Baseball Prospectus - Chat with Jordan Gorosh

Chat: Jordan Gorosh

Welcome to Baseball Prospectus' Wednesday February 04, 2015 7:00 PM ET chat session with Jordan Gorosh.

Jordan Gorosh is on the BP prospect team and is second in command to Cubs Twitter Czar Sharma. Ask him about how the going Cubs are going, or about the wide world of prospects.

Jordan Gorosh: All right, let's do this thing. Baseball is right around the corner!

Omarion (Hardly, On., Canada): Settle these arguments for me please: 1) Is Willy Adames a better prospect than Rio Ruiz? 2) Steven Souza or Wil Myers for the next five years?

Jordan Gorosh: I'll take Adames. Was unimpressed with Ruiz in my AFL viewing. Feel for contact is there, but I don't think he's a 3B, and if he isn't, then what is the profile like? Fringy, contact-oriented strong side platoon guy? Adames does nothing spectacularly, but I think he'll hit for some avg/power at the big league level, and his defense at a non-SS position should be solid avg.

Myers by quite a bit.

Ron (texarkana): What can we expect from Robert Stephenson this year? Was last season an outlier, or has a flaw been exposed?

Jordan Gorosh: I don't think a flaw has been exposed at all. He got a bit fastball heavy last year, but the stuff is still top of the line. Every prospect has ebbs and flows in their development, and Stevenson was 21 at AA. He's going to need to take a step forward with command and stop trying to throw the ball through the catcher's mit, but I'm very high on him.

DanDaMan (Sea Cliff): Jordan- do you know anything about what kind of prospect Russell Wilson actually would be? Every time I hear some NFL guy talk about him they make it seem like he basically had his pick between the NFL and MLB.

Jordan Gorosh: He was a non-prospect as a baseball player. Not sure where the ridiculous notion that he was an MLB caliber player came from.

Jonah (Redwood): What's the talk on Kris Bryant's ETA. Is a few weeks into the season or June the more likely scenario?

Jordan Gorosh: As soon as he's unable to accrue a full year of service time, he'll be up. Some time around the end of April.

kbs (Key Largo): Is there any chance Dan Vogelbach could learn to play LF or is he only a DH/1B?

Jordan Gorosh: I would pay actual, real dollars to watch him try to play LF. It would be a work of art.

username49 (Ohio): Jake Thompson has been ranked well by almost every prospect publication, but still seems to fly under the radar with fans. He was labelled as a potential #3 starter in the BP Rangers top 10, but after reading the write ups on him here and other places, he actually seems like one of the few players in the upper minors who could potentially be a TOR starter in the near future. Whats the best case scenario for him?

Jordan Gorosh: I actually filed a report on Thompson. You can read it here: http://www.baseballprospectus.com/prospects/eyewitness_pit.php?reportid=68

In fact, I'm probably half a tick low on his slider.

Simon (kalimantan): Blue Jays pushed both Dalton Pompey and Kendall Graveman all the way through from the low minors to the big leagues in a single season. Is it an organisational philosphy to be aggressive with prospects, or just the skill sets of those two made it impossible to keep them down?

Jordan Gorosh: Blue Jays are known for being conservative, typically. Look at how they handle their young pitchers--it's usually a level at a time, low pitch counts, and a level a year. However, these two particular players showed rapid improvement, which kind of forced their hand. After talking to some people in their FO, they were even surprised by Pompey. He took a leap forward last year.

Chris (Cali): Where would Yoan Moncada rank on your prospect rankings?

Jordan Gorosh: Based on the reports I've been getting, somewhere in the 15-25 range, although I'd have to comb through my personal rankings at a more granular level. A scout told me that he'd be the 1:1 in this year's draft, and is a potential monster.

Julio (The Stretch): general scouting q ... when people talk about hands on defense what's that mean? fielding the ball, catching the ball, transfering ... etc?

Jordan Gorosh: All of the above, really. Scouts are looking for infielders that essentially deaden the ball with their hands--kind of like pillows. Loose actions, quick transfer, the ability to snag a tough hop with excellent hand-eye coordination falls into a similar category.

Slevin (Brookltn): How's the Cubs infield/outfield situation going to end up? The only certainties are 1B and C. What about the others?

Jordan Gorosh: Frankly, I have no idea. It's easy to rosterbate and come up with different scenarios, but they have a bunch of awesome players under 25 years old that are controllable. Some will get hurt, some will bust, some will be studs. Let the chips fall where they may.

