JotCast | Eric Longenhagen Prospects Chat

Eric Longenhagen Prospects Chat

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12:41

Long-term dynasty 5x5 question, 6-10 years from now and having to make picks now; rank Dax Kilby, Johnny Level, Luis Hernandez and Gabriel Rodriguez, regardless of the position or org they end up in. I'd go in the order listed; whatcha thinking?

Eric A Longenhagen

12:42

I'd slide Level behind the two more projectable guys, but you're talking like three 45+ guys and then one 45 (Level). Jonny's good and might be the quickest mover of that entire group, if that matters to how you stack them.

Appa Yip Yip

12:42

Is there a sport you watch that you actively avoid learning deeply about so you have something to watch without your brain automatically going into evaluation mode?

Eric A Longenhagen

12:43

It used to be Magic the Gathering but then it became impossible to have any idea what was going on without being totally immersed. I watch a casual amount of hockey and basketball, only for baseball and football am I a spreadsheet boi.

12:44

I watch the Sixers, Flyers, and Grizzlies a time or two per week. The Rockets and Spurs and Sharks and Oilers end up on the TV a bunch late.

Jonesy's Cat

12:45

Retrospective on the Michael Busch trade: Did both sides win? Hope and Ferris are good prospects, but Busch has provided more value for CHC. For LAD, he wasn't going to beat out Freddie Freeman for a job. Win-win?

Eric A Longenhagen

12:45

Cubs win right now.

Ben

12:45

Hey Eric! No question, just hope you had a nice holiday season. I’m ready for baseball

Eric A Longenhagen

12:46

Thanks, it was pretty nice. Always a little busier than it is restorative when you're the one traveling, though.

Oneear

12:46

Is Painter's value dropping just TJ related, or has something more popped up?

Eric A Longenhagen

12:48

I wrote a ton about him toward the end of the year and you can find a link to that on his player page. In short: his value isn't really dropping, you just have to prefer a couple of the other guys ahead of him right now I think. His release point was slightly different by the end of the year, the Phils know, they're working with it... He's really young and talented, he's going to be fine.

12:48

In a previous chat you said you were ok with these types of questions, so I'm hoping these aren't annoying and I appreciate your outlook. One more long-term dynasty 5x5 question, I'm ranking these pitchers: Ryan Sloan, Kendry Chourio, Braylon Doughty, Dasan Hill, Esteban Mejia, CameronFlukey, David Shields, TGregory-Alford. How would you change it?

Eric A Longenhagen

12:49

Put TGA on either side of Hill

romorr

12:49

Seems the stuff models love Levi Wells. He seemed to perform better in 2025 as well. Any change to the SIRP designation?

Eric A Longenhagen

12:49

Nah, super violent high effort look, RP all the way

SCJH

12:50

Based purely on performance Kala'i Rosario seemed to make some second-half adjustments that paid dividends last year - huge spike in power while also cutting his Ks from >30% in the first half to 25% in the second. Anything there from a scouting perspective? Is he looking like a guy who could stick as a regular?

Eric A Longenhagen

12:51

One of my homework assignments for the next week is to check on which Twins deserve to be in our Top 100 convo during the next month. I'll have a firmer answer as to whether there was a mechanical change, or something like that, next week. I think the role Rosario could feasibly play is that Jordan Luplow, Harold Ramirez, guy who mashes lefties and plays a corner part time role.

Skin in the Game

12:51

I was very recently diagnosed with contact dermatitis, but my doctor says it's promising that I'm one change away from turning that around. What hitting prospect currently allergic to contact do you think will be able to make that one sort of change happen?

Eric A Longenhagen

12:52

That's pretty good, and I immediately knew to read it in the voicing of an actor in a commercial for Vibrovia or whatever medicine

Oneear

12:52

"Howdy ho from a brisk and refreshing Tempe, Arizona, where I'll be able to see baseball in person a week from today." Yeah, Baby!

Eric A Longenhagen

12:53

Fast offseason

Michael - FG since 2016

12:53

If Pirates could get a nice ML piece for Edward Florentino would you dangle him?

Eric A Longenhagen

12:53

Nah, controllable bats are a premium for them, that guys has a chance to be a difference maker and maybe sooner than you think if the hit tool piece of his skillset is really this good.

Jim

12:53

Why does it seem like it is more acceptable for second basemen or shortstops or even centerfielders to have a lighter power tool than it is catchers? With catching being in need I would think teams would take production however it comes but it seems like the power hitting catcher is the preferred type. Why is that?

Eric A Longenhagen

12:55

It's a great question. Part of the premise of it is slightly off, but it's mostly true. The part I think is wrong is your inclusion of CFs. Center fielders who perform like 50-grade players or better basically always have power. Aside from Kiermaier, anyone who's had sustained success for multiple years tends to hit for some power out there, guys like jackie bradley, kevin pillar...they're high strikeout or low OBP guys flawed in some way, but play good D and get to power so they're 50s....

12:57

At shortstop (second base is not a premium position for me anymore, defensive positioning has warped the skillset needed there, that's a diff discussion) the average contact rate is actually higher than it is some other corner positions, like it's tough to find athletes who can play short and also bang, but not as hard to find guys who can play short and put the bat on the ball some.

12:58

I think the reverse is true moreso at catcher, and this is really the answer to your question: It takes a big strong dude to deal with the punishment of catching day after day, year after year, and the bigger dudes just end to have power.

Erik Kratz and Tyler Flower and on and on...Big guys tend to win the war of attrition at catcher and because they're big they're often strong. Rafael Marchan and Garrett Stubbs perform in the minors and then can't sustain in the bigs.

Oneear

12:58

"Howdy ho from a brisk and refreshing Tempe, Arizona, where I'll be able to see baseball in person a week from today." Was there snow on the ground?

Eric A Longenhagen

12:59

No but we'll dip into the 30s tonight

12:59

Would River Ryan and a 40+ be enough return for Freddy Peralta? Is it close?

Eric A Longenhagen

1:00

No because I don't think you can't trade Freddy where the primary return is a guy who you haven't seen pitch in a game for over a year

SCJH

1:00

I read a few reports about a new "league" for draftees who teams didn't feel ready to send to the ACL or FCL, but didn't hear anything about what actually happened down there. Were you able to get reports on any of those happenings, or was it basically just more of the same sort of thing that's always happened on complexes, where more loose/informal games are always happening?

Eric A Longenhagen

1:01

There's a Bridge League and an Instructional League window. Bridge League is informal games with the Complex rosters and whatever new draftees are ready to play games as soon as they sign. That's taking place after the ACL season has concluded but while the rest of the minor leagues are still going.

1:02

Instructs take place after the minor league season country-wide has started to end. It's a select group of players from usually he lower levels, better talent than the bridge league group, and some guys getting tuned up for the Fall League. In Arizona we have a formal schedule and group chat for that stuff. In Florida they don't really do much of this kind of thing, too spread out for it.

Guest

1:03

The IFA board getting updated when, any Bluejays to look out for?

Eric A Longenhagen

1:04

Early next week, probably Tuesday.

Catcher Juan Caricote for a shade under 2mil, couple OFs a shade under 1 mil

Sox fan

1:04

When are you releasing your IFA preview? Any Red Sox of interest on the list? Thanks!

Eric A Longenhagen

1:06