Future Projection

Latest Episodes:

Episode 29: Spring Training Thoughts + A Few 2022 Predictions Mar 25, 2022

Show notes

With spring training currently underway, Ben and Carlos talk about how valuable it is when it comes to evaluating players. We touch on a few players who have gotten some buzz early this spring, like Marlins shortstop Kahlil Watson, and then touch on another Blue Jays trade that Ben is a big fan of. After that, the two talk about how stacked the field of American League rookie of the year candidates is, and also discuss how the Pirates should handle Oneil Cruz. Following that, the two go over some of their 2022 season predictions. Then they pivot to the amateur game and talk about a big (literally) 2024 high school prospect who re-classed to 2023 and talk about why 2022 lefthander Noah Schultz is trending up in a big way for this year’s draft. Finally, we get into a few listener questions.

Links

Future Projection on Apple (please rate and review the show!)

Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler

Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo

Baseball America Website

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 28: Breaking Down Trades Mar 17, 2022

Show notes

On today’s episode, Ben and Carlos react to many of the moves that have been made around the big leagues over the past week including: Freddie Freeman signing with the Dodgers; the Matt Olson deal that sent Christian Pache, Shea Langeliers and two others to the As; the Matt Chapman deal which brought Gunnar Hoglund and three more to Oakland; and others. The two discuss high-octane arms like Chase Petty and JT Ginn getting dealt and also touch on a flamethrowing pitcher from the 2023 high school class who is next in line and already touching triple digits—Texas righthander Travis Sykora. The two marvel about a Marcelo Mayer card being sold for more than $130,000 and then talk about the oddly-dubbed ‘Kumar Rocker Rule’ in the new CBA.

Links

Future Projection on Apple (please rate and review the show!)

Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler

Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo

Baseball America Website

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 27: Immediate Thoughts On The Lockout Ending + Big League Bloodlines Mar 10, 2022

Show notes

Ben and Carlos are briefly joined by JJ to talk about MLB and the MLBPA agreeing to a new CBA after a lockout that lasted 99 days. The three give their immediate impressions on what this means for the game. JJ talks about the chaos that will ensue shortly and Ben explains why no one should be surprised about the international draft after MLB has been trying to make it a reality for years. After that, Ben and Carlos talk about the group of center field prospects we currently have in the minors and how strong or weak that group is compared to a normal year, and where a player like Druw Jones would slot in with Riley Greene, Brennen Davis, Corbin Carroll, Robert Hassell III and others. The two then talk about how much ‘big league bloodlines’ really matters before talking a bit about Ben’s process with our underclass high school rankings and how teams will need to shift their scouting practices given the current draft schedule.

Links

Future Projection on Apple (please rate and review the show!)

Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler

Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo

Baseball America Website

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 26: Takeaways From The First Week Of College Baseball Feb 25, 2022

Show notes

There’s finally real, live baseball happening around the country. On this episode, Ben and Carlos talk about a lot of it, including 103 mph fastballs thrown by Tennessee righthander Ben Joyce and North Carolina State first baseman Tommy White’s home run binge to start the season. The two discuss Carlos’s trip to Florida, where he got looks on potential first rounders, including high school outfielder Elijah Green, high school lefthanders Jackson Ferris and Brandon Barriera, and college prospects including outfielder Chase DeLauter and Florida State southpaws Parker Messick and Bryce Hubbart. After talking through some specific players, the two discuss their favorite swings from current major leaguers and current prospects, as well as think about how swings that don’t look as aesthetically pleasing can impact how we view players. Finally the two take listener questions. This episode’s Q&A includes: “What is the difference between control and command for pitchers?” “Would teams avoid a position in the draft because of the current system?” and “Who is an under the radar college player we are keeping a close eye on?”

Links

Future Projection on Apple (please rate and review the show!)

Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler

Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo

Baseball America Website

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 25: The Best Tools In The 2022 Draft Class Feb 10, 2022

Show notes

Ben and Carlos discuss the best tools results from our survey with major league scouting departments. We wind up talking about just how impressive Georgia righthander Dylan Lesko is for quite a while, before getting into all kinds of tools on both the high school and college side of things. We talk about sleeper hitting prospects who could push up boards, how this class seems particularly strong on changeups and also look ahead to some toolsy prospects in the 2023 class—Dylan Crews and Max Clark. After that we wonder whether or not Robert Moore could be a fit for the Royals at No. 9 in the draft and then talk about the tools that, in general, excite us the most on the baseball field.

