[SPEAKER_00]: All right, welcome back to another baseball America fans.

[SPEAKER_00]: He podcast, this is your host, Jeff Ponce.

[SPEAKER_00]: Alongside me this week is Ian Kundel, filling in for Dylan.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think for one more week, and he's going to be back.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's got some stuff in the works.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's got the Robo Scout fired up.

[SPEAKER_00]: All that good stuff.

[SPEAKER_00]: Baseball's upon us, man.

[SPEAKER_00]: We got some games starting up this weekend.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think Saturday, are the first like real,

[SPEAKER_00]: spring training games against actual M.L.B.

[SPEAKER_00]: teams, not the scrimmages against college.

[SPEAKER_00]: You're not excited for the release of the game tomorrow or the University of Minnesota game.

[SPEAKER_00]: Now, I want to see those schools play actual games against other colleges.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's what I'll be watching.

[SPEAKER_00]: But yeah, you know, it feels like balls back in.

[SPEAKER_00]: So we're going to get right into it.

[SPEAKER_00]: We don't even break down a bunch of news.

[SPEAKER_00]: We did that last week.

[SPEAKER_00]: We'll catch up on some of that stuff in the future.

[SPEAKER_00]: We're going to be talking through some top prospects in each division.

[SPEAKER_00]: Each team over the next like six weeks.

[SPEAKER_00]: We're going to start with the AL East today.

[SPEAKER_00]: We're going to start.

[SPEAKER_00]: with the Tampa Bay Rays, the way that we're going to lay this out, we're going to talk about a 2026 contributor, both Ian and myself talk somebody in the system that we believe has the highest upside.

[SPEAKER_00]: And then another guy that we feel might be an underrated player, and we'll do that for all five teams in the ALEs.

[SPEAKER_00]: And as I said, Ian, we're going to start with the Tampa Bay Rays.

[SPEAKER_00]: So I'm going to give you first pick here on the 2026 contributor.

[SPEAKER_00]: There's

[SPEAKER_01]: There are, there are, thankfully, by giving me the first pick, you gave me the obvious option.

[SPEAKER_01]: And that is Jacob Melton, who the race obviously recently required this season via trade from the Astros, where he was the Astros number one prospect.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's not the race number one prospect.

[SPEAKER_01]: Someone else says that we'll talk about it a little later.

[SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, I think Melton, obviously he made his big league debut last year, almost I think he only barely qualified for the list.

[SPEAKER_01]: There was some really good underlined data with him, especially when he was in AAA.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think that what we saw in the majors was not the real him.

[SPEAKER_01]: Obviously, he had some injury, and he had his struggles.

[SPEAKER_01]: But I still like him long term.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think he's a type of player that to me, the race will put him in the situation to succeed.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think that's something they're good at with very young players.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's not going to get exposed to certain types of lefties that he's going to struggle against, certain type of pitchers, they're going to maximize playing the way that I think is beneficial for fantasy owners.

[SPEAKER_01]: And so I think he's the type of player that could have a really, you know, I don't think he's going to be an impact player, but I think on a per game based thing, he could be a useful player in fantasy.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I agree with that 100%, I think he's probably the obvious choice, and he also feels very much like a raised player that they're going to put him into the best possible situations in terms of the types of arms that he's facing all that.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's a good defender, he runs really well, does all the little things really well, and he's always been able to hit even if it is a bit of an unusual swing.

[SPEAKER_00]: If you need catchers, I have one 30 team league where this guy still prospect eligible what he's on the 40 man roster.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's Dom Keegan, former Vanderbilt standout New Hampshire granted state legend, Dom Keegan.

[SPEAKER_00]: The power is really good in the plate skills are a little iffy, but it's a catcher.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I'm hoping to, you know, hit 230 with some bomb.

[SPEAKER_00]: I could deal with that.

[SPEAKER_00]: The rate, my question here.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[SPEAKER_00]: And the rate's catching situation isn't exactly right with options.

[SPEAKER_00]: So if he continues to prove that he can stick behind the plate.

[SPEAKER_00]: I do think there's some upside here.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think he underproduced his numbers a little bit.

[SPEAKER_00]: If you look at quality of contact, he really high quality of contact this year catches tons of barrels pulls the ball hard in the air consistently.

[SPEAKER_00]: His hard hit launch angles are really good.

[SPEAKER_00]: 107.2 90th percentile EV 91.6 average EV is playing the upper minors.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's on the 40 man roster.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm not going to overthink it.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I try not to overpay for catchers.

[SPEAKER_00]: So Dom Keegan kind of falls right in line with

[SPEAKER_00]: The types of catchers that I go after just kind of get a bunch of them place them upside and hope one of them figures it out sometimes you end up with win contraris doing that just I'm just saying.

[SPEAKER_00]: We're going to sneak it in all right highest upside now in the race system I'm going to go with my guy Brody Hopkins we've talked about this extensively, we've written about this extensively and I think it translates to fantasy as well.

[SPEAKER_00]: And you might even be able to add a little color to this too.

[SPEAKER_00]: But the strike throwing continues to improve.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's improved tremendously from when he was an amateur.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think it's important to remember this guy was a two-way player that kind of leaned positional side early in his college career that took a big step forward when he transferred to Winthrop.

[SPEAKER_00]: It was really primarily a pitcher.

[SPEAKER_00]: So it's only been a few years that he's been a primary pitcher.

[SPEAKER_00]: Dominant stuff.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's his broad buddy Hopkins.

[SPEAKER_00]: Fastball, velocity-wise, angles-wise, in terms of flat vertical approach angle, really tricky when it's located at the top of the zone.

[SPEAKER_00]: One of the flatest fastballs above 95 miles an hour in professional baseball.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's a really unique fastball, but the selling point is actually the secondaries.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's incredible curve ball, tons of movement, and it's really, really hard.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's rare that you see a curve ball, a true curve ball that's sitting 88 miles an hour, old touch 90.

[SPEAKER_00]: Hopkins has one, as well as a variety of other breaking ball shapes, pretty decent change up.

[SPEAKER_00]: And the strike throwing and getting deeper into games is continue to get better.

[SPEAKER_00]: And the race cooks that out of pictures as well as anybody in

[SPEAKER_00]: in the game.

[SPEAKER_00]: So I'm pretty confident with him.

[SPEAKER_00]: But I do think if everything clicks and we get to the point where he has above average command, which isn't out of the realm of possibility, he could be a true dominant front of the rotation type arm.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like the upside is there because the stuff is so good.

[SPEAKER_00]: I don't know if you've anything else to add on Hopkins or if you want to jump in with with your pick here.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, no, I agree on everything.

[SPEAKER_01]: I saw Hopkins last spring training, and he was probably the best arm I saw, all the tire spring, and the arm talent is immense.

[SPEAKER_01]: The athleticism stands out.

[SPEAKER_01]: And as you said, it's the combination of the fastball shapes and then the quality of the secondary.

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, this is a guy who has, there's supreme upside here.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's just a matter of how many strikes is he gonna consistently throw and how's he gonna be able to come and his pitch.

[SPEAKER_01]: And if he does, yeah, I think you know, you're looking at a number two starter type.

[SPEAKER_01]: My son, my pick is going to be on the position player side of the ball on his death, Gillin, who was the raised first round pick back in 2024.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's been last year in Charleston, he said with a 433 on base, only a 387 slug.

[SPEAKER_01]: But I think that Colin Card here's, I think he can really hit and I think he's going to be on base.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think that foundation, I'm going to trust because the power is 6 to 2, I think it'll

[SPEAKER_01]: But if he hits like, you know, we have a potential point to on him if he hits like that, then this is a guy who's going to be a very valuable fantasy player.

[SPEAKER_01]: Regardless of where he plays defensively, because I think that's arguably one of the things holding it back in term overall prospect.

[SPEAKER_01]: This is the defense.

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, there's some question marks about that, but especially because of his arm strength.

