WEBVTT 1 00:00:14.800 --> 00:00:17.920 Hey, everyone, welcome to the Heat Check. Today is Friday, 2 00:00:18.120 --> 00:00:21.480 July seventeenth, and I am your host, Nathan Graham. We're 3 00:00:21.519 --> 00:00:24.079 fresh off the All Star break and instead of our 4 00:00:24.120 --> 00:00:27.079 normal format, we're gonna be We're gonna take a look 5 00:00:27.079 --> 00:00:30.679 at the amateur draft. Joining me this week are two 6 00:00:30.719 --> 00:00:34.079 thirds of our draft team at Baseball Prospectus and Michael 7 00:00:34.600 --> 00:00:38.520 Donadeo and Jared Sidler. Gentlemen, welcome, thanks for joining. 8 00:00:38.280 --> 00:00:42.560 Me, Thank you for having us. 9 00:00:42.679 --> 00:00:46.159 Hey, you're welcome. Jared, you were at the draft? First 10 00:00:46.159 --> 00:00:48.479 of all, tell us a little bit. What was it like? 11 00:00:48.799 --> 00:00:51.679 And then also, why does Rob Manford hate baseball? 12 00:00:53.880 --> 00:00:57.679 It was like the MLB Draft done is like a 13 00:00:57.759 --> 00:01:01.200 low a baseball game, like with like a tempted Savannah 14 00:01:01.200 --> 00:01:02.240 Banana's bits. 15 00:01:02.600 --> 00:01:04.079 I have no idea how much of. 16 00:01:04.120 --> 00:01:07.680 That came across on TV, but it was just like wow, 17 00:01:08.000 --> 00:01:13.000 blaring music like bad between innings, minor league entertainment. 18 00:01:13.040 --> 00:01:14.680 They did a Mockerina. 19 00:01:14.200 --> 00:01:17.959 Contest at one point between picks, like in twenty twenty six. 20 00:01:18.079 --> 00:01:19.879 I just like want I. 21 00:01:19.840 --> 00:01:23.680 Heard did a backflip to go one one? 22 00:01:24.640 --> 00:01:24.959 I mean that? 23 00:01:25.200 --> 00:01:29.519 Yeah, that actually happened on a telecast about what seven 24 00:01:29.599 --> 00:01:30.000 years ago? 25 00:01:30.200 --> 00:01:31.680 Was that Mason Wayne who did that. 26 00:01:31.799 --> 00:01:34.920 I think somebody did watch, But yeah, there were no 27 00:01:35.040 --> 00:01:38.040 players there, which like if you're kind of doing that 28 00:01:38.120 --> 00:01:40.439 kind of draft broadcast, that really needs like at least 29 00:01:40.519 --> 00:01:43.640 some of the key players there. It was just that 30 00:01:43.840 --> 00:01:48.200 was very and it was also it was in It 31 00:01:48.280 --> 00:01:51.879 was basically in a conference room off the floor of 32 00:01:52.000 --> 00:01:54.760 the MLB All Star Village, which is what they called 33 00:01:54.760 --> 00:01:56.920 the Fan Festival this year, which was at the Pennsylvania 34 00:01:56.959 --> 00:02:00.799 Convention Center. So it's like literally in like conference room 35 00:02:00.799 --> 00:02:04.760 where they do bar exams. Like that's like what that's like, 36 00:02:04.879 --> 00:02:08.439 and that's like the vibe it was giving off. And 37 00:02:08.479 --> 00:02:12.080 then they Day one was round one through four and 38 00:02:12.120 --> 00:02:14.280 then they got through pick Ford and so it's like, okay, 39 00:02:14.280 --> 00:02:17.039 we're done, everybody leave, And it turned out that included 40 00:02:17.080 --> 00:02:17.439 the media. 41 00:02:17.520 --> 00:02:18.960 They kicked the media out. 42 00:02:20.199 --> 00:02:25.000 Yeah they started. People were still in there, yes. 43 00:02:24.960 --> 00:02:28.520 And then while the MLB Network broadcast was still on 44 00:02:28.599 --> 00:02:31.039 the air, was still streaming or whatever. You can find 45 00:02:31.080 --> 00:02:34.360 a Twitter clip of like Ryan Sprasdowski talking with like 46 00:02:34.800 --> 00:02:37.759 loud construction noises being made in the background as they 47 00:02:37.800 --> 00:02:38.520 were taking down. 48 00:02:38.400 --> 00:02:39.639 The stage and just like. 49 00:02:41.080 --> 00:02:44.080 It was all just like a little embarrassing I think, 50 00:02:44.199 --> 00:02:47.840 especially compared to the broad scale I wrote about this 51 00:02:47.879 --> 00:02:50.360 for BP a few days ago, just like the broad 52 00:02:50.400 --> 00:02:52.919 scale spectacle of the NFL Draft, Like the last time 53 00:02:52.960 --> 00:02:56.479 the NFL Draft was in Philadelphia, they put several