Bobby (Houston): Hey Jordan, any chance we see Carlos Correa in Houston this year??

Jordan Gorosh: There was actually some conjecture that he'd have been up if he signed a long-term deal last year. My gut feel is that he'll have to absolutely show out this year to warrant a Sept call up--so that's entirely possible. Houston isn't going to contend this year, so they could just wait until late-April of '16 as well.

hotstatrat (Midwestern-New England-New Yorker in Toronto): Wondering about Justin Verlander, who are some recent examples of players who have bounced back decently at age 32 after losing a few notches off their fastball?

Jordan Gorosh: Verlander doesn't really fall into the neat little box of comps. First off, he's a borderline generational talent. Add in the fact that he had core muscle surgery before 2014, some problems finding his release point in 2013, and you've got a lot of moving parts. I don't think it's just 'velocity loss' for him. He still has wicked stuff. It's all about fastball command. His fastball always looked 'light' to me--even at 100. When you watch Chapman or Ventura throw that hard, it's got huge life, and seems to really explode that last ten feet. Verlander's ball never did that-- it's a true pitch. I'm interested to see how he tinkers.

Jake (Kalamazoo): Purely a fantasy question - everything else being equal, do you trade Peraza to get Clint Frazier?

Jordan Gorosh: Yes, and if you ask Bret Sayre, I have a feeling he'd say yes, too.

Mike Olt! (Wrigley): How do you think I'll do in 2015? Will I salvage my career, or am I a Quad-A slugger?

Jordan Gorosh: I actually saw Olt hit one of the longest balls of last year's minor league season during a rehab game. It went approximately 943 feet to LCF at Kane County- not like the ball travels very well. The guy clearly is very strong, and has talent, but it's definitely mental right now. When you hit .160 over 300 PA, it's difficult not to get frustrated. I do think he can carve out a career as a platoon masher, who plays the corner IF, though.

Jobu (Cerrano's Locker): 10tm 5x5 H2H dynasty. Trade my Bryant, Rizzo, and Bogaerts for Goldschmidt, Cano, and Correa, trade Bryant for Harper, or just keep Bryant?

Jordan Gorosh: Flip a coin and add more teams to your league?

Andy5 (MKE): What are the chances of Moncada staying at SS? Based on what I've read so far, they don't sound particularly high. What is his likely position in the future if not SS?

Jordan Gorosh: He's not going to be a shortstop. Most likely destination is 2B, where he'll be just fine. Has an all-around game, and is dripping with tools. Plus, he looks like Benny the Jet Rodriguez and it's awesome.

Ricky (Philly): JP Crawford - a top 3 SS prospect in 2016?

Jordan Gorosh: It kind of depends who actually graduates from this class. I do have Crawford in my personal top 20, and like his game a lot. There are plenty of skills that should translate to him being an above average SS for a long time.

Austin (Philly): Where would you draft Kenny Giles and Adrian Rondon in a 20 team 40 round prospect draft? Limits are 50 innings pitched or 150 at bats. Thanks

Jordan Gorosh: I have no idea, but the reports I've gotten on Rondon are delicious.

cubglen (milwaukee): Please tell me Ejax is not on opening day roster

Jordan Gorosh: Just try him in the pen, it can't be that awful. Right? Right...?

Greg (NY): Can you please rank these SPs for 2015 and beyond in a keeper league. Pomeranz/Jimmy Nelson/Hahn/Cingrani? thanks

Jordan Gorosh: Nelson, Pomeranz, and the other two guys, Hahn especially, are relievers.

Jack (Ridgewood): Thoughts on Javier Baez this season? Do you think there's any way he could get that K% under 30%?

Jordan Gorosh: I think it hovers right around there, if not a couple points more. He's so, so aggressive, and is still learning. I wrote The Call Up on him last year: http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=24342 and it's going to take some time. Unfortunately, everyone is impatient with prospects. He's going to take longer to marinate, but the reward is special.

Shawnykid23 (CT): Other than maybe some different names at the back end, would there be any significant ranking differences between the BP 101 and your personal 101?

