[SPEAKER_00]: Hey everybody, J.J. Cooper Jeff Ponce, the final prospect podcast of 2025.

[SPEAKER_00]: Depending on when you're listening to this, we're even saying, you may even say a little happy New Year into 2020's six.

[SPEAKER_00]: When you get as old as I am, it is hard to believe these numbers are getting to be really weird for me now.

[SPEAKER_00]: And when I think of how many of these I've seen now, but, but we do hope that you are having

[SPEAKER_00]: And as we get ready, as we get ready to go into 2026 today's podcast, our video on YouTube as well is going to look ahead.

[SPEAKER_00]: This is all about gray, peering into the future, hearing into the crystal ball.

[SPEAKER_00]: Now again, to date myself horribly,

[SPEAKER_00]: They're used to be this bit on Conan O'Brien that actually started in the 90s where it was called in the year 2000.

[SPEAKER_00]: And my first podcast appearance at Baseball America, because we've been podcasting by the way, since 2006 at Baseball America.

[SPEAKER_00]: So this is 26 to 26 is gonna be the 20th year of the Baseball America podcast, which is truly, hard to believe.

[SPEAKER_00]: but I wasn't allowed to be on.

[SPEAKER_00]: I was the producer.

[SPEAKER_00]: I was the audio engineer, but my first appearance is that we were doing predictions and they decided to use, because by the way, Clinton kept the bit going into the 21st century.

[SPEAKER_00]: So then like 2003, 2004, there was still predicting in the year 2000.

[SPEAKER_00]: And

[SPEAKER_00]: The part of it that will stick with anybody who did was a fan of Conan was is I think it was LeBamba would do the in the year 2000 and I'm going to try to do it again my voice is not as young as it used to be, but it was like I can't do it I can't I'm bailing out right now

[SPEAKER_00]: But it was like in the year 2000 song at an incredibly high pitch and that was my first podcast appearance was as I was allowed to do that and blow out my, you know, my vocal cords.

[SPEAKER_00]: But yeah, that was a very long-winded way of saying great to see you as always.

[SPEAKER_00]: You might recognize we're still wearing the same thing that we were wearing in last week's show because we're recording both of these so that we will can take the week and kind of rest and recover.

[SPEAKER_00]: But great to see you and we're diving straight in because this is about predictions.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I'm going to get a TU up here and ask the question that when we were recording this, hopefully we're both here a year from now and recording this podcast looking ahead to 2027 which shutter even think about.

[SPEAKER_00]: Who's going to be the number one farm system in baseball at that time?

[SPEAKER_01]: I think we both have a similar answer here.

[SPEAKER_01]: So the obvious one to me, I think is a white socks.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's a pretty solid system now.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's kind of middle of the 36th of the neck.

[SPEAKER_01]: What kind of in that area, I'll say from like maybe,

[SPEAKER_01]: 11 to 20 where it's fairly close and it might be even closer from like 11 to 18, you know, where it's kind of like, who do you like a little bit better, whose development do you trust a little bit more?

[SPEAKER_01]: So they have some good prospects, they have some pitching prospects that I, I don't think all of them will graduate.

[SPEAKER_01]: They have a top hitting prospect and Caleb Bonnermer who I don't believe will graduate unless things go much better than we can even imagine is the biggest

[SPEAKER_00]: Outside of his parents, I was going to say, we're a big bond of our fans.

[SPEAKER_00]: If he's in the big leagues and graduated this time next year, watch out.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, exactly.

[SPEAKER_01]: Any of the number one picks.

[SPEAKER_01]: So they have the number one pick.

[SPEAKER_01]: They have all the bonus pull money that goes with that.

[SPEAKER_01]: So they could end up with two, maybe even three prospects.

[SPEAKER_01]: And oh, by the way, they're going to end up with more than likely, you know, Rock Chalowski, who

[SPEAKER_01]: for all intents and purposes is considered one of the best position college position prospects of the last decade.

[SPEAKER_01]: So even if he's not, if number one, he's a top 10 prospect when he walks in.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's the top 10 to 15 prospect, exactly.

[SPEAKER_01]: And those guys push systems up quite a bit.

