 00:11:29.200 of the batter or even the outing. Like some outings, 220 00:11:29.519 --> 00:11:32.000 I didn't really see that many two seams at all. 221 00:11:32.159 --> 00:11:35.440 Others I saw quite a few. Again, his slider and 222 00:11:35.480 --> 00:11:37.799 his cutter. I think maybe those blend at times, but 223 00:11:38.080 --> 00:11:40.679 I saw enough that I thought there was a distinction there, 224 00:11:40.919 --> 00:11:44.080 and I'm interested to see if he keeps the command 225 00:11:44.120 --> 00:11:47.200 tight with like that many pitches at deep of a repertoire. 226 00:11:47.519 --> 00:11:51.559 Sometimes what happens is they're all kind of fringy, and 227 00:11:51.720 --> 00:11:53.840 or he loses command of some, and then he might 228 00:11:53.879 --> 00:11:56.399 be prone to some blow ups. I saw enough that 229 00:11:56.600 --> 00:11:59.559 I thought his command was gonna or at least the 230 00:11:59.600 --> 00:12:01.840 control was going to be good enough to help him 231 00:12:02.200 --> 00:12:04.039 not get into too many of those tough spots. And 232 00:12:04.320 --> 00:12:06.279 maybe that's what he showed at Hia a bit, was 233 00:12:06.320 --> 00:12:08.480 that those kind of blow ups can happen to him. 234 00:12:08.480 --> 00:12:11.240 So maybe that's the downside version. But you can do 235 00:12:11.360 --> 00:12:15.320 worse than kind of prototypical six to two hundred pounds 236 00:12:15.320 --> 00:12:19.480 starter who's twenty three next year and going to probably 237 00:12:19.519 --> 00:12:23.320 start the year in a double a rotation for Astros 238 00:12:23.440 --> 00:12:26.519 rotation that I think they're going to have some open slots. 239 00:12:26.559 --> 00:12:29.799 So I like Ethan Peco for a deeply target here, 240 00:12:29.919 --> 00:12:32.600 and I really do think that he's a pitch ability 241 00:12:32.679 --> 00:12:35.840 guy in not a derogatory sense, right, Like there's there's 242 00:12:35.879 --> 00:12:37.519 a lot of clay to mold here. 243 00:12:37.759 --> 00:12:40.399 No, I think that's a great B side choice here. 244 00:12:40.440 --> 00:12:43.320 I think the Astros are always chuck full with solid, 245 00:12:43.600 --> 00:12:45.519 unpopular pitching prospects. 246 00:12:45.720 --> 00:12:47.679 Yeah, I mean I had like four that I liked 247 00:12:47.759 --> 00:12:49.159 last year, and. 248 00:12:49.000 --> 00:12:51.879 Yeah, you know, even right now, when I looked in September, 249 00:12:52.000 --> 00:12:57.639 their most rastern pitching prospect was only at eight percent. 250 00:12:57.600 --> 00:12:59.840 Aj Bluebell that blue Blah, yeah yeah. 251 00:12:59.639 --> 00:13:02.480 And then then three percent, three percent, two percent, two percent, 252 00:13:02.519 --> 00:13:06.159 two percent. When Guso was gonna start, I was like, 253 00:13:06.200 --> 00:13:10.360 all right, well, I'll go with Jackson Nazu like no brainer. 254 00:13:10.480 --> 00:13:13.639 Kind of another similar type is Gusto. I think, just 255 00:13:13.799 --> 00:13:16.519 like you know, some of all parts, lots of pitches, 256 00:13:16.679 --> 00:13:19.879 good picture, but he's only one percent. Paco was zero percent. 257 00:13:20.080 --> 00:13:24.039 Jose Flurry is still only one percent. I think is 258 00:13:24.080 --> 00:13:27.600 one one percent. Yeah, Hicks, James Hicks, who I like 259 00:13:27.679 --> 00:13:30.279 to zero percent, Like, I don't know, just it's just 260 00:13:30.320 --> 00:13:31.320 that Astros thing. 261 00:13:31.399 --> 00:13:31.559 Man. 262 00:13:31.639 --> 00:13:35.440 They're always I feel, very underrated as a system, and 263 00:13:35.559 --> 00:13:37.080 so are a lot of their prospects. 