Eric Longenhagen Prospects Chat
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Sadsox
12:37
Are the Craig Breslow Red Sox good at developing pitchers or have they devoted all their draft resources into pitching
Eric A Longenhagen
12:39
Yes to both, but kinda cookie cutter. Lots of guys who were already there got better after Breslow arrived but then you have your Kyle Harrison or two who've become meaningfully good after leaving... Mixed positive overall.
jonathanpiech
12:39
Has the Angels pitching development improved at all? Victor and Cortez have shown some promise and Ureña has been servicable.
Eric A Longenhagen
12:40
Yes, Soriano, TGA, Slawinski, Jordan... Several examples as evidence it's going better.
willl
12:40
Eric, you were one of the highest on Yohandy Morales at the time of his drafting in 2023, but you've soured on him significantly since then, to the point he didn't even make the Nationals' top 41 prospects. He's now sporting a 170 wRC+ in AAA (as well as a career 130wRC+). Anything about his season so far give you pause to reconsider his non-prospect status?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:43
right right 1B only defender with no launch, 30-grade contact rate against fastballs. Late a lot of the time. Fringe guy.
oaktownblues
12:44
You indicated last week that your opinion on Bolte hadn't changed based on his performance this year. That's fair, but I guess my question is, when can I buy into contact rate improvements for guys with hit tool questions? Bolte was up to 75.6% contact in 177 PAs when he got called up. Would you be buying in if he had put up that same rate for longer, or maybe if the magnitude of the change was greater?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:45
You can buy it if you see tangible mechanical change or if you think injury is why he was less good before.
He's gonna hit a lot of hard grounders and liners to the right side of the infield. If that excites you, ok.
Hecubot
12:45
When you boldly picked the A's to win the AL West this year did you figure it would happen with Zack Gelof re-emerging and both Soderstrom and Butler in the toilet?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:45
Lol no not a all, I did it because I liked their pitching depth better than Seattle's.
philly
12:46
Devin Fitz-Gerald has done nothing but hit HRs since you tagged him with 40 game power and a modest 45. If you’re wrong do you think there’s something in his approach or contact ability that you are just not seeing for whatever reason?
Halve12
12:46
Devin Fitz-Gerald has to be moving to AA soon, hopefully an up arrow the rest of the season.
Eric A Longenhagen
12:47
Certainly looking like i underrated the pop, just a product of seeing him when it was 35 degrees (he said sheepsihly)?
Ceej
12:47
With DeVries playing some 3B do you think the A’s are looking to provide options, considering switching him, or just SSS noise?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:48
Makes sense to have it as an option, their best lineup probably includes him and Jacob.
Keith
12:49
Anyone sticking out to you on the complex so far
Eric A Longenhagen
12:49
Moral and De Los Santos in Pittsburgh. De Los Santos' hands are so quick, Morel keeps growing and might end up built like Elly.
Dombo
12:49
Mid season prospect draft, I got Kash Mayfield, John Gil & Eric Hartman. How did I do?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:50
Solid. I need to join a league, mid-season supplemental popup guy draft sounds fun.
Anthony Eyerson's Mom
12:50
Hi Eric, long time listener, first time caller. I know are probably getting bombarded with questions about my son - but am VERY curious to see what you think of his start... I know, hes 21 and at Low A, but the velo spike seems legit? Brendan teased the Red Sox list but I cant wait until then. Thoughts?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:54
You should be aware your son is now at Double-A Portland and started there on Sunday. He looks awesome. I don't love his delivery but he's basically answered the biggest stuff-related question I had before the draft: is there another offspeed pitch? Yes, we now have multiple plus breakers and a split. Delivery isn't all that different from Yeasavage's... nasty guy, really exciting, wanna see how the strike throwing progresses but I expect he'll be 50'd and ranked with the other relief risk bois.
branflakes
12:55
Has Christian Oppor's rough start changed your outlook on him at all?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:55
Delivery has regressed enough that I bet he slides next sweeping update
matty25
12:55
The A's just released Junior Perez. Surely he's worth a flier for a lot of teams out there?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:56
Okay had to check. He was DFA'd, not released. See above. I was worried he had literally been released and I was gonna have to figure out what the hell happened.
Benjamin
12:56
Do you find defense to be very malleable? Anecdotally, it seems like a lot of the really good athlete, bad defense guys don’t tend to figure it out on the defensive side of the ball, but maybe they get the reputation of a + defender because they are fast etc.
Eric A Longenhagen
12:57
Depends on newness to position but mostly I agree. It takes a long time to properly evaluate everyone's defense and is very difficult to do well without the right tools or a long enough look, so it's probably the thing public analysis is worst at
onemanwolfpack
12:57
Does Kade Anderson have a true ace ceiling or is he just so much more advanced than minor leaguers at this point? Its early but he has video game numbers so far...
Eric A Longenhagen
12:58
Looks nastier to me now than at LSU. Ace? That's rich for me but I'm the guy who'd only apply it to like 5 guys at any given time (maybe just 3 right now). Really nasty guy who's ready to rock this year.
Danny
12:58
Do you have a sense of how the new Yankees international department is different? Are they looking at different types of amateurs or taking a more spread the money approach? Do you have a sense of what they'll do with their IFA money for 2026 and are they lining up prospects to replace the big money commitments they lost in future years?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:59
A great, worthy question I honestly don't have an answer to right now.
zurzles
12:59
Something I've been curious about, are there any notable examples of established 'org guys' unlocking a new level and turning themselves back into prospects? Seems like something that could happen a bit in the era of Driveline etc
Eric A Longenhagen
12:59
Nellie Cruz is the all time example of his
YardGoat
12:59
Hey Eric, hope you are well. This may be too niche for a chat topic and I know you aren't quite at draft updates yet, but was curious about how teams are looking at and evaluating draft prospects differently now than pre-COVID years. It seems so much has changed in a short time and would be interesting to understand how teams have changed their approach in what still seems to be a mystery box area of prospect evaluation. Thanks!
Eric A Longenhagen
1:01
More teams targeting potentially undervalued six figure HS players and either promoting them fast or flipping them for big leaguers quickly. Ronny Cruz, Fitz-Gerald, Zyhir Hope, etc. The real breakout guys have been those less famous kids. Proximity > for college players, teams wanna move you fast now.
1:02
Ok folks, I've got an appointment in 45 minutes and need to get ready. Next week's chat may be impacted by college tournaments but I expect I'll find a way to do usual time/place. Bye bye
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