hundred 54 00:02:56.599 --> 00:03:01.520 thousand people into into a draft area on the Rocky 55 00:03:01.599 --> 00:03:04.680 Steps and all the way back down the Ben Franklin Parkway, right, 56 00:03:05.120 --> 00:03:08.639 And this was like two thousand people in a conference 57 00:03:08.719 --> 00:03:11.840 room that mostly had no idea what was going on. 58 00:03:12.080 --> 00:03:14.479 And there was like a drum line randomly showed up 59 00:03:14.520 --> 00:03:17.439 at one point and I don't really know why, right, 60 00:03:17.560 --> 00:03:19.080 And there was. 61 00:03:19.039 --> 00:03:22.360 Just like there were. 62 00:03:22.199 --> 00:03:27.439 No yeah, Like this wasn't even like big enough to 63 00:03:27.479 --> 00:03:32.080 have the mummers or like anything like particularly yeah, like 64 00:03:32.120 --> 00:03:34.560 they did like T shirt launches and stuff like that. 65 00:03:34.639 --> 00:03:36.639 Like it legitimately reminded me of being in an a 66 00:03:36.840 --> 00:03:43.000 ball game, except like it was like Savannah Bananas themed basically, 67 00:03:43.039 --> 00:03:46.599 which again no shade on that. It's just like the 68 00:03:46.719 --> 00:03:49.719 cross section of people who are interested in that type 69 00:03:49.759 --> 00:03:51.879 of event and the cross section of people who are 70 00:03:51.919 --> 00:03:56.000 realistically going to tune into or show up for the 71 00:03:56.039 --> 00:03:59.159 first round of the Major League Baseball Draft. It's just 72 00:03:59.280 --> 00:04:02.879 like revealous really small like they have the drafts for 73 00:04:02.919 --> 00:04:07.000 the die hards, right, like, especially when you're doing it 74 00:04:07.080 --> 00:04:09.400 on I mean, I guess it was on NBC, but 75 00:04:09.439 --> 00:04:12.319 most of it's on like streaming platforms or cable television 76 00:04:12.800 --> 00:04:16.000 on a Saturday afternoon like this is not. 77 00:04:16.079 --> 00:04:18.439 Like, yeah, games going on as well. 78 00:04:18.480 --> 00:04:19.959 Yeah, against games. 79 00:04:20.000 --> 00:04:22.399 And then the second the second day the draft was 80 00:04:22.439 --> 00:04:25.360 against the Futures Game, Like I'm at the Futures Game 81 00:04:25.519 --> 00:04:27.560 like trying to see like what teams are doing with 82 00:04:27.600 --> 00:04:30.079 their extra pool a lot. Man, I'm just going like, 83 00:04:30.680 --> 00:04:34.279 these are events that have very high crossover interests. Like 84 00:04:34.360 --> 00:04:37.839 the people who are the people who are realistically going 85 00:04:37.879 --> 00:04:40.160 to pay attention to the day two of the draft 86 00:04:40.160 --> 00:04:42.160 are like almost all of them are also going to 87 00:04:42.240 --> 00:04:44.319 watch the Futures Game. Why are both of these going 88 00:04:44.360 --> 00:04:47.000 on at the same time. And it's exacerbated by the 89 00:04:47.000 --> 00:04:50.519 fact that they had both Sunday night and Wednesday night free. 90 00:04:50.199 --> 00:04:53.480 There was no baseball either, Yes, yeah, and. 91 00:04:53.439 --> 00:04:54.360 I know I know. 92 00:04:54.600 --> 00:04:57.759 Manford told the BBWA that those events got moved around 93 00:04:57.759 --> 00:05:01.399 because they wanted the broad casterers wanted them, and they 94 00:05:01.399 --> 00:05:03.920 were doing, you know, doing work for the broadcasters and 95 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:07.600 trying to get them in the best television streaming situations possible. 96 00:05:07.720 --> 00:05:11.399 So I get that, but you know, maybe it's worth 97 00:05:11.519 --> 00:05:14.759 giving up a little bit of broadcaster rights money or 98 00:05:14.839 --> 00:05:17.360 advertising money to get more exposer on this stuff. 99 00:05:17.399 --> 00:05:21.040 I don't know, Yeah, you would think so. And was 100 00:05:21.079 --> 00:05:23.000 the futures game still just seven innings? 101 00:05:24.160 --> 00:05:28.519 Seven innings, no pitcher pitched. I don't think anybody pitched 102 00:05:28.519 --> 00:05:33.040 more than three three outs. Yeah, it was seven innings. 