[SPEAKER_01]: We both believe that Bonamer could be in a similar range.

[SPEAKER_01]: Okay, you know, and then we have some of these other pictures we talked about in the last called McDougal, you know, Jean Vowsky, you know, prep hitter for last year's draft, who's pretty good, Christian Oprah.

[SPEAKER_00]: Carlson is still there.

[SPEAKER_00]: Carlson.

[SPEAKER_00]: Exactly.

[SPEAKER_01]: And they always, you know, sign a few international players.

[SPEAKER_01]: So I think there's enough depth here that that's the one that I think I'll throw out there, but I think there's a couple of other.

[SPEAKER_00]: You know, the other thing I'll say there, the other thing with the white sucks is we do agree I think both our first pick is the light sucks is the other thing is is this is the team that will still be acquiring Not trading away at the deadline now we'll see how much they actually have to trade at the deadline, but let's say that they keep Louis Robert

[SPEAKER_00]: And at mid-season he's having a good year, that could bring the backs to more prospects at the deadline.

[SPEAKER_00]: Here again, like there could be other players who they're looking to trade at the deadline.

[SPEAKER_00]: I wouldn't be shocked at all.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like if they decided, I mean, they've got three catchers right now and I think that they probably do have a feeling that at some point it's worth deciding which two cause like,

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm not saying Cory Lee's not like in the Quarro and Teele category, but I do think Cory Lee's probably, I think he's out of options now.

[SPEAKER_00]: And if you think that he's a legitimate backup catcher,

[SPEAKER_00]: Then it probably is time to move on from, you know, you don't really just carry Quero, Teele, and Lee on your roster.

[SPEAKER_00]: That could bring back something else again.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like, there's a great Montgomery could still be eligible at this time next year.

[SPEAKER_00]: Not ideal if he is, but it wouldn't be stunning if he was.

[SPEAKER_00]: It wouldn't be stunning.

[SPEAKER_00]: I don't think there would be at the same level of prospect, but Noah Schultz or Hagen Smith, one of those may still be eligible at this time next year.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's, I think, a good,

[SPEAKER_00]: Probably I would say most likely prediction because again, this is where this gets fun is you're having to kind of Game out Who's going to like we really like the pirates and the cardinals farm systems now, but I would say in both cases like They're gonna graduate the Connor Riffins the Bobbi Chandlers the JJ weather holds in all of the world where Those should not be part of the factor at this time next year like The other sneaky one I would say is the brewers

[SPEAKER_00]: Not because, you know, for one, the brewer's do mint pitchers.

[SPEAKER_00]: Let's just be clear.

[SPEAKER_00]: But at the same time, Hazu's mod A very well could still be prospect eligible Cooper Pratt could still be prospect eligible.

[SPEAKER_00]: Pens on like, they've got a pretty, they've got a pretty loaded, bigly clobber, not that, like, let's just be clear.

[SPEAKER_00]: When Hazu's mod A's ready,

[SPEAKER_00]: Jesus' motto should be good enough that you're not like, oh no, no, no, no, Caleb Durbit is here.

[SPEAKER_00]: Caleb Durbit means that you can't, you know, that you shall not pass.

[SPEAKER_00]: I like Caleb Durbit, but Jesus' motto is not gonna, that's not gonna be a speed bump for him, you know.

[SPEAKER_00]: But they do have other, like they have a number of guys who might end up spinning a little bit longer in the miners and motto, motto, motto, will not be spinning a long time in the miners.

[SPEAKER_00]: motto is gonna be still gonna be the youngest player in every league he plays in this year.

[SPEAKER_00]: But that would be another one that kind of jumps out to me.

[SPEAKER_00]: And if I wanted to get really like they're going to graduate some players.

[SPEAKER_00]: The rays are one that when you look at already the trades that they've made, because they've just added Melton who will graduate, if Jake and Melton don't graduate this next year, that would be bad.

[SPEAKER_00]: They added Brito, they added Austin Overn, they added Slythera, Slythera, Bron, they added Kate and Bodine, they added Michael Ferret, a lot of prospects they added to us already a pretty deep system.

[SPEAKER_00]: It just gives them so many guys who could.

