WEBVTT - 516 | Just Baseball's Top 100 Prospects: Newcomers Part 2 0:00:01.720 --> 0:00:16.200 Any swags to Hie understand deep to center field. 0:00:16.480 --> 0:00:19.280 And it's wow. 0:00:19.360 --> 0:00:23.200 His first big league swing is gonna be a grand 0:00:23.400 --> 0:00:25.480 slam home line swing. 0:00:25.640 --> 0:00:35.239 Good time, look to the show. Welcome back to the 0:00:35.280 --> 0:00:37.800 Call Up, your go to podcast on the future starts 0:00:37.800 --> 0:00:40.760 in Major League Baseball. You got arm Late and Elijah Evans, 0:00:40.800 --> 0:00:45.000 and today we are doing part two of the Newcomers 0:00:45.000 --> 0:00:50.640 of Just Baseball's Top one hundred Prospect Update. The Newcomers again, 0:00:50.680 --> 0:00:53.120 we've talked about it so many of them that we 0:00:53.200 --> 0:00:55.480 had to two part this, and we've got a lot 0:00:55.480 --> 0:00:57.680 of really fun prospects to dive into. Some guys that 0:00:57.800 --> 0:01:01.040 actually like it's been fun because they have they've maybe 0:01:01.080 --> 0:01:02.760 just been promoted. How are they doing at the new 0:01:02.840 --> 0:01:05.200 level since we've even put this list out, and other 0:01:05.240 --> 0:01:07.840 things like that. But the theme of this Top one 0:01:07.920 --> 0:01:11.600 hundred has been new faces, and here's an opportunity to 0:01:12.000 --> 0:01:14.280 tie a bow on the rest of the new faces. 0:01:14.640 --> 0:01:15.319 Yeah, no doubt. 0:01:15.360 --> 0:01:16.959 We had some fun names on the first part of 0:01:16.959 --> 0:01:20.279 this list last week, some really really cool names today. 0:01:20.319 --> 0:01:22.440 I mean, these are guys like when you're a newcomer 0:01:22.440 --> 0:01:24.560 and you jump into these are all top seventy guys, 0:01:24.560 --> 0:01:26.600 So like, these aren't just new names that are like, oh, 0:01:26.680 --> 0:01:28.520 maybe this guy slipped into the back nine, you know, 0:01:28.600 --> 0:01:29.320 ninety eighth. 0:01:29.120 --> 0:01:30.520 Spot on the list, like we talked about. 0:01:30.680 --> 0:01:33.559 These are guys that legitimately just catapulted onto this list 0:01:33.600 --> 0:01:35.720 because of what you've seen from them, you know, the 0:01:36.040 --> 0:01:38.399 end of last season, beginning of this season just really 0:01:38.440 --> 0:01:40.959 really impressive first two months of the year for pretty 0:01:41.040 --> 0:01:42.600 much everybody in this group of names. 0:01:42.840 --> 0:01:44.560 Yeah, and we might as well start with a guy 0:01:44.560 --> 0:01:47.720 who has been one of the breakout prospects, one of 0:01:47.720 --> 0:01:49.280 our picks to be a breakout prospect, with one of 0:01:49.280 --> 0:01:52.320 the breakout prospects in minor league baseball this year, just 0:01:52.360 --> 0:01:55.080 got promoted up to Double A, where he is struggling 0:01:55.080 --> 0:01:57.960 a little bit to be expected big jump. But Devin 0:01:58.000 --> 0:02:01.120 Fitzgerald at sixty six is the first guy that we're 0:02:01.120 --> 0:02:02.680 going to talk about. Then, you know, is that the 0:02:02.760 --> 0:02:05.680 new top one hundred name here? 0:02:06.680 --> 0:02:08.600 Yeah, Fitzgerald is exciting. 0:02:08.600 --> 0:02:08.760 Man. 0:02:08.840 --> 0:02:10.359 I think it's like you look at a guy who 0:02:10.400 --> 0:02:12.679 just you know, came up last year and was really good. 0:02:12.680 --> 0:02:15.799 He goes over to a Nationals organization in that Mackenzie 0:02:15.800 --> 0:02:19.520 Gore trade, and now you know what already was looked 0:02:19.520 --> 0:02:21.800 good last year but very limited sample because of injuries 0:02:22.320 --> 0:02:22.760 in High A. 0:02:22.880 --> 0:02:25.680 This year he was unbelievable fifty one games. 