103 00:05:33.079 --> 00:05:38.600 It was rotating through pitchers NonStop batting practice because the 104 00:05:38.639 --> 00:05:41.439 game was at twelve, so batting practice started at nine 105 00:05:41.480 --> 00:05:45.000 to ten, and most of the players did not look 106 00:05:45.079 --> 00:05:48.079 like they'd had their coffee, like you know, just way 107 00:05:48.120 --> 00:05:52.399 to PAULA to Paul's batting practice was so forgetable. And 108 00:05:52.519 --> 00:05:54.879 again it's a guy who takes a killer batting practice 109 00:05:54.879 --> 00:05:57.759 that I asked Brent, I like had to ask Frank 110 00:05:57.839 --> 00:06:00.519 Percy whether he had like gone already, know, like four 111 00:06:00.600 --> 00:06:04.720 rotations later, because like I didn't actually remember doing anything 112 00:06:04.879 --> 00:06:08.959 and he went up there any home runs and batting practice, 113 00:06:09.040 --> 00:06:12.480 that's like what the And that's obviously you know, but 114 00:06:12.519 --> 00:06:14.600 he was taking batting practice at nine and twenty in 115 00:06:14.680 --> 00:06:20.759 the morning after presumably after travel, you know, like I 116 00:06:20.800 --> 00:06:22.720 there was a period of time where I cared about 117 00:06:22.720 --> 00:06:26.600 futures game batting practice a lot. I wrote about this 118 00:06:26.759 --> 00:06:30.199 too in a different article, and that time has passed 119 00:06:30.279 --> 00:06:34.240 because realistically, why you were caring about futures game batting 120 00:06:34.279 --> 00:06:38.879 practice was to assess optimum situation, like raw power in 121 00:06:38.879 --> 00:06:42.639 a showcase environment. And there's just like twenty better ways 122 00:06:42.720 --> 00:06:46.720 now to assess players raw power than optimal environment showcase. 123 00:06:46.720 --> 00:06:49.639 Circuit, you know, three rounds of batting practice. 124 00:06:49.680 --> 00:06:51.879 So it's you know, it's fun to see, you know, 125 00:06:52.000 --> 00:06:56.439 guys builds and guys swing mechanics in a really easy location. 126 00:06:56.759 --> 00:06:58.600 But I don't think I got like a ton out 127 00:06:58.600 --> 00:07:02.199 of an evaluatively, certainly not as much as you know 128 00:07:02.360 --> 00:07:05.480 when you know, Nathan, I know you've went to some 129 00:07:05.519 --> 00:07:09.040 of these in the past, like you know, in twenty seventeen, 130 00:07:09.240 --> 00:07:11.839 like that was the best chance to get a to 131 00:07:11.879 --> 00:07:15.240 get in two hours a really good view of like 132 00:07:16.600 --> 00:07:21.079 forty of the top prospects, you know, rough raw power potential. 133 00:07:21.199 --> 00:07:24.120 It's just not bad anymore. It's not that event anymore 134 00:07:24.160 --> 00:07:28.439 from scouting perspective. It's just kind of like this curiosity 135 00:07:28.720 --> 00:07:36.240 almost as a television product, just like make it nine innings. 136 00:07:34.839 --> 00:07:36.079 Like, but you can. 137 00:07:36.480 --> 00:07:38.600 They're gonna say they don't want to wear out the pitching, 138 00:07:38.720 --> 00:07:41.240 but you can just like name five more pitchers per 139 00:07:41.279 --> 00:07:42.160 team to the game. 140 00:07:42.439 --> 00:07:43.759 Yeah, you can just add more players. 141 00:07:43.800 --> 00:07:47.240 Yeah, yeah, you could add more players. You can make 142 00:07:47.360 --> 00:07:49.800 the game longer, you can you can take it more. 143 00:07:50.279 --> 00:07:52.560 You can take the selection of the players more. Seriously, 144 00:07:52.560 --> 00:07:54.480 I thought this year was actually better than a lot 145 00:07:54.480 --> 00:07:58.639 of past years, and that weren't like too many, you know, 146 00:07:58.839 --> 00:08:01.839 like there were all a couple like Mark McGuire's kid 147 00:08:01.959 --> 00:08:07.000 was still there. They took Ryan Clifford as the Mets representative, 148 00:08:07.199 --> 00:08:11.800 and realistically those are not top prospects per se, although 149 00:08:11.839 --> 00:08:14.240 Clifford has been one of the past so at least 150 00:08:14.240 --> 00:08:14.879 I get that. 151 00:08:15.319 --> 00:08:17.920 But for the most part, they got they got most 152 00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:18.240 