264 00:13:37.120 --> 00:13:41.600 And yeah, produce Miguel Yola, he I think is like 265 00:13:41.720 --> 00:13:43.360 low right, I think in mind. 266 00:13:43.159 --> 00:13:46.639 Yeah, he's their second most roster three percent. 267 00:13:47.360 --> 00:13:49.600 Okay, yeah, I thought, yeah, and he's he's another good 268 00:13:49.600 --> 00:13:51.600 one that I think is under roster. The command is 269 00:13:51.600 --> 00:13:53.759 a little shaky for me there, but this stuff was fun. 270 00:13:53.879 --> 00:13:55.559 I ended up watching quite a bit of him this year. 271 00:13:55.679 --> 00:13:59.159 Astros pitching farm always good, b side hunting grounds all right, 272 00:13:59.200 --> 00:14:01.600 Astros on the side, Matt. I don't know how you 273 00:14:01.679 --> 00:14:03.480 felt as a whole, but when you got down to 274 00:14:03.799 --> 00:14:06.879 zero one, maybe two percent, it was tricky. It was 275 00:14:06.879 --> 00:14:09.159 tough because I felt like most of those guys had 276 00:14:09.200 --> 00:14:12.360 like a really big potential whammy. 277 00:14:11.919 --> 00:14:13.799 Like some big negative yeah. 278 00:14:13.600 --> 00:14:15.919 Yeah, something that I was just like, eh, I don't 279 00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:18.240 know if this is playable. There's you know, they tend 280 00:14:18.360 --> 00:14:21.679 they like data, right, they like athletes, and I think 281 00:14:21.679 --> 00:14:24.159 they take a lot of those hitters and try to 282 00:14:24.159 --> 00:14:26.320 hope for the best right, and I think they've done 283 00:14:26.399 --> 00:14:29.879 really well, like developing some some bats and some you know, 284 00:14:30.039 --> 00:14:31.879 in the past, I think we've had some pretty good 285 00:14:32.039 --> 00:14:34.919 B side astros bats, and you know they'll have pop 286 00:14:35.039 --> 00:14:39.159 up guys like a lot Perfito or whatever. This particular 287 00:14:39.240 --> 00:14:42.039 crop was tough for me, so I don't particularly love 288 00:14:42.440 --> 00:14:44.759 my choice here. He wouldn't. He's not a guy I'm 289 00:14:44.919 --> 00:14:48.480 like looking to roster unnecessarily. It's probably in my bottom third. 290 00:14:48.480 --> 00:14:52.919 But I went with Jerron Williams. He was their ninth 291 00:14:53.000 --> 00:14:56.440 round pick in twenty twenty three out of Toledo. He's 292 00:14:56.440 --> 00:14:58.840 a middle infielder and play some third base. I think 293 00:14:58.879 --> 00:15:02.159 he's got a real good arm. I've seen them just 294 00:15:02.159 --> 00:15:05.159 just make some cannon throws. These good size listened at 295 00:15:05.200 --> 00:15:07.919 like six one, twenty three years old. Right now, he's 296 00:15:08.000 --> 00:15:10.080 split the season. He had one hundred and thirty one 297 00:15:10.080 --> 00:15:12.840 played appearances in High A, then one hundred and fifty 298 00:15:12.840 --> 00:15:15.639 four played appearances in Double A, and no doubt that 299 00:15:15.759 --> 00:15:19.240 the double A run was not very impressive production wise. 300 00:15:19.960 --> 00:15:22.240 It wasn't hi a double A. Not so much what 301 00:15:22.320 --> 00:15:25.759 he slashed two oh four two sixty six three point 302 00:15:25.759 --> 00:15:28.799 fifty two. He had three home runs, stole fourteen bases 303 00:15:29.240 --> 00:15:32.159 in forty games. You know, not super impressive, but I 304 00:15:32.240 --> 00:15:35.120 really like the athleticism. I think there is a little 305 00:15:35.120 --> 00:15:38.000 bit of a power speed blend here, as we've seen 306 00:15:38.080 --> 00:15:40.440 with astros hitting. I think part of the reason why 307 00:15:40.440 --> 00:15:43.799 they get like ranks so lowly often as a system 308 00:15:43.879 --> 00:15:46.080 is because I think it is tough to tell where 309 00:15:46.120 --> 00:15:48.759 that you know who the