[SPEAKER_00]: Welcome back to the baseball America hot sheet show the light at the end of the regular season tunnel is visible.
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm Jacob Rubber, JJ Cooper, Jeff Ponds.
[SPEAKER_00]: We are here to talk about it before we do though, head on over to baseballamerica.com, subscribe.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Get your questions in comments and we're going to answer them at the end of the show before we do that though.
[SPEAKER_00]: Lots to talk about and let's get into the first movie.
[SPEAKER_00]: Get that started.
[SPEAKER_00]: As I said, it is August 18th today.
[SPEAKER_00]: That means that September call ups are in the picture, J.J., a lot to focus on this year.
[SPEAKER_00]: This is a loaded rookie class, and there are some top prospects with some proximity to the major leagues that it is time to start focusing on.
[SPEAKER_05]: Yeah, I would say that there are a couple who stand out even more than most, I would say we have to start with the Mariners Kate Anderson, obviously the Mariners have a pretty deep starting rotation, but at the same time Kate Anderson is having one of the best seasons we've seen in the minor leagues in many years.
[SPEAKER_05]: He's been in double a all year.
[SPEAKER_05]: He's flirting with a sub one
[SPEAKER_05]: absurd and it's just every week and at this point you kind of do wonders like okay I know this is his you know first full year after the draft but are we gonna see Kate Anderson and if so when you know I know Jeff like do you think maybe we wait till September 1st and expansion of the roster which obviously don't Expand as much as they used to or is this something where we may just be waiting and waiting and waiting
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, I mean, it's a great question, JJ, and you know, I think it got more likely when we did see Luis Castillo, you know, moved at the trade deadline that certainly opened up some space, but this has been a rotation that even when Castillo was in it.
[SPEAKER_03]: had been running a six-man rotation for periods during the summer.
[SPEAKER_03]: So, you know, there are a lot of mouths to feed here.
[SPEAKER_03]: I think it does get a little bit easier when rosters do expand.
[SPEAKER_03]: And there's opportunities, especially as you're making a playoff push here with the mariners.
[SPEAKER_03]: to potentially give some opportunity to Katie Anderson who, you know, I think this is always the biggest question with prospects like this that kind of move this quickly and you know, is he going to come up and struggle or embarrass you I think with the strike throwing the execution.
[SPEAKER_03]: The fact that he's pitched in very big games throughout his collegiate career at LSU, I don't think he's going to be overwhelmed by the moment.
[SPEAKER_03]: I think he can handle those big moments and bright lights at September baseball.
[SPEAKER_03]: So, you know, I do think it's possible.
[SPEAKER_03]: I don't know for sure that it will happen, but at this point, I mean, it's almost become a meme of like, when is he at least going to be promoted to AAA?
[SPEAKER_03]: We know historically that the mariners do not like to promote their best pitching prospects to the PCL.
[SPEAKER_03]: So maybe the next promotion is the big leagues and that's why it's taken so long for him to escape with Texas League so far.
[SPEAKER_03]: Because at this point, I mean, we can just pencil his name into the hot sheet every week because he's throwing six, five to six to seven scoreless settings, striking out five to eight nine batters.
[SPEAKER_03]: barely walking anybody barely arriving any hits.
[SPEAKER_03]: I mean, he's mastered the level as well as just about any prospect has.
[SPEAKER_00]: JJ, Jeff kind of just touched on it right there, but we're talking about the 2025 third overall pick.
[SPEAKER_00]: You saw the numbers on the screen.
[SPEAKER_00]: 106 ERA, he's so 93 and a third in it.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's 135 strikeout, it's just 13 walks on the season.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's been double a from the second that he debuted in pro ball.
[SPEAKER_00]: Why have we not seen him yet?
[SPEAKER_05]: He's on one of the few teams where you actually have a plausible reason why you wouldn't.
[SPEAKER_05]: I know they just traded Luis Castillo.
[SPEAKER_05]: That got them from six starters down to five, which is kind of what most teams are aiming to have.
