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Eric Longenhagen Prospects Chat
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Eric A Longenhagen
1:31
Morning. Link:
And chat...
Buck
1:31
Small sample size for sure. But is there anything I can take from Acuna's hot start in Double A?
Eric A Longenhagen
1:32
No, especially not since last week's chat was made up of an overwhelming number of back seat Player Dev coordinators criticizing his promotion.
Greg
1:32
Any new draft buzz in the top 5?
Eric A Longenhagen
1:35
McKay's velo is down a bit, he's also working on a new cutter. Some people who say those two things are related. The ratio of people who prefer him as a bat is growing, at least among the people I'm talking to. Kyle Wright has been dominant of late and will be #1 on my board on its release. Rest of the top 5 is more or less the same, some combo of Lewis, Gore, Greene.
Tim
1:35
Hi Eric. I've heard some chatter that Tyler Mahle's FB has played up this year - touching 97 or so. Does that change his outlook or is he still looking at a Mike Leake type solid #3/4 starter ceiling?
Eric A Longenhagen
1:36
Yes, wrote about him like a week and a half ago: http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/instagraphs/daily-prospect-notes-54/
Sitting more 93-94 according to the scout I spoke with. Really great command of his fastball and slider, some deception in the delivery. Definitely has moved up.
Mark
1:36
Lucas Sims seems to have taken a step this year so far in Triple-A. What are your thoughts on his progress, and what his future role could be in Atlanta, both short-term and long-term?
Eric A Longenhagen
1:38
Still not throwing as many strikes as you think he is because he's getting a lot of swings and misses on his fastball up above the zone, but the fastball/curveball and the pitchability he's shown with those two so far this year is much better than anything he's done the last two years.
He at least looks like a good relief option right now, which is more than I thought he was after last season when I was worried he command was so bad that he wouldn't stick in the bigs at all.
mtsw
1:38
Kyle Tucker is rising in a lot of rankings. What's a realistic ETA for him?
Eric A Longenhagen
1:39
He's a 20 year old OF in A-ball and in an org that has a very crowded outfield situation in the bigs AND at Triple-A. I have no idea when his ETA is, but I bet it isn't soon.
Minty
1:39
Happ and Zimmer have both been promoted within the last week. Any updates on them since you did team prospect rankings?
Eric A Longenhagen
1:40
Nope, same guys. Which is to say I think they're excellent prospects. I expect Zimmer to have a period of swing and miss/adjustment.
GPT
1:40
What did you think of Ricardo Genoves? He was catching Camilo Doval in the video you posted.
Eric A Longenhagen
1:40
Good body, some promising receiving skills. That's basically it for now, that was the only day I've seen him.
Drew
1:41
Rogelio Armenteros: true backend rotation type or more of an org arm?
Eric A Longenhagen
1:43
Has the repertoire depth to pitch at the back of a rotation but there's some Collmenterish deception that might be letting his stuff play up in the minors in a way it may not in the bigs.
Johnson
1:43
Cole Tucker seems to be playing well. What is his upside?
Eric A Longenhagen
1:44
Upside is above average everyday guy. Lots of physical projection, there's a chance he grows into more power than is typical at short.
Nick
1:44
Is Rhys Hoskins' power legit? I know there were questions but he hit a fair share of his homers last year away from Reading & already has 9 this year
Eric A Longenhagen
1:46
Power is legit, had a scout put a 7 on it in the offseason. Also spoke to a scout yesterday who watched 15 games of him and didn't see him hit a single breaking ball during that span. It's certainly good news that he's hitting but I'm still a bit more skeptical than I typically would be with a prospect who has a track record of hitting in pro ball the way Hoskins has. I'll see him in...2 weeks? So hopefully that'll cement my opnion.
Luis Robert
1:46
I'm officially a free agent on Saturday. Hearing anything from your sources on where I might end up?
Eric A Longenhagen
1:46
Pencil me in for St Louis, hedging with Houston.
Blackburn
1:47
What is Ke'Bryan Hayes's upside?
Eric A Longenhagen
1:48
Average-to-above everyday guy. Great glove, bat to ball and on base skills, little power.
Larry
1:48
I know Gohara got hurt last night in his first Double A start, but was he even ready for that jump? Seems way too aggressive.
Eric A Longenhagen
1:48
Can I asked what you thought of the Allard, Soroka and Acuna promotions?
Zigs
1:48
Honeywell looks to be in quite the groove. The stuff looks particularly unhittable. Have your opinions on him changed? Is he one of those guys that while he lacks a premium pitch, the sum of the parts allows the whole package to play up?
Eric A Longenhagen
1:49
Opinion is more or less the same. Ranked him 36th in all of ball. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/2017-top-100-prospects/
1:50
But yes, he gets the most out of his stuff because he sequences all of those pitches really wonderfully.
Colin
1:50
LaMonte Wade is slashing an impressive .330/.465/.486 in AA with even more impressive plate discipline. Is it still assumed he'll never have the power to be a MLB regular and more of a 4th OF?
Eric A Longenhagen
1:51
I wouldn't say "assumed" but that remains the general opinion. You can find scouts who just think he'll hit enough to play a bigger role than that, though.
Just not for power
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