[SPEAKER_01]: But don't, that's how he is as long as he's got playing time, which I think he will, because I think he's really going to hit.

[SPEAKER_01]: And so I think that he's someone who, the upside there,

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, he's got a potential chance to impact and the power is going to dictate the ceiling here, whether it gets to, you know, 50 anything higher, if it settles more in the 45 range, but if he's a five power guy, I think he's a potential first division regular.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I think you're right.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I think like you look at the size of of Gillen and, you know,

[SPEAKER_00]: well above average for his aid.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's just a matter of getting to a little bit more angles.

[SPEAKER_00]: The angles aren't bad though.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like it was a 12.2 degree launch angle 13.6 in the hard hits.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's 95 plus balls in play that a 5.2 on pole.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's like it's not bad.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think you can get some more power.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I think the other thing too is we might see more of it as he moves up gets into better hitting environments.

[SPEAKER_00]: that league, and we've talked about this before.

[SPEAKER_00]: The Carolina League is a really tough place to hit for power.

[SPEAKER_00]: I don't care what park you're in, and how short the fences are.

[SPEAKER_00]: They're just seems to be like thicker air, like a marine layer type of situation or something going on.

[SPEAKER_00]: And that stuff matters, man.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think people forget how much these environments, particularly in the minor leagues and the lower minors,

[SPEAKER_00]: you know, there's there's a human or there's no one trying to fix the effects.

[SPEAKER_00]: There's no one putting up, you know, something out in the right field to block the the wind gusts that comes in and knocks like, whatever, they're not fixed.

[SPEAKER_00]: Mr. Worcester, Worcester did that.

[SPEAKER_00]: Well, Worcester also probably like is a Janet Marie Smith designed minor.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's like the nicest mildly ballpark there is.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's like the Louis Vuitton of, uh,

[SPEAKER_00]: It's not only ball parts, like that hard food and some other ones that maybe show a few others.

[SPEAKER_00]: I haven't been to that.

[SPEAKER_00]: I know I've heard great things about.

[SPEAKER_00]: So you want to miss anybody.

[SPEAKER_00]: Let's go to underrated player here because we're snake in it.

[SPEAKER_00]: You get to go first Ian.

[SPEAKER_00]: Who's your underrated ray prospect?

[SPEAKER_01]: It's a tricky one, because I have a couple that I like, and I'm gonna zag and not pick the person that I originally was going to.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I'm gonna go with, this is, I know a J.J. Koo favorite, too.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's Nathan Fulawelling, he's a catcher.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's hovering, I think he's 10th on the raise list right now.

[SPEAKER_01]: Prior to trade, so he might be just outside the top 10 after the eight, and he's a catcher.

[SPEAKER_01]: And we talked about with Keegan, that catcher, the bar is so low.

[SPEAKER_01]: If you can get any sort of offense, potential with a catcher.

[SPEAKER_01]: and that's very valuable in fantasy.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think that following held as soon as an 18 year old, he had 233, 393, 341 in low-end, what you talk, park factors apply again here, but really intriguing impact potential, 105.190.7 max EV, which they forage, and he combines that with a really patient approach, 18% chase rate, 20% walk rate last year.

[SPEAKER_01]: That combination of approach and power is really intriguing to me a catcher,

[SPEAKER_01]: If he just hits enough I think there's there's a chance that he's someone who frankly next year could be pushing me like the top 100 fantasy prospects.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think there's a lot of upside here with him long term.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's just a matter of he's a young kid and it was just taking some time to figure it out.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think the last year was a good first step and it's kind of flying under the radar, especially because he's a Canadian high school kid who signed really young.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I feel like that's the arc type is a little bit of a later bloomer.

[SPEAKER_01]: So I think he's someone that that could take a really big step forward this season.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and he's a phenomenal athlete on top of that.

[SPEAKER_00]: So I think there's a lot of projection there.

[SPEAKER_00]: All the numbers kind of underneath the hood were better than the slash line was another guy that kind of got trapped.

[SPEAKER_00]: And that particular league and the park effects and all that sort of stuff.

[SPEAKER_00]: Somebody who benefited from it is going to be my pick.

[SPEAKER_00]: And that's Jose Irbina.

[SPEAKER_00]: Right-hand a picture.

[SPEAKER_00]: made it up to high a at the end of the year, had a phenomenal season though, made 20 starts, 2.15 VRA, 3.42 X-FIP, struck out a little bit over a batter in any 26.6%, K-8, 7.9% walk rate.

[SPEAKER_00]: the race once again with guys who throw strikes with really good stuff.

[SPEAKER_00]: He sat 96.2 is a 19-year-old he turned 20 years old at the beginning of November.

[SPEAKER_00]: So it will be 20 for all of this year, 21 for all next year.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's got its move fairly quickly.

[SPEAKER_00]: Still has a couple years left in terms of his 40

[SPEAKER_00]: But somebody who's really good stuff, you know, kind of a cutterish, gyro-y, mid-80s slider that I think maybe projects to add a couple of ticks.

[SPEAKER_00]: You could do something with it.

[SPEAKER_00]: Decent spin trade.

[SPEAKER_00]: He gets the curve ball up like 2800 averages like 2600 RPM.

[SPEAKER_00]: So there are some spin there.

[SPEAKER_00]: a little bit more of like a sweeper curve ball at 80, but kind of interesting and then a really good change up good vertical separation off of the fast ball not a ton of velocity separation, but it plays he got whipped pretty consistently with the slider with the curve ball with the change up.

[SPEAKER_00]: gets a ton of chases off of this fastball and this change up.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's a pretty good mix.

[SPEAKER_00]: Kind of a lower release height guy gets good extension a little bit more than his height, so it's about above average.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's probably the bucket out put the extension in.

[SPEAKER_00]: So kind of has all the traits there and a lot of strike throwing with enough stuff, enough release traits.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's somebody that, you know, 6364 decent builds still projectible already has good mechanics and stuff kind of bet in a little bit on on Jose or being I think he's one of the more interesting arms in the race system.

[SPEAKER_01]: Well, that it out.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, that's a good.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, they have a lot.

[SPEAKER_01]: I feel those onto the radar pitching types and they've done a very good job.

[SPEAKER_01]: of elevating them.

[SPEAKER_01]: So I think that's a really good one, especially given.

[SPEAKER_01]: I really like as that have a company stuff you said, but also don't walk guys already.

[SPEAKER_01]: Like JJ had a fact about him that he had walks zero or one batters and third 20 tharts.

[SPEAKER_01]: That's I think a lot to build on and we've seen the race of that success of that type of picture, of course.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm like St. Edgar Sparrow's comes to mind.

[SPEAKER_01]: So yeah, I like that's a good pick.

[SPEAKER_00]: All right, let's move on to the Baltimore Orioles now, Ian.

[SPEAKER_00]: Orioles aren't interesting team because they've made some upgrades on the major league roster this year.

[SPEAKER_00]: They've went and spent some money, brought in Peter Lanzo.

[SPEAKER_00]: They've added some players to the, you know, Chris Bassett, they added Shane Bass.

[SPEAKER_00]: So they're the rotations a little bit deeper.

[SPEAKER_00]: But let's talk about some 20, 26 contributors.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think there's some two obvious ones.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'll go first here.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'll leave the same up a silo.

[SPEAKER_00]: The same question you have with Bivers to this extent is it going to be full time at bats?

[SPEAKER_00]: Or is it going to be more of a strong side platoon, you know, as the left-handed bat in a platoon set up?

[SPEAKER_00]: Um, I think it's possible for both of them.

[SPEAKER_00]: There's a lot of mouths to feed, um, Tyler O'Neill is still making pretty decent money.

[SPEAKER_00]: And, you know, as a seasoned veteran, there's a lot to like with beavers.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think the ceiling for some folks.

[SPEAKER_00]: might be imagined to be a little bit higher than what I think it really isn't reality.