Jordan Gorosh: I can't really speak to that since the BP 101 isn't officially released yet. But, in general, some guys I'm higher on than other lists are: Tyler Glasnow, Reese McGuire, Aaron Judge, Manuel Margot, Brandon Drury, Nomar Mazara, ad Jorge Mateo. Guys I'm a bit lower on: Aaron Sanchez, Nick Williams, Josh Bell, Matt Olson, Hunter Harvey, Tyrone Taylor, Luis Severino, Brandon Nimmo. Hope that helps.

Ron (texarkana): Arismendy Alcantara - what will his role be in this upcoming Cubs prospect-laden lineup? What would be a projected statline?

Jordan Gorosh: Someone will either get hurt or be bad, and he'll play a significant role, mostly at 2B and some in the OF, probably a bit of CF. 260/320/420 or so is where I'd peg the slash.

Grizzly (Chicago): What is the absolute ceiling for Corey Seager in terms of numbers?

Jordan Gorosh: Really/good/andalsohandsome

John (Chicago ): What are reasonable expectations for Dalton Pompey for the next 2 years. Is .350 obp reasonable?

Jordan Gorosh: The hardest thing to project are minor league stat lines to the majors. Projection systems struggle with it, talent evaluators have problems with it, teams hate it, too. If he walks 10% of the time, then sure, I don't think that's unreasonable. I'd err a bit lower though, .350 in today's game is really tough.

Ryan Parker (Land of the Leg Kicks): Is the Tigers system so bad Bubba Starling would be a top ten guy for them?

Jordan Gorosh: I... I don't want to think about this. But, probably not, I'm not sure he reaches the major leagues.

NatsGM (Washington DC): Are you going to be at the Milwaukee BP Event in May? What would you hit today on the radar gun and could you strike out Ryan Parker?

Jordan Gorosh: Yes, absolutely. Really, really looking forward to it. I'd be probably 80-82, but my arm would go rocketing into the other dugout around pitch 4. I was a cocky pos on the mound who thought I could strike out anybody. So hell yeah, let's go, Parker.

Randy (Elsewhere): You still a believer in Bogaerts?

Jordan Gorosh: Hell yes. Give me all the Bogaerts. He was one of the youngest players in the league last year, and has an immense ceiling. I don't think last year knocked any shine off him. Still of the belief that he can and will be a star.

Joe (LA): George Springer or Joc Pederson. Is it close?

Jordan Gorosh: What's interesting about Springer is that people don't realize he's actually older than Giancarli-Mike Stanton. Pederson is 2.5 years younger, and has far better bat-to-ball, although Springer certainly edges him out in power. It kind of depends on what type of player you like, and I'll probably still take Springer by a nose just because he did SLG .460 in limited time last year. Yet, it's definitely close.

Rob (Alaska): Thanks for the chat! End of my dynasty keeper list, keep two of three: Jorge Mateo, Ozhaino Albies, Rio Ruiz. Who ya got and why?

Jordan Gorosh: I like Mateo quite a bit more than most. Legit top of the scale runner. Albies is an intriguing profile, although he's got some 'shiny new toy' type love right now. None of his flaws have been exposed. Plus, he has an outstanding name. Aforementioned, I'm the low man on Ruiz. And, especially from a fantasy POV, Ruiz is playing a less important position than the other two.

Paul (DC): Does Baez open the season on the Cubs roster?

Jordan Gorosh: Gut feel is yes, but you'll have to ask the Czar.

Charles (Atlanta): Could you please look into your crystal ball and tell me what kind of major league player Braxton Davidson turns into? Thanks

Jordan Gorosh: Reports on Davidson from complex league ball were underwhelming. I don't believe in his ability to play the OF, and if he moves all the way down the defensive spectrum to 1B, then it's going to hinge on the hit tool. He definitely has some funk in the swing, although good feel for the barrel. I've seen him turned in as a high Role 4, low Role 5 type guy.

Possibly but definitely not CRod (certainly not L.A.): Most handsome BP employee?

Jordan Gorosh: You, Chris. Definitely you.

trigger1583 (CA): Do you think it's possible that Urias gets a Sept. call up this year?

Jordan Gorosh: It's plausible. Stuff wise, he'd be fine right now, and would have probably been at the beginning of last year in a bullpen role. They're bringing him along slowly with innings, which is fine because he's hardly voting age. The only things separating Urias from being a major league SP are stamina--the ability to take the ball every fifth day and go 100 pitches+, and slight command refinement. The stuff isn't the problem.