[SPEAKER_05]: So this isn't something where for most teams you would be kind of asking the question of
[SPEAKER_05]: Why is he not up instead of player X?
[SPEAKER_05]: But the only player you could really point to that way was Luis Castillo, who was on a pretty large deal and they kind of had to clear him out, maybe that creates an opportunity.
[SPEAKER_05]: I know that I think Wu's been a little bit banged up, but this is a team that has essentially had six starters who've been ready to take their turn.
[SPEAKER_05]: They've already have a six-man rotation.
[SPEAKER_05]: And while I would say that you could say that George Kirby hasn't been as good as you would hope, maybe Brian Wu has been as good as you hope.
[SPEAKER_05]: None of them have been bad enough where you say, oh, you've got a sense guy down.
[SPEAKER_05]: And I think you could kind of throw into that Emerson Hancock has been much better than you would hope, which is kind of created a little bit less of an opportunity.
[SPEAKER_00]: Let's talk about the mighty Dodgers.
[SPEAKER_00]: That outfield is interesting.
[SPEAKER_00]: Kyle Tucker, Teoska Hernandez.
[SPEAKER_00]: Big money, not such big production.
[SPEAKER_00]: And they have some outfielders waiting in the wings who are very talented.
[SPEAKER_00]: Jeff, Ho's way to Paula is one of them.
[SPEAKER_00]: What is the status there?
[SPEAKER_00]: Are we going to see him at some point in the next month
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, I mean, this has been a consistent question it feels like for the last few weeks regarding Dodgers.
[SPEAKER_03]: And there's at least some reasonable smoke behind it from the sense that he is rule five eligible this off season.
[SPEAKER_03]: He is a shoeing to be protected.
[SPEAKER_03]: There is no question that DePaul is going to be protected going to be added to that 40-man roster.
[SPEAKER_03]: Do they clear the space for him now, especially if it allows them to potentially get a reset on Kyle Tucker or Tiosca Hernandez, somebody who's struggling.
[SPEAKER_03]: Just give them a week or two off to kind of reset work on some things with the swing or just get their head right whatever it might be that they're struggling with at this point in time they're not producing up to the dollars that they're being paid.
[SPEAKER_03]: They have this guy waiting in the wings he's somebody they're going to have to make a rule five decision on and it's pretty clear what the decision is.
[SPEAKER_03]: So I think that does open up the possibility of that being the case that said there are a lot of outfielders there are a lot of players in the Dodger system that are just.
[SPEAKER_03]: you know, intripley that I think with a lot of other organizations and Alex Ravens, somebody like that who could potentially play himself into some playing time in another organization.
[SPEAKER_03]: So like that's kind of a confusing element to all this because the Paula is, you know, just turn 21 back in May.
[SPEAKER_03]: He's very young.
[SPEAKER_03]: And he's not very polished as a defender.
[SPEAKER_03]: I know that we had a clip that we're gonna pull up if like him working with Jason Hayward.
[SPEAKER_03]: There's a reason that they're doing that and sending Hayward out to AA Tulsa to work with him in the outfield.
[SPEAKER_03]: Potentially because there's gonna be an opportunity for him in September to get some at baths to get some playing time with the Dodgers.
[SPEAKER_03]: Maybe that's why, but it's also because he's
[SPEAKER_03]: a below average outfielder potentially a well below average outfielder, though I do think there's some enough tools there and of speed running ability that potentially it could work.
[SPEAKER_03]: It's a really interesting question.
[SPEAKER_03]: And I can see a case for it, but I would probably err on the side of caution and say, probably not.
[SPEAKER_00]: JJ, we're three years removed from the twin selecting Walker Jenkins fifth overall in the 2023 draft.
[SPEAKER_00]: What is the likelihood of us seeing him in the big leagues before this season is done?
[SPEAKER_05]: Um, I do want to give Ben Fuller kept shut out in this for he's got a question and they're already about this.
[SPEAKER_05]: Like you could make the argument for not he does not need to be protected from the rule five draft this off season.
[SPEAKER_05]: So you could make the argument.