pop up guy is, who's 310 00:15:48.799 --> 00:15:50.720 going to blow up here, but they always seem to 311 00:15:50.759 --> 00:15:53.039 have somebody, So I don't know. I don't know if 312 00:15:53.039 --> 00:15:55.919 it will be Williams this year, but considering all my 313 00:15:55.919 --> 00:15:58.759 my options, I kind of thought I just kind of, hey, 314 00:15:58.840 --> 00:16:02.120 let's let's watch out. Athletic guy who can potentially do 315 00:16:02.159 --> 00:16:04.159 a lot of things and play up the middle. Seems 316 00:16:04.159 --> 00:16:06.879 to have a decent bat ball profile. Strikeouts on a 317 00:16:06.919 --> 00:16:09.720 big issue. He only struck out what eighteen point two 318 00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:12.000 percent of the time on the season. It was actually 319 00:16:12.080 --> 00:16:15.399 less in double A than Hi A. He ran a 320 00:16:15.440 --> 00:16:18.200 two thirty two babbit in double A. So maybe there 321 00:16:18.240 --> 00:16:20.039 was just like some bad luck there. I don't know, 322 00:16:20.120 --> 00:16:22.519 but just turning on the film, what both defense and 323 00:16:22.960 --> 00:16:24.919 at the plate, like, I thought I could do a 324 00:16:24.960 --> 00:16:27.879 lot worse and you know, maybe this year that double 325 00:16:27.919 --> 00:16:30.159 A production kind of catches up to the talent a 326 00:16:30.200 --> 00:16:30.759 little bit more. 327 00:16:30.879 --> 00:16:33.840 Yeah, I like it. Did he miss some time this year? 328 00:16:34.080 --> 00:16:35.279 Did he have an injury? 329 00:16:35.480 --> 00:16:37.879 He might? He only played seventy one games on the year, 330 00:16:37.960 --> 00:16:40.240 so he had Yeah. 331 00:16:40.360 --> 00:16:43.120 Yeah, interesting. I watched a little bit of Williams, and 332 00:16:43.240 --> 00:16:45.519 I think I caught some of his Double A games 333 00:16:45.600 --> 00:16:49.919 where he wasn't as impressive, But considering how short the 334 00:16:49.960 --> 00:16:52.759 season was, I like a lot about this guy. He 335 00:16:52.879 --> 00:16:54.919 was one of my kind of further down picks in 336 00:16:55.000 --> 00:16:57.480 this that maybe I should give another look, especially if 337 00:16:57.519 --> 00:16:59.200 you like him a bit. I think there might be 338 00:16:59.200 --> 00:17:01.960 a little more here now that I'm hearing to talk about. 339 00:17:01.759 --> 00:17:05.160 Him and hi a Offensively, he's pretty dang good. Three ten, 340 00:17:05.240 --> 00:17:07.759 three sixty six sledged five point fifty two. I know 341 00:17:07.880 --> 00:17:11.319 that's Ashville and that Yeah right. Like I said, I 342 00:17:11.359 --> 00:17:13.920 think he's just a better player than the surface numbers 343 00:17:14.240 --> 00:17:15.920 show for Yeah, run. 344 00:17:15.920 --> 00:17:18.920 With decent contact skills and a willingness to steal bases 345 00:17:18.960 --> 00:17:21.759 like that gives you a decent floor and doesn't seem 346 00:17:21.799 --> 00:17:24.519 like the powers are zero. So yeah, that's an interesting one. 347 00:17:24.559 --> 00:17:26.480 I'm gonna I'm definitely gonna keep an eye on him. 348 00:17:26.599 --> 00:17:29.920 Yeah, and who knows what the Astros what opportunity might 349 00:17:29.960 --> 00:17:32.680 be on the left side of that infield coming up here, 350 00:17:32.720 --> 00:17:36.519 because Bregman's like, gone, right, Yeah, I'm not expecting or 351 00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:38.799 thinking Williams here is going to take over some sort 352 00:17:38.839 --> 00:17:41.880 of every day role here, but maybe there'll be an 353 00:17:41.880 --> 00:17:43.559 opportunity to get to the bigs. 354 00:17:43.839 --> 00:17:47.480 Definitely. I had a couple guys that I wanted to 355 00:17:47.519 --> 00:17:50.480 at least note. Kenny Gomez is one who I looked 356 00:17:50.519 --> 00:17:53.319 at a bit. He's a young outfielder, played all over 357 00:17:53.319 --> 00:17:56.400 the outfield up at Hi a steal some bags. I 358 00:17:56.400 --> 00:17:58.880 think has a little more power in there than the 359 00:17:58.920 --> 00:18:01.160 surface numbers might show. But I liked a little bit 360 00:18:01.160 --> 00:18:03.240 about his game, So he's one that I want to 361 00:18:03.359 --> 00:18:03.960 I want to agree. 