Opening Weekend Draft Thoughts From A Loaded Texas Trip
Carlos and Jacob talk about a few notable pieces of injury news for the 2026 class, then discuss some of the standout players they saw from a loaded trip to Texas. The two talk about their Grady Emerson impressions, then highlight some of the college standouts—and head scratchers—from a three-day stay at Globe Life Field. — Time Stamps: (1:00) Tyler Bell injured shoulder (6:00) Cameron Fluke...
52m Feb 20
52m
Arizona Diamondbacks Top Prospects Deep Dive
On the latest Prospect Podcast Deep Dive, JJ Cooper and Nick Piecoro dig into the Arizona D-backs farm system. Overall the system has improved from a year ago, largely because of improved depth. (00:00) It's been a fascinating offseason (03:00) Ryan Waldschmidt is the No. 1 prospect, but there were a lot of candidates. (09:00) What is Waldschmidt's realistic timetable? (11:00) Why this syst...
45m Feb 20
45m
Gilmore Girls Star Scott Patterson On His Career As An MiLB Player
In this crossover episode from Baseball America's "From Phenom To The Farm" podcast with Kyle Bandujo, actor and Gilmore Girls star Scott Patterson recalls the ups and downs of his original career spent as a minor league baseball player with the Braves, Yankees and Dodgers. Time Stamps (5:00) Being Drafted Three Times (15:00) Introduction to MiLB (19:40) Emphasis on Winning in 80s MiLB (29...
1hr 22m Feb 19
1hr 22m
Texas Rangers Top Prospects Deep Dive
Josh Norris and Geoff Pontes are taking an in-depth look at the Rangers farm system on the latest Baseball America Prospect Podcast Deep Dive. (00:00) Sebastian Walcott is No. 1. How much his injury affects his rankings. (04:00) Why the system is thinner than it was a year ago (08:00) Trades really have taken a toll (09:30) Who will be No. 1 a year from now, and who else has a chance to mov...
23m Feb 19
23m
New York Yankees Top Prospects Deep Dive
Geoff Pontes and Josh Norris take an in-depth look at the Yankees farm system on the latest of our Prospect Podcast Deep Dive series. (00:00) Why this system isn't very deep (02:20) George Lombard Jr. ranks No. 1. What stands out about him and who were the other contenders (08:20) How the system compares now to last year at this time (09:30) Looking at Carlos LaGrange and Elmer Rodriguez (...
29m Feb 18
29m
Scouting Top MLB Draft Picks For 2026, College Baseball Rankings & More | Hot Sheet Show Ep. 94
On this week's Hot Sheet Show, J.J. Cooper, Carlos Collazo and Jacob Rudner talk about the first in-season Top 25 college rankings (https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/college-baseball-top-25-rankings/) , top draft prospects getting started on their spring seasons (https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/mlb-draft-buzz-on-grady-emerson-sawyer-strosnider-19-other-prospects-to-know-for-2026/)...
26m Feb 17
26m
College Podcast: Breaking Down The Top 25, Standout Opening Weekend Performances
Baseball America national college reporter Jacob Rudner is joined by BA prospect writer Geoff Pontes to break down NCAA Division I college baseball opening weekend. Rudner and Pontes take a closer look at the debate for No. 1, analyze teams that impressed and discuss standout individual performances. Our Sponsors: * Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com. Support this podcast at — https://...
48m Feb 17
48m
Athletics Top Prospects Deep Dive
Last year, Nick Kurtz and Jacob Wilson helped the Athletics make a surprising second half run. Now the farm system has a lot of pitching on the way. Mark Chiarelli and JJ Cooper take an in-depth look at the A's farm system for the latest Prospect Podcast Deep Dive. (00:00) Leo De Vries gives this system a big boost (05:00) De Vries strengths and weaknesses (10:00) How this system has changed...
