[SPEAKER_01]: Welcome back to another episode of the baseball America fancy podcast.

[SPEAKER_01]: This is Jeff Ponce alongside me today is my colleague here at Baseball America.

[SPEAKER_01]: Jacob Rudner, who heads all of our college coverage.

[SPEAKER_01]: Of course, do some work with him on that side.

[SPEAKER_01]: And it's been a little bit since we last recorded, just been some scheduling things, of course, we've had a couple of top 500 updates, we have another one of those coming out for you next week prior to many of your trade deadlines in your dynasty and fantasy leagues, so hopefully we're able to help with that.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I just updated Jacob or put together, didn't really update.

[SPEAKER_01]: It is the first version of our first-year player draft rankings looking at all of the 20, 26 drafts.

[SPEAKER_01]: These, of course, it's kind of a tricky time to do a top 100 because not all players have signed, but most of the players that we have ranked at this point have signed with their respective teams, or we have a good feel that they're going to.

[SPEAKER_01]: So we'll see where that goes.

[SPEAKER_01]: trying to think of it.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think it was servantace.

[SPEAKER_01]: I had to remove and then Mason LaGanza from Pit, right?

[SPEAKER_01]: I remember that correctly.

[SPEAKER_01]: So I think those were the two guys that I had to remove from their rankings that didn't sign.

[SPEAKER_01]: So there could be sun, but Jacob, man, how are you feeling?

[SPEAKER_01]: A little, little breather after a very busy few months?

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, yeah.

[SPEAKER_00]: No, a little bit of a breather.

[SPEAKER_00]: I apologize to the people who are listening to this, who I am in fantasy leagues with.

[SPEAKER_00]: I have neglected my fantasy responsibilities now for several months.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I'm sure that I'm that guy in every league that I'm in right now.

[SPEAKER_00]: But other than that, no, I'm good.

[SPEAKER_00]: And it's going to be back on this podcast for the first time in a while.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, no, 100%, I totally agree with you on that.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's exciting stuff.

[SPEAKER_01]: Glad to be back talking some fantasy.

[SPEAKER_01]: Dylan's on vacation.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think he'll be back next week and we'll be back to our regularly scheduled podcast and programming all throughout the season and then to the off season.

[SPEAKER_01]: So be ready for that.

[SPEAKER_01]: But let's talk a little bit of this FYPD.

[SPEAKER_01]: Let's talk a little bit about the question at the top.

[SPEAKER_01]: I kind of mentioned it in our rankings that I view it as a one A one B situation.

[SPEAKER_01]: I have a stronger preference toward Emerson particularly in fantasy.

[SPEAKER_01]: I talked to you a little bit about this before the show.

[SPEAKER_01]: I do think the dynamics of your league how deep your league is.

[SPEAKER_01]: needs of your particular team, frankly, and kind of your competitive window.

[SPEAKER_01]: That if you're in this shorter competitive window, let's say the next year or two, 27, 28, I think Chalowski can make a lot of sense with that number one pick, especially if you're sort of like a short stop away or an infield or middle infield spot away, kind of putting your team over the top and that sort of competitive space.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think it makes a lot of sense there, so your team context certainly can come into play.

[SPEAKER_01]: All things being equal, and you're a bad team who's rebuilding, which is most of the teams are going to draft first overall in an FYPD setting.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think I'm going with Emerson because I think there's a little bit higher upside from a fantasy perspective.

[SPEAKER_01]: There's a little bit more speed.

[SPEAKER_01]: Though the power grade is down by a full grade, I do think potentially Emerson can get some more power over time.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think there's just as polished of a hit tool.

[SPEAKER_01]: So when I kind of look at all or better.

[SPEAKER_01]: So I kind of look at all those factors.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't care about defense all that much.

[SPEAKER_01]: Of course, but I think Emerson's going to play a position that's kind of the check box we have to have is like this guy good enough to play a position every day in the big leagues.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, after we get past that, we don't care if you're a gold glove or a middle of the road sort of defender.