0:02:25.400 --> 0:02:27.839 At a one thirty two WRC plus getting on base 0:02:27.880 --> 0:02:30.160 at a near four hundred clip gets the promotion in 0:02:30.200 --> 0:02:30.519 Double A. 0:02:30.600 --> 0:02:31.560 It's been one week. 0:02:31.800 --> 0:02:33.840 It has been a rough week for him, but it's 0:02:33.880 --> 0:02:35.959 been one week, so we're more focused on the fact 0:02:36.000 --> 0:02:38.919 that he absolutely destroyed Hi A for the first two 0:02:38.919 --> 0:02:39.600 months of the season. 0:02:40.000 --> 0:02:43.360 Yeah, and it's I think also with Fitzgerald, it's important 0:02:43.400 --> 0:02:45.160 to note and this is a guy that I think 0:02:45.760 --> 0:02:49.200 just the length and the grueling aspect of of of 0:02:49.240 --> 0:02:52.320 a season is going to maybe affect him a little bit, 0:02:52.400 --> 0:02:56.360 because this is a high school draft tee who only 0:02:56.400 --> 0:02:59.320 played forty one games in twenty twenty five because the 0:02:59.360 --> 0:03:01.600 season was cut or due to injury. So he's already 0:03:01.600 --> 0:03:04.120 played right now like the most games he's ever played 0:03:04.200 --> 0:03:06.799 right in the spring season at fifty seven, and he's 0:03:06.800 --> 0:03:10.160 coming off that injury. But also the other important part 0:03:10.200 --> 0:03:12.440 to note here is this is a kid that really 0:03:12.480 --> 0:03:15.320 skipped Low A right. He got hurt ten games into 0:03:15.360 --> 0:03:18.760 Low A last year, and the Nationals were so impressed 0:03:18.760 --> 0:03:21.560 with Devin Fitzgerald in spring training and everything, and even 0:03:21.800 --> 0:03:24.200 in what they saw last year that they assigned him 0:03:24.200 --> 0:03:28.720 straight to HYA. So this double A promotion is a 0:03:28.760 --> 0:03:31.520 really big test for him and one that I figured 0:03:31.560 --> 0:03:35.000 they thought, Hey, like he's gonna have some growing pains, 0:03:35.040 --> 0:03:38.440 that's fine. HYA was already an aggressive push for him. 0:03:38.560 --> 0:03:40.440 A lot of other organizations I think would have just 0:03:40.480 --> 0:03:43.480 had Devin Fitzgerald hang out in Hia and dominate there 0:03:43.760 --> 0:03:46.000 for the duration of the year. And I know he 0:03:46.040 --> 0:03:47.680 was a little bit cold even at the finish of 0:03:47.680 --> 0:03:49.520 the High A stints, So I think it says a 0:03:49.520 --> 0:03:52.040 lot about how they feel about Fitzgerald to just kind 0:03:52.040 --> 0:03:54.920 of bring him straight up to Double Anyways, this is 0:03:54.960 --> 0:03:58.160 a really good player that I think will come down 0:03:58.200 --> 0:03:59.640 to earth a little bit with the back half of 0:03:59.640 --> 0:04:02.800 this year, because I mean, the exit velocities are coming along, 0:04:03.520 --> 0:04:06.440 but I mean he is outslugging the exit velocities. He's 0:04:06.440 --> 0:04:08.000 built to be that kind of guy with the above 0:04:08.000 --> 0:04:10.520 average field to hit with the angles the airpole and 0:04:10.840 --> 0:04:13.920 as a switch hitter as well. But at the same time, 0:04:14.240 --> 0:04:15.520 like this is a guy that had one of the 0:04:15.560 --> 0:04:17.360 best stretches we saw in the minor leagues. This year. 0:04:17.600 --> 0:04:19.120 Of course this is going to start to get pitched 0:04:19.120 --> 0:04:21.279 to a little bit different. It's a long season for him. 0:04:21.680 --> 0:04:25.039 It's a huge jump up really two levels, and a 0:04:25.200 --> 0:04:28.280 massive leap from where he was at last year. And 0:04:28.520 --> 0:04:31.159 no matter how long maybe this this struggle is in 0:04:31.200 --> 0:04:33.680 Double A, it doesn't really change anything to the fact 0:04:33.720 --> 0:04:37.240 that Devin Fitzgerald's such a well rounded, high floor piece 0:04:37.360 --> 0:04:39.800 as a switch hitting most likely second basement, but it 0:04:39.839 --> 0:04:42.359 could be an