[SPEAKER_05]: Oh, let's just hold them in the minors because obviously if you put them on the 40 men and there is a lock out there are lost games can't play in the minors, but if you're not on the 40 man roster, miners will keep going could play.
[SPEAKER_05]: But I just would make the argument the twins are in the playoff race, the compelling hey, is someone going to get the 500 to win the third wild card spot, Wild card race in the A.L.
[SPEAKER_05]: And I just think he would provide an instant impact for them.
[SPEAKER_05]: This is the guy who immediately become one of the better hitters, one of the best hitters in the twins lineup.
[SPEAKER_05]: Having a great year, you're not seeing the massive power yet.
[SPEAKER_05]: We think the power will come more down the road.
[SPEAKER_05]: But when you just look at him as a well-rounded player, a guy who can hit, who has a great strike on discipline, makes tons of contact.
[SPEAKER_05]: And by the way, hits them all really hard, if you don't hit them all really hard in the air, pull side a lot.
[SPEAKER_05]: But you put it all together, and I just think that he would be immediately an impactful player in that Twins lineup.
[SPEAKER_05]: And Twins, you know, are sitting there for games under 500.
[SPEAKER_05]: It's not like you look at it and say,
[SPEAKER_00]: Jeff Franklin areas was excellent in the eastern league in double way.
[SPEAKER_00]: He's now in AAA and has been there for a little bit of time and it's been good so far.
[SPEAKER_03]: Call up imminent I mean I I don't think that it's it's an impossible potential call up now how aggressive will the Red Sox get with that decision will they make a decision that they're not forced to make there was some.
[SPEAKER_03]: a quote this morning, I think Craig Bresler or somebody regarding, you know, how the red socks handle decisions and if a decision they don't have to make immediately and kick down the road, they may not make it.
[SPEAKER_03]: So that might be in regards to frankuan areas and sort of how all this works, that said he has been very good in AAA and it's not just what he's doing at the plate, you know, it's not
[SPEAKER_03]: You know, hitting it for a high average again, getting on base at a good clip again, hitting for power and showing power against high level competition as a 20 year old, he's also excellent in the field.
[SPEAKER_03]: You might be able to make a case among their upper minors, so guys in AAA guys in the majors right now, you know, top of the system in fielders, he probably has the best combination of
[SPEAKER_03]: you know, defensive skills and offensive skills of any of the options that they have.
[SPEAKER_03]: There's only so long that I think they can roll out Nick's so guard and Andrew Monk to Stereo.
[SPEAKER_03]: Regardless of how they've produced, I still think that one of those guys ultimately is the odd man out.
[SPEAKER_03]: Is they're really trying to make a push for the playoffs this year.
[SPEAKER_03]: I don't know if we're at a point where like Braslow's did job depends on it.
[SPEAKER_03]: Like it would have been earlier in the year.
[SPEAKER_03]: But the fan base is engaged for the first time in a long time.
[SPEAKER_03]: People are aware of areas.
[SPEAKER_03]: They know what he's doing.
[SPEAKER_03]: He's just a short ride down the road in Worcester.
[SPEAKER_03]: It wouldn't shock me if it went in roster's expand.
[SPEAKER_03]: If they do make an aggressive decision, you know, call up areas to the majors.
[SPEAKER_03]: and potentially have them as they're starting shortstop down the stretch.
[SPEAKER_03]: Now, Trevor's story could potentially be activated shortly.
[SPEAKER_03]: That kind of adds a little merciness to this.
[SPEAKER_03]: They're going to have to potentially send somebody down, even with the Oshida going on to the IAL Roman Anthony's possibly back.
[SPEAKER_03]: So there might be a crunch for numbers, and that might factor in the equation.
[SPEAKER_03]: But if they're looking to put their best 26 out there, I think, I confirm from when Ari is just part of that.
[SPEAKER_00]: All right, JJ, last one to talk about here, Lazaro Montes, also with the Mariners.
[SPEAKER_00]: We talked about Kate Anderson, now we're talking about a power hitting out filter.
