Baseball America

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College Podcast: Recapping Opening Weekend, Top 25 Breakdown Feb 18, 2025

Show notes

Baseball America College Writers Jacob Rudner and Peter Flaherty dive into opening weekend and recap the biggest wins and losses from around the country. Rudner and Flaherty also take an in-depth look at their first in-season Top 25 and offer their Week 2 Picks to Click.

(3:00) Opening weekend takeaways

(13:41) Breaking down the Desert Classic and Shriners Children’s College Showdown

(24:33) Top-25 thoughts and breakdown

(38:05) Picks to Click

(42:12) Final thoughts

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Orioles 2025 MLB Prospects Deep Dive Feb 18, 2025

Show notes

Geoff Pontes and JJ Cooper are back to discuss the Orioles farm system. It may not be as deep as it was when it ranked as our No. 1 system in back-to-back years, but the top of this system still compares favorably with most other teams.

(00:00) Why systems drop down the farm system rankings

(01:20) How good could Samuel Basallo be?

(11:00) Why Coby Mayo's bat could be as good as Basallo's.

(20:00) Are there pitchers ready to help?

(25:00) Sorting out the Orioles outfield depth

(32:00) The state of the organization overall

(41:00) Non Top-10 Prospects to watch

Orioles Top 30 Prospects: https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2003-baltimore-orioles/prospects/?season=2025&ranking=preseason

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Boston's Rafael Devers, Alex Bregman Dilemma Could Get Even Tougher | Hot Sheet Show Ep. 43 Feb 17, 2025

Show notes

JJ Cooper, Geoff Pontes, Carlos Collazo & Scott Braun dive into the Boston Red Sox conundrum: where to play Alex Bregman and how to avoid blocking the budding stars ready to burst onto the scene? Plus...

(1:20) Is Kristian Campbell good enough to force Boston's hand?
(13:00) The Orioles’ org depth might not be as good as you think
(21:00) Exit velocities in college baseball are out of control

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Tigers 2025 MLB Prospects Deep Dive Feb 17, 2025

Show notes

Geoff Pontes and JJ Cooper are talking about the Detroit Tigers farm system. The Tigers rank No. 2 in our current farm system talent rankings, which is the highest we have ever ranked the Tigers.

(00:00) What's going right in Detroit

(02:00) Digging into No. 1 prospect Jackson Jobe. What's his potential?

(10:00) How difficult it was to pick between Max Clark and Kevin McGonigle at No. 2.

(18:00) Catching is the strength of the system. Looking at Dillon Dingler and Thayron Liranzo

(24:30) Does Josue Briceno have a chance to stick at catcher?

(31:00) How the Tigers rebuilt

(40:00) Three non-Top 10 Prospects to keep an eye on.

Tigers Top 30 Prospects: https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2009-detroit-tigers/prospects/?season=2025&ranking=preseason

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Scouting Every NL East No. 1 Prospect For 2025 Feb 15, 2025

Show notes

We're going deep on each of the top prospects in the NL East. The guys explain how each respective player climbed to No. 1 in their system, run through their scouting reports and lay out what you should expect in 2025.

Time Stamps

(0:00) -- Jett Williams, Mets
(9:50) -- Thomas White, Marlins
(19:30) -- Dylan Crews, Nationals
(28:00) -- Andrew Painter, Phillies
(37:40) -- Drake Baldwin, Braves

Enjoying our Prospect Profiles? A new one drops each day on our YouTube channel. You can see our Top 30s for each system here.

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Twins 2025 MLB Prospects Deep Dive Feb 14, 2025

Show notes

Geoff Pontes and JJ Cooper are talking all about the Minnesota Twins. After winning a playoff series in 2023, the Twins took a step back in 2024. Could a couple of potential star prospects return Minnesota to the postseason?

(00:00) Why Walker Jenkins is the Twins best prospect in over a decade.

(10:00) Why Emmanuel Rodriguez has a shot to be even better than Jenkins.

(19:00) The Twins prospect depth, especially in the infield, could be a secret weapon.