above average second basement that gives you 0:04:42.360 --> 0:04:45.360 above average battle ball, above average play discipline, at least 0:04:45.440 --> 0:04:48.640 average power season speed, and some of his parts is 0:04:48.640 --> 0:04:50.560 going to be I think an above average big league 0:04:50.560 --> 0:04:51.720 infielder for a long time. 0:04:52.279 --> 0:04:55.880 Great point there on him basically skipping high single A 0:04:55.880 --> 0:04:57.960 as a nineteen year old essentially right like this year 0:04:58.040 --> 0:05:00.680 is his age twenty season and he into High A 0:05:00.800 --> 0:05:02.159 and takes it and goes for it, right. 0:05:03.040 --> 0:05:05.000 Good point also, and you know, a good thing to 0:05:05.040 --> 0:05:05.320 note on. 0:05:05.320 --> 0:05:07.440 The second base aspect of it too, because he has 0:05:07.520 --> 0:05:08.960 only played second base now in Double A. 0:05:10.960 --> 0:05:13.280 Not that he you know, he might still play some. 0:05:13.360 --> 0:05:15.039 Sure, he might still play some third, but you already 0:05:15.080 --> 0:05:17.040 kind of had him picking as a second baseman. It 0:05:17.040 --> 0:05:18.880 does seem like now that he's in Double A, he's 0:05:18.880 --> 0:05:21.240 pretty much exclusively playing second at least so far. That 0:05:21.360 --> 0:05:23.440 might change, but it does seem like he's destined for 0:05:23.480 --> 0:05:25.520 that spot. Doesn't take anything away from a guy that's 0:05:25.520 --> 0:05:28.240 going to be a very well rounded hitter, fielder. All 0:05:28.279 --> 0:05:30.280 of the above, there's really not a deficiency you can 0:05:30.320 --> 0:05:32.440 point to in his game, you know, even though it 0:05:32.480 --> 0:05:34.360 is a second base profile mostly yeah. 0:05:34.160 --> 0:05:36.560 Which was baked into the to the report there, And yeah, 0:05:36.560 --> 0:05:38.680 I didn't realize though that every game so far at 0:05:38.720 --> 0:05:40.719 double A has been at second base, so I think, yeah, 0:05:40.800 --> 0:05:43.200 they are kind of tipping their hand there. And clearly 0:05:43.320 --> 0:05:46.159 the bat is the priority here and could be a 0:05:46.200 --> 0:05:47.920 really good one at that. The last thing with him 0:05:48.040 --> 0:05:50.039 is just going to be how much more raw power 0:05:50.080 --> 0:05:52.279 does he add in there? And I mean he doesn't 0:05:52.320 --> 0:05:54.520 need to add a ton because clearly, again even with 0:05:54.800 --> 0:05:57.719 average EXI velocities, we've seen him produce above average game 0:05:57.720 --> 0:06:00.279 power at the levels he's been at. But with a 0:06:00.279 --> 0:06:02.960 little bit more of an uptick in the raw power department, 0:06:02.960 --> 0:06:05.320 maybe you can then project out you know, above average 0:06:05.360 --> 0:06:07.719 game power instead of like the roughly average or slightly 0:06:07.760 --> 0:06:08.760 above right now. 0:06:09.080 --> 0:06:09.799 Yeah, for sure. 0:06:10.360 --> 0:06:13.640 The next guy up on the list is Pedro Ramirez 0:06:13.720 --> 0:06:16.360 of the Cubs organization, coming in at sixty five, right 0:06:16.400 --> 0:06:18.160 next name on this We got five in a row 0:06:18.160 --> 0:06:21.240 here of newcomers. Actually to start off this list, Ramirez 0:06:21.279 --> 0:06:23.040 actually yesterday delivered a huge hit for the Cubs. He 0:06:23.080 --> 0:06:25.000 was up in Chicago now since we published this list, 0:06:25.040 --> 0:06:26.880 so you know, at the time we published, he had 0:06:26.920 --> 0:06:29.479 forty three games in you know, in Triple A with 0:06:29.560 --> 0:06:31.760 a one thirty seven WRC plus he got on base 0:06:31.800 --> 0:06:34.280 at a four hundred clip. Just a guy whose hit 0:06:34.320 --> 0:06:36.320 tool was you know, well above most guys at that 0:06:36.400 --> 0:06:38.400 level and looked like he was destined to be a 0:06:38.400 --> 0:06:40.160 piece in Chicago as soon as this season. 