Omar Secut (Napoli, Italy): What do you think about Chad Smith? Do you think they are going to give him another opportunity with the Tigers this year? Thanks and sorry for my bad english.

Jordan Gorosh: The Tigers bullpen is a mess. He'll probably get a shot. Could be a nice 6th/7th inning guy, nothing more. Decent little pen arm who throws strikes and has a short breaking ball.

HalfStreet (Fairfax VA): The Nationals have traded a number of pitching prospects the last several years, and some have been regifted (I mean traded again since). I assume Alex Meyer would be number 1, but how would you rank the others of Robbie Ray, Nathan Karns, Brad Peacock, Ian Krol and Tommy Milone? It seems for the most part that the Nats haven't suffered too badly yet.

Jordan Gorosh: They've certainly chosen the right guys to give away, huh? Meyer is clearly in a tier above anyone else right now. Would probably go Ray, Karns, Peacock, Milone, Krol, but it's not pretty.

Rotonut (NYC): Jordan, who's your favorite prospect (or prospects) not on this year's top 100 who you think will make a big jump in 2015?? Thanks for sharing your thoughts!!

Jordan Gorosh: Adrian Rondon has been generating quite a bit of buzz. He's going to be one of those guys that everyone asks "when is he coming up!?!?" in 2018 because they've heard about him for so long, and he's only 20 years old.

Rick (St Paul): Stephen Gonsavles and Juan De Leon - how much is there with these young pitchers?

Jordan Gorosh: Both interesting. Gonzalves is a long, lean 6'5 LHP with the potential for three average pitches or slightly above. Guessing you mean Jose de Leon who has a fastball in the low to mid 90s, can touch 96 or 97, with a swing-and-miss quality SL, and feel for CH.

Andy5 (MKE): Thoughts on Hunter Dozier? Are the holes in his zone coverage "fixable" or is he destined to be a low-average hitter?

Jordan Gorosh: He's an extremely strong kid, who is a tad bit stiff, just because he's so muscular. But, he has huge levels of #want, and will stick at 3B. The bat may never be plus, but it has the potential to be average, and the power could play to a 6. It's an intriguing package overall.

Andy5 (MKE): Nice job on the Seattle Top-10. Are you coming to Milwaukee again this year for the BP outing in May?

Jordan Gorosh: Thank you! I will be there for sure.

John (Chicago ): Generally speaking who would have more value between a highly rated prospect who struggles (Archie Bradley ) and a guy that came out of nowhere to post good numbers (degromm)?

Jordan Gorosh: I think you have to aggregate a bit both ways. deGrom is not as good as he was last year, and Bradley has nowhere to go but up. With the advent of his cutter (that he calls a slider, but dammit it's a cutter), and his overall ceiling, I'm going to take the pure upside in this situation with Bradley.

Dennis (LA): Thank you for the chat, Jordan! Please rank the following middle infield prospects by their offensive potential: Daniel Robertson, Tim Anderson, Dilson Herrera, Trea Turner, Alen Hanson, and Franklin Barreto.

Jordan Gorosh: A lot of these guys are really, really close. Man. Anderson, Robertson, Barreto, Herrera, Turner, Hanson, but the middle few guys are definitely in the same tier.

Dennis (LA): Who do you think will be the better hitter in the majors, Greg Bird or Matt Olson?

Jordan Gorosh: I'm not a big fan of either-- as both are relatively passive, somewhat unathletic, stiff hitters, but I'll go with Olson ever so slightly.

Brandon (Connecticut): What kind of numbers will Kyle Schwarber put up once he reaches the bigs? It seems like he has a plus hit and plus power tool but most prospect rankings have him surprisingly low.

Jordan Gorosh: The issue is that he doesn't really have a defensive home yet. He's definitely working hard to become more reliable behind the plate, but it's pretty rough back there right now. It may be a struggle in the corner OF, and 1B is blocked in Chicago. So, it'll be a challenge, but the bat plays, and they'll eventually have to find a home for him. He can rip.

cubglen (milwaukee): Cubs SS in 2016?

Jordan Gorosh: Vegas style odds: -110 Addison Russell, +175 Starlin Castro, +600 Javier Baez, and not Yoan Moncada

CubsRock (Chicago): Jordan, whats your favorite thing about the chicago cubs

Jordan Gorosh: The professor.

jnyy (Oregon): Better pitching prospect this time next year: Luis Severino or Ian Clarkin?