[SPEAKER_00]: He was good down the stretch in MLB 35 games hit 227 but 375 on base percentage 400s slug with four home runs and some stolen bases really high walk rate.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think you're going to get his walks.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think you know with enough it bats.

[SPEAKER_00]: You're looking at 15 to 17 homeruns and maybe 10 to 12 steals could score some runs and be valuable, but I do think the risk that you run with dealing beavers is full time playing time in 2026 more talking about him as a 2026 contributor.

[SPEAKER_00]: I don't know what your thoughts are on beavers and I feel like it's a lot of good skills, nothing to me that's really outlier including the hits will.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I think that's my issue is that I think there's a lot of Platoon risk with him, especially with the way the roster is constructed.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, you look at the number of right-handed hitting outfielders or kind of quarter guys they have is way too many.

[SPEAKER_01]: Frankly, this is besides going to run to the same issue, which we'll get to in a bit.

[SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, I'm not, I'm not as high as be on bevers as others.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think that there's the swing is a little wonky.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think that the way that he

[SPEAKER_01]: gets to it, like I think he's gonna take his blocks, but I just, I don't think the tools play as loud as they look on a spreadsheet and they never have.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think with guys like that, I'm gonna need to see it to be a bum wrong, I'm wrong.

[SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, he's someone to me that I think, you know, there's definitely questions this year about his playing time and frankly even going forward, I'm not sure.

[SPEAKER_01]: There's, there he's an eff, profile.

[SPEAKER_00]: All right, now who's your pick?

[SPEAKER_00]: Is it Bostyle?

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean it has to be beside, you know, one of the top 10 prospects in all of baseball, and even, and this is, you know, thankfully again for fantasy, really care defense as long as you got playing time because I think my biggest concern with him in, in, in, in an actual, as an actual prospect is where is he going to play because.

[SPEAKER_01]: is he a catcher or not?

[SPEAKER_01]: I think it's still up for debate.

[SPEAKER_01]: For now he can play it and but long term, I think there are definite questions talking to scouts, you know, there are some who are very skeptical about that.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's a big boy, you know, it's right now.

[SPEAKER_01]: He moves, he moves, he moves okay back there, but how is that body going to age?

[SPEAKER_01]: The arm is basically really good.

[SPEAKER_01]: That's the arm talent is there.

[SPEAKER_01]: then that's, you know, that's a saving grace for him behind the plate.

[SPEAKER_01]: But if he moves the first base, is he still going to be able to contribute her absolutely, like the the offensive upside potential here is really big, but it's not going to be as much as he is if he's a catcher, or at least maintains catcher eligibility.

[SPEAKER_01]: So.

[SPEAKER_01]: So you're at least he's going to actually don't know if he qualifies the catcher now that I'm about to say that I'm actually not sure he does, but I think that he's going to they found a way to have a role for him.

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, this is a guy who if he hits like we all think he can.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's got to be one of the probably one of the better power hitters in the rookie class and it's a potential above for shit tool and you combine those two things, you know.

[SPEAKER_01]: You look at his data, the EVs are insane, or 90th is 108.3, max EVs want 15.9, his average EV is 94, too.

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, those are some Roman Anthony like numbers.

[SPEAKER_01]: And we saw an Anthony was able to do it in the big leagues last year.

[SPEAKER_01]: Besides, you can get up to the majors, or if he makes the opening day roster, and you have those EVs, his impact ability combined with the angles.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's a really interesting profile offensively.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think there's going to be a lot of swing and miss and that's going to be the limiting factor.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think ultimately that's probably going to determine this playing time this year is how much contact you make because there is some decent as game.

[SPEAKER_01]: The contact is more average-ish, I think than above.

[SPEAKER_01]: But if he takes walks, he'll make up for some of the swing and miss, and as long as he's in a baseball, I think that he'll get playing time.

[SPEAKER_01]: So I think that a bassoil is someone who would the way the ore is a constructive even after acquiring a long, they're still pathway to him getting, you know, four inch plus plate of mierexes this year.

[SPEAKER_00]: I thought the chase was concerning, though, and it's, I mean, it's, I don't know, like, he's got it.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's pretty outrageous.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think it was close to 40%.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's got to really cut down on that.

[SPEAKER_00]: If, you know, he's going to sustain that little production that we saw in the miners.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think that's a tweak, though.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think that's some of that is just, you know, end of a long season being overwhelmed in a big spot trying to make some stuff happen.

[SPEAKER_00]: and maybe you swing at some pitches that you typically wouldn't.

[SPEAKER_00]: And he's already in aggressive hitters.

[SPEAKER_00]: So that's all part of the package.

[SPEAKER_00]: When we move on now to highest upside in the system, are you double an up on Bessaya or do you have another player in mind?

[SPEAKER_01]: It's hard want to go back to the same well again, but I think in this situation, it's more into just because of the level of the caliber of Prospect, the Silas.

[SPEAKER_01]: And by the way, right on the chase, that at the majors, it was around 40% overall for the years, just on it was around 32%, so definitely some warning signs there, but I mean, this is, this is, I think the defense comes in, because if he's a catcher with his offensive upside, you know, this is a guy who could probably

[SPEAKER_01]: over the next few years, you know, if you were doing that draft, who were, like, as Carter Jensen's a name, you probably throw on the mix there, like, contraris, obviously, would still be in it, but he's on short list.

[SPEAKER_01]: And with how little production and how quickly there is a drop off a catcher, I think that the silo ceiling at the buy the plate, if he can stick there, even enough gay qualify, has to keep him on the list above.

[SPEAKER_01]: I looked at the other options.

[SPEAKER_01]: There's some interesting

[SPEAKER_01]: 65 probably you know this is a well above average regular and I don't think the Orals have anyone else in the system with that kind of seal it

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I think that's, you know, if I'm gonna, I'm gonna zig here a little bit just to make it interesting and have another name to throw out there.

[SPEAKER_00]: But I think the easy answer, the honest answer is is, same with the silo.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm gonna go with Esteban Mejia.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's huge stuff.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's still super, super young, came states I've last year, made his full season debut.

[SPEAKER_00]: The command,

[SPEAKER_00]: still needs to come a long way.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's not in the zone enough, particularly with his big fastball.

[SPEAKER_00]: But this is a guy that sat 98 miles an hour, you know, hit 102 101.9

[SPEAKER_00]: So it wasn't technically one-o-two.

[SPEAKER_00]: We'll round up on that one.

[SPEAKER_00]: Has two fastball shapes.

[SPEAKER_00]: He will, you know, those the foreseamer and the sinker sinkers actually a little bit better.

[SPEAKER_00]: Hard slider, gyroslider has a change up to.

[SPEAKER_00]: There's some feel for spin, not outrageous.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's, you know, sort of more of a pronator.

[SPEAKER_00]: But it's an interesting mix.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think if you can coax more strikes out of it,

[SPEAKER_00]: Um, but it's going to have to be v-low and it's going to have to be better command because some of the release traits are just okay.

[SPEAKER_00]: He doesn't get down the mound that well.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's not big extension.

[SPEAKER_00]: You can get a little bit more out of out of them probably, um, but it is a lower release height is 5, 6.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's a lower arm slot and he throws smoke.

[SPEAKER_00]: probably ends up a reliever if I had to put money on it, but I do think if you're thinking upside here, you're thinking, you know,

[SPEAKER_00]: everything gets maxed out 90th percentile outcome.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's probably Estabond, Mahia, on the pitching side at least.

[SPEAKER_00]: So I'm going to go with that one.

[SPEAKER_00]: What's pivot over to underrated player?

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to talk about one of my favorite underrated players.

[SPEAKER_00]: And honestly, I think it's just a matter of him with them a ball a little bit more.

[SPEAKER_00]: And that is Arun Astrada.

[SPEAKER_00]: Second Baseman, he's played a few different positions.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's seen some time in the outfield, but probably a second baseman long term.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's a bat.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's very much a fantasy kind of a prospect.