[SPEAKER_00]: develop into top prospects to go with again, the Brody Hopkins, the Theo Gillins, the guys they have.

[SPEAKER_00]: And then they're going to also, I would say, you know, again, it wouldn't shock me if they're a team that if they get to the deadline and they're like, ah, we're not going to, you know, catch anyone or whatever.

[SPEAKER_00]: There's no player the the raise one consider trading.

[SPEAKER_00]: Anyone else that jumps out to you as another team that could be a number one farm system

[SPEAKER_01]: I'll say anybody but junior caminero.

[SPEAKER_01]: So I'll slightly disagree with you there.

[SPEAKER_01]: I would imagine that junior caminero is not going to be on the block.

[SPEAKER_00]: Hey, I could see them making that.

[SPEAKER_00]: Hey, we've got caminero.

[SPEAKER_00]: What about, you've got Otoni?

[SPEAKER_00]: If you pay the deferred money, I mean, I guess, yes.

[SPEAKER_00]: I don't think they're trading caminero, but I would say the raise or the raise, if the right deal came along, then at least consider it.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, um, I would say if I had to throw out another system, I think that the brewers are probably another smart bet.

[SPEAKER_01]: Um, we talked about mod A, um, Louis pain.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, Cooper Pratt, I suppose could graduate or probably won't.

[SPEAKER_00]: Um, and let's make another move like they've got middle infielders right now.

[SPEAKER_01]: Sure.

[SPEAKER_01]: And there's guys like Brady Ebel, Ethan Dorch's, um, even a Brock Wilken or J.D.

[SPEAKER_01]: Thompson, a bunch of these guys.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, a bunch of these guys could take big steps forward next year.

[SPEAKER_01]: Andrew Fisher and could be considered top and under prospects.

[SPEAKER_01]: The brewers do this every year.

[SPEAKER_01]: Right.

[SPEAKER_01]: Where they have at least a few guys.

[SPEAKER_01]: If they're not on the list, they're on the

[SPEAKER_01]: Various system that I think could take a pretty sizable step forward.

[SPEAKER_01]: Here's a dark horse for you.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think they're probably going to graduate too many players from the top of the list and snelling in Joe Mac.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't think the marlins are that far off that.

[SPEAKER_01]: if they have a couple of breakouts, maybe, you know, Brandon Compton and Canorella have really, really good years.

[SPEAKER_01]: Our soon-to-brand takes another step forward.

[SPEAKER_01]: Ava Arquette proves to be what we thought he was on coming out of the draft.

[SPEAKER_01]: They add in the draft again, maybe get to have another nice draft, add a couple of nice picks, maybe some upside collage arms round four, round five.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's not out of the realm of possibility that they could also be in the mix.

[SPEAKER_01]: for a number one system.

[SPEAKER_01]: Like I said, I think they're gonna graduate snowing in Mac, which I do think is gonna hurt them.

[SPEAKER_01]: But this system is a lot deeper than I think people realize.

[SPEAKER_01]: But there are some interesting players and some high-up side like young guys in that like 15 to 25 range in the system.

[SPEAKER_01]: So they're one that I'll throw out there because I think the metts are in the conversation now,

[SPEAKER_01]: McClaimed, they should graduate on William Sprote.

[SPEAKER_01]: They're top five.

[SPEAKER_01]: They could legitimately graduate every single one of those guys.

[SPEAKER_01]: And it wouldn't shock me if Clifford's up to the big leagues and has a shot to graduate.

[SPEAKER_01]: Jack Weninger gets some starts.

[SPEAKER_01]: If there's a bunch of injuries and he has a chance to graduate, there's enough guys here that that system could thin out pretty quickly.

[SPEAKER_01]: And then there's not really another one where I look at the top of the system.

[SPEAKER_01]: Think about where their top players are.

[SPEAKER_01]: And then think, because like the giants, for example, Bryce Eldridge probably graduates, and if he doesn't, we're not gonna view him the same way in a year, but it hasn't.

[SPEAKER_01]: So even if they add draft picks on, and I think that it's gonna be the similar story with the Mariners.

[SPEAKER_00]: So what's the giants?

[SPEAKER_00]: But they have two or three or four guys.