Jordan Gorosh: Severino has much better stuff, although it's certainly not a guarantee he sticks in the rotation. Three starter-quality pitches, but the body and mechanical profile is difficult to believe in. Stiff front leg, inconsistent release point. Still, Clarkin is more of a back-end guy, and you can at least dream on Severino.

gip (new jersey): In an h2h points league, where ks are -1, bb are +1, which of these 3 OFs would you take? Jose Bautista, Michael Brantley or Adam Jones?

Jordan Gorosh: I'm not a fantasy expert by any means, but I'd presume the non Adam Jones option.

Ardvard (Pluto): How concerned are you with Javy Baez's stats in the Puerto Rican league over the winter? Looks like a ton of K's. 21 in 43 AB's during the season with another 6 in the playoffs. Reason to worry or not?

Jordan Gorosh: He's always going to strike out a lot. That's just who he is. I put approximately zero stock into winter league stats. It's not the same game.

Bill Clinton (Las Vegas): Are you a believer in Raimel Tapia? How much power does he end up developing? What's his ETA?

Jordan Gorosh: It's hard not to be. No, not because Parker will come and find me otherwise. The kid has innate feel for the barrel, and the power will come. One of the highest future hit-tool grades in the minors, and for good reason.

Jobu (Cerrano's Locker): Think Bryant's as good as advertised? Numbers this year?

Jordan Gorosh: Yes, he's one of the best pure hitting prospects in quite some time. As I said before, it's really difficult to project minor league players' major league numbers. You need some sort of baseline before it gets easier to aggregate. Something like .270 with a lot of walks and 25-30 bombs wouldn't shock me, though.

Scott (Chucktown): Who do you think are going to be the best players out of the last couple groups of prospects? Bryant, Baez, Russell, Correa, Bogaerts, Harper, etc...Do you have a personal top prospect list coming out?

Jordan Gorosh: I'm still firmly convinced that Bryce Harper is going to be a player who wins multiple MVP's. Troutca came through at the same time, but that's obviously not an unfair answer. Not to belittle any of the other guys, because all of those names are the stars of tomorrow, but Harper possesses generational upside.

I don't think I'll be releasing a top prospect list of my own (although I do keep one updated), but I'm going to be chatting every month, and I typically discuss guys I'm higher or lower on than the consensus. Therefore, you can get a good flavor of where those guys would rank on a hypothetical list.

Chris (Placerville): Has Craij ever been considered for the prospect staff?

Jordan Gorosh: You didn't hear it from me but... stay tuned.

sykklone (IA): Put these in order: Wisler, Matz, Nola, Blair. Thanks.

Jordan Gorosh: Nola, Matz, Wisler, Blair, all top 75 guys for me.

Chad (OKC): If Lucas Giolito absolutely blows away the competition in the minors this year, what are the chances he finds himself in the mix for a rotation spot with the Nats next season? They have several SP on the final year of their deals.

Jordan Gorosh: He's a 20 year old who has 136 career low minors innings and a gigantic ceiling. I don't see the rush. They can manage with their myriad of internal candidates.

username49 (Ohio): Any thoughts on Giovanny Urshela? His always been a 60/70 defender, and scouts have finally taken notice, but he showed undeniable improvement with the bat this year. Highest BB% of his career and showed major uptick in power production. If he can be an even average hitter in the majors I would think he would be an incredible asset for the Tribe.

Jordan Gorosh: Incredible is likely overstating it, but he's gone from a guy who's been under appreciated to a nice prospect. The improvements with the bat are undeniable, but it's really whether or not he's going to make enough consistent hard contact at the big league level. I'd grade him as more of a 60 defender than a 70, but regardless, he and Lindor could be a nice, controllable left side of the infield.

Tommy (Silver spring): Bobby Bradley mashed the ball in his debut, albiet in rookie ball, how far can he go? Better yet, what would some signs be that he has a special bat - repeat the feat in A ball?

Jordan Gorosh: I'm going to see Bradley and Mejia quite a bit in the MWL this season. Reports are excellent on the bat thus far, but he's going to have to absolutely mash as a 1B only prospect.

Gmurphsiu02 (St Paul): Who do you like best for the long haul? Michael Pineda, Danny Duffy or Shelby Miller.

Jordan Gorosh: I can't, in good conscience, put Pineda over either of these guys. He keeps teasing and showing flashes, but then pulls the rug out from under. It's frustrating.