of the. 153 00:08:18.160 --> 00:08:20.079 Guys who are eligible for the game that should have 154 00:08:20.079 --> 00:08:23.120 been there were there, Like you know that there's a 155 00:08:23.160 --> 00:08:25.759 few guys I would have really liked to see. 156 00:08:24.920 --> 00:08:29.040 It was fun. The game was on in the bar 157 00:08:29.199 --> 00:08:32.440 somehow last night, and I saw and I just like 158 00:08:32.440 --> 00:08:34.080 looked up at one point and I was like, Jojo 159 00:08:34.159 --> 00:08:37.559 Parker is there. That's fun. So somebody paid no attention 160 00:08:37.679 --> 00:08:41.639 to the futures game for obvious reasons getting the draft, But. 161 00:08:43.120 --> 00:08:46.399 There's some value in just me having seen like j 162 00:08:47.000 --> 00:08:51.200 Parker's as like Joe J. Parker taking field and batting practice, 163 00:08:51.279 --> 00:08:55.120 Like it's not no value, it's just like with all value. 164 00:08:56.840 --> 00:08:59.600 Yeah, it's what we think saw. 165 00:09:00.080 --> 00:09:04.799 Yeah, I mean Jojo Parker. I don't think it's the 166 00:09:04.840 --> 00:09:08.120 world's toughest evaluation anyway, kind of just you know, it's 167 00:09:09.360 --> 00:09:12.840 full swing and it's you know, medium power, and the 168 00:09:12.919 --> 00:09:14.919 hit tool feels like it should be better than it 169 00:09:14.960 --> 00:09:15.600 actually is. 170 00:09:16.120 --> 00:09:17.919 Like that's Jojo Parker. 171 00:09:18.600 --> 00:09:22.720 Definitely not running a showcase circuit contact rates anymore. 172 00:09:22.840 --> 00:09:27.919 But right, but they're still they're still above average. It's good, right, 173 00:09:28.120 --> 00:09:31.519 but yeah, like I will right him and Eli will 174 00:09:31.559 --> 00:09:35.440 its flipped hit tolls and that's not right. I mean 175 00:09:36.080 --> 00:09:39.120 you could have seen that one coming to like we did, Frank, 176 00:09:39.320 --> 00:09:45.879 I will draft right, Yeah, and there's still they're not 177 00:09:45.919 --> 00:09:48.600 one and two anymore. You know, Kate Anderson is the 178 00:09:48.639 --> 00:09:53.480 second best player out of that class right now. I think, well, 179 00:09:55.960 --> 00:09:59.200 cater cad is the second best player out of the 180 00:09:59.240 --> 00:10:02.159 group of players we poassibly would have ranked number one 181 00:10:02.399 --> 00:10:08.480 in that we have MS fine, right, we look, we 182 00:10:08.519 --> 00:10:11.399 had we had seth as Lalliver because we didn't think 183 00:10:11.399 --> 00:10:13.399 he could spend the ball because he couldn't spend the 184 00:10:13.399 --> 00:10:15.360 ball at the time. And it's a year later and 185 00:10:15.399 --> 00:10:18.720 he can really fucking spin the ball now. And that's 186 00:10:18.759 --> 00:10:22.519 the thing that happens when you're going when you're nineteen, 187 00:10:22.759 --> 00:10:24.559 like guys. 188 00:10:23.919 --> 00:10:26.519 Eight year about and we rank you top ten, that 189 00:10:26.639 --> 00:10:28.919 means we think you're very good. Like that's just. 190 00:10:30.399 --> 00:10:33.919 Like I wrote pretty much all the pitcher and the 191 00:10:34.039 --> 00:10:34.840 mids is fifth. 192 00:10:34.840 --> 00:10:38.080 They were kind of broke them out a little bit 193 00:10:38.120 --> 00:10:41.159 more this year by specialty, a lot of time suffering, 194 00:10:41.200 --> 00:10:44.600 and I just kind of split this stuff up by like, oh, 195 00:10:44.639 --> 00:10:46.720 you're right that guy, or I'll right that guy, or 196 00:10:46.799 --> 00:10:49.519 like you wrote that guy this year, I'll write that guy. 197 00:10:49.759 --> 00:10:51.519 You wrote that guy last year, all right the guy 198 00:10:51.600 --> 00:10:52.080 this year. 199 00:10:52.399 --> 00:10:59.600 This year I did the pitchers, the extreme riser guys, 200 00:11:00.080 --> 00:11:04.559 the ur Hartman types, and the draft guys, so basically 201 00:11:04.639 --> 00:11:07.639 the guys that I have kind of specialized and at 202 00:11:07.720 --> 00:11:08.840 least in character to death for it. 203 00:11:09.480 --> 00:11:10.559 And that also made it a lot. 204 