[SPEAKER_00]: A lot of strikeouts, a lot of home runs, is the approach different for Seattle when it comes to their bats?
[SPEAKER_05]: I wish that for the Mariners sake that Lazaro played middle infield.
[SPEAKER_05]: Obviously JP Crawford and Cold Emerson on the IL right now, he does not, he does not come anywhere close to being in middle infielder.
[SPEAKER_05]: But I we do want to at least bring him up as a guy who could be a September call up to be a bench bat with real power now.
[SPEAKER_05]: Again, this is a team that the outfields really not the problem with the Mariners.
[SPEAKER_05]: offence of those right now, I think nearly as much as it is, kind of, in field injuries and a catcher who, Carol, I'll just not having the year you expect.
[SPEAKER_05]: But last Ramontas does have massive power and it does draw walks.
[SPEAKER_05]: There's going to be some swing and miss with it.
[SPEAKER_05]: There's going to be guys who can beat him in the zone pretty consistently.
[SPEAKER_05]: But if you're talking about a DH slash bench bat, like, hey, we need a guy to come off the bench and give us real power, late innings.
[SPEAKER_05]: I don't know a better option than last Ramontas.
[SPEAKER_00]: we are going to talk about the rookie of the year race, which has been exciting right after this quick break.
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[SPEAKER_00]: JJ, I don't want to get carried away here, but it feels like the AL rookie of the year race is pretty much all but decided.
[SPEAKER_00]: Kevin McGonagall has had an outstanding season.
[SPEAKER_00]: It doesn't seem like there's real competition on that front.
[SPEAKER_00]: Is that the case when it comes to AL rookie of the year?
[SPEAKER_05]: It's hard not to because Kevin McDonald's not just having one of the great years in rookie race this year.
[SPEAKER_05]: He's having one of the great years we've seen a rookie have this decade.
[SPEAKER_05]: If you said best seasons by a tiger's rookie position player since, I think we might be going back to the 70s to find a better answer to what Kevin McDonald was so far.
[SPEAKER_05]: He's been both his ability to hit for average.
[SPEAKER_05]: It can, on base, there's some real power in there, but also, hey, the defensive versatility and the defensive ability to get kind of solidify up the middle for them, something that's been kind of a question mark last few years.
[SPEAKER_05]: He's just done a little bit of it all, whether you're looking at kind of his traditional stats, where you're looking at the analytical stats.
[SPEAKER_05]: Whatever you look at,
[SPEAKER_05]: If you're the Tigers, I know that this has not been the season the Tigers want, although it's is a typical Tigers season and that it seems like it has more twist in turns than a bad soap opera.
[SPEAKER_05]: But you look at it and you say whatever happens this year, the Tigers have this core star.
[SPEAKER_05]: for now, and for many years to come, who, by the way, I don't know how much bearing you in this, but you look at his age, you would say that they're, she should be able to still get better than he's been this year, because he's going to be, you know, he's still five, six years away to 26, 27, usually your peak.
[SPEAKER_05]: He's five, six years away from that.
[SPEAKER_05]: So, what we seem to come in the article is a just such a loud season, and one that I have to imagine is going to run away with a ill rookie deer.
[SPEAKER_00]: Jeff, let's talk about the NL.
[SPEAKER_00]: JJ weather halt seems like a real contender to take that one home.
[SPEAKER_00]: But is it a little bit more of an open race than what JJ just talked about in the AL?
[SPEAKER_03]: I don't think it is.
[SPEAKER_03]: I mean, weather halt in terms of, you know, what is total value has been, when you factor in defense.
[SPEAKER_03]: It's been pretty close to what McGonagall has been.
[SPEAKER_03]: I mean, he's at 4.3 war on fan graphs right now, McGonagall's at 4.7.
[SPEAKER_03]: Obviously, McGonagall's been the better hitter.
[SPEAKER_03]: And I think that's where there's potentially some other options here that could split the vote a little bit more than what will likely to see.
[SPEAKER_03]: in the American League.
[SPEAKER_03]: Carson Bench has been a really, really good.