I'll very hesitantly take Miller>Duffy. I think the Braves can refine his mechs a bit, and get his CB back to a strike out pitch. Duffy has yet to do it for a full season yet, but I do think he has slightly higher upside, lower floor.

Nick (New Jersey): What is the biggest improvement JP Crawford made in the last year? All the scouts love him!

Jordan Gorosh: Starting to tap into some in-game power. The FSL isn't a good place to hit. He was stronger than some scouts originally thought, and his instincts are even better.

Bill Clinton (Las Vegas): Rank the following prospects for a dynasty league: Peraza, J. Bell, Renfroe, A. Judge, B. Zimmer, Margot, Nimmo, and Tapia. Thanks dude for doing this chat. Always look forward to them.

Jordan Gorosh: Fantasy wise, I'm probably not the best person to answer this question. Bret Sayre is going to come out with his top prospects list soon, and all of those guys will be on there.

Grizzly (Chicago): Is a s'more a sandwich?

Jordan Gorosh: It's a bunch of amazing flavor in between two graham crackers so you bet your ass it's a sandwich

atlantatiger (a middle school gym ): hey jordan- is there anyone you can think of that struggled with pitch recognition/hit tool, etc. as much as moya does and eventually made it work? i know the odds are long, but is there any precedent at all?

Jordan Gorosh: There is, but any of those guys are much more important on the defensive spectrum, so their total value was still pretty good. If it does work out for Moya, and I'm the resident low man of course, it's going to take awhile.

Steve (Philadelphia ): If you can give a 60-grade pitch or skill to any player out there, who would see the greatest increase in future value? Gallo with a 60 hit would become death, destroyer of worlds.

Jordan Gorosh: I think the answer is in the question. If that ever happened, it wouldn't be safe to play the field when he hit.

kali (borneo): Is jace petersen a future mlb regular?

Jordan Gorosh: I think he's more of a good utility guy or second division type if anything, but I like his game a bit. He should carve out a nice career with his versatility and athleticism.

Grizzly (Chicago): What are your thoughts on Rymer Liriano especially now that the Padres outfield is packed?

Jordan Gorosh: Padres are in compile asset mode, which is what any smart front-office does in their first few years. But, I wouldn't be surprised to see him moved in this calendar year. He has right handed power and speed, which is a borderline impossible combination to find.

jlarsen (Chicagoland): G. Holmes or C. Rodon?

Jordan Gorosh: Wouldn't overthink it. Rodon has a much higher ceiling and floor.

bob m (Philly): What are your thoughts on David Dahl------ceiling and ETA?

Jordan Gorosh: Dahl is someone to get excited about-- could be an all star CF. Has the potential for plus tools across the board, barely save for power. He's been pushed down some lists for non-existent attitude issues, but could be a legit top ten guy by the end of this year, if not sooner. ETA will depend on need, but he may force the Rockies hand by the end of next year at this rate.

Matt (Cambridge): Is there any change Jon Gray is up early in the season? I mean if you want to put him in a launching pad, you might as well put him in Coors, not Albuquerque.

Jordan Gorosh: Predicting what the Rockies are going to do is virtually impossible. I'd like to see Gray in the big leagues soon though, and the PCL isn't going to help development.

Chad (OKC): Which of these Rangers minor league pitchers ends up having the best career? Jake Thompson , Chi Chi Gonzalez , Luis Ortiz or Luke Jackson?Can jackson be a starter or is he ultimately bound for the bullpen?

Jordan Gorosh: Chi Chi slightly ahead of Thompson, gap, Jackson, Ortiz. It's going to come down to command for Jackson, but he's definitely got the stuff to be a starter. It'd be great in short bursts, but they'll give him every chance to start.

Dennis (LA): How would you rank Aaron Blair, Marco Gonzalez, and Braden Shipley? And will Eddie Butler ultimately be a starter? Thank you!

Jordan Gorosh: Shipley, gap, Butler, Blair, Gonzales. Way too early to write off Butler-- let's see how the breaking ball comes along. A RHP with a big time FB and a swing and miss quality CH is usually a good bet.

jlarsen (Chicagoland ): Think Rondon starts in Bowling Green? They have been aggressive with IFers before with Wong and Hager, so it's not that surprising if it happened

Jordan Gorosh: I don't think they'll put a 16 YO in the MWL. Will probably get a year of SS ball in, and they'll evaluate him in fall instructs, then next ST.