[SPEAKER_01]: Where do you fall on this?

[SPEAKER_01]: I, I

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm interested to hear I have a feeling where you fall on this, but between Emerson and Chalowski in fantasy or face with that pic, like I said, not a competitive team, all things being equal, is it Emerson or is it Chalowski for you?

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I mean philosophically when it comes to the FYPD, I think it's best to just draft the best player.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think that even if you're a competitive team and you're respectively, you're still talking about a prospect.

[SPEAKER_00]: You're still talking about somebody that needs to be developed.

[SPEAKER_00]: Or maybe in Rock, Chalowski's case, the white socks get really aggressive because they're confident that he can play average to above average, majorly defensive, shortstop, and then the bat will come along as it does.

[SPEAKER_00]: But at the same time, I think that you're really trying to draft the best player.

[SPEAKER_00]: And that is regardless of the timeline that that may come with.

[SPEAKER_00]: And that being said, I think the greedy Emerson is the best player.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I thought that going into the draft, I was one of the guys on our staff that was kind of beating the non-rock drum up at the top for the back half of the class.

[SPEAKER_00]: And again, that's not because I think rock is a bad play.

[SPEAKER_00]: player, and I've said this on a number of VA podcasts, I think rock is a very good player, but I think that great Emerson for one, and very possibly Vaughn Lacky, who I know you and I have a little bit of a difference of opinion on, those two players in particular could prove to be just as if not more valuable.

[SPEAKER_00]: So I personally would go with greatie at the top.

[SPEAKER_00]: I like that you did it because I think that greatie applies to more people who will be faced

[SPEAKER_00]: in their FYPDs, and I think that he's the better player.

[SPEAKER_01]: I agree with you.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think ultimately that's where we're going.

[SPEAKER_01]: We put a 65 hit on it.

[SPEAKER_01]: I put a 70, like we're gonna, I'm not a 65 grade guy.

[SPEAKER_01]: This is a whole thing that just is left over from my previous time, but we do give 65s.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think you can put, I mean, you want to put a 70 on it, right?

[SPEAKER_01]: Like it's potentially plus plus hit.

[SPEAKER_01]: The underlying metrics from the summer season, we've got to hold the sum of those.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's right in line with that.

[SPEAKER_01]: The EVs are pretty good as well.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think he's a really interesting prospect.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think the raise had done a fairly good job of most of the guys have come into their organization that have this level of talent.

[SPEAKER_01]: They're not always drafting sort of at the top of the draft, but when they do, they do a pretty good job.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think they landed a great player at two.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think he's going to be a really valuable fantasy asset in a few years.

[SPEAKER_01]: And we'd be remiss not to mention that.

[SPEAKER_01]: A lot of these top high school players,

[SPEAKER_01]: are moving faster than they ever moved before, right?

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think we see the success of, even someone like Eli Willitz that, we've had people go on record here and Carlos, et cetera, saying that Emerson is a better prospect than Willitz, would have gone one in last year's draft.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think that kind of puts into perspective, he's definitely somebody that is gonna rank.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think I'm not sure top 10, but definitely,

[SPEAKER_01]: maybe top 10 definitely top 15 in our updated top 500 and then in the prospect list I'm going to put out kind of subsequently following that at the end of next week.

[SPEAKER_01]: All right, that's an interesting discussion.

[SPEAKER_01]: The way that I have this lined up now is I have it Eric Booth 3.

[SPEAKER_01]: I know the Orioles hitting development has been kind of up and down, but I think when you look at a power and speed combination and like fantasy relevant tools in a draft where there aren't any sure things I think after this point, I'm going to take the gamble on that one.

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, they do this organization does have Gunner Henderson to their credit.

[SPEAKER_01]: Jackson Holiday maybe isn't the player we thought he would be, but they got him to that point.