40m Feb 17
40m
Pittsburgh Pirates Top Prospects Deep Dive
Mark Chiarelli and JJ Cooper are here for the latest Baseball America Prospect Podcast Deep Dive to talk all about the Pirates farm system. It's not only led by the No. 1 prospect in baseball, but it has a top four to envy. (00:00) Why Konnor Griffin stands at the top of the Top 100 (10:00) How it was hard for the Pirates to put a temp fix at shortstop ahead of Griffin (14:00) Bubba Chandler...
45m Feb 16
45m
Fantasy Podcast: Injuries Galore To Begin Spring Training
The Baseball America Fantasy Podcast is back as host Geoff Pontes is joined by Ian Cundall. They dive into the Caleb Durbin trade and a laundry list of injuries. Lots of bad news broke for dynasty managers this week and we discuss all of it and search for buying opportunities. (3:00) Caleb Durbin Trade (14:00) Sebastian Walcott Elbow Surgery (18:00) Hamate Injuries To Francisco Lindor, Jacks...
38m Feb 13
38m
The 2026 Preseason Amateur Player Draft
In a special Future Projection cross-posted episode, Ben, Carlos and Jacob conduct the fourth annual amateur player draft. The name of the game is simple: select the most talented team you can among 2026 eligible draft prospects. Each drafter has to fill out a roster as follows: one catcher, two corner infielders, two middle infielders, three outfielders, four pitchers and one utility spot. Ea...
1hr 14m Feb 13
1hr 14m
Milwaukee Brewers Top Prospects Deep Dive
Ben Badler and JJ Cooper are taking an in-depth look at the Milwaukee Brewers farm system on the latest Prospect Podcast Deep Dive. This was already one of the best systems in baseball, and then the team added two more Top 100 Prospects in the Freddy Peralta trade. (00:00) Assessing where the Brewers are after this week's trade (05:00) Why Jesus Made was the clear and convincing No. 1 (10:00...
46m Feb 11
46m
Breaking Down MLB Farm System Rankings & Caleb Durbin To Red Sox | Hot Sheet Show Ep. 93
On this week's Hot Sheet Show, J.J. Cooper and Geoff Pontes unpack BA's 2026 preseason farm system rankings (https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2026-mlb-farm-system-rankings-for-all-30-teams/) with teams at the top, middle and bottom of the pack. We also react to the Red Sox acquiring Caleb Durbin from the Brewers (https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/caleb-durbin-trade-analyzing-every...
26m Feb 10
26m
College Podcast: Biggest Matchups Of Division I Opening Weekend, Draft Prospects To Follow
Baseball America national college reporter Jacob Rudner and prospect writer Geoff Pontes dive into NCAA Division I opening weekend, breaking down matchups they'll be watching closely. Rudner and Pontes also go in depth on what top 2026 draft prospects need to do in the opening weeks of the season to stay on positive trajectories. Our Sponsors: * Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com. Supp...
1hr 3m Feb 10
1hr 3m
Colorado Rockies Top Prospects Deep Dive
Geoff Pontes and Jesús Cano are talking all about the Rockies' farm system. There's a lot of work to be done here for the new front office. The two take a look at the challenges and struggles of the system in recent years and what could turn things around. (00:00) Looking at the new front office and what it's doing (06:30) Ethan Holliday is the No. 1 prospect, but there are concerns (09:40) ...
35m Feb 10
35m
Detroit Tigers Top Prospects Deep Dive
Geoff Pontes and JJ Cooper are back to take an in-depth look at one of the best farm systems in baseball. The Detroit Tigers have a pair of Top 10 Prospects and several more in the Top 100. (00:00) The State Of The Tigers (05:20) What Stands Out About Kevin McGonigle And Where Does Hit Fit In 2026? (10:30) This Is One The Best Tigers Farm Systems We've Seen In Years (15:40) Talking About Ma...
56m Feb 09
56m
Fantasy Podcast: Trade Reactions And WBC Discussion
On this week's Baseball America Fantasy Podcast host Geoff Pontes is joined by fellow BA writer Ian Cundall. The two talk through this week's Brendan Donovan trade, the Eugenio Suarez signing and the Framber Valdez signing. The second part of the show is focused on WBC roster release talk, FYPD updates and some questions focused on two Red Sox players. (3:00) Brendan Donovan traded to Mariners...