Time Stamps

Intro/banter (0:00:01)
Best tools convo starts (0:08:31)
Dylan Lesko tooled up across the board (0:11:11)
Concerns about pitchers who lack breaking ball feel (0:24:21)
Good class for changeups (0:29:15)
Other high school pitching tools that stand out (0:40:35)
Druw Jones’s elite defense ability (47:21:03)
Hitters not named Termarr Johnson with good hit tools (0:52:27)
Best hitter in the college class (0:59:18)
Looking ahead at Dylan Crews & Max Clark (1:02:46)
Thoughts on Robert Moore and whether he’s a fit for the Royals at No. 9 (1:17:40)
The tools that excite us the most (1:31:24)

Links

Future Projection on Apple (please rate and review the show!)

Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler

Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo

Baseball America Website

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 24: Farm System Rankings Feb 04, 2022

Show notes

Ben and Carlos are joined by Geoff Pontes, who makes his debut appearance on the podcast! The majority of the show is spent breaking down our recently released farm system rankings, where the Mariners checked into the top spot for the first time ever. We talk about the top farms, and whether or not the separation between the Mariners and the next group (Rays, Pirates, Orioles) is significant or marginal. After each person talks about a few organizations they are excited about as we move into the 2022 season the group discusses the bottom of the list and why those farms are behind at the moment. Following the farm system conversation, the group takes listener emails including… “What’s your philosophy on challenging players with aggressive assignments?… “Who has better Hall of Fame chances: Cole Hamels or Jacob deGrom?”… “What are your thoughts on Giants catching prospect Patrick Bailey?”

Time Stamps

Intro/Banter (0:00:01)
Geoff’s background and getting into baseball (0:03:17)
Talking farm system rankings (0:11:10)
Top end talent vs. depth (0:38:27)
Teams poised to climb & teams we are personally higher on (0:49:22)
The bottom of the list (1:04:30)
Sleeper orgs in the 20-30 range (1:14:37)
Mailbag! (1:26:03)

Links

Future Projection on Apple (please rate and review the show!)

Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler

Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo

Baseball America Website

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 23: Hall Of Fame Hot Takes & An Injury Riddled 2022 College Pitching Class Jan 28, 2022

Show notes

Ben and Carlos bounce all over the baseball world in today’s episode, going from junior college kicking off, to the Hall of Fame results, to international draft talk and conversations about the upcoming 2022 draft class. We start by talking about how impressive it is that Cam Collier homered in his junior college debut with Chipola (Fla.) JC and then pivot to some big league news. The two discuss the Tampa/Montreal split season proposal getting shut down and offer thoughts on that idea in general, and then get into a long conversation on the big MLB news of the week: Hall of Fame results. Ben and Carlos talk about who they would vote for, who they wouldn’t vote for and their thought on the voting process and how it will have to continue to evolve to evaluate modern players in the future. Following that, we lament recent injuries in the 2022 college pitching class—specifically Arkansas RHP Peyton Pallette and Tennessee RHP Blade Tidwell—and discuss how this impacts an already weak group. Then, the two talk about the 2022 NHSI and touch on a few more top 100 players—Astros SS Jeremy Peña and Rays RHP Taj Bradley—before getting into this week’s mailbag, which touches on how the BA Grades work in our prospect handbook and how that system has changed over the years.

Time Stamps

Intro/Banter (0:00:01)
Cam Collier’s juco debut (0:00:50)
The Tampa/Montreal situation (0:04:25)
Hall of Fame thoughts (0:06:17)
Injuries crushing the 2022 college pitching class (0:47:25)
An opportunity for high school pitchers? (0:56:42)
2022 National High School Invitational (1:00:48)
Thoughts on Taj Bradley and Jeremy Peña (1:10:48)
How writing helps us think deeper about players (1:16:01)
Mailbag! (1:21:32)

Links

Future Projection on Apple (please rate and review the show!)

Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler

Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo

Baseball America Website

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 22: The Top Pitching Prospects In Baseball & Candidates For Top Pitcher In 2023 Jan 18, 2022

Show notes

It’s a busy week! Ben and Carlos chat about the international free agent signing period over the weekend and what Jan. 15 itself is like from Ben’s perspective (spoiler, it’s a ton of texting). Ben talks about players switching teams before the signing period and why and how that happens. After that, the two discuss the class and then pivot to Carlos’s recently released top 100 draft list for the 2022 class. They discuss the interesting conversation between Druw Jones, Termarr Johnson and Elijah Green at the top of the class, and also get into where the class looks strong and weak overall with some discussion of big risers like James Madison outfielder Chase DeLauter. After that, in anticipation for our top 100 release, the top pitching prospects in baseball are discussed: including Grayson Rodriguez, Shane Baz and George Kirby. The two then make their best guesses as to which players could compete for the title of best pitching prospect in baseball a year from now. Candidates include Jack Leiter and Eury Perez among others. After discussing a group of prep bats who will land among the top 50 and have done nothing but impress in their brief pro careers, the two take listener questions including, ‘Which college catchers have the best tools?’ and ‘Who is the best under-20 prospect in the Giants’ system?’