[SPEAKER_01]: And certainly if you trade him as a prospect, you probably did pretty well.

[SPEAKER_01]: Number four here, I think is gonna be the more divisive one for a lot of people.

[SPEAKER_01]: I am a Zion rose truther.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think he's one of the best athletes in the draft.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think he looked at the numbers and what he did.

[SPEAKER_01]: Now granted, he dealt with an injury, so he did miss some time.

[SPEAKER_01]: But regardless of that, on a pretty hapless,

[SPEAKER_01]: Louisville team, which is not typically the way things sort of work with that school and that program.

[SPEAKER_01]: He was really, really good.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, hit, it's 36 games.

[SPEAKER_01]: So once again, he missed a few weeks of the season.

[SPEAKER_01]: But he hit 417 with a 491 on-base percentage and a 646 slug.

[SPEAKER_01]: And if you look at his game log and the sort of teams that he played against, he came back like,

[SPEAKER_01]: the midweek before conference play started.

[SPEAKER_01]: So all of his weekends are against ACC opponents.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's against Notre Dame, Duke, Stanford.

[SPEAKER_01]: They had a midweek with UNC, cow.

[SPEAKER_01]: They had a midweek with Kentucky, Clemson, midweek with Indiana, Wake Forest, midweek with Vandy, Miami, UVA, pit.

[SPEAKER_01]: They faced a pretty decent schedule.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, for him to put up those numbers, it's not like he missed the last three weeks of the month of the season, where, you know, they're best, the best pitching, you know, you're gonna face was already passed.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think that says a little bit about Rose.

[SPEAKER_01]: Of course, the athleticism is there, and then the underlying data is really good as well.

[SPEAKER_01]: What are your thoughts on Zion Rose?

[SPEAKER_01]: Certainly feel free to push back on

[SPEAKER_00]: No, I, to I feel as strongly as you do, maybe not.

[SPEAKER_00]: I don't know that that would be as if you served in my Zion rose praise.

[SPEAKER_00]: That being said, I do think there's a reason he went sixth overall, like this that that was not a crazy pick in my opinion, and to your point about his injury, I think that if he played a full season and looked even parked away it did in the span that he was back, we would be talking about somebody who was a top 10 prospect without any level of surprise.

[SPEAKER_00]: Between the athleticism and and just what was put on tape if you will towards the end of the season, I think you have every reason to be Excited about somebody like Zion Rose.

[SPEAKER_00]: I also think that there is kind of a rawness to his game still That will be refined and pro ball that will make him even better.

[SPEAKER_00]: So for as good as we've seen him.

[SPEAKER_00]: There are still kind of another level that I think

[SPEAKER_00]: He can access and that may be more on the defensive side.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think that there's room for him to get better as a center of fielder.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like if you're looking at where Zion rose played in college and you aren't a big college follower, you're going to see a lot of that field for Zion rose, who entered college as a catcher.

[SPEAKER_00]: And the only reason he was playing that field was because of Lucas Moore, who is an 80, 70, 80 defender in center field and pushed probably a plus defender in rose to a corner.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think that there's defensive value that will keep him, you know, progressing rapidly through pro ball.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think that there is a lot to like offensively and of course athleticly like you said.

[SPEAKER_00]: Plus, you know, from a fantasy perspective, this is somebody who's stolen, I think believe it's 80 or 88 or 90% of his career stolen based attempt in college.

[SPEAKER_00]: So he's a plus if not, you know, double plus runner.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and I think you're also looking at a guy who

[SPEAKER_01]: in terms of like the stuff you could unlock at the plate.

[SPEAKER_01]: There's enough contact in the profile and quality enough swing decisions.

[SPEAKER_01]: At times, he's maybe a little passive.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's more of a a on-base focused approach.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'll say, but it's not like it's huge swing and miss.

[SPEAKER_01]: He was pretty close to 90% zone contact.