(25:00) Looking at the pitching depth

(30:00) How spending and then pulling back on spending hurt the Twins

(38:00) Injuries could derail all of this

(41:00) Two non Top 10 Prospects to watch

https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2024-minnesota-twins/prospects/?season=2025&ranking=preseason

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Red Sox 2025 MLB Prospects Deep Dive Feb 13, 2025

Show notes

Alex Speier joins JJ Cooper to discuss the Red Sox farm system. They go in depth on how Roman Anthony edged Kristian Campbell for the top spot in our top farm system, and then they go on to talk about what's going right with Red Sox hitting development as well as who else to keep an eye on.

(00:00) A very tough call at No. 1. Making the case for Kristian Campbell, and also the case for Roman Anthony

(10:00) Why Campbell might fit in Boston before Anthony

(25:00) Marcelo Mayer is a really good No. 3 prospect

(31:00) Why there may be the need for some patience

(43:00) How Red Sox hitting development has changed.

(49:00) Some lesser noticed development success stories.

(50:00) What about the pitching?

(55:00) Non-top 10 prospects to watch

Red Sox Top 30 Prospects: https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2025-mlb-top-prospects-for-every-team/

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Fantasy Podcast: February Top 500 Update Feb 12, 2025

Show notes

The Baseball America fantasy team of Geoff Pontes and Dylan White updated their Top 500 dynasty list earlier this week, and the hosts dive into some of the movement on the list. We explain our logic for the movement and the possible position battles brewing.

(2:00) Jackson Jobe debuts a sinker and curveball
(5:00) Kenley Jensen signs with the Angels
(8:00) Rhett Lowder dealing with elbow soreness
(11:00) Clayton Kershaw returns to the Dodgers
(14:00) Red Sox closer battle
Break
(18:30) Dodgers reliever signings and the impact on the Top 500
(21:00) Cubs closer Ryan Pressly
(24:00) Jeff Hoffman primary closer in Toronto
(25:30) How does the Carlos Estevez impact Lucas Erceg's value
(27:00) Chris Martin signs with Rangers, chances for saves this season?
(28:30) Devin Williams trade impacts Luke Weaver's 2025 value
(31:00) Braxton Garrett to miss all of 2025, could he be a good buy low for 2026 in dynasty?
(33:00) Zach Neto to miss the beginning of the season.
(35:00) Hyeseong Kim how many plate appearances can we expect?
(37:00) Nathaniel Lowe jumps onto the list
(40:30) Alex Bregman potential landing spots

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Guardians 2025 MLB Prospects Deep Dive Feb 12, 2025

Show notes

Carlos Collazo and JJ Cooper are talking all about the Cleveland Guardians farm system and top prospects in another Deep Dive. This is one of the deepest systems in baseball right now, with a ton of intriguing hitting prospects.

(00:00) Why this system is so deep

(03:00) Breaking down No. 1 prospect Travis Bazzana

(10:30) A surprising number of first base prospects

(14:00) Who could help in the outfield

(21:00) There are fewer pitching prospects than normal

(24:00) Can Tugboat help in Cleveland?

(27:30) Other pitching prospects to watch

Guardians Top 30 Prospects rankings, scouting reports and tools grades: https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2007-cleveland-guardians/prospects/?season=2025&ranking=preseason

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90th Percentile: Is American Baseball Falling Behind Japan? Feb 11, 2025

Show notes

After a brief hiatus, The 90th Percentile podcast returns for season four. Hosts Geoff Pontes and Matt Pajak explore the recent dominance of Japanese baseball and Japanese born players in North America and ask; Has American baseball fallen behind?

(0:00) Welcome to Season Four

(4:00) Japan is dominating on an international front.

(7:00) Who's the most fun American player?

(9:00) What Makes Roki Sasaki Unique?

(15:00) Impact of travel ball and showcases.

(22:00) Do Japanese players play the game better?

(26:00) Rintaro Sasaki pre-season Freshman Of The Year.

(30:00) Dylan Crews The Last Of Dying Breed

(34:00) How The Changing NCAA Landscape is Impacting Development

(41:00) The Impact Of A Lack Of Youth Development

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