42m Feb 06
42m
Breaking Down Our Top 200 Draft Update
Carlos and Jacob break down our latest draft board update on the cusp of the college season kicking off. Who are the names to know, the notable movers, the positional races we’re excited to watch and more. — Time Stamps: (0:00) Intro (6:00) The race for SP1 (12:00) Jackson Flora pitch mix questions (16:30) Our excitement for Eric Booth Jr. (19:00) Ryder Helfrick vs. Vahn Lackey for C1 (25:00...
50m Feb 06
50m
Cleveland Guardians Top Prospects Deep Dive
JJ Cooper and Carlos Collazo are taking an in-depth look at a very deep Guardians farm system in the latest edition of the Prospect Podcast Deep Dive. (00:00) The State Of The Guardians System (04:00) Travis Bazzana Is The Clear No. 1. What Can Be Expected From Him In 2026? (08:20) Chase DeLauter Is Healthy. Keep Your Fingers Crossed. (11:00) Is The System Better Or Worse Than A Year Ago? ...
37m Feb 05
37m
Atlanta Braves Top Prospects Deep Dive
Carlos Collazo and JJ Cooper are taking an in-depth look at the Braves farm system for the latest Prospect Podcast Deep Dive. This remains a very pitcher-heavy farm system, but we look at some hitters to know as well. (00:00) Looking at the shape of this system (02:30) Why Cam Caminiti Ranked No. 1 (09:00) JR Ritchie could make an MLB impact in 2026 (11:30) Are There Position Players Who Co...
39m Feb 04
39m
Breaking Down Top 200 MLB Draft Prospects & 2026 All-America Teams | Hot Sheet Show Ep. 92
On this week's Hot Sheet Show, J.J. Cooper, Carlos Collazo and Jacob Rudner break down Baseball America's new top 200 draft rankings for 2026 (https://www.baseballamerica.com/rankings/2026-top-mlb-draft-prospects/) and talk about our newly released college (https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2026-preseason-college-baseball-all-america-teams/) and high school (https://www.baseballamerica.co...
26m Feb 03
26m
College Podcast: Breaking Down 2026 Baseball America Preseason College All-America Teams
Baseball America national college reporter Jacob Rudner and national writer Carlos Collazo go over the 2026 Baseball America Preseason College All-America teams, which were voted on and selected by a panel of 18 MLB scouting directors. Rudner and Collazo also discuss BA's preseason national college award selections. (3:18) How our preseason All-America teams are picked (6:15) How we’d pick it...
52m Feb 03
52m
Boston Red Sox Top Prospects Deep Dive
Alex Speier and JJ Cooper are here to talk about the Red Sox farm system in depth on the latest Prospect Podcast Deep Dive. We look at the close-to-the-majors pitching, as well as a number of further away but intriguing bats. (00:00) The Red Sox Are Very Willing To Deal (04:15) What Does Payton Tolle Still Need To Work On? (08:30) Franklin Arias Has A Very High Floor, But What's His Ceiling?...
44m Feb 03
44m
Toronto Blue Jays Top Prospects Deep Dive
The Toronto Blue Jays are looking for an even better encore to their AL pennant-winning 2025 season, and their No. 1 prospect, Trey Yesavage, should get a full year in the rotation. Geoff Pontes and JJ Cooper look at Yesavage and the rest of an improved Blue Jays prospects list in the new Prospect Podcast Deep Dive. (00:00) What Can Be Expected Of Trey Yesavage Going Forward? (05:30) How Clos...
34m Feb 02
34m
Fantasy Podcast: Prospects To Consider For Redraft, Dynasty Targets and FYPD Trends
This week on the Baseball America Fantasy Podcast host Geoff Pontes is joined by Jacob Rudner to talk 2026 sleepers, targets and trends. We dive into a deep dive on Munetaka Murakami's wide range of values. Then talk some top targets and FYPD trends we're seeing. (2:00) The Case For Munetaka Murakami. (15:30) Is Josh Baez A 2026 Redraft Sleeper? (24:00) Marlins Outfield Sleeper Prospects (26:0...