[SPEAKER_03]: He's out hit McGon.
[SPEAKER_03]: He's out hit weather halt a little bit.
[SPEAKER_03]: I think you could factor in, of course, Sal Stewart, who has really had an excellent year, has 91 RB eyes in the ease of mum, the RB eye leaders and baseball at the moment.
[SPEAKER_03]: And, you know, I
[SPEAKER_03]: I think you then kind of factor in what weather halt has been defensively at second base for them.
[SPEAKER_03]: He's been one of the best defensive second baseman in baseball has been a really productive hitter and hits in one of the worst ball, home ball parks in baseball in terms of power and just overall production.
[SPEAKER_03]: It's sap some of those numbers, if he's in a different park, I think that WRC plus those numbers probably look a little bit better than they even do right now.
[SPEAKER_03]: So I don't know how close it is.
[SPEAKER_03]: I think that there's kind of two runaway candidates in the national league and the American league and it just so happens to be our number two and number three prospects entering a season.
[SPEAKER_00]: JJ, if we're gonna stretch it, maybe a little bit too far.
[SPEAKER_00]: Are you talking about the A.L.
[SPEAKER_00]: trying to create a race here?
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm gonna talk a more economy.
[SPEAKER_00]: Has been very good in his debut season in the United States.
[SPEAKER_00]: He's top 15 in the league in home runs and OPS.
[SPEAKER_00]: Not really a challenger to Kevin McGonagall, but a great season nonetheless.
[SPEAKER_00]: Talk about his ability to compete for rookie in the year and maybe just what he's shown as far as his future goes.
[SPEAKER_05]: Yeah, it's really hard to compete to say that he's going to compete with McGonagall considering what McGonagall's doing and also the defensive I provides.
[SPEAKER_05]: Obviously, I'd say also with McCommie, missing the time that he did kind of really dinged his case.
[SPEAKER_05]: But it is a great year.
[SPEAKER_05]: It's been a key reason that the White Sox are one of the surprise teams not just this year, but of many years I would say of what they're doing this year.
[SPEAKER_05]: And I think we also, though, I don't want to like look, McGonagall's running away with it, but
[SPEAKER_05]: But Parker Messex done this year for the Guardians has been excellent as well, what Peyton told me is doing with the Red Sox.
[SPEAKER_05]: Like it has been a truly mind-blowing and impressive year for rookies.
[SPEAKER_05]: You know, we could talk about South Stewart in the NL as well.
[SPEAKER_05]: Like I know the South Stewart.
[SPEAKER_05]: is probably again, when you factor in defensive value, you're going to take the plus to fender at second over the first basement.
[SPEAKER_05]: But what a south steward is doing has been everything that the the reds have been looking for at first base for I feel like a very, very, very long time.
[SPEAKER_05]: He's finally filled that hole and should be able to do this for for many years to come.
[SPEAKER_00]: Jeff, let's talk about the NL side for a second.
[SPEAKER_00]: JJ mentioned South Stewart.
[SPEAKER_00]: He actually seems like he could compete for the NL rookie of the year title.
[SPEAKER_00]: Maybe it's a little bit of a stretch just given what you said about weatherhole, but maybe closer, who are the other candidates in the NL or guys that have impressed you at a minimum?
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, I mean, I think if we were like talking fantasy baseball and you don't care about the fact that a guy is, you know, a plus plus defender up the middle at a point in time when second base is seeing significantly more action than it ever has before in fact the right side of the infield is seeing almost as much action if not more action now.
[SPEAKER_03]: than the left side of the infield was for the last few years.
[SPEAKER_03]: So I think that's something to really keep in mind when we're talking about whether or not I saw the comment about, you know, where he ranks.
[SPEAKER_03]: But I think Carson Benz, AJ Ewing, Benz had what two throws home last night to nab runners, has been a really valuable outfield piece, has been a really valuable piece at the plate.
[SPEAKER_03]: For power, I think both he and Ewing have shown a little bit more power than we expected.
[SPEAKER_03]: That's a really exciting outfield going forward.