[SPEAKER_01]: The overall contact rates were pretty good.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's the pull side angles, if he unlocks a little bit more power, which I think is definitely in that frame, and some of that might just be looking for a little bit more loft, a little bit more pull has some of the contact to sacrifice there to now where the royals do that necessarily I don't know, but I have a feeling that he's a guy that you know, could.

[SPEAKER_01]: blossom into, you know, a five category contributor and someone that's a really valuable player.

[SPEAKER_01]: And it's not like, it's not like the royals have a bunch of, you know, close to the majors, high value prospects that are going to block abuse.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's kind of a good situation in scenario forum as well.

[SPEAKER_01]: In an organization that's not scared to run guys, too.

[SPEAKER_01]: Number five here, I have, I think

[SPEAKER_01]: I just like Drew Burris.

[SPEAKER_01]: I like the profile for fantasy.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's a quality hit tool.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think there's maybe even more power than we're given him credit for.

[SPEAKER_01]: Big aggressive swings, he's not the biggest guy, but I kind of don't worry about bad speed.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think there's enough speed here, enough value in the field, that he's going to move pretty quick.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's gonna play a lot.

[SPEAKER_01]: And he'll by the way, he's gonna get to hit in,

[SPEAKER_01]: potentially Sacramento, and then probably Vegas after that.

[SPEAKER_01]: So he's going to be in really good hitting environments as well.

[SPEAKER_01]: I could see that I could see the conversation of lackey being higher if you prefer flora totally understand that as well.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think there's a little bit more safety here, just in terms of a college outfield.

[SPEAKER_01]: They're really, really good numbers.

[SPEAKER_01]: good power numbers enough speed to contribute there here and there.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I don't worry about the hit tool completely bottoming out against professional competition.

[SPEAKER_01]: Where do you kind of fall with that trio?

[SPEAKER_01]: I'll also explain I'm a little lower on lackey because he's a catcher.

[SPEAKER_01]: for a real life perspective, he's a top three player in this class.

[SPEAKER_01]: There's no doubt about that.

[SPEAKER_01]: I would have him overfloor in a real life scenario.

[SPEAKER_01]: In fantasy, I tend to devalue catching a little bit more.

[SPEAKER_01]: I almost prefer it if you're bad as so good, like a ring-el-rad regas, where I'm like he's a first-baser.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'd rather have the first-baser, which obviously in real life scenario, completely opposite when we're talking about a war in value and that sort of thing.

[SPEAKER_01]: Where do you fall in this trio?

[SPEAKER_00]: Oh, I'll start with Lackey because I actually think that your point is a good one, which is that there is just a certain it's like it's like the running backs if you're if you're new to fantasy baseball and you're listening to this podcast like catching has a lot of parallel to the running back value and how that's trended in the last couple of years.

[SPEAKER_00]: in fantasy football.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's not a guy that you're going to want to spend a lot of resources to get under your team, not a lot of early draft capital to get these guys under your team.

[SPEAKER_00]: That being said, and I'll actually, I might even throw this back to you.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to ask you a question before I answer your question.

[SPEAKER_00]: Does a really good catcher change your mind?

[SPEAKER_00]: Because I do think I would argue like you just said that Vaughn Lacky is one of the most talented players in this class.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like

[SPEAKER_00]: to like about him offensively.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think that he's a rare catching prospect, athletically, to me, that's why I would have him way higher on this list.

[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, I personally would have him third, maybe fourth behind either Booth or Rose.

[SPEAKER_00]: But to your point, positionally, the value is a lot lower.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like does it, it doesn't change it for you?

[SPEAKER_01]: Not really.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, because I'm familiar with the player and obviously have dug in on him quite a bit.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I even think if you look at the return from a fantasy perspective on Adley Rushman, I had drafted him, I had him in a 30 team league that we're in together, and I traded him finally this off season.

[SPEAKER_01]: And...