50m Jan 30
50m
The First Big Injury Of The 2026 Draft Season & Sleeper Talk
Carlos and Jacob talk about the news that South Carolina lefthander Jake McCoy is going to miss the 2026 season and the draft implications for that. After that the two pick out a few of their favorite sleepers who are currently outside of the top-three round range but could see themselves jump up the board with strong spring seasons. — Time Stamps: (1:00) Jake McCoy injury (5:00) How does th...
46m Jan 30
46m
Twins Top Prospects Deep Dive
Ian Cundall and JJ Cooper are taking an in-depth look at the Twins farm system. It's led by No. 1 prospect Walker Jenkins, and after last season's trades, it's also significantly deeper. (00:00) A Quick Note About Edouard Julien and Pierson Ohl's Trade (03:00) Looking At No. 1 Prospect Walker Jenkins (09:00) Emmanuel Rodriguez, Kaelen Culpepper Talk (11:30) Is This System Better Than Last Y...
41m Jan 29
41m
Cardinals Top Prospects Deep Dive
Geoff Pontes and JJ Cooper are taking an in-depth look at the Cardinals farm system on the newest edition of the Baseball America Prospect Podcast Deep Dives. There's a clear No. 1 prospect here, but the No. 2 and No. 3 prospects also wouldn't look out of place at No. 1. (00:00) Looking at JJ Wetherholt at No. 1 (04:30) Examining Liam Doyle (08:45) Is This System Better Or Worse Than Last Ye...
36m Jan 28
36m
College Podcast: Coastal Carolina Coach Matt Pepin Joins To Talk Cameron Flukey, EVs & More
Baseball America national college reporter Jacob Rudner is joined by Coastal Carolina director of analytics Matt Pepin to discuss the state of exit velocities in college baseball and whether or not it's time for the NCAA to look into the ball it uses. Rudner and Pepin also break down Coastal Carolina ace and top college pitching prospect Cameron Flukey from a data standpoint. (1:56) Welcoming ...
31m Jan 27
31m
Philadelphia Phillies Top Prospects Deep Dive
Geoff Pontes and Josh Norris are talking all about the Phillies farm system, which is led by shortstop Aidan Miller. Who are the names to know, and how does this system stack up against other farm systems? Find out in the latest Deep Dive. (00:00) How Does The System Stack Up? (01:30) How Easy Was It To Choose Aidan Miller at No. 1? (08:50) Analyzing Andrew Painter's Development (11:35) Is ...
27m Jan 27
27m
Rising Top 100 Prospects, Players To Watch In 2027 & More | Hot Sheet Show Ep. 91
On this week's Hot Sheet Show, J.J. Cooper, Geoff Pontes and Ben Badler discuss the recently released Baseball America Top 100 Prospects list (https://www.baseballamerica.com/rankings/2026-top-100-prospects/) . We talk about Top 100 players that have us excited for the future, potential risers (https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/10-players-primed-to-rise-in-our-2026-top-100-mlb-prospects-...
28m Jan 26
28m
Miami Marlins Top Prospects Deep Dive
Jacob Rudner and JJ Cooper are talking all about the Marlins farm system and the team's top prospects in the latest Prospect Podcast Deep Dive. The system keeps getting deeper. (00:00) Jacob's First Top 30 (01:40) Why Thomas White Ranks No. 1 And Who Else Was Considered (04:45) Is This System Better Or Worse Than This Time Last Year? (10:00) How The Top Prospects Are Largely MLB Ready (12:...
42m Jan 26
42m
Top 100 Sleepers & Potential Risers
After we talked about the top of the 2026 Top 100 Prospects in our previous video, today we're focusing on prospects all through the list with discussions on 12 other Top 100 Prospects who are worth paying close attention to in 2026. (00:30) Mike Sirota (03:30) Braylon Doughty (06:45) Joshua Baez (10:45) Caden Scarborough (14:30) Dax Kilby (17:00) Ryan Sloan (19:45) Jhonny Level (23:30)...