[SPEAKER_03]: You know, Logan Henderson, I think if he saw potentially more starts was certainly isn't the mix there, a couple other pictures and other met in Nolan McLean and then Foster Griffin, who's now on the AL side, but spent most of his season on the AL side.
[SPEAKER_03]: I guess wouldn't technically be eligible for that award, but in terms of names that kind of pop up, those are the guys that I'm thinking.
[SPEAKER_00]: All right, you guys have questions.
[SPEAKER_00]: JJ and Jeff have answers.
[SPEAKER_00]: If you want to know something, throw it in the comments because we are going to answer your questions after this quick break.
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[SPEAKER_00]: I feel like I say this every time I'm on the show with these guys, but this is my favorite part of hot sheet.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's question time.
[SPEAKER_00]: If you have questions, throw them on in the chat.
[SPEAKER_00]: We're going to put them up on the broadcast and get you answers.
[SPEAKER_00]: Let's get that going.
[SPEAKER_00]: Clint, Ben Fulin Camp will get us started with the lockout looming.
[SPEAKER_00]: Is there an incentive for teams not contending to keep players who don't have to be added to the 40 man rosters in the minors to keep playing next year.
[SPEAKER_00]: JJ will kick it off with you.
[SPEAKER_05]: Good question.
[SPEAKER_05]: I would say they're always as incentive.
[SPEAKER_05]: If you are not contending, generally those players are not going to be added to the 40-man risk.
[SPEAKER_05]: I'm not going to say that's with 100% that always happens.
[SPEAKER_05]: teams generally are not going to push a guy who, you may, there may be cases where you're like, look, this guy's going to be a regular starting, opening day next year, but you start that clock a little earlier.
[SPEAKER_05]: You kind of, I mean, that's generally done by for players who you already know you're going to be adding in the 40 man in the off season.
[SPEAKER_05]: Teams really do value their 40-man roster spots in the off-season.
[SPEAKER_05]: Obviously, it's going to be a weird off-season.
[SPEAKER_05]: We kind of expect that it'll be a lockout.
[SPEAKER_05]: But whatever happens, there still is going to be generally tight 40-man's.
[SPEAKER_05]: And so teams, I would say, in general do that, but there is an added incentive this year because if there are no majorly games going on in April and minorly games are going on, the only minorly players who can't play are the ones who are on the 40-man roster.
[SPEAKER_00]: Moving right along, Scott Paul, 9979 asks, what do you think of Brady Ebel's year?
[SPEAKER_00]: He has an advanced approach fundamentally sound and high baseball IQ Jeff.
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, I mean, it's been a really strong season.
[SPEAKER_03]: I think the hit tool is shown really well.
[SPEAKER_03]: It's been above average contact.
[SPEAKER_03]: Strong swing decisions.
[SPEAKER_03]: I think everything that he said is accurate.
[SPEAKER_03]: I think the biggest question with evil, because I don't know how much defense of value he's gonna have.
[SPEAKER_03]: I think he's been better than people expected at shortstop, but probably not long for that position.
[SPEAKER_03]: is the power.
[SPEAKER_03]: It's still predictable, but it's not, it's not big EVs, not a high barrel rate.
[SPEAKER_03]: The angles are a little bit flatter.
[SPEAKER_03]: So it's a hit tool driven profile.
[SPEAKER_03]: Sometimes those guys can go a little bit sideways or they can add that power and all those tools kind of add up into a really, really good hitter.
[SPEAKER_03]: So I think he's kind of at this pivot point where it's a great opening season needs to potentially add a little bit more power to kind of make that big jump as a top prospect, especially in a loaded brewer system that has even more players that seems like coming up from, you know, just the draft, but the Dominican summer league they have another crop of really good players there.
[SPEAKER_00]: JJ, we love a good debate at baseball in America about the order of prospects on our top 100.
[SPEAKER_00]: This is a good question, comment where we want to call it.
[SPEAKER_00]: With that, we've got drips on collectibles.
[SPEAKER_00]: We've got to go, should have been number one in every top 100 prospect list out there while in the minors.