[SPEAKER_01]: I just like, he's not going to return top five value this year.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's outside the top 10 this year.

[SPEAKER_01]: It was way outside the top 10.

[SPEAKER_01]: I was obviously injured last year.

[SPEAKER_01]: It was just inside the top 10.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think it was eighth overall on the RASball player radar and five by 12 team Roto leagues in 2024.

[SPEAKER_01]: And then had like a second overall season for catchers in 2023.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's just not a ton of consistent value from the catching position.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think a lot of it has to do with how much these guys get the crap kicked out of them.

[SPEAKER_01]: Their hands get beat up a little longer.

[SPEAKER_01]: The ETA typically is a little longer because there isn't adjustment to catching in pro ball.

[SPEAKER_01]: So I just think I don't value catching overall that if I'm in a situation, which I'm kind of in

[SPEAKER_01]: where I'm like, hey, I have spare positional players that are good to trade and I need to get a catcher and upgrade that position for a title run, fine.

[SPEAKER_01]: If I'm middle of the road, like, I'm streaming catchers.

[SPEAKER_01]: I have Christian Vasquez and Kyle Hissick, Gallo, or whatever his day was like, I'm real in guys like that, or like, I kind of don't even care about it that much.

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, it's kind of like the last infinity stone.

[SPEAKER_01]: So I guess like that's where I'm at with it.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't think it's, if someone took them second or third over a second is probably a little high, someone takes them third over all one of my diners to use.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm not bad at night.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think that's kind of where I'm at, or I think there's a big clump within this top 10 of like how you want to shake it out.

[SPEAKER_01]: So it's a personal preference thing more than anything else.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think it's very, let me throw this, let me throw this wrinkle at the listeners here.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think that as far as catching prospects go, there is as good a chance with Lacky as anybody that if he were to end up in a different position, he would be very good at it.

[SPEAKER_00]: And that's not to say that I think that that's the path the twins are going to take and they're going to try by all means to make this guy catcher.

[SPEAKER_00]: Bye.

[SPEAKER_00]: We heard in the lead up to the draft from a number of different very high-level people in the scouting community that if Von Lackey doesn't work out on the catching side, he is a legitimate prospect at another position and so that intrigues me as well with the Lackey value.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'll just say that as far as the other two bursts.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I like the order you have them in though.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think that Burris gets knocked for some things that

[SPEAKER_00]: We'll ultimately end up being fine.

[SPEAKER_00]: The wood bat performance throughout his college career is underwhelming if you look at it, but I think that he ends up being fine.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yes, he's undersized, but I believe it was JJ Cooper, who wrote a story about this.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like, there's a difference between being small and weak and small and strong.

[SPEAKER_00]: And Drew Burris is small and strong.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's compact.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's a good runner.

[SPEAKER_00]: There's no doubt about the ability to stick and center

[SPEAKER_00]: It's just a more sure than anybody that throws the ball off a mound for a living in baseball.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's a dangerous demographic.

[SPEAKER_00]: That being said, I love Jackson Flora.

[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, I don't think that you could go to your point about Von Lackey.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like if somebody took him second or third, I wouldn't bat an eye.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's the best pitcher in this class.

[SPEAKER_00]: This stuff is electric.

[SPEAKER_00]: I saw them a couple of times in person this year, easily the best look in the class, but he's a pitcher and things happen with pitchers.

[SPEAKER_00]: So yes, I would go, honestly, given the conversation we had, Burst Flora Lackey to me is the order.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and that's, that's ultimately the one with, I think we're also probably the highest guys on staff when it comes to Flora.

[SPEAKER_01]: I, I,

[SPEAKER_01]: I just think there's more to unlock here too.

[SPEAKER_01]: Some of it will be a location is kind of tightened up, you know, the command and some of those things.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think there's some stuff that they could probably simplify a little bit within the mechanics.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think that there's spin capacity and there's room here for those secondarys to blossom and grow.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think pro teams do a really good job of developing secondary pitches, especially if there's some of the traits

[SPEAKER_01]: good extension, excellent fastball, good velocity.