0:06:40.440 --> 0:06:42.599 So far, fourteen games for the Cubs. 0:06:42.320 --> 0:06:45.280 He's hitting two sixty five. He's getting on base at 0:06:45.320 --> 0:06:47.000 a three twenty four clip. He had a big hit 0:06:47.080 --> 0:06:47.480 last night. 0:06:47.520 --> 0:06:48.560 Like I mentioned, the. 0:06:48.560 --> 0:06:51.279 Walk rate and the strikeout rate are both you know, 0:06:51.520 --> 0:06:53.360 even right now to this point, which is a you know, 0:06:53.440 --> 0:06:55.400 a clear plus of his game. It's just his approach 0:06:55.400 --> 0:06:57.960 and his discipline. But you know, he's in Chicago and 0:06:58.080 --> 0:06:59.560 I don't really see him going anywhere. I think he's 0:06:59.560 --> 0:07:01.240 going to be part of this Cub's mix. Even if 0:07:01.240 --> 0:07:03.000 he's mixing positions a little bit for the rest of 0:07:03.000 --> 0:07:04.080 the season, most likely. 0:07:04.480 --> 0:07:08.039 This is just a very, very fun player. Where I 0:07:08.080 --> 0:07:11.800 mean the fact that he on such a loaded Cubs offense. 0:07:11.840 --> 0:07:13.880 I know the Cubs aren't playing great ball right now, 0:07:13.920 --> 0:07:16.320 but it's such a loaded and established offense that he, 0:07:16.640 --> 0:07:19.200 because of his versatility and his performance, has been able 0:07:19.240 --> 0:07:22.040 to kind of nestle his way into more opportunity there. 0:07:22.080 --> 0:07:24.240 It's a testament to his skill set and a testament 0:07:24.280 --> 0:07:27.760 to how he's come along offensively. Where you look at 0:07:27.840 --> 0:07:31.240 Ramirez and man, this guy really blew under the radar. 0:07:31.280 --> 0:07:34.360 He was really productive and a solid player at each stop, 0:07:34.520 --> 0:07:36.760 but nothing really jumped off of the page. Then you 0:07:36.800 --> 0:07:38.360 look at what he's been able to do this year 0:07:38.720 --> 0:07:42.520 and just improving the power, continuing to be the bat 0:07:42.560 --> 0:07:45.160 to ball guy that he is. Just being this versatile 0:07:45.160 --> 0:07:48.040 infielder as well, I think has really been impressive. But 0:07:48.160 --> 0:07:50.120 I think the power is probably the biggest thing that 0:07:50.120 --> 0:07:53.760 has pushed him up from bench guy to super utility. 0:07:54.120 --> 0:07:57.160 And super utility is, hey, you need this guy in 0:07:57.200 --> 0:07:58.600 the lineup every day. He can just play at a 0:07:58.640 --> 0:08:00.400 lot of different spots. For a lot of teams he 0:08:00.440 --> 0:08:02.080 might be just playing second base or third base every 0:08:02.160 --> 0:08:05.920 day as a young kind of projectable piece for them. 0:08:06.480 --> 0:08:08.880 And projectables maybe the wrong word because he's five nine 0:08:08.920 --> 0:08:11.280 one sixty five, but in terms of projecting out to 0:08:11.360 --> 0:08:14.120 what he can be as his Swiss Swiss army knife 0:08:14.320 --> 0:08:18.240 switch hitter that just does everything pretty darn well. The 0:08:18.240 --> 0:08:21.000 biggest things that stand out to me not a big frame, 0:08:21.280 --> 0:08:22.520 not a guy that was going to grow into a 0:08:22.520 --> 0:08:24.400 ton of more strength, but he figured out how to 0:08:24.440 --> 0:08:29.360 add more power. His average exivelocity and ninetieth percentilegs of 0:08:29.400 --> 0:08:33.080 velocity jumped by two miles per hour, which you know, 0:08:33.120 --> 0:08:35.360 I think for a guy like him, makes a huge difference. 0:08:35.480 --> 0:08:37.959 And with a ninety percent of one oh five point five, 0:08:38.120 --> 0:08:41.000 I mean that's a tick and a half above league average. 0:08:41.080 --> 0:08:42.720 Well see, he can sustain that the big league lebble. 