[SPEAKER_00]: If you wanted to say, my, that'd be my Dark Horse one because if you set a year from now, Eldridge is graduated.

[SPEAKER_00]: But Joshua Arkansas is now, like, basically he has the Jesus mod A season, right?

[SPEAKER_00]: Where you're like, this guy is now one of the top prospects in all the game.

[SPEAKER_00]: And then you say, okay, whether it's Johnny level or, you know, they've got a couple of other batteries, say one of those bets.

[SPEAKER_00]: And then they had that group of Arizona complex legal arms.

[SPEAKER_00]: And let's say a couple of them take further steps for the full season.

[SPEAKER_00]: Well, that's a sneaky one where it take a lot.

[SPEAKER_00]: a lot coming together, but maybe there is a chance of it, that maybe that could pull together.

[SPEAKER_00]: I almost, I'm not going to go right back to you until you, Jeff said a sneezing fit today, but thankfully, we had the meat button.

[SPEAKER_00]: But I do want to ask, because we're talking about prospects, so that leads to our other big question.

[SPEAKER_00]: I've this one's fun.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I'll just set the stage and say we're going to give, I think you said it was we're prepping for this show.

[SPEAKER_00]: Brewer's shortstop Hazel's mod A is the free square on bingo.

[SPEAKER_00]: This is the one that let's start with saying.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's absolutely in the consideration, because there's a very good chance modda doesn't graduate.

[SPEAKER_00]: You look at where he's ranked right now.

[SPEAKER_00]: He would be the guy who is in pole position to simply ascend to number one, just by continuing to do what he's been doing when Connor Griffin, when Kevin McGonagall graduate.

[SPEAKER_00]: Here it is, it's Haseus modda by acclamation.

[SPEAKER_00]: We're gonna start, if we just said that,

[SPEAKER_00]: we're not really telling you much.

[SPEAKER_00]: We want to go a little bit beyond that.

[SPEAKER_00]: So that's the free square that we both agree.

[SPEAKER_00]: He absolutely has a chance to do it.

[SPEAKER_00]: But in taking mod A off the board, who would you look at as a possible number one prospect a year from now?

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm going to throw you a little bit of a curve ball.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think it's Bryce Rainer is one that could potentially be in the mix.

[SPEAKER_01]: Would say Conner Griffin graduates because that probably happens.

[SPEAKER_00]: If that doesn't happen, something went wrong.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I think a full healthy season from Bryce Rainer, at least from players that are on this list that are not named Hesus Maude.

[SPEAKER_01]: has a good shot as anybody, Leo de Vries being the other one.

[SPEAKER_01]: But we've started to hear some more negative feedback and kind of questions with him this off season.

[SPEAKER_01]: Then we had previously.

[SPEAKER_01]: I still think a really good player, really gonna rank very highly.

[SPEAKER_01]: But he'll have to really hit and I even think he's the type where he was already in double late in the season.

[SPEAKER_01]: If he really hits and performs in a way that pushes him up to that number one spot, he's probably up in the big leagues and graduates, especially with that A's team, which I don't think the lineup is bad and if they can get a little bit better even at some point during the summer by calling this guy up, I think it might happen.

[SPEAKER_01]: might be another one that you can call out there, but I think he's in a similar situation to the breeze.

[SPEAKER_01]: If we're talking about next year, he's probably up in the big league by July.

[SPEAKER_00]: Well, Scott has enough double a time now that I don't think it's really possible for him to thread the needle of,

[SPEAKER_00]: a great enough minor league season to be our number one prospect where by acclamation people like this guy is the guy he's made he's found that next level and he's taking that further step and still not graduate because he knows up in double a to in 2020 for so that one yeah like I got a couple others that I think could fit into that group.

[SPEAKER_00]: I would say I mentioned just organs always that's one that I would say is not a crazy idea that like the guy who

[SPEAKER_00]: was probably one of our biggest movers in 2025 when you talk out where he started the year to where he ended the year.

[SPEAKER_00]: Giant shortstop prospect, who was great in rookie ball.

[SPEAKER_00]: And if you said that he has the really the break out season and full season ball, following up on that, that's the guy who kind of has the pedigree I would say has the tools where you could see it.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's one that jumps out.