00:11:10.919 --> 00:11:12.759 Being able to focus on the pitchers made a lot 205 00:11:12.840 --> 00:11:14.360 easier because I was able to do a lot of 206 00:11:14.440 --> 00:11:17.279 like one to one comms, but I I'm the one 207 00:11:17.320 --> 00:11:20.200 that wrote that I think Seth Fernandez is the best 208 00:11:20.200 --> 00:11:23.840 pitching prospect since we've gotten shape data, because I do 209 00:11:23.919 --> 00:11:26.960 not remember guy's shapes being this good at the point 210 00:11:27.120 --> 00:11:30.080 in his development that he was like that guy's he's 211 00:11:30.120 --> 00:11:33.200 getting dinged is having dead zone fastball shapes. And I 212 00:11:33.240 --> 00:11:36.360 am one hundred percent stories actually throwing two different fastballs 213 00:11:36.399 --> 00:11:38.279 and neither of them is dead ball, but when you 214 00:11:38.440 --> 00:11:40.159 average them together, it. 215 00:11:40.159 --> 00:11:42.000 Looks like a dead ball fastball. Same. 216 00:11:43.120 --> 00:11:45.480 So there was also risk in high school that like 217 00:11:45.759 --> 00:11:48.559 if with like the shape regression, then it would kind 218 00:11:48.600 --> 00:11:49.879 of get like he was doing a lot of like 219 00:11:49.919 --> 00:11:52.879 you know, maybe like seventeen seventeen fastballs, and it's like, okay, 220 00:11:52.919 --> 00:11:54.519 well with a pro ball, what does it look like? 221 00:11:54.919 --> 00:11:57.080 Any answers that it still looks fine, So it's. 222 00:11:56.960 --> 00:11:59.799 Like, yeah, now now it's not seventeen seventeen. Now it's 223 00:11:59.840 --> 00:12:04.080 like seventeen to eleven, which is arguably better than seventeen seventeen. 224 00:12:04.639 --> 00:12:07.279 And there's also like I don't I don't know whether 225 00:12:07.320 --> 00:12:10.399 it's like a technical two seamer, but he's throwing a 226 00:12:10.440 --> 00:12:14.240 lot of like ten and nineteens, and like that's like 227 00:12:14.399 --> 00:12:17.799 a that's just like a really fuck like ten and 228 00:12:17.960 --> 00:12:21.000 nineteen of like ninety nine miles an hours, just like 229 00:12:21.039 --> 00:12:24.799 a really fucking nasty shape, especially when it's not. 230 00:12:24.799 --> 00:12:31.039 Your holy shit, his hands right like running and you throw. 231 00:12:30.960 --> 00:12:34.000 What might be an eighty change up and you can 232 00:12:34.080 --> 00:12:36.399 throw it to both sides of the plate with that 233 00:12:36.519 --> 00:12:41.159 fastball shape, also throwing a more you know, ride and 234 00:12:41.279 --> 00:12:45.320 run type fastball, and also all of a sudden he's 235 00:12:45.360 --> 00:12:48.240 spinning two like plus breaking. But like this is the 236 00:12:49.120 --> 00:12:50.960 I think these are the best shapes out of any 237 00:12:51.120 --> 00:12:52.360 prospect I've ever seen. 238 00:12:53.679 --> 00:12:55.879 A year ago, I was like a slutter at eighty five, 239 00:12:56.320 --> 00:12:57.440 and it's like. 240 00:12:57.399 --> 00:12:59.879 It's right, and we're tall. 241 00:13:00.679 --> 00:13:02.799 Because we're mostly gonna talk about the draft here, we're 242 00:13:02.799 --> 00:13:06.440 gonna talk a lot about what guys are throwing. And 243 00:13:06.519 --> 00:13:08.960 one of them and I hinted at this, I think 244 00:13:09.000 --> 00:13:11.440 and the Tanner Franklin blurb, but it was definitely a 245 00:13:11.559 --> 00:13:14.440 blurb and that they might have been zach Rude. 246 00:13:14.799 --> 00:13:15.480 A lot of. 247 00:13:15.320 --> 00:13:20.639 This has gotten really kind of theoretical for evaluating college 248 00:13:20.720 --> 00:13:24.799 pitchers because a lot of these guys what they are 249 00:13:24.960 --> 00:13:30.559 throwing in college, between differences in balls and especially differences 250 00:13:30.600 --> 00:13:35.399 in coaching and even differences in throwing to ping bats 251 00:13:35.480 --> 00:13:38.960 versus wood bats just is not what they end up 252 00:13:39.000 --> 00:13:40.039 throwing in the pros. 253 00:13:40.159 --> 00:13:44.960 Like I'll be talking about Jackson Flora right, this will 254 00:13:45.000 --> 00:13:45.600 be coming. 