[SPEAKER_00]: But he can really hit.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I think when I look at a player like this, I'm looking at really good EVs, I'm looking at excellent contact skills, a 16% in zone contact rate.

[SPEAKER_00]: But it's a higher swing rate, so it's decent swing decisions.

[SPEAKER_00]: Attacks a lot of pitches in the zone.

[SPEAKER_00]: 105.690th percentile.

[SPEAKER_00]: It is a 20 year old switch hitter.

[SPEAKER_00]: We know that some of the inconsistencies there, especially with two swings in terms of the power from both sides of the plate.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's pretty consistent.

[SPEAKER_00]: Angles aren't great.

[SPEAKER_00]: Not a guy that's pulling the ball in the air a whole lot.

[SPEAKER_00]: Some of that is gonna be, which side of the plate we're looking at and I have numbers that are blended.

[SPEAKER_00]: So I'll keep that in mind.

[SPEAKER_00]: But I do think, you look at the production, you look at the fact that he runs, you look at the underlying power that's there.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's not a matter of him.

[SPEAKER_00]: completely reworking the swing just kind of change in a couple of things in terms of that approach and it's the little bit of little tweaks I think you can get to more power and we could be talking about like an 18 home run guy with 25 steel something like that really low strike out rates, you know, got up to double a this year for 27 games hit 288366447 across 108 games that was between predominantly high a

[SPEAKER_00]: And then as I mentioned, the 27th game sample at the end of AA, we're by the way, he hit 355, 500 in the Eastern League with five home runs in those 27 games and some steals.

[SPEAKER_00]: So some power, some steals, low strikeout rate, maybe not going to set the world on fire in terms of the walk rate, but could improve in terms of the swing decisions.

[SPEAKER_00]: and some angles, I think he's a guy to gamble on a little bit, because he's still not somebody that's being rated as a consistent top 100 prospect, depending upon who your league mates are reading.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm kind of Ann Arun, as Droughty.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think he's an underrated player here in this Baltimore system.

[SPEAKER_00]: Let's say you, Ian, and who's your pick.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's a really good shout for me is the first actually of a few guys who fit this make they had a lot of guys in the I minors last year who are right on that reliever starter cut off.

[SPEAKER_01]: Guys like Brex and Brad.

[SPEAKER_01]: Leave out.

[SPEAKER_01]: Well, it's my choice is actually me nester her mom.

[SPEAKER_01]: And the thing that I really like about her mom is he's got to go to secondary potential plus secondary, which I think it's one like Wells who is more of a fastball dominant picture.

[SPEAKER_01]: Her mom's glitter is legit.

[SPEAKER_01]: This is a pitch last year in the minors.

[SPEAKER_01]: It had 50 years.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's been a 46% with rate on pi usage.

[SPEAKER_01]: It was a third most used pitch, but you know, he's throwing it like five percent at the time.

[SPEAKER_01]: So really good separation from his

[SPEAKER_01]: like throw off her strikes in addition to her head of the enough that he can get chases with it too.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's chase rates above 30 percent.

[SPEAKER_01]: You combine that with a fastball, IVB was 21 inches last year.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's got some interesting shape characteristics there.

[SPEAKER_01]: So not the fact it's not the hardest fastball, you know, he sits in like the load of mid 90s tops out around 97.

[SPEAKER_01]: But if you can take a step forward with his below and you find that with multiple secondaries that can be asked because he also got a slider.

[SPEAKER_01]: Um, and that had a decent with rare series of curveball like it's a diverse arsenal.

[SPEAKER_01]: I could see this guy slotting in the back end of rotation being, you know, like a number four starter for years to come.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's just a really nice around the arsenal.

[SPEAKER_01]: And, um, the splitter I think is a separate, I think it's a potential plus outpitch.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I really like that that pick and I think there's like you said like three or four guys kind of in the mixed there with the Orioles that kind of all fit that like upsideie back and roll that maybe there's more here than we even realize and you know could be could be one of the things that sustains this run if some of these guys to matriculate up in the next year or so and turn out to be you know real major league contributors.

[SPEAKER_00]: All right, and we're going to take a break, and then we come back, we're going to talk with you, no best that is Boston Red Sox prospects.

[SPEAKER_00]: We'll be right back after this.

[SPEAKER_00]: All right, and we are back Jeff Ponds, Ian Kendall, we are talking

[SPEAKER_00]: ALEAST prospects for fantasy baseball.

[SPEAKER_00]: Thanks for joining us.

[SPEAKER_00]: We've already talked the Baltimore Orioles.

[SPEAKER_00]: We talked about the temp bay race to open the show.

[SPEAKER_00]: Removing on to the red socks here in.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to kick it off so that way you have first pick on highest upside because I want to hear you talk about who that's on us.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to keep it really simple here.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think, you know, Peyton Toli, we'll see what the role is.

[SPEAKER_00]: It could be kind of a swingman situation where he's in a relief role where he pitches a couple innings maybe pitches out of some big spots against the lefty heavy lineup.

[SPEAKER_00]: I don't think that would be outrageous to see and then make some starts maybe at certain points in the season when

[SPEAKER_00]: injuries or fatigue start to set in a little bit, but they do have obviously great starting pitching depth.

[SPEAKER_00]: So how this all shakes out is really funny, but I do think he's a guy that's going to miss a lot of bats in a relief role, even if it's maybe a couple of innings or five outs.

[SPEAKER_00]: Just a nasty, lefty fastball.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think the secondary is hopefully we'll see take a step forward this year.

[SPEAKER_00]: I know it's something he was working on.

[SPEAKER_00]: So I'm going to go with totally, I'm going to leave you con the early, if that's who you want to talk about here.

[SPEAKER_00]: Um, because I think he might have a better chance of maybe being a starter this year, but I like kind of like totally and that like Michael King Yankees role where like he gets 80 innings, but pitches in a bunch of roles and has starting pitching relief pitching eligibility and you can kind of move and run your lineup.

[SPEAKER_00]: So I'm going to go with totally once you tell me who you're picking.

[SPEAKER_00]: I assumed it was early, but maybe it's someone different.

[SPEAKER_01]: No, it is going to be commonly early because I think early it's not a matter of if it's just a matter of when he gets called up to the majors, you know, they've, they're on talks have said it's a fifth starter competition at Johanna ov8.

[SPEAKER_01]: It was going to get the fifth starter roll out of camp barring injury, but I think early is going to be that six starter, you know, right on the edge and as soon as something happens or they need their picture.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's going to come up and I think that he's got the stuff that once he comes up, I don't think he's going to really push that rule.

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, this is a guy to me who profiles Pure Star.

[SPEAKER_01]: He took really, really big step forward last year and he's someone who, you know, the fastball is on the light side.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's added a tick of view and I think.

[SPEAKER_01]: and some more there, especially as the reports are, he's got stronger this winter, he's at a 10 plus pounds of muscle.

[SPEAKER_01]: So if he can maintain that and comes and then it's something that we've talked about with Red Sox personal before, if he can just maintain the velocity that he shows, especially early in K, like last year, he was like 90's during the spring break out game.

[SPEAKER_01]: For a left-handed picture, if he can be the head, instead of the 93, 92, 93, 94 that he usually is,

[SPEAKER_01]: complete ceiling or just jumps big time because his quality secondary is legit.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's got multiple badminton pitches.

[SPEAKER_01]: The change up is the bread and butter, potential plus offering.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's also got a spare car, also lighter.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's a bunch of different shapes.

[SPEAKER_01]: Can really miss bats with them.

[SPEAKER_01]: We saw it in his big league debut.

[SPEAKER_01]: He came or his big league stint last year.

[SPEAKER_01]: He came out and had four really good starts.

[SPEAKER_01]: pitch against, you know, some good line ups, the made the A's line up, which was one of the better ones in the second half of the year, looks silly if you took this head of just strikeouts, 29 strikeouts, and 19 big league innings.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't think you could hold that for an entire season, but I think, you know, this is a guy who had mid-Russian upside, and soon a rather good later.