[SPEAKER_00]: We mentioned Caleb Bonner before,

[SPEAKER_00]: I would say I think your Bryce Rainer is probably a safer bet to potentially be the number one.

[SPEAKER_00]: Bryce Rainer came into the 2024 draft.

[SPEAKER_00]: It was, well, there are two clear top-notch short-stop prospects of this class.

[SPEAKER_00]: There's Connor Griffin and there's Bryce Rainer.

[SPEAKER_00]: And Rainer then got hurt, injured his shoulder, early in the season, but until that point, the two of them were in the FSL together.

[SPEAKER_00]: And Connor Griffin was better.

[SPEAKER_00]: light years better.

[SPEAKER_00]: I would say that the big thing being kind of griffin just has the bobby wit junior tool set as well.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like Bryce Rainer is kind of a very tooled up player but not we don't see many players tooled up like like

[SPEAKER_00]: Connor Griffin has eight, you know, sevens and eights all over his scouting report, duals grades, Bryce Rainer has more sixes, which is really good.

[SPEAKER_00]: Sixes are good, but he could absolutely be a guy.

[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, let's try to then amp up.

[SPEAKER_00]: Now let's say, okay, those are our number one prospect predictions, but if you had to say a crazy guy,

[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, I'll put it I'm gonna prompt you on this one because I know that you believe this guy is there a way that Arjun Namala could be the number one prospect and baseball that you're from now.

[SPEAKER_00]: For one.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, no.

[SPEAKER_01]: I I certainly think that could happen.

[SPEAKER_01]: The defense is good enough and and I think he's young enough had 20 for the entire season that if what's a great camp.

[SPEAKER_01]: Dave using double A and just hits that he's then in triple A after the all star break and they're like, we're going to have you there for, you know, a majority of the remainder of the season, you know, up until the end of the year Buffalo makes the playoffs, you know, he plays well, and maybe gets a week or two in the big leagues and really hits and maybe he gets in the play off roster.

[SPEAKER_01]: puts it gather like the really good haves like he was one of the best young players in baseball in the first half last year and then just kind of fell off the table.

[SPEAKER_01]: And it wasn't so bad in terms of swinging miss and all that sort of thing.

[SPEAKER_01]: That it's crazy to think that he was maybe just a little unlucky.

[SPEAKER_01]: So if some of that timing stuff gets fixed, it's not crazy to think he could, you know, hit himself into that conversation.

[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, one more dark horse is it crazy to suggest that DAX kill me, which would be crazy from the standpoint of, there were a lot of high school short stops in this last draft class, but DAX kill me was not at the top of that list, but then DAX kill me went out again, we don't like this is long shot of long shots, but he then went out and had a kind of eye opening pro debut, which we're only going to get to really talk about pro debut for high school picks anymore, but DAX kill me did have one.

[SPEAKER_00]: Are the tools loud enough for Killby to be in that consideration or is a more like that we think he could be a top 25 prospect like I think of Theo Gillin, Theo Gillin had a really good year I could see Theo Gillin being a top 25 prospect a year from now for the raise I was struggling to say that he's going to have the full well-rounded tool set to be a top five or number one prospect is that maybe two to rich for DAX Killby.

[SPEAKER_01]: No, I mean, I think you look at what Kill Be Did, what the tools are, the organization and fan base, like if you really performs and continues to do what he did, let's say gets up to AA by July or August and continues to hit there.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't think it's crazy.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think maybe based on draft position, it's not something we anticipate, but it is pretty good.

[SPEAKER_00]: So, okay, so now we've looked at the no one farm system, looked at our potential number one prospect in 2027.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's not bold enough for us.

[SPEAKER_00]: So now we want to say like, okay, we're going to make one other prediction looking ahead into the new year.

[SPEAKER_00]: Jeff, I'll make mine first.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's kind of something I've been talking about a little bit.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to be bold, but I'm going to be also trying to be rational bold.

[SPEAKER_00]: The bold prediction would be the Pittsburgh Pirates are going to win 95 games in 2027, you know, 2026.

