Baseball Prospectus - Chat with Zach Crizer

Chat: Zach Crizer

Welcome to Baseball Prospectus' Wednesday May 08, 2019 8:00 PM ET chat session with Zach Crizer.

Zach Crizer is an author at Baseball Prospectus and knows exactly who will emerge with the Braves' closer role.

Zach Crizer: Hello hello, it's time. Let's get started.

Benjamin (ATL): This Season's Wander Franco? Who's going to jump in the rankings?

Zach Crizer: Going to be honest, last season Wander Franco had not played in a real affiliated league yet, so I don't have even the faintest of an idea of someone like him. However, actual prospect writer Jeffrey Paternostro recently wrote about some early risers. https://www.baseballprospectus.com/prospects/article/48803/the-view-from-behind-the-backstop-five-on-the-rise-april/

Turd Ferguson (Jeopardy): Sup Zach!

Zach Crizer: Hello Mr. Ferguson.

Kkelly (Il): In a vacuum, who has the better shirt and long term career, Tatis or Franco? Franco = better hit tool while Tatis = better power? Thanks

Zach Crizer: To wrap up the Wander Franco questions that I'm not particularly well-suited to answer (I do recommend checking for chats with our prospect team!): In the short term: Tatis is in the majors. Franco is in A ball. Long term, I think it's fair to say that Franco's early minor-league performance MIGHT indicate he could have a higher ceiling for his contact and hit tool, but it's too early to say how he will adjust to advanced arms, a leap that Tatis has already made.

Mr. Fister (Arlington): Why did nobody talk about Mazara and Gallo grabbing each other's nuts as a homerun celebration earlier this season? Everyone loses their mind over a bat flip, but nobody cared about this?

Zach Crizer: I think everyone loses their mind when players start attempting to maim each other over something as frivolous (and often quite fun!) as a home run celebration. Nobody freaked out because it probably was a silly, if less than family-friendly, moment that didn't harm anyone.

Mr. Fister (Arlington): When do short season leagues fire up for the season?

Zach Crizer: The New York Penn League begins June 14.

Dan (Chicago): Thoughts on Kristian Robinson? Next big prospect?

Zach Crizer: This is another one that you'd be best served by asking a member of our esteemed prospect team, but very high strikeout rates in rookie ball reads to me as the hit tool being the place for development, which I would bet is not the most common profile of prospects that skyrocket up lists at age 18. And that's OK! He could still be very good, but the seasoning could be a touch slower than some others.

Pat G (Long Island): I've been offered E Suarez for Yandy and Luis Garcia. It's a 16 team dynasty where I'm competing now. That said, Yandy's statcast metrics are all better than Suarez's this year except LA obviously. Is Garcia too much to add to get Suarez?

Zach Crizer: I don't think I have a super intelligent answer on the value proposition in your league, but I'd say all signs point to Eugenio Suarez being a significantly better offensive player than Yandy Diaz going forward, especially in the home run and RBI categories. One has a proven 25-35 dinger track record, and the other has some good signs but a big negative habit to break.

Andrew Vaughn (California): The Royals notified me that they would not be drafting me after they saw the Brazzers sticker on my bat bag, and subsequently checked my browsing history. What do they have against porn?

Zach Crizer: That's a good ploy to avoid Kansas City summers, if that was the goal.

Ozzie Ozzie Albies, Oy Oy Oy! (Lithuania): Not counting the reigning top pitching prospect Whitley, who are your top 3 SP prospects?

Zach Crizer: 1. Jesus Luzardo, when fully healthy, seems to be the most polished arm yet to debut. The A's lefty looks like he'll have a lot of good traits and pitches working for him when he does appear in Oakland.

2. MacKenzie Gore, the Padres prodigy, sounds like he was built in a lab to flummox hitters with long left-handed levers and precocious stuff.

3. This one is not the third-BEST pitching prospect by any means, but I'm very very interested to see what Blue Jays flamethrower Nate Pearson can do over a longer stretch. His raw ability is staggering.

Matt Damon (Film Actor's Guild): MATT. DAMON.

Zach Crizer: There's a pitcher out of Georgia Tech, drafted several times, most recently by the Orioles in 2014, who is currently pitching for York in the Atlantic League. His name is Matthew Grimes, but his middle name is ... Damon. Add a point of viral potential to his resume. Maybe.

Jamie Lee Curtis' Diarrhea (Activia Commercial): May I have a few minutes of your time to talk to you about my lord and savior, pro-biotics?

Zach Crizer: Please no.

Zach Crizer: Thanks for coming by, y'all. We'll do it again soon.