[SPEAKER_05]: Um, I'm going to push back and say no, um, and of the layout a couple reasons.
[SPEAKER_05]: Like Connor Griffin, still a stud.
[SPEAKER_05]: He just unfortunately is on the I.L.
[SPEAKER_05]: It's been on the I.L for a while, but coming into the season, we said, look, this is a year where you have three guys at the top, all of whom would look great as a number one prospect.
[SPEAKER_05]: We said that before the season, I believe on this show.
[SPEAKER_05]: In fact, we said that.
[SPEAKER_05]: But Connor Griffin is, when you look at the tools, Connor Griffin is a better shortstop defensively than mechanical.
[SPEAKER_05]: Connor Griffin has more power than mechanical and the hit, Connor Griffin is an 80 runner.
[SPEAKER_05]: Like, when you put these kind of things together and you say, well, why is one guy gonna be number one?
[SPEAKER_05]: And he's a year younger.
[SPEAKER_05]: You put it all together, yes, we still, I would say if we could do it over again, I would still have Connor Griffin won.
[SPEAKER_05]: But that doesn't mean that's why Kevin McGonagall was too in an incredible year at the top of the top 100.
[SPEAKER_05]: This isn't a something where we were snubbing McGonagall.
[SPEAKER_05]: He wasn't 20 on the list.
[SPEAKER_05]: He was too and Kevin McGonagall's awesome and we wrote in the offseason about how Kevin McGonagall's one of the maybe the perfect hitting prospect.
[SPEAKER_05]: I think that's lived up so far.
[SPEAKER_00]: All right, we got time for one more.
[SPEAKER_00]: And we are going to go to that happened baseball 11, 28.
[SPEAKER_00]: Jeff, this question's for you.
[SPEAKER_00]: Do you think there is any chance for a Nolan Perry call up for the J's, given the rotation issues, coming back from injury?
[SPEAKER_00]: So innings are a concern, also been shorter outing since the discussion.
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, I mean, coming back from injury was shut down at a point for some wear and tear earlier in the year.
[SPEAKER_03]: prior to when, you know, he got hit with a liner, we shut down for that.
[SPEAKER_03]: But they were limiting his innings to begin with that I wasn't so sure that even if, you know, that unfortunate incident when he gets hit with a liner, even if that doesn't happen, I kind of wonder if this is a guy that would have been.
[SPEAKER_03]: You know, more three to four innings.
[SPEAKER_03]: He goes again today for New Hampshire.
[SPEAKER_03]: We'll see if they roll him out to five.
[SPEAKER_03]: That would potentially, you know, tip their hand a little bit, change my opinion.
[SPEAKER_03]: I'm leaning on the side of no.
[SPEAKER_03]: I think you probably have to get yourself acquitted with Spencer Aragetti and Chad Dallas Dallas has been up.
[SPEAKER_03]: Aragetti's, you know, some of them they acquired from the Astros around the trade deadline.
[SPEAKER_03]: And has been an rehab start.
[SPEAKER_03]: Meena rehab starts using me last week, which I believe Buffalo.
[SPEAKER_03]: So I think those are probably two more likely options.
[SPEAKER_03]: Guys in the 40-minute roster that I do think maybe have a little bit more length in terms of what's available to them to start to start.
[SPEAKER_03]: So BlueJays are kind of back in the mix again now for the playoffs.
[SPEAKER_03]: So it's possible, but I would say that it's probably highly unlikely that we see Perry.
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, there you go, there you have it.
[SPEAKER_00]: That is the end of this week's hot cheat show.
[SPEAKER_00]: But before we let you go, we do have to remind you.
[SPEAKER_00]: If you go on over to BaseballAmerica.com, we have an outstanding amount of content about all things prospects to get you ready for September and the playoffs also on YouTube as well.
[SPEAKER_00]: So head on over there, subscribe to both.
[SPEAKER_00]: We look forward to seeing you next week here as well.
[SPEAKER_00]: For JJ Cooper, Jeff Ponds, I'm Jacob Render, we'll see you next time.
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