255 00:13:45.440 --> 00:13:50.320 Up Tanner Franklin that the Cardinals competitive ballance pick last 256 00:13:50.399 --> 00:13:56.120 year was a college reliever, fastball cutter, almost never threw 257 00:13:56.200 --> 00:13:59.799 anything else, and when he was in college, he threw 258 00:13:59.879 --> 00:14:05.000 like a small handful of like baby sweepers, and the 259 00:14:05.039 --> 00:14:08.399 Cardinals successfully projected off of that that they would be 260 00:14:08.440 --> 00:14:12.679 able to have him throw a plus full sweeper in 261 00:14:12.720 --> 00:14:13.360 the pros. 262 00:14:13.720 --> 00:14:16.039 And they were right. And that was not a pitch 263 00:14:16.120 --> 00:14:18.200 that he threw in college. 264 00:14:18.360 --> 00:14:21.320 Like it's just but based on like some of the traits, 265 00:14:21.440 --> 00:14:25.279 that was something that they thought would get there. Jackson 266 00:14:25.279 --> 00:14:28.279 Floyd is a good example of this in that we 267 00:14:28.360 --> 00:14:31.399 think he has some breaking ball traits that are going 268 00:14:31.440 --> 00:14:34.600 to lead to throwing better breaking balls and he's throwing now. 269 00:14:34.759 --> 00:14:36.600 Is that a safe way to describe that. 270 00:14:36.840 --> 00:14:39.759 I mean, they're still interesting. They're still interesting, Like it's 271 00:14:40.039 --> 00:14:42.480 it's his breakers move a ton, but they're kind of 272 00:14:42.559 --> 00:14:47.320 slow for how what the fastball velocity is. But we 273 00:14:47.399 --> 00:14:50.080 think just because those shapes are in there there's little 274 00:14:50.120 --> 00:14:52.399 cues you can get. Now, this isn't a perfect example 275 00:14:52.480 --> 00:14:56.799 because UCSB is actually very good at this stuff. One 276 00:14:56.840 --> 00:14:59.879 of the best pitching development schools in the country is 277 00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:02.320 actually for a mid major. They punch way above their weight. 278 00:15:02.720 --> 00:15:06.519 But we kind of see this capacity for essentially how 279 00:15:06.559 --> 00:15:09.480 easily he gets around the ball and the sort of 280 00:15:09.519 --> 00:15:12.879 shapes you can project out because of that, He's already 281 00:15:12.879 --> 00:15:14.600 done this to an extent as well, adding in a 282 00:15:14.639 --> 00:15:16.960 kick change before this year, which is another one of 283 00:15:17.000 --> 00:15:20.279 these pitches that we see these like these Supernation dominant 284 00:15:20.279 --> 00:15:24.679 guys throw and it became his best secondary in the 285 00:15:24.720 --> 00:15:27.440 college season. So we also think this is going to 286 00:15:27.519 --> 00:15:31.240 have downstream effects on fastball as well. His fastball's fine now, 287 00:15:31.360 --> 00:15:34.320 especially for the velo he like averages ninety six. We 288 00:15:34.399 --> 00:15:36.480 think he can even throw it a bit harder, but 289 00:15:36.720 --> 00:15:40.159 he's probably going to seam shift a sinker more in 290 00:15:40.519 --> 00:15:43.200 pro ball than he is now. We know he has 291 00:15:43.240 --> 00:15:47.840 that capability. The fastball shape is like fine, it's not amazing, 292 00:15:48.200 --> 00:15:50.240 So I think there's room to just like diversify the 293 00:15:50.320 --> 00:15:53.519 arsenal a ton throw a curve, you know, maybe more 294 00:15:53.519 --> 00:15:55.919 of a true cutter, sweeper combo as opposed to this 295 00:15:56.000 --> 00:15:59.559 like kind of weird hand of God Slider super Sweeper 296 00:15:59.600 --> 00:16:01.679 Company she he's throwing now that doesn't really have a 297 00:16:01.679 --> 00:16:04.320 ton of velocity behind it. So there's different ways you 298 00:16:04.360 --> 00:16:07.200 can go, especially with a guy who throws the ball 299 00:16:07.320 --> 00:16:10.159 like that. But and we were talking about like guys 300 00:16:10.200 --> 00:16:13.840 with upside is you know, to spoil what's coming in 301 00:16:14.840 --> 00:16:17.519 this podcast, But Flora is a guy we kind of 302 00:16:17.519 --> 00:16:21.120 see having this capability because of the release traits. There's 303 00:16:21.120 --> 00:16:23.519 a lot of room to play and because of how 304 00:16:23.559 --> 00:16:27.039 the art, how his delivery leads him to release the 305 00:16:27.039 --> 00:16:30.120 ball kind of superinated at release. We see him having 306 00:16:30.159 --> 00:16:33.799 these different avenues to go expand the arsenal in a 307 00:16:33.799 --> 00:16:35.679 bunch of different ways, right. 