0:08:42.720 --> 0:08:43.920 But the fact that he was doing that in triple 0:08:43.960 --> 0:08:46.000 A I think says a lot about where he is 0:08:46.040 --> 0:08:48.360 improved in an average devlosity of ninety miles per hour, 0:08:48.480 --> 0:08:51.120 this kind of frame defining pop. That's because of the 0:08:51.120 --> 0:08:53.600 fact that he has this impressive batspeed. I don't think 0:08:53.600 --> 0:08:55.280 that's going to result in a ton of homers. It's 0:08:55.280 --> 0:08:56.920 always been a bit of a flatter swing. He's found 0:08:56.960 --> 0:08:58.640 a little bit more waft. But if a guy that's 0:08:58.640 --> 0:09:00.880 a plus hitter is hitting the ball, you're gonna find 0:09:00.880 --> 0:09:03.000 the gaps more. You're gonna sneak it through the infield more. 0:09:03.080 --> 0:09:05.320 Your batting average on balls and play is going to 0:09:05.360 --> 0:09:08.600 be up. So you pair that with solid play, discipline, 0:09:08.760 --> 0:09:10.880 some value on the base. Pats can play all over 0:09:10.880 --> 0:09:13.280 the diamond. And this is just the kind of player 0:09:13.320 --> 0:09:15.760 that every single team in Major League Baseball would love 0:09:15.800 --> 0:09:17.760 to have on their roster. And what you alluded to 0:09:17.840 --> 0:09:20.040 earlier too. I know it's only thirty seven played appearances, 0:09:20.280 --> 0:09:24.000 but the fact that he is you know, walked three 0:09:24.040 --> 0:09:27.719 times and struck out three times is remarkable. I mean 0:09:27.760 --> 0:09:30.080 mostly on the emphasis on the strikeout three times, but 0:09:30.360 --> 0:09:33.160 the fact that he has done that is amazing in 0:09:33.160 --> 0:09:35.800 his first taste against major league pitching. This is a 0:09:35.840 --> 0:09:37.720 plus hitter man that has now added a little bit 0:09:37.720 --> 0:09:38.160 more thumb. 0:09:38.600 --> 0:09:41.640 Do you see him getting reps at anywhere aside from 0:09:41.800 --> 0:09:43.280 third and second if he's going to be kind of 0:09:43.320 --> 0:09:45.520 the super utility role. He's put a little outfield in 0:09:45.559 --> 0:09:47.440 the past he had played shortstop when he was like 0:09:47.480 --> 0:09:50.040 in the DSL, but hasn't really since then. He did 0:09:50.080 --> 0:09:52.760 play a couple games in left field. Actually even there 0:09:52.840 --> 0:09:55.440 is this season and then the season prior. Is he 0:09:55.480 --> 0:09:57.679 a guy that you think maybe could grow into like 0:09:57.920 --> 0:10:00.560 and learn how to play additional positions beyond those two 0:10:00.559 --> 0:10:02.480 because it seems like that's where you can maximize his 0:10:02.600 --> 0:10:04.280 value if he can start to even spot it in 0:10:04.320 --> 0:10:06.959 the corner outfield spots maybe in addition to second and third. 0:10:07.559 --> 0:10:10.520 Yes, because like if he was in a different organization, 0:10:10.920 --> 0:10:12.320 I think they just say, let's put this guy at 0:10:12.360 --> 0:10:14.440 second base. He's really good there, third, he's really solid 0:10:14.440 --> 0:10:16.840 at third base, and let's roll because we have an 0:10:16.880 --> 0:10:20.040 opening there. But I don't see the Cubs moving off 0:10:20.040 --> 0:10:23.920 of Petro Ramirez anytime soon. And it kind of reminds 0:10:23.960 --> 0:10:26.960 me the Casey Schmidt situation, where like, if Pedro Ramirez hits, 0:10:27.600 --> 0:10:30.640 he's such a good athlete that you throw him out 0:10:30.640 --> 0:10:32.040 and left, he's gonna figure it out. He's gonna be 0:10:32.080 --> 0:10:34.160 fine out there. And I think that's what they'll ultimately 0:10:34.200 --> 0:10:36.439 do because especially moving forward, like they just want to 0:10:36.440 --> 0:10:38.160 find different ways keep him the lineup. So if there's 0:10:38.160 --> 0:10:40.440 an opening and one of these other spots, somebody