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Eric Longenhagen Prospects Chat
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Eric A Longenhagen
12:02
Morning from an anomalously cool Tempe.
Today's chat will be held tight to an hour as I've got some games to hit today.
Begin!
Jack
12:03
Is Jake Gatewood's power here to stay now? 2015-16 were rough but seems to have tapped into that frame so far this season
Eric A Longenhagen
12:03
The power hes always been there and totally undermined by swing and miss issues.
12:04
He's strijing out a lot this year, walk rate has gone from 3% to 14% which is too big of an uptick to be entirely real.
Also he's BABIPing like .480 or something like that. It's probably too early to take on-paper performance at face value, and of course I'd tell you it generally means less than the scouting report anyway.
Mike
12:04
Thoughts on carter keiboom? Starting to display some power this year.
Eric A Longenhagen
12:05
Talked to someone who saw that team recently who think Kieboom could be a star. I've always been lukewarm on him but it sounds like he's truly improving.
larry
12:05
Any new draft buzz in the top 5 picks?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:06
Not really. Orgs all start draft meetings soon and most scouts are done with their areas at this point, so we're just getting to the point where names and teams start to pair up a bit.
12:07
All we can do right now is make talent-based judgements and those are more or less the same. McKay, Greene, Wright, Gore, Lewis
James
12:07
At this point is it valid to say Brady Aiken's velo might never come back? His K's are WAY down. Walks are WAY UP. But he has really good splits against LHB. Is a LHP that touches 90/91 with his curveball good enough to be a LOOGY?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:08
I've spoken with scouts who haven't seen him crest 90. The curveball gives him a shot but yes, I think the velo would have been back by now if it were coming.
Paul
12:08
Could Kyle Wright go in the top two, or is he still behind McKay and Greene?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:09
I think there's an argument for it. If you don't like either of Greene's breaking balls or prefer Wright's 92-95 to McKay's 90-93, I think that's reasonable.
Bleh
12:09
As a result of being pounded over the head by guys switching to new swings to hit the ball in the air, do you have any thoughts as far as guys who could implement it in the minors and have good results?

Off the top of my head a guy who could use more power is Alex Verdugo?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:11
Theoretically, every prospect would benefit from hitting for more power. I think it's easier said than done to alter the swings of prospects who have been swinging a certain way for years and I'm not sure there's a developmental playbook for implementing it just yet. I'd expect teams to experiment with fringe prospects (like clubs did with weighted balls) and see what works and what doesn't before they start toying with guys like Verdugo, who I think is fine as is.
Monsignor Martinez
12:11
Do you think that automating the strike zone would affect catcher's positioning behind the plate? Could this lead to fewer stolen bases?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:12
I hadn't thought about that but it's an interesting thought and one of several possible unintended consequences of robot umps, which I stand against.
Nickles
12:12
Is there any major leaguer you look at and can't figure why he isn't better? I used to think this about Juan Encarnacion. He seemed to have all the tools and was a decent enough player but I saw an unfulfilled star.
Eric A Longenhagen
12:12
Matt Moore
The Average Sports Fan
12:13
Should Moncada be up as soon as the extra year of team control is achieved?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:13
I'd give Triple-A a chance to solve him.
Gentry
12:13
Is Kevin Maitan alive?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:14
Yes. He's a teenager in extended spring training.
reds
12:14
Tyler Mahle looks like he's dominating AA, what's his updated time frame look like? any chance he comes up this year?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:15
I have zero idea on dates of call ups. If he debuts this year it will probably be because someone at the big league level got hurt and will miss a start on Mahle's day to throw, not because Mahle forces the CIN's hand.
Leo
12:15
Do balanced safer college bats like Logan Warmoth who right now project back end of first round typically rise to the teens draft day?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:15
Yes.
Bert Campaneris
12:15
Is there anything to make out of the hot start by Chris DeVito? Have you seen him? What are your thoughts?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:17
1B/DH-only, has 55 or better raw power but probably a bit too much swing and miss for that kind of defensive profile
Ink Stained Wretch
12:18
Michael Chavis is off to an explosive start. Have you seen any adjustments, or is he the same guy on a hot streak?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:18
No mechanical changes or anything like that as far as I've heard, could just be hot.
Marshall Schickles
12:19
Which team's farm system has had the best showing so far (I.e., most prospects performing at or above expectations)?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:21
Some of Arizona's talented but frustrating prospects were off to good starts, a bunch of Philly's pitchers are throwing well, ATL and CIN kids have mostly been good, CLE has a bunch of weird arms carving guys up....
JV
12:21
Willy Adames is struggling. What do you see for him?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:21
Be patient, friend. He's 21 and at Triple-A. Same goes for Bauers.
Hank
12:22
I remember reading a lot about Austin Riley having bat speed questions. He seems to be doing well in High A after a great second half last year. Are you a believer in the bat?
Eric A Longenhagen
12:22
Bat speed was definitely fine last year (at least late last year when I saw him) but he projects to 1B for me and it's really hard to profile there with an approach as aggressive as Riley's
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