[SPEAKER_00]: And go, you know, go to the ad, and I'll see us or something like that.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm not ready to go that far, but I do think that the pirates win 85 plus games, which by the way, winning record for the pirates would be a big step forward.

[SPEAKER_00]: They would 85 plus games in 2026 and make a playoff run.

[SPEAKER_00]: Whether they make it or they're just fall short and get kind of where they go into next off season likely to make the playoffs in 27.

[SPEAKER_00]: keep saying and I really do think that this pirates team that was before the brand-in-law trade helps a little bit okay they've got they're slowly but surely building a little bit of a lineup you know to help out which is a really good pitching staff that's my prediction those the pirates take a step forward the pirates are in playoff contention for the first time quite a while like into the final week we can have for the season and then really do kind of take that further step forward in 27 that's my crazy one do you have a ball prediction as well

[SPEAKER_01]: It just signed Ryan on her as well through a two year deal.

[SPEAKER_01]: So there we go.

[SPEAKER_01]: You want to add another win on there?

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I was going to say 86 wins, baby.

[SPEAKER_01]: There you go.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I think the Pirates 1 is good because it's something that you can kind of see trending that way.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm going to throw another one out here.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think that the white socks end up

[SPEAKER_01]: with a 500 record.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think that's pretty bold.

[SPEAKER_00]: That is bold because I do believe a 500 record for the white socks would mean that they're two-year improvement window would be one of the greatest two-year surges we've ever seen.

[SPEAKER_00]: Because when you start that low, that's so far to go just to get back to five.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's just another 21 games.

[SPEAKER_01]: We got a, we got a coax out of him.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think the lineup could get a little bit better.

[SPEAKER_01]: Maybe more than one day has a solid season for them.

[SPEAKER_01]: They don't, they don't trade Louis Robert.

[SPEAKER_01]: They have both these catchers still.

[SPEAKER_01]: And you know, the pitching staff is young enough.

[SPEAKER_01]: That maybe they could figure something out here.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't know.

[SPEAKER_01]: They have Sean Newcomb and Anthony Kay at the back.

[SPEAKER_01]: But.

[SPEAKER_00]: Really, Sean, Newcomb.

[SPEAKER_00]: You know, but hey, Shane Smith, going to carry them.

[SPEAKER_00]: You know, I do worry.

[SPEAKER_00]: I love what the year that rule five picked Mike Vassal had.

[SPEAKER_00]: to pick the under on a player.

[SPEAKER_00]: The reliever who threw over 100 innings has the reliever sustaining that the next year of a little worried, because that's a...

[SPEAKER_00]: Well, go look up Mark I cornd to you're in 19.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think it was 87 that if you want to see an example of this, you know, pretty much Mike Marshall could do this in the 70s, but really for over 100 innings of the pretty tough ask at least I think the upside here is if, you know, McDougall is on the 40 man roster, let's say he continues his upper to send he gets to the big leagues and is a nice piece for them.

[SPEAKER_01]: Let's say no a shalt.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm not saying it's completely fixed.

[SPEAKER_01]: Let's say he takes another step forward this year and it sees an arrival, yeah, seeing seeing the second time through the order for the first time in his life, you know, took his lumps, he makes his adjustment and then moves forward.

[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, you can't catch in the fifth inning like the fifth inning is a is an inning that starters are allowed to start and he's he's caught he's checked that box down.

[SPEAKER_01]: He has.

[SPEAKER_01]: And then like Hagan Smith, who did look much better in the fall league, maybe he looks a little bit better and somehow gets up to the maybe he also ends up being the closer on this team the second half to season.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I don't think it's crazy.

[SPEAKER_01]: And you know, the line-up itself could be okay.

[SPEAKER_01]: So, you know, we'll see what Montgomery and Vargas and Warikami can do.

[SPEAKER_01]: Because that could be a nice middle of the order if

[SPEAKER_01]: All of those guys show the same, well, these two of the three show the spark that they showed last year, and more calming proves that he can hit enough in the big leagues to get to that power.

[SPEAKER_01]: Because if he answers that question, even if he hits 230, that's okay if he's hitting 30 home runs.

[SPEAKER_01]: Like, I think the power certainly there, it's just a matter of like how bad is the hit tool going to be.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think you kind of have some similar questions with Montgomery and maybe even Vargas to an extent, but both Montgomery and Vargas had really strong ends to the season.