308 00:16:35.840 --> 00:16:39.080 And this is a guy who was in both practice 309 00:16:39.279 --> 00:16:42.360 and in draft position pretty much the best college fensure 310 00:16:42.360 --> 00:16:43.159 in the content. 311 00:16:44.120 --> 00:16:46.840 And he's great, like we love pretty. 312 00:16:46.559 --> 00:16:51.159 Well, and we're still kind of talking in these theoretical 313 00:16:51.279 --> 00:16:54.000 terms about what we expect him to do from a 314 00:16:54.039 --> 00:16:56.360 player development perspective and what changes we. 315 00:16:56.360 --> 00:16:58.279 Expect a pro team is going to make. 316 00:16:58.919 --> 00:17:01.080 So you can imagine if we're talking about like say 317 00:17:01.120 --> 00:17:04.920 William Peterson, who did not perform particularly well in college 318 00:17:04.960 --> 00:17:08.200 and I think I think, well, Florida has fired. They're 319 00:17:08.200 --> 00:17:11.200 pitching college, like you know, there's no other way to 320 00:17:11.839 --> 00:17:14.200 tuggercoat that one. And they've had a lot of guys 321 00:17:14.279 --> 00:17:16.920 underperform in their program and then turn out to be 322 00:17:16.920 --> 00:17:20.000 getsing pros and like. 323 00:17:20.400 --> 00:17:22.839 And then if you get further down, like you. 324 00:17:22.799 --> 00:17:25.839 Know, we start talking, we'll pull on one of my 325 00:17:26.119 --> 00:17:30.000 favorite weller around the two picks of the draft, Cal Randall, 326 00:17:30.200 --> 00:17:33.160 the UCLA reliever that the Cardinals drafted in the fifth round, 327 00:17:34.160 --> 00:17:37.519 kind of similar to Tanner Franklin. That guy through ninety 328 00:17:37.599 --> 00:17:42.400 percent fastballs is a middle reliever for at UCLA and 329 00:17:43.359 --> 00:17:46.799 we successfully predicted that a team is going to draft 330 00:17:46.880 --> 00:17:49.519 him as a starter, and the Cardinals drafted him as 331 00:17:49.519 --> 00:17:52.319 a starter, right, so jar get he will be. 332 00:17:52.319 --> 00:17:55.359 Talking a lot about the card in this podcast, by 333 00:17:55.400 --> 00:17:58.319 the way, and as convinced that he's a starter. It's 334 00:17:58.400 --> 00:18:01.519 I don't love the release traits and but it's definitely 335 00:18:01.599 --> 00:18:03.880 it'll be interesting to see because you can work with them. 336 00:18:04.559 --> 00:18:08.359 It's like fancy sticks through the upper miners as a starter. 337 00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:12.519 But historically special though, Like right. 338 00:18:12.559 --> 00:18:15.519 Historically you would look at a pick like that and 339 00:18:15.559 --> 00:18:18.720 go this guy's equick to the major's reliever. 340 00:18:18.519 --> 00:18:22.880 And that's just not how teams are thinking, right, So. 341 00:18:22.799 --> 00:18:24.480 You you would look at that, you would look at 342 00:18:24.480 --> 00:18:26.400 that demographic and go, there's no chance. 343 00:18:26.480 --> 00:18:27.119 There's a chance. 344 00:18:27.240 --> 00:18:32.119 All right, you brought up a Flora and let's let's 345 00:18:32.200 --> 00:18:34.559 kind of stick in the first round. Tell me who 346 00:18:34.559 --> 00:18:36.279 do you think out of the entire group, who's got 347 00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:39.480 the highest ceiling you talked about? Maybe Flora, there's more 348 00:18:39.480 --> 00:18:42.559 in the tank there who might have that all star 349 00:18:43.880 --> 00:18:46.240 profile if everything goes right. Who do you like there? 350 00:18:47.960 --> 00:18:50.359 For like the top guys, I'm interested in Grady Emerson. 351 00:18:50.519 --> 00:18:54.400 We did not rank him one, but I think if 352 00:18:54.440 --> 00:18:58.279 you're looking at like just pure upside between the power 353 00:18:58.319 --> 00:19:02.359 potential long term with the Ford and the defensive ability, 354 00:19:02.880 --> 00:19:05.240 I think that's a there's a ton of ceiling there. 