[SPEAKER_01]: So, I think that, you know, it's not if anything happens with red stock starters, I could easily see a role with ethos, you know, between things

[SPEAKER_00]: All right, I agree, you know, I figured it was going to be one of the pictures here, which is funny because that's what they went out and signed this offseason in a quiet now.

[SPEAKER_01]: They have so it's funny.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's funny when you think about it, it's like, how high putter to be in drafts right now?

[SPEAKER_01]: And if they had like trade a brand mail or they'd not done the OV-8O trade.

[SPEAKER_01]: If there was a clear lean in to be the fifth starter or an opening to F-E-L-I-K, would be someone that'd be getting high drafts.

[SPEAKER_01]: But because they obviously went out and did that, he's, I feel like he might actually be decent value.

[SPEAKER_01]: The head, just especially if you drink the Red Sox starter.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, no, I think you're, I think you're completely right.

[SPEAKER_00]: All right, let's go to highest upside now.

[SPEAKER_00]: Who's your pick for highest upside in?

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it's a fall cause, I mean, you probably make a case it's totally, but we'll have some here and talk about Justin's all us because he is one of the most unique players in our hands, he's listed a six four two ten.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's not six four.

[SPEAKER_01]: He is I would guess six seven six six, probably 100 in power.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I see what you did there.

[SPEAKER_01]: There was a reason I had it.

[SPEAKER_01]: But he, he matches the ball, you know, this is the guy who's drunk from the ball.

[SPEAKER_01]: He got up to high A last year, there's a 19 year old.

[SPEAKER_01]: And his 90th percentile EEs are up there with, you know, MLB, good family players.

[SPEAKER_01]: 106.790th, 113.1, max EV.

[SPEAKER_01]: And the thing that's so unique with him is he doesn't at all.

[SPEAKER_01]: He combines extremely high EVs with a very little whiff rate because the swing is that long.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's a 24% overall straight last year, only 7% zone.

[SPEAKER_01]: You will chase a little bit.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's a little aggressive, which is understand it was a 19 year old.

[SPEAKER_01]: But his impact abilities unique is, you know, there's no loss in the system of the road that you have that type of impact ability.

[SPEAKER_01]: He was here at the top of their prospect list.

[SPEAKER_01]: And the problem with him is just his ankles are rough.

[SPEAKER_01]: The thing is it's very short for a big guy, you know, you don't see many six, seven guys who have his long levers as he does that it is quick to the ball and it works and it's not great, but it can give off the result is very high ground ball rate ground ball rate last year was I want to say.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's about 50 and doesn't pull the ball in the air consistently.

[SPEAKER_01]: The launch angles are low and it's just, he's a swing, one swing change away coming, you know, one of the best power hitting prospects.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think the Red Sox system, potentially like the American League East, that's the kind of upside he has.

[SPEAKER_01]: It just requires that swing change and, you know, early reports are from spring training that,

[SPEAKER_01]: And there might be a breakout happening.

[SPEAKER_01]: So I think he's someone, if you have a chance to get in early on him, worth it, because the payoff here in the long term is substantial.

[SPEAKER_01]: This guy who could develop into one of the better power hitters in minor league baseball, if he can make unnecessary adjustments at the plate.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I think you're right and I left him for you because I know there's been, you know, some recent videos of, you know, a little bit more elevation, a little more loft in the bat path.

[SPEAKER_00]: And, um,

[SPEAKER_00]: These are the kind of guys that you gamble on, right, especially on their really guys.

[SPEAKER_00]: And there's a good athletic engine.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's the type of player that you want to gamble on because I don't want to be redundant.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I think that Gonzales was obviously the best pick.

[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, we want Valera on the pitching side.

[SPEAKER_00]: So I'll mix it up.

[SPEAKER_00]: Go with the pitcher here.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think Valera is right in the mix in terms of talent and upside with

[SPEAKER_00]: any of these red socks items we're talking about, including Peyton Tully, you know, sits 96, 97 miles an hour, touches a hundred and he's been up with the 100, 100, 102, I think, and maybe even some games that you've seen them, yep, one of the, I think it's the max, it's kind of a cut fastball, it doesn't get a ton of ride, maybe like to see a little more ride out of that pitch, but does get a ton of cut, the road is it's super hard, it's pretty

[SPEAKER_00]: decent extension down the mound.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's in the zone at ton with that pitch.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's in the zone at ton with a slider as well.

[SPEAKER_00]: Gets in the zone with a sweeper.

[SPEAKER_00]: It strikes with power.

[SPEAKER_00]: Some feel for spin.

[SPEAKER_00]: Different movement traits.

[SPEAKER_00]: You know, he's got

[SPEAKER_00]: a change up that moves arm side.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's got a sweeper that moves glove side.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's got the slider in between and he's got the cut, you know, forcing or cut fastball.

[SPEAKER_00]: And he gets him to zone.

[SPEAKER_00]: You know, the only one that's really truly a chase pitch I would say is the change up.

[SPEAKER_00]: Just a matter of health, staying on the mound consistently.

[SPEAKER_00]: But there's a ton of upside here with the layer.

[SPEAKER_00]: I don't know if you have any other thoughts on him.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I completely agree.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think there's bulldozer, I can miss bass.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think that he's getting a little undervalued because he missed most of the last season with an injury.

[SPEAKER_01]: He only threw around like 40, 40, and so.

[SPEAKER_01]: But excuse me, 38 and he's.

[SPEAKER_01]: But I, yeah, I think it's a great choice.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think that he's someone who the fastball allowed.

[SPEAKER_01]: Secondaires are good any throw ton of strikes and kind of go back to what we're talking about for their being a I really like guys with this type of profile Who are you showing the aptitude strike this?

[SPEAKER_01]: You know that's something when we say oh you can develop a layer sometimes it doesn't come but the they will he's already got that baseline with the strike throwing that You know worst case you're probably looking at can be a revert and then if you can stay in the rotation long-term Yeah, there's very high-suffilling here with with his type of arsenal.

[SPEAKER_01]: He is the arm talent that you know these times don't grow on trees

[SPEAKER_00]: All right, let's move on to underrated player just kind of tough with some of these systems in terms of like who's actually underrated because I feel like, you know, you guys obviously it sucks prospects.

[SPEAKER_00]: You such a good job of covering the system.

[SPEAKER_00]: And it's a fan base that's plugged into the minor leagues more than probably some other teams fan bases are, especially the depth, but I'm going to go with sad bill Delzine, I'm sure I've put you some part of that, but he was one of their big signings in the 2025 international class big six foot five right handed picture debuted in the DSL, the numbers are like okay, but it was only 9.1 innings.

[SPEAKER_00]: got hit maybe more than he would like.

[SPEAKER_00]: But I still think there is quite a bit to like here with Dellsene.

[SPEAKER_00]: The Velo was really good for a younger pitcher, you know, sat 94 to 95, touch 96, 97, gets ride with some arm side run.

[SPEAKER_00]: Not crazy extension.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's a higher release height, but generates the kind of prerequisite movement you need with.

[SPEAKER_00]: a higher release height guy like this, and I don't think the release height numbers are always so precise.

[SPEAKER_00]: Hasn't feel for spin as a couple of different breaking ball shapes.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's super far away and it's a very small sample size that we're dealing with here.

[SPEAKER_00]: But I think somebody that we can look back in a couple of years and be like, all right, like this was a really nice ball of clay that, you know, the Red Sox pitch of development turned into something.

[SPEAKER_00]: So we'll see, you know, how long he makes it in the system without getting traded, but I do think he's an interesting prospect.

[SPEAKER_00]: We're talking about some of the more underrated guys in the Red Sox system.

[SPEAKER_00]: Any thoughts on Delzine?

[SPEAKER_00]: And who's your pickyin?

[SPEAKER_00]: I think that's great choice.

