Future Projection

Baseball America

Baseball America’s Ben Badler and Carlos Collazo offer scout-level insight into all levels of baseball—everything from the amateur MLB Draft, international scouting, minor league prospects to the bigs. New episodes drop every week.

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Episode 68: The State Of NL Central Farm Systems
17-11-2023
Episode 68: The State Of NL Central Farm Systems
Ben and Carlos chat about MLB awards season, despite the fact that most of the winners were unanimous and ultimately not too surprising. After that the two talk about the PPI picks that the D-Backs and Orioles will receive thanks to Corbin Carroll and Gunnar Henderson, and the pros and cons of all of the new rule changes in regards to the draft—and it seems like mostly pros outside of additional headaches that Carlos has to deal with. The two briefly talk about the Braves-White Sox trade that put Aaron Bummer in Atlanta and sent a five-player package to Chicago, before touching on the 40-man roster deadline and talking a bit of Rule 5 draft. The two also examine some of the first round misses that the protection deadline highlighted, including Twins shortstop Keoni Cavaco, Twins first baseman Aaron Sabato and Royals lefthander Asa Lacy. What are the lessons to be drawn from those picks?The bulk of the episode is spent analyzing the farm systems for the NL Central clubs. Just how good is the Brewers farm system? Which of these teams has surged forward over the second half of the season given their 2023 draft and prospect finishes? And which clubs or prospects do the two disagree on? All that and more.—Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com  Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPodBen's Twitter: @BenBadlerCarlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazoBaseball America WebsiteSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/future-projection-a-baseball-america-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Episode 67: What Makes A Good Manager?
10-11-2023
Episode 67: What Makes A Good Manager?
Ben and Carlos talk about a number of the managerial moves in the big leagues in recent weeks, and then Ben talks about the traits and skills that he would want to have in a big league manager. It’s hard to quantify the value of big league managers with precision, but Ben breaks down the various hard and soft skills that he thinks might be important for the modern game.The two talk about whether or not playing backgrounds are important or necessary for big league managers, the value of managerial experience, the value of being on the same page philosophically with your front office and whether or not you need different managers for teams at different competitive stages. After that, the two talk about the Yankees and the various comments made recently by owner Hal Steinbrenner and general manager Brian Cashman. Are the narratives surrounding the Yankees’ “disappointing” 2023 season accurate, and what’s the current state of the organization in a routinely competitive AL East division?Next, the two move on to some free agency talk, think about how historic Shohei Ohtani is on the free agent market and work through some of the top available pitchers and hitters available. The two end by discussing national signing day for the 2024 high school class, talk through a few of the best classes of talent and then take a few listener questions that get into more scouting talk. –Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com  Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPodBen's Twitter: @BenBadlerCarlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazoBaseball America WebsiteSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/future-projection-a-baseball-america-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Episode 63: Previewing The Postseason + Scouting Jupiter
03-10-2023
Episode 63: Previewing The Postseason + Scouting Jupiter
The postseason field is set and October baseball is here. Ben and Carlos talk about the field and think through which teams are well-positioned to advance to the World Series as much as possible given the randomness of playoff baseball. The two talk about styles of play, which teams have the toughest and easiest paths, and then try and figure out which playoff teams are best positioned for success in the next five years.After that the two discuss the careers of four big league legends: Miguel Cabrera, Adam Wainwright, Joey Votto and Zack Greinke.Next the two move into the amateur baseball space and look at the state of the 2025 high school draft class, thanks to Ben’s recently updated top 100 list. Ethan Holliday continues to top the list, but there are plenty of shortstops to get excited about and a few standout arms as well. Finally the two talk about their upcoming trip to Jupiter for Perfect Game’s WWBA World Championship. Who are the teams and players to know? Are more high school players taking the fall off? Does that even matter? And do you really need to bring an umbrella to the field? All that and more.—Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com  Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPodBen's Twitter: @BenBadlerCarlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazoBaseball America WebsiteSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/future-projection-a-baseball-america-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Episode 62: Scouting The Arizona Fall League
29-09-2023
Episode 62: Scouting The Arizona Fall League
Ben and Carlos dig into some of the more interesting prospects to know from the Arizona Fall League rosters, including a few well-known players with a chance to make up for lost time, and a few lesser known names who could jump on the scene. Players include Guardians outfielder Chase DeLauter, Tigers righthander Jackson Jobe and Blue Jays lefthander Ricky Tiedemann, among others.After that, the two talk about more big league call-ups, led by Phillies righthander Orion Kerkering, who went from an inconsistent starter and reliever at South Florida to one of the most exciting relievers in baseball in just over a year’s time. They touch on Junior Caminero’s promotion, and briefly look ahead to the top tier of prospects for the 2024 season, before talking about Evan Carter’s power surge in the big leagues, and also touch on Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, lefthander Jordan Wicks, Reds infielder Noelvi Marte and Dodgers righthander Kyle Hurt. After that, the two talk about baseball’s youth movement. The 2023 rookie hitting class is historic, and at the minor league level players are being pushed quicker than ever before. Why is that? Is it a good thing? And what are the pros and cons between development pro ball vs. college anyway?Finally, the two take a listener email that gets at some of these same questions.—Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com  Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPodBen's Twitter: @BenBadlerCarlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazoBaseball America WebsiteSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/future-projection-a-baseball-america-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Episode 61: Trouble In San Diego?