[SPEAKER_01]: And like I said, I think how it's used having to respect some of the secondary stuff will likely lead to more waves over time against that fastball and there's good velocity on it and all the trace that we like.

[SPEAKER_01]: So I am a floor fan, I'll say that I think he is

[SPEAKER_01]: but one pitcher, college pitcher within this draft that I feel confident in could move fast, make the adjustment, and be pitching in the big leagues for your team in 2028.

[SPEAKER_01]: 2027 will see what happens, right?

[SPEAKER_01]: But almost a full season of 2028.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think that can happen.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'll also bring this up.

[SPEAKER_01]: There is a lack of impact college pitching in this draft.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think there's a lot of college pitching value.

[SPEAKER_01]: I brought this up a little bit in the open for the FYPD rankings.

[SPEAKER_01]: This feels like a draft that if like, you're in our 30 team league, and we draft 220 prospects in our FYPD.

[SPEAKER_01]: Some of them are throwback eyes as well.

[SPEAKER_01]: We can only keep so many prospects, but across this league, there's 500 prospects to maybe 530 prospects roster at any point in time.

[SPEAKER_01]: I feel like if you're in a shallow league, like my home league where we draft 40 prospects, the bust rate on some of these picks is way higher in that shallow 12 team league than it is in the 30 team league.

[SPEAKER_01]: And what I mean by that is when you start to get into round three, even the second, but third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh round, there is a lot of value to potentially be had.

[SPEAKER_01]: in some of these deeper dynasty leagues within this class because you're mixing it in with guys that get thrown back.

[SPEAKER_01]: And that's I think when you really start to see some of the college pitching that's really interesting and there's upside and there's traits the chase and there's much lower stakes in terms of investing in a college starter.

[SPEAKER_01]: But like if I'm looking at

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, and you can take your pick, Tegan Coons is kind of another one.

[SPEAKER_01]: Cole Carlone, obviously we love Ben Blair, so I won't think, bring up Ben Blair in this context.

[SPEAKER_01]: Mason Edwards, either of the old Miss guys, even my guy, Jack Redell, I don't think that you're getting the same value with a lot of those guys, towns, and obviously being one of the old Miss guys and Raebe.

[SPEAKER_01]: I just don't feel like the values there.

[SPEAKER_01]: Do you disagree?

[SPEAKER_01]: Like, is Liam Peterson good value if he ends up going like at his draft position at like 20, we have him ranked 22, or excuse me, 19?

[SPEAKER_01]: Like if he goes in the top 15 picks, I don't feel like that.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's we're not looking at it.

[SPEAKER_01]: Like we were looking at some of the college draft picks in the draft last year, even outside of Kate Anderson.

[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, I think I kind of disagree.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think that there are a couple of college pictures.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think it depends.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like, I don't know that there's a blanket way to divide it.

[SPEAKER_00]: Or I don't think there's a blanket way to put it.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think you kind of have to divide it up.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like, Liam Peterson to me is a really intriguing FYPD pick because of what you said, which is that there will be an enormous bust rate on most of these guys relative to your expectations.

[SPEAKER_00]: Within that context, I would love to take a shot in the top, let's say 15, the guy like Liam Peterson who I believe has had a very rocky development like the conversation around Liam Peterson for a year leading up to the draft was this guy has the best if not the second best stuff in the class.

[SPEAKER_00]: either ham or flora.

[SPEAKER_00]: It was basically between those two.

[SPEAKER_00]: But the question with Peterson was always, is the the metal there, the competitive metal, is the strike throwing, is the development, like it was all very slow for Peterson and the results from accounting stats standpoint.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think we're underwhelming throughout his entire college career.