[SPEAKER_01]: He was someone who's been a lot of high classes, but obviously he got it kind of started because of the injuries, but I think that the robot side is there and I think the ball of clay common is very apt because this is this he's, you know, the Red Sox is on a really job of painting pictures who come in with a certain baseline Italian and.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's got that arm ability with the fastball velocity, you know, 17 year old is already pitching in the high 90s and got a pretty good breaking ball to and, you know, the things that they're good at developing on is finding pitch shapes there, they're one I think the better or is it doing that and they do a very good job just I think with with maintaining their pitchers, you know, you look what they've done with pain to Holy Connellierly like so many guys take a step forward and I think

[SPEAKER_01]: Once does he income states I wish it happened this year.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think he's a guy who could take a really big step forward, especially if he starts to show out in the FCL.

[SPEAKER_01]: So good buying opportunity here, really on in the process.

[SPEAKER_01]: For me, I think there's a few that fit.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm actually going to go a little more off the board though, because I think like Anthony, I and sin, but he was he last year, so and he hasn't pitched yet in the pro ball, so there's not a lot of data there.

[SPEAKER_01]: And he has a car's another one who's one of my personal favorites who I think takes a really big step forward.

[SPEAKER_01]: But I an unarmed in the system that I really like as John Hall of that's he came over last year in the Queen Priestard grade and his fastball is legit.

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, it's one better stuff that's foul balls in the system.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's the shapes are really good.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's high IV, flat approach angle, really low release hype, but also plus extension.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I guess you with him last year, and he throws a ton of strikes with it.

[SPEAKER_01]: Like it was a 71% strike percentage last year.

[SPEAKER_01]: They guess you for him last year was secondaries were rough.

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, it's a frenzy below average secondaries.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's made some changes for those this year.

[SPEAKER_01]: And the earlier reports coming out of camp are that they might be taking.

[SPEAKER_01]: And if they take, I think that you come and his proximity.

[SPEAKER_01]: This is a guy probably could be in the big leagues.

[SPEAKER_01]: I would say in the next two years.

[SPEAKER_01]: And he has the baseline with the fastball.

[SPEAKER_01]: And it was just about finding secondaries.

[SPEAKER_01]: If you improve, you know, with a bullet slider in a different change up grip, those pitches even get to average.

[SPEAKER_01]: This is a guy who could be a back-end starter, and I think that there's a lot of value and profile.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's really especially with a guy like him, there's a ton of strikes, you know.

[SPEAKER_01]: This is a guy who's not going to walk guys, he's not going to kill you in the ratios.

[SPEAKER_01]: And, I mean, we saw with Cutter Crawford, you know, this is Cutter Crawford, a cut people for, I think he gets forgot a little bit because he's missed last season.

[SPEAKER_01]: But a couple of years ago, he's almost like a three-war pitcher who had good ratios, you know, and just make him in the innings.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think all of that has a chance to be that type of profile, like a back end guy.

[SPEAKER_01]: There was a ton of innings because he throws a ton of strikes, doesn't walk guys, doesn't kill you in the ratios.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think he can just take that stuff forward with the secondaries.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's a really interesting fantasy play prospect in the future.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I, I 100% agree with you there.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think he's super interesting and, you know, the growth in the secondary side of things can turn him into another arm.

[SPEAKER_00]: They're chock full of them in the red stock system.

[SPEAKER_00]: So I think that's why we've, we've gone to so many of them throughout this.

[SPEAKER_00]: We really only talked about one hitter.

[SPEAKER_01]: Let's move on.

[SPEAKER_01]: That's the, that's the system now.

[SPEAKER_01]: No, I was just saying that's their system now.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's very pitching heavy.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think you're a hundred percent spot on accurate with that.

[SPEAKER_00]: Let's move on to the next one here.

[SPEAKER_00]: That is the dreaded New York Yankees.

[SPEAKER_00]: All right, Ian.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to put you on the spot here.

[SPEAKER_00]: You start us off.

[SPEAKER_00]: Who is your Yankees?

[SPEAKER_00]: 2026.

[SPEAKER_00]: Contribute.

[SPEAKER_01]: Uh, this is, it's, it's an interesting one because I, I don't, I don't think, especially after some soft season.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's not the best system.

[SPEAKER_01]: But, um, looking at the list right now, I would have to say Carlos Lagaronne, I believe I pronounced that quickly.

[SPEAKER_01]: Um, I think it's another guy who the arm talent is there.

[SPEAKER_01]: He probably comes out as a reliever.

[SPEAKER_01]: But,

[SPEAKER_01]: guys who throw his heart as he does, he's up to 102, 103 miles an hour and I think there's already a video out there from him spring training of facing, I think it was Aaron Judge or one of the other big league bat striking aim.

[SPEAKER_01]: The fastball skewch, the sliders and their secondaries that can miss bats, slider cutters sweeper all potentially above average.

[SPEAKER_01]: The strikes are a major question mark and you know it's a six seven frame long lever, you know it's the

[SPEAKER_01]: But if you can have your harness, his raw stuff, it's got to be the probably the loudest stuff at the entire system.

[SPEAKER_01]: And everything misses bats.

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, it's bunch of pitches like that.

[SPEAKER_01]: Everything is hard, except it's pretty good.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's like, you know, the sweeper has some good horizontal.

[SPEAKER_01]: change about some depth.

[SPEAKER_01]: So yeah, I think that it's just the ceiling is there and I think I'll be going this year and has a chance to pitch in the bullpen probably later in the season.

[SPEAKER_01]: It might be it might be someone who, you know, you can get some holds out of this year of the eye towards becoming a star future because the feeling if you can stick to the rotation is pretty eye my opinion.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah and the way they've been positioning him, it would shock me if he's up even earlier than we think.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, we threw a lot more innings in a way more strikes than I think people give him credit for.

[SPEAKER_00]: So, I love the Gronhan.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think even when we're talking highest upside, we won't mention him, but I think he could kind of be obvious.

[SPEAKER_00]: answer there again.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to go with a rule five pick because it's in my blood shot out to my boy JJ Cooper.

[SPEAKER_00]: Kate Windquest came out of the cardinal system.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to be in a relief role.

[SPEAKER_00]: Orty seems to videos that they have him working with a new sinker.

[SPEAKER_00]: Always had Velo in the arm.

[SPEAKER_00]: The release trades are pretty good.

[SPEAKER_00]: Good extension, just a matter of it doesn't really get behind the fore seem spin it efficiently, that's kind of always been an issue throws plenty of strikes.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's got feel for spin, you know, had three different breaking ball shapes and curveball cutter and the sweeper already has that Yankees don't have to add and I think adding that sinker.

[SPEAKER_00]: knowing what the arm talent is here, the fact that he does through a fair amount of strikes, knows how to pitch.

[SPEAKER_00]: That he could be an interesting, like, relief holds guy that you could maybe grab.

[SPEAKER_00]: We'll see if he makes it and sticks with the team or not, so there's some risk there.

[SPEAKER_00]: But I do think Kade Windquest is kind of an interesting one.

[SPEAKER_00]: If only for, for 2026 value.

[SPEAKER_00]: All right, let's move it on to the next one here.

[SPEAKER_00]: Highest upside.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm gonna keep it easy, man.

[SPEAKER_00]: Gonna go with DAX Kilbee.

[SPEAKER_00]: If you saw it, we're F-L-I-P-D shows.

[SPEAKER_00]: Sorry, we're gonna say.

[SPEAKER_00]: No, I just said that's your guy, you have to.

[SPEAKER_00]: My guy, yeah, that'd go with Killby.

[SPEAKER_00]: Huge athlete, crazy good stuff.

[SPEAKER_00]: When you're talking about speed, you're talking about power, you're talking about contacts, wing decisions, needs to lift the ball a little bit more.

[SPEAKER_00]: We've talked about a few guys like that today.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think it even gets to that in the next year.

[SPEAKER_00]: We could see it in camp.

[SPEAKER_00]: I haven't seen any video yet, so we'll see.