Time Stamps

Intro/Banter (0:00:01)
What international signing day is like from Ben’s perspective (0:01:14)
2022 draft class talk (0:18:19)
Druw Jones vs. Termarr Johnson vs. Elijah Green (0:26:09)
Grayson Rodriguez vs. Shane Baz vs. George Kirby (0:49:52)
Candidates for top pitching prospect in 2023 (0:56:11)
The curious case of Austin Martin (1:12:41)
A cluster of top-50 prep bats off to great starts we really like (1:21:20)
Mailbag! (1:28:46)

Links

Future Projection on Apple (please rate and review the show!)

Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler

Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo

Baseball America Website

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 21: A Golden Era For Catchers & Prospects We Like More Post-Handbook Jan 07, 2022

Show notes

The podcast returns! After a bit of a hibernation, Ben explains to you all why Future Projection has been dormant for much of the winter—don’t blame Carlos, he’s not at fault! The two talk about the Wander Franco contract extension with the Rays and whether or not we like aggressive, team-friendly deals like this. Ben makes the case that we shouldn’t always view a contract as team or player friendly, but perhaps agent friendly. After that, the two discuss the immense talent and depth of the catching ranks in baseball at the moment and dive into a few catchers we like who might begin the year on the outside of our top 100 looking in. Following that, we talk about a few players we found ourselves liking more and more throughout the Prospect Handbook editing process and touch on a few pitchers who have trended in the right direction with velocity.

Time Stamps

Opening banter (0:00:01)
Ben’s big announcement (0:01:16)
International big board update (0:06:00)
The Wander Franco extension (0:10:12)
Other notable pre-lockout moves and signings (0:23:24)
A tidal wave of catching talent (0:26:21)
Players who grew on us throughout the Prospect Handbook process (0:42:41)
A conversation about velocity gains with pitchers, including Aaron Ashby and Ricky Tiedemann (0:53:49)

Links

Future Projection on Apple(please rate and review the show!)

Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler

Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo

Baseball America Website

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 20: The Wonderful Wander Franco, Players To Watch In The AFL & LHP Depth In The 2022 Draft Class Oct 20, 2021

Show notes

Ben and Carlos banter about MLB’s announcement requiring teams to provide housing for “certain” minor league players, once again fight over the pronunciation of “OPS” and also talk about the closely contested games the 2021 postseason has provided. After that, the two discuss Wander Franco’s impressive rookie campaign and whether or not they would vote for him as the Rookie of the Year. That turns into a discussion of the best pure hitters Ben has covered, which leads to a conversation about Juan Soto—and how remarkable he is at just 22 years old. After that, the two discuss the Rays and why people online seem to get worked up about them so much, before turning their eyes towards the Arizona Fall League and potential breakout players there. This leads to a Sign One, Trade One, Cut One debate with Red Sox prospects Triston Casas, Marcelo Mayer and Nick Yorke. After that, the two discuss standout Jupiter players, including shortstops Mikey Romero and Nicolas Perez and lefthander Levi Huesman. Ben wonders if a potential Druw Jones shortstop experiment would be worthwhile, and the two then tackle a few listener questions—including who the best lefthander in the 2022 class is—before signing off.

Time Stamps

Opening Banter (0:00:01)
MLB requiring teams to provide MiLB Housing (0:02:17)
More nonsense about stat abbreviations (0:13:57)
MLB Playoffs (0:18:01)
Wander Franco's Impressive 2021 Campaign (0:24:09)
Is Juan Soto the best hitter on the planet? (0:39:36)
Why people seem so enraged by the Rays (0:47:50)
Arizona Fall League (0:59:02)
Sign One, Trade One, Cut One — Triston Casas, Marcelo Mayer, Nick Yorke (1:13:10)
Standout players from Jupiter (1:26:14)
Ben's Druw Jones SS idea (1:35:25)
Mailbag! (1:43:38)

Links

Future Projection on Apple(please rate and review the show!)

Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler

Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo

Baseball America Website

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.