22-09-2023
Episode 61: Trouble In San Diego?
Carlos and Ben briefly talk about Corbin Carroll’s historic rookie season and the rare company that he has joined with his power/speed combination. Then, they look at the NL MVP race that is heating up between Ronald Acuña Jr. and Mookie Betts and try and figure out who, if either, has the edge. That leads to a conversation about stolen base and base running value in the game today before diving into some season-ending team retrospectives.The two focus in particular on the Padres and try to dig into a few of the explanations for why the team underperformed so massively. Was it the front office and AJ Preller? Was it the chemistry of the clubhouse? Was it bad luck and randomness? Or was it something else entirely?After that the two talk through each of the teams hovering around .500 or below this season and gauge whether or not the near future for those clubs is something to get excited about or something to be concerned with. And while the Reds are above .500, are the recent struggles for Elly De La Cruz a red flag for his future, or should we still be optimistic about his long-term success?—Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com  Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPodBen's Twitter: @BenBadlerCarlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazoBaseball America WebsiteSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/future-projection-a-baseball-america-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Episode 60: Down Performers We Are Still Buying
15-09-2023
Episode 60: Down Performers We Are Still Buying
Ben and Carlos talk about a few recent high-profile front office moves, led by the Red Sox decision to fire chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom, as well as the Mets hiring of David Stearns and an extension for Mike Rizzo with the Nationals. The two talk about Bloom’s tenure with Boston and try to assess the job he did with the organization, before looking ahead to how the Mets could look with Stearns in charge in New York.After that, the two talk about the seasons that Japanese players Kodai Senga and Masataka Yoshida have had—do they exceed, meet or underwhelm our expectations? The two touch on George Kirby’s polarizing post-game comments and briefly talk about the big league promotions of Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and Orioles outfielder Heston Kjerstad before reviewing the 2023 season of Marcelo Mayer in light of his injury news.Finally, the two talk through a few standouts in the lower levels of the minors and also pick out a few players with down statistical years who they are still in on as prospects before getting into a couple Top 100 focused listener questions. —Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com  Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPodBen's Twitter: @BenBadlerCarlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazoBaseball America WebsiteSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/future-projection-a-baseball-america-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Episode 58: Aggressive Promotions + Hot & Cold Draft Picks
01-09-2023
Episode 58: Aggressive Promotions + Hot & Cold Draft Picks
Ben and Carlos talk about the most disappointing teams in the big leagues this year, and then follow up on a 90th Percentile Podcast conversation from Geoff Pontes about how many games the 2023 Louisiana State team could win against the 2023 Oakland A’s. The two then move into a few notable prospect promotions that have happened recently, including Padres catcher Ethan Salas moving to Double-A as a 17-year-old, Rangers outfielder Evan Carter moving up to Triple-A and a number of 2023 draftee assignments: Cubs shortstop Matt Shaw, Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews, Pirates righthander Paul Skenes and Braves righthander Hurston Waldrep all going to Double-A. After that, the two talk about a number of 2023 draftees off to hot starts (Mariners SS Colt Emerson, Blue Jays OF Jace Bohrofen, Orioles OF Enrique Bradfield, Nationals 3B Yohandy Morales, etc.) and a few more who are starting their pro careers a bit cold (Reds SS Sammy Stafura, Red Sox SS Nazzan Zanetello, White Sox SS Jacob Gonzalez, Royals C Blake Mitchell & Cardinals OF Chase Davis).Finally the two talk about BA’s recently released Cape Cod League and USA Collegiate National Team top prospects lists and dig into a few notable 2024 draft prospects.—Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com  Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPodBen's Twitter: @BenBadlerCarlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazoBaseball America WebsiteSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/future-projection-a-baseball-america-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Episode 57: Midseason Farm System Rankings
18-08-2023
Episode 57: Midseason Farm System Rankings
Ben and Carlos get back on the podcast train after a month of busy travel watching some of the top high school players in the country. First on the docket in today’s episode is the surprise announcement that the Angels are calling up 2023 first rounder Nolan Schanuel.After that, the two start with a conversation about our midseason farm system rankings. How much separation is there at the top with the Orioles, Mariners and Dodgers? And which teams beyond that top trio stand out to us? How do we view top-heavy systems like the Padres and the Nationals compared to systems with less impact talent, but solid quality depth throughout?Then they discuss how many teams have a “case” for a bottom of the barrel system, and also talk through a few teams who have been in “rebuild mode” for a few years, but who have considerably different farm systems right now.After that, things turn towards amateur baseball and the two talk about their early impressions of the 2024 draft class, mention a few prospects who stood out and get unreasonably excited about the future potential of the latest in the Holliday line: 2025 lefthanded-hitting infielder Ethan Holliday. —Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com  Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPodBen's Twitter: @BenBadlerCarlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazoBaseball America WebsiteSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/future-projection-a-baseball-america-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Episode 53: Prospect Promotions & Draft Popups