47m Jan 23
47m
Fantasy Podcast: Breaking Down 2026 Fantasy Baseball Redraft Rankings
This week on the Baseball America Fantasy Baseball podcast hosts Dylan White and Geoff Pontes break down all the recent moves in MLB. They discuss the Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette signings, the Luis Robert trade, the Mackenzie Gore trade and the Freddy Peralta trade. The second half of the show we dive into redraft strategy with our own NFBC expert Dylan White. (1:30) Kyle Tucker Signs With The...
35m Jan 23
35m
Drafting The Best High School Tools In The Class
Carlos and Jacob conduct the high school version of their best tools draft from a week ago. The two attempt to create the most impressive player possible by drafting the best tools in the prep class. The two each attempt to create the best possible hitters by drafting hit, power, run, field and arm tools. On the pitching side they each draft a fastball, curveball, slider, changeup and control. ...
54m Jan 23
54m
Analyzing The Top Of The Top 100 Prospects Rankings
It's Top 100 Prospects Day at Baseball America! To celebrate, Geoff Pontes and JJ Cooper are taking an in-depth look at the top of the Top 100. We explain why our No. 1 prospect ranked at the top. How close our No. 2 prospect was to ranking No. 1 and examine five other prospects from the top of the rankings. (00:00) The Top 100 Prospects rankings are here (03:00) Scouting No. 1 Prospect Konnor...
38m Jan 21
38m
2026 Houston Astros Top Prospects Deep Dive
Geoff Pontes and JJ Cooper are back for another Prospect Podcast Deep Dive. This time we take an in-depth look at the Houston Astros farm system, which was thinned out a bit recently in a trade that brought back MLB starting pitcher Mike Burrows. (00:00) Looking At The Recent Burrows Trade (04:30) How Tough Was The Decision To Rank Xavier Neyens No. 1 And Who Were The Other Candidates? (14:0...
44m Jan 20
44m
Top 100 Prospects Preview, Preseason College Baseball Top 25 & Crazy NIL Deals | Hot Sheet Show Ep. 90
On this week's Hot Sheet Show, J.J. Cooper, Geoff Pontes and Jacob Rudner discuss a number of exciting topics, including BA's latest Top 100 Prospects (https://www.baseballamerica.com/rankings/2025-top-100-prospects/) list set to drop this week, the new preseason college baseball Top 25 (https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/college-baseball-top-25-rankings/) and the biggest NIL deals they've...
27m Jan 19
27m
College Podcast: Inside The Recruitment Of Genei Sato With PSU Coach Mike Gambino
Baseball America national college reporter Jacob Rudner is joined by Penn State head coach Mike Gambino to go in-depth on the Nittany Lions' recruitment of Japanese righthander Genei Sato. Sato, whose fastball and splitter consistently drew reviews as plus offerings, is set to play at Penn State in 2027 and carries early first-round buzz. Our Sponsors: * Check out Aura.com: https://aura.com/re...
37m Jan 19
37m
2026 Tampa Bay Rays Top Prospects Deep Dive
On the latest Baseball America Prospects Podcast Deep Dive, we're looking at the Tampa Bay Rays system. Coming into the offseason, this looked like a system that had taken a step back, but that was before a series of trades added a massive amount of prospect depth. (00:00) A whole lot has changed in the Rays farm system (06:00) What made Brody Hopkins the No. 1 prospect and who else was consi...
49m Jan 19
49m
Fantasy Podcast: Breaking Down 2026 First Year Player Draft Rankings
We return with another episode of the Baseball America Fantasy Podcast in the midst of lots of action on the free agent and trade market. We open up by discussing Kyle Tucker just minutes before he signed with the Dodgers. We then discuss the Ranger Suarez and Alex Bregman signings. After that we jump into the First Year Player draft rankings, navigating through the first 30 or so picks. (2:00...
47m Jan 16
47m
Drafting The Best College Tools In The Class
Carlos and Jacob hop on the podcast and attempt to create the most impressive “build-a-player” possible by drafting the best tools in the college class. The two each attempt to create the best possible hitters by drafting hit, power, run, field and arm tools. On the pitching side they each draft a fastball, curveball, slider, changeup and control. The ground rules: once a player is picked for ...