Fransisco Lindor (Flashing the Leather): I would be even more special with 60 power.

Jordan Gorosh: You're still pretty.

Julio (The Stretch): Have seen the expression wrapping the change-up lately .... what is that and how can you tell??

Jordan Gorosh: Not vernacular I've heard used to describe solely a CH. An arm wrap shouldn't be used to describe a singular pitch-- it's arm action that encompasses the entire arsenal.

Mikeked (Chicago ): Any thoughts on Mark Zagunis or Dylan Cease

Jordan Gorosh: Actually didn't get to see Zagunis last year, although the reports were interesting. Cease is difficult to rank until he's healthy. I should (hopefully) see plenty of both guys in Arizona, though.

Gila Monster (Boston): Are you not publishing an Angel's top 10 prospect list because they don't actually have prospects?

Jordan Gorosh: They're the last one! Hang in there, we're almost done.

Philips (Tallahassee): Can Arrieta and Carrasco keep up with what they did last year? Can they continue to put up ace like numbers going forward?

Jordan Gorosh: They both have the stuff to maintain that performance, but the key is consistency. Plus, teams will have an entire offseason to watch their tape and come out with a game plan against them. Each guy is more like a solid #3 to me, if you factor in risk, stuff, past performance, and ability to eat innings.

Steve (NJ): When is the 101 coming out? And are you guys going to have some sort of joint marathon chat?

Jordan Gorosh: It's coming out in the next couple weeks, as far as I understand. In fact, it's already been released in the book. Buy the book, people!

Marathon chat sounds fun. I'll lobby for it.

Dennis (LA): Thanks for the awesome chat. What do you eventually foresee Archie Bradley and Robert Stephenson becoming? Aces? Strong #2-3? Closers?

Jordan Gorosh: Thanks, Dennis! I think they're each strong #2s. I wouldn't relegate either guy to the bullpen. Each has the body, fastball, and secondary arsenal to throw 200 IP consistently at the big league level. I wouldn't get too wrapped up in some of Bradley's failure to this point, not everyone is Jose Fernandez.

jlarsen (Chicagoland): Boog Powell was given a NRI for the Rays, surprised?

Jordan Gorosh: Tons of guys who aren't going to make the roster get big league camp invites, so no, not really.

fats (canada): is kevin pillar underrated?

Jordan Gorosh: If he's rated as an extra OF, he's properly rated.

Steve (Philadelphia ): Okay, so how about just adding a 60-grade pitch to someone's repetoire. Who benefits the most?

Jordan Gorosh: Giolito, 60 CH. It may get there, but with the other two elite-level pitches, man. Look out.

All right guys, only a couple more and I've gotta get going for tonight. I promise I'll be back before my trip to Arizona though.

brentdaily (Colorado): Manny Ramirez racked up an amazing -276 runs on defense. Would you take vogelbach or manny as a ninth inning defensive replacement?

Jordan Gorosh: Adam Dunn, probably.

gphelp77 (chicago): Hypothetically, if everyone is healthy this year and plays well for the Cubs, does Russell still get a call up?

Jordan Gorosh: Yeah, I definitely think so. He should get a taste in Sept at the absolute least-- but I'd take the over on 200 PA.

Joe (Miami): Do you think Cosart is a break out candidate this year ?

Jordan Gorosh: Stuff is good, but plays down due to command. Doesn't really miss bats, or have consistent fastball command from outing to outing. He'll be a back of the rotation guy, just because the stuff is so good, until that improves.

username49 (ohio): Its too bad the MWL doesn't have any high ceiling SS prospects for you to watch this year. Just a bunch of scrubs like Barreto, Gordon, Albies, Tucker, and Torres. But seriously, Are you pumped for the talent at the position this year? Who are you most excited to see?

Jordan Gorosh: Sadly, Albies and I think you mean Cole Tucker, are going to be in the SAL. There's no guarantee Torres is in South Bend, but yes, I'm excited for all of those guys and Francisco Mejia.

Mike (NY): Your gut feeling, do you think any prospects in the minors have a hall of fame ceiling?

Jordan Gorosh: Unfortunately, I doubt it. There just aren't very many HOF-quality guys roaming around. I hear the CF in LA is pretty good, though.

All right guys, I'm out. Hopefully I showed some #want during the 3.5 hour chat. Talk to ya'll again soon.

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