[SPEAKER_00]: To me though, the guy with the best stuff in the class, the second best stuff in the class, stands to take a massive jump forward in pro ball.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I think that the reasons that Liam Peterson was so enticing going into the year, the release trades, the shapes, the depth of the arsenal,

[SPEAKER_00]: Like that, I would be pretty excited to get Liam Peterson that like the 14 to 18 range in an FYPD because I like what he brings.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I also like the partnership here between him and the guardians.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think it's a really good landing spot for a guy who kind of needs to take a step forward.

[SPEAKER_00]: Command-wise maturity-wise like it's just a really good fit.

[SPEAKER_00]: So there's guys like that and then to your point I think that there are so much lower value guys if they go in their range.

[SPEAKER_00]: I would be somewhat worried about what happens with somebody like

[SPEAKER_00]: I'll just use them as an example, but Coleman Borthwick, at 26, you know, the high school guys scare the crap out of me super scary, but even some of the college guys like use had kid towns and I think as a good example, certainly Taylor Rae, although you haven't, I think in a much better spot, like if you get taken away from like someone's going to, I heard some podcasts and things someone is going to shove Taylor Rae and my contention with that is there's not a huge track record here.

[SPEAKER_01]: The fastball has velocity, it's not bad, and I think you know where I'm going with this.

[SPEAKER_01]: There is no spin capacity in the secondary stuff, and with the right hand, or that worries me a lot.

[SPEAKER_01]: And now, maybe maybe there's some development stuff that can unlock, right?

[SPEAKER_01]: But it's going to have to be heavily fastball change up just because there's not a ton of spin there.

[SPEAKER_01]: Maybe there's a good cutter, like his secondary stuff is weird.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and I'll also say like back to the point where it is such a case by case thing, if you get Ben Blair and I'm the I'm the Ben Blair guy, but if you get Ben Blair at 38

[SPEAKER_00]: Good value strike throwing righty who's floor.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think is as high as anybody's in this class.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's like a good mix of stuff.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's weird release traits.

[SPEAKER_00]: There's probably a pretty reliable future for a bullpen good value at 38 what I shove him higher than that.

[SPEAKER_00]: No, what I shove coal car loan higher than roughly 37 where you've got him ranked not by a lot.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's got some questionable health stuff.

[SPEAKER_00]: I like his work.

[SPEAKER_01]: I feel like the the lugees have done so well with the shirt, lately, that that honestly got me a little more excited about Crolone than I had been coming out of the coming out of the season.

[SPEAKER_00]: But like if you continue to go through the list here, and this is I guess why I disagree with you.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like would you be upset with Tegan Coons?

[SPEAKER_00]: No one with the cardinals are going to be able to do with him at 34?

[SPEAKER_00]: I would be pretty stoked about that.

[SPEAKER_00]: Is that crazy early for a good command, good control righty with depth of arsenal and a good fastball in an organization that's going to develop a guy like that.

[SPEAKER_01]: Like I actually, that's more where like the ranges.

[SPEAKER_01]: Like I feel like that's where I actually start to like some of these guys is like after pick 30, that's where I'm kind of like really into some of these, some of these college arms where I like

[SPEAKER_00]: But I guess I'm saying, I would take garlic coos in the early 20s and feel pretty good about it.

[SPEAKER_00]: I would take Lee and Peterson, I think around that same range is not a little bit higher and feel pretty good about it.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I mean, I think it depends.

[SPEAKER_01]: It depends on your league set up, you know, I obviously have Jack Redell at 24 as well.

[SPEAKER_01]: So I'm really in there.

[SPEAKER_01]: I have a more flookie.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think I think I'm more worried about Peterson though I do see the upside of it.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, it's not like he's, this is a throwing away back name.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's not like he completely lost his job like an Alex Hanson did with Oklahoma back in the day and ended up in the bullpen.

[SPEAKER_01]: Like, wasn't the Friday guy, wasn't as reliable as King.