1hr 11m Jan 16
1hr 11m
2026 Seattle Mariners Top Prospects Deep Dive
JJ Cooper and Jesús Cano are here for another Baseball America Prospects Deep Dive. Today we are looking at the Mariners farm system, led by shortstop Colt Emerson. (03:00) How difficult was the decision to rank Colt Emerson No. 1? (09:20) Is this farm system better or worse than last year? (14:00) Who is the bet to be No. 1 in this system next year? (16:30) What are the Mariners good at de...
36m Jan 15
36m
2026 Los Angeles Dodgers Prospects Deep Dive
On today's Prospect Podcast Deep Dive, Geoff Pontes and Josh Norris take an in-depth look at the World Champions. The Dodgers' farm system had a fascinating quartet who all had cases to be the system's No. 1 prospect. (00:00) How Good Is The System? (02:00) How Tough Was The Choice To Pick Eduardo Quintero No. 1? (06:30) Is This System Better Or Worse Than Last Year? (10:15) Who Is Your Gue...
31m Jan 14
31m
2026 San Francisco Giants Top Prospects Deep Dive
On the latest of our Prospect Deep Dives, Josh Norris and Geoff Pontes take a look at a much improved Giants farm system. Yes, Bryce Eldridge remains as the No. 1 prospect, but it's what has emerged behind him that has the system on the upswing. (01:00) Bryce Eldridge Is No. 1. How tough was this decision? (03:30) Is this system better or worse than last year? (09:30) Who is the best guess t...
29m Jan 13
29m
Alex Bregman Signing Fallout For The Cubs, Ethan Frey Joins & Fantasy Baseball Talk | Hot Sheet Show Ep. 89
On this week's Hot Sheet Show, J.J. Cooper and Geoff Pontes lead a packed show featuring a breakdown of the fallout for Matt Shaw (https://www.baseballamerica.com/players/355264-matt-shaw/) and the Cubs after the Alex Bregman signing. We also welcome No. 2 Astros prospect Ethan Frey (https://www.baseballamerica.com/players/676459-ethan-frey/) to the show before discussing our latest FYPD fanta...
30m Jan 12
30m
College Podcast: New NCAA Postseason Umpire Selection Process, Roch Talk
Baseball America national college reporter Jacob Rudner and national writer Carlos Collazo dive into the NCAA's new umpire selection process for the postseason and discuss other potential rule changes coming out of the American Baseball Coaches Association convention. Rudner and Collazo also go in-depth on where UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky stacks up compared to No. 1 overall draft prospects o...
48m Jan 12
48m
2026 San Diego Padres Top Prospects Deep Dive
Geoff Pontes and Peter Flaherty are taking an in-depth look at the Padres farm system. San Diego is as aggressive as anyone at using the system to trade for big league stars, but how much is left after the Mason Miller trade? (00:00) Why this is Peter's last podcast for BA (04:10) How clearly was Ethan Salas the No. 1 prospect? (11:30) Is the Padres system better or worse than last year? (1...
34m Jan 11
34m
Fantasy Podcast: Top 200 Pitchers For 2026 Dynasty Leagues
After a holiday hiatus the Baseball America Fantasy podcast is back with our final positional ranking podcast of the offseason. We start the show discussing the trio of Japanese players that signed from NPB. We then discuss the Cubs and Marlins trade before diving into the top 200 pitchers. (3:00) Is the market reacting too much to Murakami's swing and miss concerns? (6:30) Tatsuya Imai ready ...
39m Jan 09
39m
Draft Pod: Excitement For The 2026 Class & A Farewell To Peter
It’s a bittersweet episode of the draft podcast, as Peter bids farewell to Baseball America and embarks on a new journey as a scout with the Nationals. Carlos and Peter reminisce on their time together covering the draft over the last few years, talk about what they’ve learned and how their processes have changed. As always on the draft pod, there is still player talk. The two express their exc...
38m Jan 09
38m