[SPEAKER_00]: Could be really, really, really interesting stuff.

[SPEAKER_00]: Gonna go with Killby there.

[SPEAKER_00]: I don't think I have to talk about it too much.

[SPEAKER_00]: Who's your pickyin?

[SPEAKER_01]: I might last the Titanic here, no, I'm just kidding.

[SPEAKER_01]: But I still believe in George Lombard Jr.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think the talent is still a mess here.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think that we saw the beginning of break last year in HyA.

[SPEAKER_01]: He got aggressively pushed up the AA as a 20 year old.

[SPEAKER_01]: Obviously, he's had some struggles there.

[SPEAKER_01]: But it's the guy who's 60, he's really good athlete.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's the underlying data.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think his stronger and you'd expect given his stat line.

[SPEAKER_01]: three to ninety if one eleven max or both above average for an age he doesn't chase sixteen percent chase rate last year and i think just matter of if he can improve the angles and consistently pull ball here because he with his frame and his EVs he should have power i just think it's going to take some time to it if he can ever you know consistently pull the ball in the air i think that there's a chance for you know average to above average hit and power here and he's going to say up

[SPEAKER_01]: Well, you have a short stop with those kind of that upside at the plate.

[SPEAKER_01]: That means, you know, potential every day, a killer, and even the stock is falling a little bit in fantasy.

[SPEAKER_01]: Me, he, he, someone I'm still very, and on and I think, upside could be more is going to be a reward to our patients patient here.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, no, um, I don't think you're wrong with that man, but

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, we have to see what happens.

[SPEAKER_00]: I honestly wonder how he would have been viewed if he was like in high A until July, right?

[SPEAKER_00]: And then struggled in like August.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like people would look at him completely differently than they do.

[SPEAKER_00]: All right, hit your a pic, though, if I'm not mistaken, on the most underrated player in this Yankee system.

[SPEAKER_00]: We talked about this before the show off air,

[SPEAKER_00]: This was probably the toughest particular category of any team that we had to pick.

[SPEAKER_00]: So who's your pick here?

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I think there's only really two options.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think it both are similar profiles and that they were highly pedigree international findings with really rugged injury over the last few years.

[SPEAKER_01]: So I'm going to take the position play here and go with Brando Maya.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think he was off to a really hard yell-up here that he got hurt again, which has kind of been something that's happened a lot in his career.

[SPEAKER_01]: He signed back in 2023 for 4.35 million.

[SPEAKER_01]: the tools are still there like you look at the underlying data and there's some really good EVs here for his age and you know 106.5 90th 109.6 max.

[SPEAKER_01]: angles need work, but you know that's under it's just the contact is the question here, but it was such a small sample.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't know, you know, there might have been able to get more as the season went on in the limit.

[SPEAKER_01]: We asked under a hundred plate appearances decent, you know, fair contact rate was below 70% in the winter eight was above 25% chase rate was elevated, but

[SPEAKER_01]: The rock bulls are there, you know, the pedigree is there.

[SPEAKER_01]: The impact is there.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's just a matter of if you can hit or not and, you know, that's something that I think we're going to need to see more time from him.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm willing to be patient because I think there could be a payoff if you can just show what a healthy season looks like for him.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I think you're right, it's it'll be interesting to see how that translates because, you know, they've had these international signings that signed for big money decent amount of hype and guys that just don't pay off like Roderick RIS is obviously one that comes to mind.

[SPEAKER_00]: Somebody that played in the F-C-F-S-L.

[SPEAKER_00]: Excuse me, you know, F-C-L.

[SPEAKER_00]: Excuse me, F-C-L with Roderacarius.

[SPEAKER_00]: Henry Lollane, big six foot seven lefty.

[SPEAKER_00]: When I saw this guy on the backfields back in August of 2023, he sat 93 to 96.

[SPEAKER_00]: He touched 97 miles an hour.

[SPEAKER_00]: It was like,

[SPEAKER_00]: 17 to 18 inches a ride.

[SPEAKER_00]: Really good change up.

[SPEAKER_00]: We've spent in a decent slider as well.

[SPEAKER_00]: It was just getting tons of waves throwing strikes.

[SPEAKER_00]: You know, every bit is good.

[SPEAKER_00]: If not better in some people's eyes, then Carlos Lagrange is teammate and rotation made on that team.

[SPEAKER_00]: But he's been injured pretty much every season since 2023.

[SPEAKER_00]: So, you know, 24 total 12.1 innings, 25, 19.1.

[SPEAKER_00]: The fastball now is sat like 91 in the games that he has pitched in.

[SPEAKER_00]: We know what it's been when he is healthy and it's all there.

[SPEAKER_00]: So, I think he's still a guy that's a little bit underrated just from the sense of, you wanna gamble on it now that he's probably free.

[SPEAKER_00]: Even in shit, you know,

[SPEAKER_00]: Deeper dynasty leagues, roots are very, very shallow waver wire.

[SPEAKER_00]: There's not much out there.

[SPEAKER_00]: I bet a little on a might be available on a lot of those leagues.

[SPEAKER_00]: We might be worth a flyer just to see if he comes back strong in 26 and beyond.

[SPEAKER_00]: All right, let's cap it off here.

[SPEAKER_00]: Toronto Blue Jays and us, what everybody's been waiting for.

[SPEAKER_00]: The AL Raining AL Champions system that I cover, so it's near and dear to my heart.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm gonna kick it off.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm gonna make it easy.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to take RJ Shrek as my 2026 contributor.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to leave you.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to try to have it make it easy.

[SPEAKER_00]: I like RJ Shrek.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think when you look at the outfield picture right now in Toronto, there's some mouths to feed, but like, I don't know, like, how much do you really believe in, like, Nathan Lucas?

[SPEAKER_00]: You know, as Haysu Sanchez going to break through and, you know, provide every day value when there's guides on his heels, um, you know, and is Aquamodo going to play third base and is springer going to stay healthy at DH and, you know, as barge are going to be the right field or every day.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think barge show will be the center fielder.

[SPEAKER_00]: I do think there is a scenario with some injuries that RJ Shrek, who is not in the 40 men roster yet, but is

[SPEAKER_00]: You know, facing his decision next off season.

[SPEAKER_00]: I do think he gets added.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think he could maybe be like a sneaky sleeper here.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm pushing it a little bit because your savage is obviously obvious one.

[SPEAKER_00]: But I figured as the Blue Jays guy, I should take the less obvious answer.

[SPEAKER_00]: So I'm going with Shrek.

[SPEAKER_00]: I believe in the hit tool.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's translated in terms of the contact, the swing decisions all the way up to AAA.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's not awful, and some of that I think is.

[SPEAKER_00]: part of his game in terms of making contact with a variety of different pitch shapes, all sorts of stuff.

[SPEAKER_00]: Pretty good outfield as well, can play all three outfield positions.

[SPEAKER_00]: Maybe more of like a high end 45, but it is a really good hit tool.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I do think there's a chance to sky steps in the big leagues and can hit like 26270 with a little bit of pop run a little bit.

[SPEAKER_00]: And just be a good hit or that kind of fits that BlueJays mantra of good hit tools and quality at bats.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to go with RJ Shrek, and I assume you're going with your savage, so I'll let you tuck tray to savage.

[SPEAKER_01]: I am.

[SPEAKER_01]: You a nice aloeoeop there, giving me the the easy bucket here.

[SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, your savage, obviously, we saw what he did last season, had a historic world series as a rookie with a guy with such minimal experience, made three starts in the majors, saw the passing ability, saw the raw stuff, then again, and the playoffs he was even better.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think this year, you look, you know, he's someone who they're counting on to be a key contributor to the rotation Chris pass it's gone, they've got he's going to have to step in and fill that fill a roll, you know, pitching in the middle of that rotation for the entire season and yeah, I don't know if there's there's a lot to talk about with him because ever in seeing it, but, you know, fast the combination, the release height combination of release height, yeah, an extension is just very unique.