362 00:18:04.200 --> 00:18:06.359 I think he's like a real center field there too. 363 00:18:06.640 --> 00:18:09.000 I think so too. I know they played him around 364 00:18:09.039 --> 00:18:11.160 a bit, but he got most of this run in center, 365 00:18:11.200 --> 00:18:13.279 and I thought he looked good out there, at least 366 00:18:13.279 --> 00:18:17.279 in my limited looks. And then Tommy Sacho Junior, he 367 00:18:17.960 --> 00:18:19.759 made it up to Triple A this year. He's a 368 00:18:19.799 --> 00:18:23.160 little older but has that combination of things that I 369 00:18:23.240 --> 00:18:26.200 really like in that he has solid contact skills, he 370 00:18:26.279 --> 00:18:29.200 walks inn above average amount, he is athletic enough to 371 00:18:29.240 --> 00:18:31.680 steal a few bases with not and not be a 372 00:18:31.799 --> 00:18:35.519 zero in the power department. So Saco Junior, I liked 373 00:18:35.599 --> 00:18:38.359 him a fair amount and is one I could see 374 00:18:38.480 --> 00:18:41.160 being more of a utility guy for them. I don't 375 00:18:41.200 --> 00:18:43.880 know if there's like a full time regular there and 376 00:18:43.960 --> 00:18:46.440 the impact I think held me back from making him 377 00:18:46.480 --> 00:18:49.079 my official B side. But Tommy Sacho Junior is another 378 00:18:49.119 --> 00:18:51.599 one to keep an eye on if there's an injury opening, 379 00:18:51.640 --> 00:18:53.960 maybe he gets some run. But the guy I wanted 380 00:18:54.000 --> 00:18:57.039 to pick here is I don't know, maybe a little 381 00:18:57.119 --> 00:18:59.920 unusual for the kind of hitter that I pick, but 382 00:19:00.039 --> 00:19:01.799 I'm going with Austin deming Mate. 383 00:19:01.920 --> 00:19:02.000 Ye. 384 00:19:02.400 --> 00:19:06.359 Like he's an older college bat out a BYU right 385 00:19:06.400 --> 00:19:11.480 handed hitter, maybe a touch undersize, you know, like considering 386 00:19:11.480 --> 00:19:14.359 he's probably got to be a third baseman and you know, 387 00:19:14.400 --> 00:19:16.759 I think he's probably under six foot was my guest. 388 00:19:16.960 --> 00:19:20.799 But he's pretty well built and I think very athletic. 389 00:19:20.880 --> 00:19:22.839 Like I saw him make some decent plays at third 390 00:19:22.960 --> 00:19:26.000 and think he could stick there. Don't necessarily think he 391 00:19:26.039 --> 00:19:28.559 needs to shift somewhere else, though they have played him 392 00:19:28.559 --> 00:19:30.319 at second, and I think the bat might play even 393 00:19:30.359 --> 00:19:33.799 better at second. Got almost no money. I was a 394 00:19:34.000 --> 00:19:36.599 tenth rounder and may even have been a senior sign 395 00:19:36.680 --> 00:19:38.640 or something. So he yeah, because I think he's a 396 00:19:38.680 --> 00:19:42.039 little bit older for the draft, and that's why nobody 397 00:19:42.119 --> 00:19:44.359 cares about him. Nobody likes him. He's I'm pretty sure 398 00:19:44.480 --> 00:19:48.559 zero percent what I like about him. His swing is 399 00:19:48.720 --> 00:19:51.960 really really short to the ball. That is some in 400 00:19:52.039 --> 00:19:54.319 common to like a chase the latter in like the 401 00:19:54.640 --> 00:19:57.640