gets hurt, 0:10:40.480 --> 0:10:42.440 whatever it may be, they're going to probably try to 0:10:42.440 --> 0:10:44.600 figure that out. Right now, I don't know where the 0:10:44.640 --> 0:10:47.199 consistent reps fin end up, but if you can play 0:10:47.280 --> 0:10:50.000 more positions, there's gonna be more opportunity for you if 0:10:50.000 --> 0:10:52.320 someone goes down, if someone's really slumping, whatever it may be. 0:10:52.600 --> 0:10:54.559 So it's the answerr question. I think we see kind 0:10:54.559 --> 0:10:57.199 of something similar to a Casey Schmidt's type of spot. 0:10:57.400 --> 0:10:59.360 The only difference is pedromeras what won't is it going 0:10:59.400 --> 0:11:01.400 to be two short to play first? So it'll probably 0:11:01.800 --> 0:11:03.760 an outfield situation there if they're going to attack on 0:11:03.760 --> 0:11:05.360 another position and you're looking at. 0:11:05.320 --> 0:11:07.199 A team that has both, Ian happens says Azuki be 0:11:07.200 --> 0:11:08.679 going to fore agency next year. So that's where my 0:11:08.679 --> 0:11:10.240 brain went a little bit of like, oh, maybe you 0:11:10.280 --> 0:11:11.520 do have a guy. If this is the guy you 0:11:11.559 --> 0:11:13.080 won your lineup and you really think he's a piece 0:11:13.080 --> 0:11:14.839 of your lineup for the long haul, you could have 0:11:14.920 --> 0:11:16.760 him in a quarter outfield potentially and see what it 0:11:16.800 --> 0:11:18.720 looks like there. At least tested out there this season, 0:11:18.720 --> 0:11:20.400 give him a couple of games going the next year. 0:11:20.440 --> 0:11:22.120 You at least have an idea of if he could 0:11:22.160 --> 0:11:24.560 maybe be a piece there if you need it there. 0:11:25.320 --> 0:11:28.040 And I think with a player like that is yeah, 0:11:28.040 --> 0:11:30.880 and it's as long as you hit, they trust it, 0:11:30.880 --> 0:11:34.760 You're going to figure it out. Like anywhere, I'm excited 0:11:34.760 --> 0:11:36.560 to see how how the cups decide to handle it. 0:11:36.800 --> 0:11:39.000 Very good. Going over to our next guy. 0:11:39.480 --> 0:11:41.520 Next up on the list, going next to sixty four 0:11:41.640 --> 0:11:45.239 is Johnny Level of the San Francisco Giants organization. 0:11:45.840 --> 0:11:48.840 This is an international guy who has just been unbelievable 0:11:48.880 --> 0:11:49.800 for the past two years. 0:11:49.800 --> 0:11:51.720 Honestly, last year was really strong in the complex, but 0:11:51.760 --> 0:11:53.880 did struggle when he got to single A. This year, 0:11:53.920 --> 0:11:56.199 he starts the season in Single A, has already made 0:11:56.200 --> 0:11:58.280 the transition to High A in the past two weeks 0:11:58.840 --> 0:12:01.200 and has really carried over the momentum honestly for him 0:12:01.200 --> 0:12:04.160 from Single A to High A. Now he's nineteen years 0:12:04.160 --> 0:12:06.720 old playing primarily shortstop. Still I think he's really he's 0:12:06.920 --> 0:12:09.080 a little bit of second base, but he's still primarily 0:12:09.080 --> 0:12:11.920 playing shortstop this season as a guy who's nineteen and 0:12:11.960 --> 0:12:14.360 has just mashed his way through both single and now 0:12:14.400 --> 0:12:15.520 High A so far this season. 