[SPEAKER_01]: So I think there's some reason to believe there's some reason to believe there were Kyle Tio and chase my draft is a solid player.

[SPEAKER_01]: So I, you know, it's not a terrible offense.

[SPEAKER_00]: It has gotten a lot better, especially when you consider it as a 40, again, from 41 to 82 in two years would be a very, very impressive.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's a, that is a bold prediction.

[SPEAKER_00]: I thought my pirates was going to be bold, and then you go out there and you, you trump me.

[SPEAKER_00]: But I do think, I will say, like, I was just bringing a baseball America.com, we have a piece up that wrote about the hope meter for each team, because I really do think that, you know, like one of the things that

[SPEAKER_00]: GMs and front offices don't do as good a job now, they're much more rational, but one problem of rationality is you've got to sell to a team to your fan base, why they should care.

[SPEAKER_00]: And the problem with the white socks two years ago, you couldn't be bad.

[SPEAKER_00]: Being bad is not a reason for a fan base to check out.

[SPEAKER_00]: being awful and utterly uninteresting with no players that you have any hope.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like, if you look at the white socks lineup from 2024, which is one plus season ago,

[SPEAKER_00]: And you say, OK, well, scoryly, it's a catcher.

[SPEAKER_00]: Is there every day catcher?

[SPEAKER_00]: He's now their number three catcher.

[SPEAKER_00]: Andrew Vaughn, we don't even watch sex fans don't want to talk about Andrew Vaughn these days.

[SPEAKER_00]: OK, Nikki Lopez is now a utility infielder trying to make a utility input job.

[SPEAKER_00]: Same for Paul Dionne.

[SPEAKER_00]: Lenna Sosa still there.

[SPEAKER_00]: Andrew Benatton is on a thick, the final year of his deal.

[SPEAKER_00]: So he'll be a regular,

[SPEAKER_00]: We Robert, they're hoping it's healthy.

[SPEAKER_00]: Dominic Fletcher is trying to get a fourth-out field job now.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think you just signed.

[SPEAKER_00]: Illinois Hemenas cannot hope to get a DH job anywhere.

[SPEAKER_00]: He was basically he looks like a triplet about at this point.

[SPEAKER_00]: Gavin Sheets is in San Diego.

[SPEAKER_00]: That was their lineup from 2024 and it's like, there were so few players there that you could even be interested in.

[SPEAKER_00]: And you just named all of these players we're talking about now.

[SPEAKER_00]: If you're a white sucks fan, anytime when you talk about your comedy comes to the plate, it's interesting to see what he's going to do.

[SPEAKER_00]: When you talk about these young catchers, it's interesting to see, Colson McGummery is so much more interesting than anything one we were talking about from that group.

[SPEAKER_00]: From 24, I'm with you.

[SPEAKER_00]: This is a team that has gone from being future and you can almost be angry about, they were terrible, they were like historically awful.

[SPEAKER_00]: and meaningless for long term.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like there was no, oh, we're building for the future.

[SPEAKER_00]: It was, we're building for the next guys who come in to take these guys job.

[SPEAKER_00]: Here we are two years later.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's like, okay, they're maybe starting the build something.

[SPEAKER_00]: you know, let's see, but that is a bold prediction.

[SPEAKER_00]: We do hope you've enjoyed this final prospect podcast of 25.

[SPEAKER_00]: We thank you all who've come along this journey with us.

[SPEAKER_00]: We're looking forward to doing it all over again all through 2021.

[SPEAKER_00]: Please like and subscribe or other for your podcast feed or on the YouTube channel.

[SPEAKER_00]: Click that bell so you know whenever

[SPEAKER_00]: We have a new pod dropping or new video dropping.

[SPEAKER_00]: And by the way, let us know what your goal prediction is.

[SPEAKER_00]: Let us know who you think your number one farm system or number one prospect is going to be on our YouTube channel.

[SPEAKER_00]: We love to read those.

[SPEAKER_00]: We love to respond as well.

[SPEAKER_00]: For Jeff, I'm JJ.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's a long everybody.