[SPEAKER_01]: But I think we both could see a world in a reality where Peterson is a much better professional picture than King if things end up in the right direction.

[SPEAKER_01]: And certainly the good organization, like I think that organization, Seattle, the Brewers, the Reyes, those are kind of the teams where I would trust his development.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'd be worried if he was even with the Dodgers.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I'll just say, like, and I hate to be this blunt, but like, I think that this is the information that we're looking for here if you're drafting one of these guys, like, right?

[SPEAKER_00]: I don't think that Peterson's development at Florida was anything remotely resembling smooth.

[SPEAKER_00]: I do think that there was resistance just from the coaching staff and this is just reality.

[SPEAKER_00]: This is why Florida made a change at pitching coach and why there's kind of been a restructuring of things.

[SPEAKER_00]: This offseason in that program as far as the pitching department goes.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's because the development has not been there for the last couple of years.

[SPEAKER_00]: Florida has had a number of really talented guys come through that program and I think that Kevin O'Sullivan would tell you this and I think it's certainly true.

[SPEAKER_00]: I believe it myself that there are some guys who have come out of that program and gotten better quickly and pro ball because they got some smooth and consistent instruction and their stuff got optimized, their arsenal was tweaked

[SPEAKER_00]: I think that Liam Peterson has shown multiple times now throughout his college career that when he's throwing his curveball more in games, he's more successful.

[SPEAKER_00]: And there was a level of disagreement even on things like that when it came to how to utilize his pitches at Florida throughout his career.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think that's a guy that's going to take a massive step forward and in a draft where you are

[SPEAKER_00]: They're all dark throws at the end of the day like maybe rock and greedy are the two non dark throws in this draft because you can feel pretty good about those guys, but if you're picking in the 20s and or even in the late teens in a 30 team league, I don't see the I don't see a considerably lower value for a guy like Peterson some of the other guys in that range of that makes sense.

[SPEAKER_01]: No, I think that makes perfect sense.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I'm not against it.

[SPEAKER_01]: I kept them pretty close to where his draft position was.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and I think there's some guys that might be interesting.

[SPEAKER_01]: I just don't know what the heck you expect with Carson Wiggins, other than probably future injuries.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's tough on him.

[SPEAKER_01]: Like, from a stuff perspective, and even like, what the Mets have done with some of their pitching prospects in recent years, there's some reasons to be positive, but at the same time, I really, as I've gotten older and I've done this longer and longer, I get a little bit more apprehensive about hitching my wagon to these intricate guys.

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, I can see it like at certain value points, but like he might he might be a tricky one because I can I didn't want to tank him because I can also see this guy coming out making a huge step forward and pro ball and being like his brother was We didn't see a lot of Jackson wiggins that are can sell either and then wiggins came out and then obviously last year and you know you were for that look tremendous and then Back back dealing with injuries and he's kind of back now and we'll see if he ends up getting traded in the next couple of weeks, but

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I don't know.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, I do think there's value.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think there's a lot of value in some high school guys or wrote a bunch of those guys today.

[SPEAKER_01]: But I'm gonna leave some of that up to the imagination and push you toward the content that we've put out over at baseballamerica.com.

[SPEAKER_01]: We have a ton of college stuff that's been written up throughout the season on these guys.

[SPEAKER_01]: There's draft reports, there's, you know, kind of reactions to the draft as well where there's some really good analysis across the board.

[SPEAKER_01]: And there's probably going to be some more updates and some guys who aren't in this 100 right now who show out a little bit and end up pushing the way onto the list before we update, excuse me when we update again in October.

[SPEAKER_01]: So there you go.

[SPEAKER_01]: But top 500 list coming out next week.

[SPEAKER_01]: I want to thank Jacob for joining me.

[SPEAKER_01]: And we'll be back again next week with Dylan on the baseball America fantasy podcast.

[SPEAKER_01]: Thanks for tuning in.