355 00:19:05.880 --> 00:19:08.599 We ranked We ranked Rock one. We think Rocks a 356 00:19:08.640 --> 00:19:10.720 little more of a sure thing. He's a little more 357 00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:13.160 developed already. We kind of comp Rock to a Dansby 358 00:19:13.200 --> 00:19:18.880 Swanson type. But Great is definitely a fun player in 359 00:19:18.920 --> 00:19:20.960 his own right. Von Lack he's also great too. He 360 00:19:21.039 --> 00:19:24.279 was in that conversation. If we're leaving like the top four, 361 00:19:25.079 --> 00:19:27.720 the guys I highlighted were EJ. Booth, who went to 362 00:19:27.759 --> 00:19:31.599 the Orioles Athletic Powerhouse. Needs some work on the swing, 363 00:19:31.680 --> 00:19:35.640 but there's feel for contact, elite run times, elite bat speed. 364 00:19:36.519 --> 00:19:39.759 Jared Grindling are going to the Angels. Really really young 365 00:19:40.240 --> 00:19:42.960 two way talent. We think he should go both ways 366 00:19:42.960 --> 00:19:46.319 in pro ball, and I believe he will be. We'll 367 00:19:46.359 --> 00:19:48.920 see what we like him a little more as a bat, 368 00:19:48.960 --> 00:19:51.880 or at least I do a ton of feel for contact, 369 00:19:53.000 --> 00:19:55.319 so much projection on the frame, Like he's not hitting 370 00:19:55.319 --> 00:19:56.920 the ball hard at all. He barely even has the 371 00:19:57.000 --> 00:19:59.960 muscle to like actually get the bat in a position 372 00:20:00.160 --> 00:20:03.759 to hit the ball in the air. But it's it's 373 00:20:03.759 --> 00:20:07.319 pretty fun to it's funny to watch, but there's I 374 00:20:07.359 --> 00:20:10.079 think there's a lot of long term projection. And then 375 00:20:10.279 --> 00:20:12.119 going back to the back of the first round, we 376 00:20:12.200 --> 00:20:15.359 like Liam Peterson, not presently. We kind of alluded to 377 00:20:15.400 --> 00:20:18.119 him the Florida guy. We don't I wouldn't say we 378 00:20:18.160 --> 00:20:20.480 presently love him as much. He struggled to miss bats 379 00:20:20.480 --> 00:20:23.160 in the zone. The fastball plays down because of his 380 00:20:23.279 --> 00:20:26.240 really high release height. But we think with some mechanical tweaks, 381 00:20:26.279 --> 00:20:28.440 if you can get him into some like deeper positions 382 00:20:28.480 --> 00:20:30.720 in the delivery. We think there's a lot of room 383 00:20:30.799 --> 00:20:33.359 to to kind of make it more fluid, you know, 384 00:20:33.440 --> 00:20:36.000 lower the release height a bit through some mechanical changes, 385 00:20:36.039 --> 00:20:38.200 and then that I carry fast washing playoff and he's 386 00:20:38.200 --> 00:20:41.720 already spinning the heck Addison breaking balls, So you know, 387 00:20:41.759 --> 00:20:44.400 I think that's a good developmental place for him to 388 00:20:44.400 --> 00:20:47.039 be too. In Cleveland, they know what they're doing over there, 389 00:20:47.079 --> 00:20:48.680 so I'm excited to see what he can do. 390 00:20:51.519 --> 00:20:54.160 Michael took almost all of the guys I would mention, 391 00:20:54.319 --> 00:20:58.200 but I would throwing Chris o'copian the A and m infielder. 392 00:20:58.799 --> 00:21:01.640 I had him written down a different different part. 393 00:21:01.920 --> 00:21:05.799 Yeah, he's he's like not what you would traditionally think 394 00:21:05.839 --> 00:21:08.920 of his high upside, like athletic raw tools, that type 395 00:21:08.920 --> 00:21:13.400 of stuff. But based solely on the types of KPIs 396 00:21:13.440 --> 00:21:17.599 that we look at the types of underlying trait level 397 00:21:17.680 --> 00:21:22.960 statistics contact power swing this, you know, measurable power swing decisions, 398 00:21:23.480 --> 00:21:28.000 batted ball directionality. He was like the best offensive prospect 399 00:21:28.039 --> 00:21:30.400 out of the college ranks by like a lot. 400 00:21:31.480 --> 00:21:33.160 And sometimes that. 401 00:21:33.079 --> 00:21:36.039