0:12:16.040 --> 0:12:18.640 Yeah, there was a few different things that really I 0:12:18.679 --> 0:12:22.560 think highlighted just the uptick and value beyond the fact 0:12:22.559 --> 0:12:25.480 that he's just raking rights. As you mentioned, just an 0:12:26.040 --> 0:12:29.160 eighteen year old during spring training, nineteen years old at 0:12:29.160 --> 0:12:32.040 the end of March at low Way and now hi 0:12:32.160 --> 0:12:34.080 A it's continued. Obviously when we put this list out, 0:12:34.120 --> 0:12:37.880 he hadn't even really gotten the HIA yet. The defense, 0:12:38.160 --> 0:12:39.480 and that was a big part for me because you 0:12:39.480 --> 0:12:42.199 look at him on the surface, and if you judge 0:12:42.200 --> 0:12:44.960 a book by its cover here, you wouldn't expect him 0:12:45.000 --> 0:12:47.080 to be the defender that he is. He's a little 0:12:47.120 --> 0:12:50.040 bit stocky and he's five to eight, but then you 0:12:50.080 --> 0:12:52.960 watch him move his feet at shortstop and it's really 0:12:53.080 --> 0:12:56.679 natural for him. You look at the arm, it's above average, 0:12:56.679 --> 0:12:59.480 and all of a sudden you start to looking there's 0:12:59.520 --> 0:13:02.520 a guy that to stick at shortstop, And all of 0:13:02.559 --> 0:13:06.520 a sudden, due he started to swipe some bags more consistently, 0:13:06.760 --> 0:13:07.880 and so even though he's not going to be an 0:13:07.920 --> 0:13:11.240 absolute burner, you see this quickness to him and this 0:13:11.320 --> 0:13:14.600 agility to him that when you pair the footwork in 0:13:14.640 --> 0:13:17.720 the first step with his hands and a good enough arm, 0:13:17.960 --> 0:13:19.440 is a guy that looks like he can stick and 0:13:19.480 --> 0:13:21.720 be above average at the position. Then the other side 0:13:21.760 --> 0:13:26.320 has been just the offensive improvements, and it was difficult 0:13:26.400 --> 0:13:29.960 to exactly figure out what the long term out looks 0:13:29.960 --> 0:13:31.800 going to be from like a hit tool perspective and everything. 0:13:31.840 --> 0:13:34.120 But to me, it looks like he's at least going 0:13:34.200 --> 0:13:36.280 to be average, I think probably closer to above average. 0:13:36.520 --> 0:13:39.640 He's aggressive in the box, but this is also a 0:13:39.640 --> 0:13:43.120 difficult play discipline grade because he's aggressive as a guy 0:13:43.160 --> 0:13:47.520 that hits. He's sitting over three hundred, and he's young, 0:13:47.559 --> 0:13:50.080 and he's performed pretty much at most stops until that 0:13:50.120 --> 0:13:52.640 brief stint and low a last year, So those guys, 0:13:52.640 --> 0:13:55.320 it's always tough to expect them to swing less. I 0:13:55.320 --> 0:13:57.480 don't see it as much of a pitch wreck issue 0:13:57.480 --> 0:13:59.080 because he's a little bit more selective and has been 0:13:59.120 --> 0:14:01.040 more selective against spend. So I can really see that 0:14:01.040 --> 0:14:03.080 plates as up one getting better than what we have 0:14:03.200 --> 0:14:05.440 right there as the thirty five present, forty five future, 0:14:05.600 --> 0:14:09.160 and that would obviously bring up the offensive outlook as well. 0:14:09.640 --> 0:14:12.280 I think the hit tool I became more encouraged by 0:14:12.320 --> 0:14:14.440 the more I watched, like he can maneuver the barrel 0:14:14.440 --> 0:14:16.440 he gets to pitches like up and in. He gets 0:14:16.440 --> 0:14:18.480 the pitches down in a way there's quickly. There's just 0:14:18.520 --> 0:14:20.880 good feel for it from both sides of the plate. 0:14:21.680 --> 0:14:23.840 But I think when you look at what Johnny Lovell 0:14:23.880 --> 0:14:26.440 can do and some of his parts, he's better from 0:14:26.440 --> 0:14:28.520 the left side. I'm always going to like that from 0:14:28.520 --> 0:14:30.360 a young switch hitter. You figure I'll close the gap 0:14:30.400 --> 0:14:32.520 a little bit more from the right side, and that's fine. 0:14:32.560 --> 0:14:35.480 It's less pressing to do so he can stick at 0:14:35.520 --> 0:14:37.800 the position. He gives you some value with his legs, 0:14:38.080 --> 0:14:40.840 and he's continuing to grow into a little bit more 0:14:40.840 --> 0:14:44.280 pop already showing above average exit velocities. Just trying to 0:14:44.280 --> 0:14:47.360 get into that, you know, above average batspeed. Excuse me, 0:14:47.520 --> 0:14:49.960 just trying to turn that into above average exit velocities 0:14:50.000 --> 0:14:50.840 here in game. 0:14:51.360 --> 0:14:53.600 Yeah, while still a little bit further down the line, 0:14:53.640 --> 0:14:56.040 it does sound like there's a chance, you know, there's 0:14:56.040 --> 0:14:58.479 a gens for an average or above average. 0:14:58.080 --> 0:14:59.040 Both hit and power. 0:14:59.080 --> 0:15:00.880 And then you pair that with a guy who seems 0:15:00.920 --> 0:15:03.360 like can be a legit shortstop and is still playing shortstop. 0:15:03.480 --> 0:15:04.480 It's gonna be interesting to see. 0:15:04.480 --> 0:15:06.480 We're gonna get to another guy later that's also a 0:15:06.560 --> 0:15:08.640 middle infielder in the Giants organ and then there's another 0:15:08.640 --> 0:15:11.480 one in Hostwagenzale Like, I'm curious to see how the 0:15:11.520 --> 0:15:14.320 defensive layout goes for that tree. You got a trio 0:15:14.440 --> 0:15:16.960 of teenage shortstops all in the same organization that at 0:15:17.000 --> 0:15:18.840 some point you're gonna have to figure out who is 0:15:18.960 --> 0:15:20.600 playing where or when they get to the same levels. 0:15:20.680 --> 0:15:23.200 Right now, they're all staggered, So maybe you're buying yourself 0:15:23.240 --> 0:15:25.000 some time there. But it's gonna be interesting to see 0:15:25.080 --> 0:15:27.040 kind of which one of those guys ends up really 0:15:27.080 --> 0:15:28.480 sticking it short compared to the others. 0:15:28.840 --> 0:15:30.800 Well, great problem to have for a farm system that 0:15:30.960 --> 0:15:33.040 not too long ago we were saying this Baron all 0:15:33.040 --> 0:15:35.160 of a sudden has a lot of young talent and 0:15:35.280 --> 0:15:38.120 is graduating a guy in Bryce Saladrich who seems to 0:15:38.240 --> 0:15:40.520 be figuring it out at the big league level big time. 0:15:40.880 --> 0:15:42.320 Yep, Seriously, the Giants could use it. 0:15:42.320 --> 0:15:44.160 I mean, I still think at this point they're looking 0:15:44.160 --> 0:15:45.680 towards the future and it's good to have a farm 0:15:45.680 --> 0:15:46.960 going the right direction for them. 0:15:47.320 --> 0:15:47.800 For sure. 0:15:48.160 --> 0:15:50.720 We're going Cubs Giants, Cubs Giants here. I didn't even 0:15:50.760 --> 0:15:52.040 realize that's how this list staggered. 0:15:52.120 --> 0:15:52.200 Up. 0:15:52.240 --> 0:15:54.720 But the next guy coming in at sixty third is 0:15:54.800 --> 0:15:59.080 Josiah Hartshorn of the Cubs organization. This guy's straight up 0:15:59.200 --> 0:16:01.160 arrow right now to find as much of an up 0:16:01.240 --> 0:16:04.080 arrow guy from last year's draft, a sixth round pick 0:16:04.080 --> 0:16:05.800 out of high school who was pulled away from a 0:16:05.840 --> 0:16:10.320 commitment from the Cubs and has been just dominating this season. 0:16:10.400 --> 0:16:13.040 He was going off in Single A and then the 0:16:13.120 --> 0:16:16.400 past month since getting to Hi A, the nineteen year 0:16:16.400 --> 0:16:19.040 old high school pick is hitting four to twenty two 0:16:19.080 --> 0:16:21.560 in his first eighteen games in High A, with eight 0:16:21.640 --> 0:16:25.800 home runs, good for a two eleven WRC plus. I 0:16:25.800 --> 0:16:28.320 think if you reranked, he might be high sixty three, 0:16:28.360 --> 0:16:30.160 to be honest, and this was literally two and a 0:16:30.200 --> 0:16:32.200 half week ago, this list came out, and he probably 0:16:32.240 --> 0:16:34.080 would be like pushing top fifty if we had to 0:16:34.120 --> 0:16:34.800 re rank today. 0:16:35.280 --> 0:16:37.400 He said eight homers. I think since the list came 0:16:37.440 --> 0:16:39.680 out and we're still doing a breakdown of the list, 0:16:40.200 --> 0:16:42.000 maybe a little bit of that's an in diamond on us, 0:16:42.040 --> 0:16:44.000