[SPEAKER_01]: I know I've been doing some work on pictures in the top 100 it.

[SPEAKER_01]: He is the highest release site I think of anyone over the last five years of the data we have of top 100 pitching prospects.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's just a very unique angle and you saw how much trouble it gave gave hitters.

[SPEAKER_01]: So I think that he's someone that you're looking if he can have a um if he can pitch in the middle of a rotation this year.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's going to be a very valuable player for fantasy.

[SPEAKER_00]: do not disagree.

[SPEAKER_00]: All right, so the highest upside in the BlueJay system, who's your pick?

[SPEAKER_00]: It's kind of an interesting one, because I think there's a few answers.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, this isn't you're seeing and I think you could make the case for your savage, but I'm going to I'm going to zag a little bit and go with Jojo Parker First round, take last year short stop out of Mississippi.

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, we've seen the Mississippi store short stops are kind of pattern of renaissance right now with a because Connor Griffin obviously the number one prospect in baseball was at one time in Mississippi short stop.

[SPEAKER_01]: But

[SPEAKER_01]: I think Parker, you know, he's got the tools you look for in an FYPD player and then as a young prototypical shortstop, six foot two, good athlete, you know, predictable frame, strong already, but more projection of potential above average hit and power, you know, more average just run, but.

[SPEAKER_01]: You see a short-solve long term C, maybe it's a third basement, but either way if he gets to, you know, Obama average hit in power, this is a guy who has a chance to be a very, very valuable contributor, both in real life and in fantasy.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think that the ceiling here is pretty high, you know, you're looking at a potential, the ceiling here is well above average regular probably.

[SPEAKER_01]: So it's going to tie in a brilliant, but I think the weight could be a really big payoff, especially if you can get it early in your FYPV draft.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I totally agree with that.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think Park is a good one.

[SPEAKER_00]: God, I'm in a few FYPDs so far and it's kind of a fun year where the Japanese players and some of those guys spending Cody Potts and those guys that might be available for your FYPD, depending upon what the rules are.

[SPEAKER_00]: Sometimes those guys are pushing guys like Parker down a little bit to a spot where maybe you get him at 7 or 8 and that's a great

[SPEAKER_00]: landing spot and a ton of value there.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think it terms of what the upside is.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to go with the other top middle and fielder in this system also on the top 100 someone who's had really uneven years, but it's been really, really good when he's been good and really bad when he's bad and that's Argentimala.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think if you consistently put it together, resolve the hit tool, take some steps forward, despite those struggles, the strikeout rate really never spike to a level that was concerning.

[SPEAKER_00]: A lot of it, as we talked about on other podcasts, I think was just kind of contact point, getting in front on stuff, not sitting back and catching the barrel cleanly consistently.

[SPEAKER_00]: Some of it I think we've had to do with this footwork and kind of placement.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's all tweaks that they had to make previously, and we saw what that didn't let second half of 2024, and then bled into the beginning of the first half of 2025.

[SPEAKER_00]: They give you, you can consistently find that there's power here, there's speed, there's really good infield defense.

[SPEAKER_00]: could be a guy that sticks a short stop for a long time.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's for a 250 average with 25 home runs and some stolen bases as well.

[SPEAKER_00]: I do think that Argentimals has a ton of upside.

[SPEAKER_00]: We're going to talk underrated player now in the BlueJ system.

[SPEAKER_00]: I wanted to double up on RJ Shrek.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm not going to do that.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm not going to steal your guy in

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to talk a little bit about Ricky Teeven, I'm I'm kidding around everybody expects me to come in, just knock down the glass and talk about Ricky Teeven, but I'm not.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think there's actually a few really good options here.

[SPEAKER_00]: This guy's in the top 10, but I think Jake Bloss is being a little bit underrated.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think when you look at this is something that

[SPEAKER_00]: Long time fantasy writer, you know, did some podcasts with the athleticist while Ian Khan had a whole thing about when you add Tommy John guys.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I think it was actually a really good perspective.

[SPEAKER_00]: We're going to put you a little bit, but there's a period after they get hurt with the values at the lowest.

[SPEAKER_00]: There's also this other period where it's kind of this middle ground where they're like five to six months out from returning from surgery and blocks is kind of in that window right now where he could get some innings at the end of the year could be really good is on the 40 man roster could be a team that's like hey we got some older starters.

[SPEAKER_00]: We're going to skip some starts here in August, yada, yada, yada.

[SPEAKER_00]: Bloss could be a guy that comes back into the rotation.

[SPEAKER_00]: Looks really good.

[SPEAKER_00]: And then all of a sudden, you have kind of a young starter that's, you know, on the edge of getting a decent amount of innings and a big innings jump in 2027.

[SPEAKER_00]: So there's a little bit of risk that comes with that.

[SPEAKER_00]: But I do think Bloss is a good one.

[SPEAKER_00]: Ian, finish this off here on this ALE's podcast.

[SPEAKER_00]: Who is your underrated

[SPEAKER_01]: You did mention already, it is Jake Cook, who was the Blue J's third round pick out of Southern Miss last year.

[SPEAKER_01]: And the reason I like Cook is I, I, I was a caution of a few things that I think give him a high floor.

[SPEAKER_01]: And then the question is the ceiling, the side is going to be determined by how he, how he, how he much stronger than half ability develops, because Cook is one of the highest contact race and all of college baseball last year.

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, it's like of 90% on top, it's just really, really good feel for putting the bat on the baseball.

[SPEAKER_01]: The impact is not there at all.

[SPEAKER_01]: The barrel percentage is low, the 90th is around 100 miles and the hours hard hit rate was 25% with metal bats which is not great.

[SPEAKER_01]: But he's 6385 pounds going to a professional weight room.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think there's some swing changes here that they can make hopefully to get him to tap into some of his added strength, which obviously, you know, we're making some assumptions here.

[SPEAKER_01]: But the thing that drizzin' the high floor to me is that he's an 80 speed.

[SPEAKER_01]: Was he a good baby?

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, it did not steal as many bases as you'd expect for someone with his type of speed.

[SPEAKER_01]: But got 80 speed and he's a plus defender.

[SPEAKER_01]: And make contact, steal bases, and play good defense.

[SPEAKER_01]: There's a role for you in the major leagues.

[SPEAKER_01]: And look at Miles Strauss and what on the blue chase.

[SPEAKER_01]: Like he stuck around for a long doing jump to that.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think that Coke has a chance to get to that type of role.

[SPEAKER_01]: And if you can add some impact, might be even more here.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I just, when I see a six three guy with those type of EVs and that type of impact or lack of impact right now.

[SPEAKER_01]: If taking that guy in the third round, you have to think you can kind of fix that.

[SPEAKER_01]: And so I think cook is represents pretty good value.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's kind of a later round, FYPD sleeper, who, you know, again early, there might be a pretty big reward here, because if he can even get to like 40 power with that type of contact and speed, that could be a really valuable fantasy contributor.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I 100% agree.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think that's a really good call out.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's why I had him high on our list.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think he's a guy that could be a little bit sort of underrated.

[SPEAKER_00]: As you talked about, I think that there's maybe more here in the lead athlete, somebody that was a two-way guy that kind of came to hitting late was primarily a pitcher.

[SPEAKER_00]: He factor all that in.

[SPEAKER_00]: There might even be swing change stuff where this guy gets to like 45 power.

[SPEAKER_00]: you know, good luck.

[SPEAKER_00]: Really good call out there.

[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you Ian for stepping in and joining me on this one.

[SPEAKER_00]: We're going to move on to another a.l central division next week.

[SPEAKER_00]: Talk a little bit about those teams.

[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you guys.

[SPEAKER_00]: Had a lot of the chew on here.

[SPEAKER_00]: Thanks for tuning in.

[SPEAKER_00]: Thanks for subscribing.

[SPEAKER_00]: This has been the baseball America fantasy podcast.