02-06-2023
Episode 53: Prospect Promotions & Draft Popups
Ben and Carlos talk through our most recent draft update, which was the release of the BA 500—always a fun milestone to reach on the draft calendar. The two talk through a few players of note on the list, including Arizona outfielder Chase Davis and a prominent pop-up player in Southern California, among others.After that, the two talk about the value of team workouts. What sort of information are scouting departments trying to gather in this setting and how important are they when trying to properly evaluate a prospect?Next, the two discuss a few prominent prospect promotions, including: Braves righthander AJ Smith-Shawver, Padres catcher Ethan Salas, Nationals outfielder James Wood, Red Sox shortstop Marcelo Mayer and Rays infielder Junior Caminero. After that, the two discuss a few notable pitching prospects including Dodgers righthander Emmet Sheehan and Brewers righthander Jacob Misiorowski.The two end the show with listener questions, which includes a comparison of Elly De La Cruz and Oneil Cruz, more 2023 draft topics—such as if the Pirates go a bit off the board at No. 1—and how Ben and Carlos were both inspired to pursue baseball writing as a career.—Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com  Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPodBen's Twitter: @BenBadlerCarlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazoBaseball America WebsiteSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/future-projection-a-baseball-america-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Episode 52: Players We Like More Than The Industry
26-05-2023
Episode 52: Players We Like More Than The Industry
Today Ben and Carlos talk about the potential benefits of replacing extended spring training with a full-season league in the minors, and then get into a conversation about the pros and cons of scouting history and getting fresh-eyed looks on players from others.The two talk about players they have different history or personal experiences with and also dive into a couple prospects who they either like a lot personally, or think should get a bit more attention. Players include Mariners first baseman Tyler Locklear, D-Backs second baseman Ryan Bliss, Rockies outfielder Yanquiel Fernandez, Braves shortstop Ignacio Alvarez and White Sox righthander Jonathan Cannon.The two also revisit the No. 1 prospect conversation and talk about upside and risk with Reds shortstop Elly de la Cruz and Orioles shortstop Jackson Holliday.The two also talk about the draft, touch on a few players they like further down boards and also talk about recent draftees who are old for the level but still putting up impressive performances.—Do you  have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com  Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPodBen's Twitter: @BenBadlerCarlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazoBaseball America WebsiteSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/future-projection-a-baseball-america-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Episode 51: Is Jackson Holliday The Best Prospect In Baseball?
19-05-2023
Episode 51: Is Jackson Holliday The Best Prospect In Baseball?
Ben and Carlos talk about how impressive Orioles shortstop Jackson Holliday has been since he was drafted and make the case for him as the No. 1 prospect in baseball. The 19-year-old shortstop has an extremely well-rounded game with few, if any, holes to speak of—who else is in the conversation and competing with him right now?After that, the two discuss a few other players who were taken with the first few picks of the 2022 draft, including Rangers righthander Kumar Rocker, D-Backs outfielder Druw Jones and Pirates second baseman Termarr Johnson. What’s the level of concern with all three players, and is there any underlying data to give us confidence moving forward? Is it simply too soon to get skeptical of the high school hitters? How quickly do we change our opinions on recent draftees based on pro data and how quickly should we change our minds?After that, the two talk about the 2023 draft rankings update process and dive into a few players who are especially difficult to place—most notably Tennessee righthander Chase Dollander. Where does he fit with the top tier of pitching prospects and how do we compare and contrast the performance and consistency of Wake Forest righthander Rhett Lowder with the elite pure stuff of Florida righty Hurston Waldrep, in addition to the more risky but exciting prep profiles of Noble Meyer and Thomas White.Finally the two talk about how impressive Braves righthander AJ Smith-Shawver has been this season and get into a few listener questions.—Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com  Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPodBen's Twitter: @BenBadlerCarlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazoBaseball America WebsiteSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/future-projection-a-baseball-america-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy