Pipeline Inbox: Deeper dive into MLB’s High 10 pitchers and catchers lists
nn”,”providerName”:”Twitter”,”providerUrl”:”https://twitter.com”,”thumbnail_url”:null,”sort”:”oembed”,”width”:550,”contentType”:”wealthy”},{“__typename”:”Markdown”,”content material”:”If we prolonged the High Catchers from 10 to fifteen, Keegan would have made it. He by no means appears to get his due regardless of being Vanderbilt’s greatest hitter in each 2021 and 2022 and batting .291/.389/.477 as a professional because the Rays chosen him in 2022’s fourth spherical.”,”sort”:”textual content”},{“__typename”:”Video”,”contentDate”:”2023-07-29T02:42:02.526Z”,”preferredPlaybackScenarioURL({“preferredPlaybacks”:”mp4AvcPlayback”})”:”https://milb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2023/2023-07/28/29ed820f-f840e0c4-1ee2b86a-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4″,”sort”:”video”,”description”:”Rays prospect No. 24 Dominic Keegan swats two dwelling runs and collects seven RBIs for Excessive-A Bowling Inexperienced”,”displayAsVideoGif”:false,”length”:”00:01:11″,”slug”:”dominic-keegan-s-seven-rbis”,”tags”:[{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”139-affiliate”,”title”:”Rays affiliate”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”minor-league-baseball”,”title”:”Minor League Baseball”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”hitting”,”title”:”hitting”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”mlb-top-prospects”,”title”:”MLB Top Prospects”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”highlight”,”title”:”highlight”,”type”:”taxonomy”}],”thumbnail”:{“__typename”:”Thumbnail”,”templateUrl”:”https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/picture/add/{formatInstructions}/mlb/nk8yjlhx6kczwofxwbar”},”title”:”Dominic Keegan’s seven RBIs “,”relativeSiteUrl”:”/video/dominic-keegan-s-seven-rbis”},{“__typename”:”Markdown”,”content material”:”The most important query with Keegan all the time has been his protection as a result of he by no means obtained the prospect to catch a lot in school. However he has labored exhausting to make himself into not less than a good receiver with stable arm power. He has a path to Tampa Bay as an offensive-minded catcher and if he continues to provide in Double-A this season, he’ll begin getting extra hype.”,”sort”:”textual content”},{“__typename”:”OEmbed”,”html”:”
Of the 2024 draft class, who would slot within the highest (if any) on the highest 100 at present?
— RokiHorrorPitcherShow (@RokiHorrorPS) January 18, 2024
nnn”,”providerName”:”Twitter”,”providerUrl”:”https://twitter.com”,”thumbnail_url”:null,”sort”:”oembed”,”width”:550,”contentType”:”wealthy”},{“__typename”:”Markdown”,”content material”:”The 2 main candidates to go No. 1 total proper now are West Virginia shortstop JJ Wetherholt and Wake Forest first baseman Nick Kurtz. Kurtz has extra all-around offensive capability whereas Wetherholt is the reigning NCAA Division I batting champion (.449) and affords extra positional worth, even when he returns to second base.”,”sort”:”textual content”},{“__typename”:”Video”,”contentDate”:”2023-12-11T14:27:59.22Z”,”preferredPlaybackScenarioURL({“preferredPlaybacks”:”mp4AvcPlayback”})”:”https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2023/2023-12/11/551ccf17-93b10059-7c617536-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4″,”sort”:”video”,”description”:”Nick Kurtz, a primary baseman from Wake Forest, is anticipated to be chosen within the 2024 MLB Draft”,”displayAsVideoGif”:false,”length”:”00:00:52″,”slug”:”2024-draft-nick-kurtz-1b”,”tags”:[{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”vod”,”title”:”vod”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”alexa”,”title”:”alexa”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”mlb-draft”,”title”:”MLB Draft”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”PersonTag”,”slug”:”playerid-701762″,”title”:”Nick Kurtz”,”person”:{“__ref”:”Person:701762″},”type”:”player”}],”thumbnail”:{“__typename”:”Thumbnail”,”templateUrl”:”https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/picture/add/{formatInstructions}/mlb/d0m99g7tnvq2uv6i9so5″},”title”:”2024 Draft: Nick Kurtz, 1B”,”relativeSiteUrl”:”/video/2024-draft-nick-kurtz-1b”},{“__typename”:”Markdown”,”content material”:”I might rank Kurtz the best, whereas Jonathan would advocate for Wetherholt, and so they’d wind up shut collectively in the event that they have been a part of the High 100. Wetherholt has loads of similarities to shortstops Jackson Merrill (Padres) and Brooks Lee (Twins) and Kurtz could be the very best first-base prospect in baseball. Granted, neither has confirmed something in professional ball but, in order that they’d most likely match within the 15-25 vary.”,”sort”:”textual content”},{“__typename”:”OEmbed”,”html”:”
Hello Jim, I hear that there’s one other Vacation child on the best way and he has all of the instruments. Are you able to communicate to how he tasks into your rankings with the present prime Infielders in your checklist. Thanks
— Christopher J. Byrnes (@cjbswissG2G) January 5, 2024
nnn”,”providerName”:”Twitter”,”providerUrl”:”https://twitter.com”,”thumbnail_url”:null,”sort”:”oembed”,”width”:550,”contentType”:”wealthy”},{“__typename”:”Markdown”,”content material”:”It is all the time good to listen to from my favourite European baseball coach, Chris Byrnes, who runs the Swiss crew. The youthful brother of baseball’s greatest prospect, Jackson Holliday, Stillwater (Okla.) HS shortstop Ethan Holliday is the consensus prime expertise within the 2025 highschool class.nnAlready 6-foot-4 and 195 kilos, Ethan is extra bodily than Jackson was on the similar age and constructed extra alongside the traces of their father, seven-time All-Star Matt. Jackson did not blossom right into a No. 1 total choose till his senior yr in highschool whereas Ethan has been projecting a possible 1-1 for some time now.nnEthan and Jackson have related hitting capability and make it look really easy on the plate. Ethan has extra energy upside, whereas Jackson must be faster as soon as they’re each bodily mature and has a greater probability of sticking within the center infield. It is too early to say how a highschool junior would rank in comparison with professionals, however I am comfy saying Ethan could be No. 1 on our 2024 Draft High 100 if he have been eligible.”,”sort”:”textual content”}],”relativeSiteUrl”:”/information/pipeline-inbox-deeper-dive-into-mlb-s-top-10-pitchers-and-catchers-lists”,”contentType”:”information”,”subHeadline”:””,”abstract”:”The High 100 Prospects checklist is coming! The High 100 Prospects checklist is coming!nWe’ll launch it subsequent Friday, Jan. 26, at 7 p.m. ET with a one-hour present on MLB Community and MLB.com. Main as much as the High 100, we’re rating the ten greatest prospects at every place …”,”tagline({“formatString”:”none”})”:null,”tags”:[{“__typename”:”InternalTag”,”slug”:”storytype-article”,”title”:”Article”,”type”:”article”},{“__typename”:”ContributorTag”,”slug”:”jim-callis”,”title”:”Jim Callis”,”type”:”contributor”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”mlb-top-prospects”,”title”:”MLB Top Prospects”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”apple-news”,”title”:”Apple News”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”minor-league-baseball”,”title”:”Minor League Baseball”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”mlb-draft”,”title”:”MLB Draft”,”type”:”taxonomy”}],”sort”:”story”,”thumbnail”:”https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/picture/add/{formatInstructions}/mlb/fwjjtcw76jjmoodclhjq”,”title”:”Pipeline Inbox: Deeper dive into MLB’s High 10 pitchers and catchers lists”}},”Individual:686846″:{“__typename”:”Individual”,”id”:686846},”Individual:694462″:{“__typename”:”Individual”,”id”:694462},”Individual:701762″:{“__typename”:”Individual”,”id”:701762}}}
window.adobeAnalytics = {“reportingSuiteId”:”mlbglobal08,mlbdodgers”,”linkInternalFilters”:”losangeles,dodgers”}
window.globalState = {“tracking_title”:”Los Angeles Dodgers”,”lang”:”en”}
window.appId = ”
/*–>*/
January nineteenth, 2024
The High 100 Prospects checklist is coming! The High 100 Prospects checklist is coming!
We’ll launch it subsequent Friday, Jan. 26, at 7 p.m. ET with a one-hour present on MLB Community and MLB.com. Main as much as the High 100, we’re rating the ten greatest prospects at every place … and you’ve got some questions on our pitching and catching lists:
How shut was Reggie Crawford (Giants) to creating the High 10 Left-Handers checklist? How excessive are you on him? Is Jackson Ferris anticipated to enhance by becoming a member of the Dodgers system? May they get a tick or two extra on his fastball? How shut was Hurston Waldrep to the High 10 Proper-Handers checklist?
— Jose H., Santa Ana, Calif.
On pure ceiling, Crawford already is among the greatest left-handed pitching prospects within the recreation. He owns a fastball that reaches 100 mph with excessive spin charges and large carry and likewise can destroy hitters with a mid-80s slider with spectacular depth.
However Crawford has barely pitched in any respect — 20 1/3 innings in three springs and summers as a collegian, 19 innings within the Minors because the Giants drafted him thirtieth total in 2022 — so too many questions stay about his management, command and sturdiness to place him on the High 10 lefties but. I really like the upside and his make-up is off the charts, so I hope he will get a full season of innings in 2024 and reveals what he can do.
I already was bullish on Ferris earlier than the Dodgers acquired him from the Cubs in a commerce for Michael Busch and Yency Almonte final week. Chicago has improved its capability to develop pitchers in recent times, so the change in organizations should not make an enormous distinction, although Los Angeles did take first place in Jonathan Mayo’s current Government Ballot by way of which organizations do the very best job with arms. Ferris might have three plus pitches when absolutely developed and may leap onto the High 100 Prospects checklist this yr.
As for Waldrep, there’s sufficient reliever threat that he wasn’t particularly shut to creating the High 10 Righties. That stated, I do assume his splitter is among the most unhittable pitches on our High 100 checklist and consider that he’ll contribute in Atlanta this season, only a yr out of faculty. If he could make enhancements together with his fastball command and total management, then I’ll have been too gentle on him.
If we prolonged the High Catchers from 10 to fifteen, Keegan would have made it. He by no means appears to get his due regardless of being Vanderbilt’s greatest hitter in each 2021 and 2022 and batting .291/.389/.477 as a professional because the Rays chosen him in 2022’s fourth spherical.
The most important query with Keegan all the time has been his protection as a result of he by no means obtained the prospect to catch a lot in school. However he has labored exhausting to make himself into not less than a good receiver with stable arm power. He has a path to Tampa Bay as an offensive-minded catcher and if he continues to provide in Double-A this season, he’ll begin getting extra hype.
The 2 main candidates to go No. 1 total proper now are West Virginia shortstop JJ Wetherholt and Wake Forest first baseman Nick Kurtz. Kurtz has extra all-around offensive capability whereas Wetherholt is the reigning NCAA Division I batting champion (.449) and affords extra positional worth, even when he returns to second base.
I might rank Kurtz the best, whereas Jonathan would advocate for Wetherholt, and so they’d wind up shut collectively in the event that they have been a part of the High 100. Wetherholt has loads of similarities to shortstops Jackson Merrill (Padres) and Brooks Lee (Twins) and Kurtz could be the very best first-base prospect in baseball. Granted, neither has confirmed something in professional ball but, in order that they’d most likely match within the 15-25 vary.
It is all the time good to listen to from my favourite European baseball coach, Chris Byrnes, who runs the Swiss crew. The youthful brother of baseball’s greatest prospect, Jackson Holliday, Stillwater (Okla.) HS shortstop Ethan Holliday is the consensus prime expertise within the 2025 highschool class.
Already 6-foot-4 and 195 kilos, Ethan is extra bodily than Jackson was on the similar age and constructed extra alongside the traces of their father, seven-time All-Star Matt. Jackson did not blossom right into a No. 1 total choose till his senior yr in highschool whereas Ethan has been projecting a possible 1-1 for some time now.
Ethan and Jackson have related hitting capability and make it look really easy on the plate. Ethan has extra energy upside, whereas Jackson must be faster as soon as they’re each bodily mature and has a greater probability of sticking within the center infield. It is too early to say how a highschool junior would rank in comparison with professionals, however I am comfy saying Ethan could be No. 1 on our 2024 Draft High 100 if he have been eligible.