• Episode 81: Should Wyatt Langford & Jackson Holliday Start In The Big Leagues?

    Ben and Carlos chat about spring training standouts in big league camp, headlined by two players in the very elite tier of baseball prospects who have a case to start the year in the majors: Jackson Holliday and Wyatt Langford. Ben and Carlos talk about the cases for and against those two being pushed aggressively and then the two talk about a number of other spring training performances including Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill, Pirates righthander Jared Jones, Cardinals shortstop Thomas Saggese, Padres outfielder and infielder Graham Pauley and Brewers first baseman Wes Clarke, among others.

    After that the two discuss a loaded Wake Forest-Duke series from last weekend that Carlos saw in person. The two revisit Chase Burns and talk through just how much he’s elevated his draft stock, plus get in depth on the divergent hitting approaches of Seaver King and Nick Kurtz. The two touch on Jonathan Santucci, Josh Hartle and Michael Massey as well and talk briefly about the top of the draft board.

    Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com  

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    1h 34m | Mar 13, 2024
  • Episode 80: Chase Burns, Hagen Smith & Scouting Reliever Risk

    Ben and Carlos talk about the first two weeks of college baseball action including scorching offensive starts from Georgia’s Charlie Condon and Oregon State’s Travis Bazzana. Are they more in the mix to be the No. 1 pick in a still unsettled draft class? And what are the early changes beyond just strong production?

    The two then move on to pitching and break down early-season outings from Arkansas lefthander Hagen Smith and Wake Forest righthander Chase Burns. The two have solid cases as having the best pure stuff from the left and right side respectively, and now they are looking to reinforce their starting profiles and remove some of the reliever risk they entered the spring with. How do Ben and Carlos view the two? Which would they take? How do they view reliever risk in general and which factors are the most concerning: Command? Diversity of stuff? Delivery? Medical history? Durability? Track record? 

    After that the two talk about a few early spring training performances from players who have impressed including Pirates second baseman Termarr Johnson, Nationals outfielders James Wood and Dylan Crews and Brewers outfielder (or infielder?) Sal Frelick.

    The show closes with Ben’s early preview of the 2026 high school draft class, which looks to have both impressive depth of talent and a standout headliner at the top in Texas shortstop Grady Emerson.

    Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com  

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    2h 3m | Mar 1, 2024
  • Episode 79: Drafting 2024 Prospect Teams

    Ben and Carlos are joined by Peter Flaherty in a special edition of the show, where the three look ahead to the 2024 amateur season by drafting teams of 2024 class prospects. The three writers go back and forth in an attempt to create the best team possible from the 2024 class. 

    Here are the rules:

    Each drafter must fill the following positions and select at least six high school players and at least six college players:

    • 1 catcher
    • 2 corner infielders
    • 2 middle infielders
    • 3 outfielders
    • 4 pitchers
    • 1 utility spot (any position type)


    While the teams will be revisited after the draft to see whose teams had the best draft capital, the ultimate goal is to create the best possible team, so we’ll have to wait a few years to determine the ultimate winners.

    However, that doesn't stop you from chiming in now with feedback on the exercise. Are you Team Ben? Team Peter? Or Team Carlos? Let us know.

    Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com  

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    1h 38m | Feb 16, 2024
  • Episode 78: All-Americans, 2024 Draft Prospects & Ethan Holliday’s 1-1 Case

    Carlos and Ben banter about the announced Netflix documentary following the Red Sox and think about what their ideal baseball documentary looks like. After that the two talk through the Royals mega-extension of franchise shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and how the deal is a win for all parties involved. 

    Then the two talk through Matt Eddy’s PPI eligible players piece and think about the ramifications of the program and whether or not it’s good for the game—spoiler: it is. The two think about the favorites for winning rookie of the year of this pool of players and talk through some of the draft changes related to the PPI program that remove incentives for teams to bottom out year after year.

    After that the two talk through BA’s preseason all-America teams, including why the teams are predictive of the year’s first round round draft picks and also talk briefly about the updated 2025 draft rankings on the site. The two answer a listener question about Ethan Holliday’s 1-1 case for the 2025 class, and then end the show with a listener email about how agents, teams and players play the signing bonus game on draft day. 

    Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com  

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    1h 41m | Feb 9, 2024
  • Episode 77: Breaking Down The New MLB Draft Rankings

    Ben and Carlos hop on the show and talk through a few major league news items, including the Tigers extension of Colt Keith, the Twins-Mariners Jorge Polanco trade and the news that the Orioles are being sold to (hopefully) new and improved owners.

    After that, the two get into Carlos’s big draft update ahead of the college baseball season. The list expands from 100 to 200, with a new name up top and plenty of new reports to consume. Ben peppers Carlos with plenty of questions about the state of the class and the two discuss the various strengths and weaknesses of the group at this stage. 

    The show closes with a listener question about the impacts of the 20-round draft and the contracted minor league team and player system. 

    Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com  

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    1h 46m | Feb 2, 2024
  • Episode 76: Answering Your Prospect Questions

    Ben and Carlos talk about the week’s Hall of Fame results and debate the various cases for some of the players who were on this year’s ballot before looking ahead to future candidates and looking at the surprisingly strong track record of No. 1 overall picks making the Hall of Fame. 

    After that the two open up the listener mailbag and get into your prospect questions. 

    Those involve plenty of topics including: are the Padres too trade-happy with their prospects? Is Coby Mayo more valuable for the Orioles as trade bait or as a member of the young hitting core? How would Samuel Basallo look as a prospect if he was being developed by another organization? Who will be the fastest pitcher to the big leagues from the 2024 draft class? Where do we stand on Mets righthander Blade Tidwell? How does Ben evaluate the Giants’ current standing in the international market? How much upside can we expect for Marlins prep pitchers Noble Meyer and Thomas White? 

    Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com  

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    1h 38m | Jan 26, 2024
  • Episode 75: Breaking Down The 2024 Top 100 Prospects List

    Ben and Carlos spend most of the episode getting into the weeds on our recently released 2024 Top 100 Prospects list. Before that conversation starts, Ben breaks down his January 15 experience and how it compared to previous years.

    Padres prospect Leodalis De Vries serves as the bridge from international signing day to our Top 100, as the lone member of the 2024 class to land on the list. What makes him deserving and why is this a profile to get excited about? Ben tells you all you need to know.

    After that, the two break down the top of the list, talk about their various tier breaks, agree on philosophies about pitching prospects and injury risk and then talk about how they would line up the top pitching prospects in the game. The two then talk through the players they are higher or lower on than the Top 100 itself, including names like Andrew Painter, Robby Snelling, Ricky Tiedemann, Adael Amador, Dylan Lesko, Noah Schultz, Colt Emerson, Michael Busch, Bryce Eldridge, Jacob Wilson, Nick Frasso, Gavin Stone, Brayden Taylor, Ceddanne Rafaela, Chase Petty and more.

    The two have a slight disagreement on 2023 arms Rhett Lowder and Chase Dollander, then think about some of the players who might be poised to shoot up this list in the future.

    The show ends with a listener email about where Braves righthander AJ Smith-Shawver might rank if he was part of the 2024 draft class.

    Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com  

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    1h 49m | Jan 19, 2024
  • Episode 74: Everything You Need To Know About The 2024 International Class

    Today’s episode is spent entirely on international prospects, as we are just days away from January 15. In this episode, Carlos grills Ben on all things international:

    Who are the top prospects to know? What’s the current state of the international signing system? What are the pros and cons of signing day coming in January compared to July? Which teams are doing the best on the international market? Which teams have taken significant steps forward on this front in the last five years or so? 

    Ben answers all those questions and more. The two talk about the developmental challenges that international prospects face, both before and after signing with their pro teams. How do the changes to the minor league system post-covid still impact international players? Will any players in the 2024 international class be immediate candidates for the top 100? And who are other, low-level international prospects you should be keeping an eye on?

    It’s a fairly wide-ranging and thorough discussion on the international market and if you need a primer on this year’s class and all things international prospects—this is the episode for you.

    Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com  

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    1h 39m | Jan 12, 2024
  • Episode 73: The State Of AL West Farm Systems

    Ben and Carlos kick off the new year with the final installment of their division-by-division breakdown of farm systems, saving the worst (?) group of teams for last.

    Before that the two talk through Ben’s international board for the 2024 class, which is lined up based on the expected bonuses for the top 50 players in the class. Ben breaks down a few of the top names, including Braves shortstop signee Jose Perdomo and Padres shortstop signee Leodalis De Vries before getting into some overall 2024 international class discussion.

    Where are all the pitchers? Who are some players who are trending up to know about? And how confident can we ever be with international signings at this stage of the calendar? 

    After that the two talk through AL West farm systems, including a top-heavy and exciting Rangers group led by a potential pair of top-five prospects in Evan Carter and Wyatt Langford; a middle-of-the-pack Mariners farm system that one co-host likes more than another; an A’s farm system that has taken a step forward but is not at the level it should be given the state of the major league team; an Angels farm system that continues to lack impact talent despite some quick-to-the-majors movers; and an Astros system that might have a case for one of the worst in baseball.

    The podcast closes with a listener question about the success of MLB teams after having a top-five farm system.

    Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com  

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    1h 45m | Jan 5, 2024
  • Episode 72: The State Of AL Central Farm Systems

    Ben and Carlos celebrate the fact that the 2024 Prospect Handbook has been shipped by breaking down AL Central prospect talent. Without much happening on the major league front, the two get straight into prospect talk, starting with a strong Tigers system.

    The two talk about their excitement for No. 1 prospect Max Clark and wonder about his power potential for the future, and then discuss whether or not righthander Jackson Jobe has a case to be made as the top pitching prospect in baseball. It doesn’t fall off after that either with exciting offensive players like Colt Keith, Jace Jung, Justyn-Henry Malloy and Parker Meadows. 

    The farm system caliber does fall off after the Tigers, though Ben and Carlos disagree somewhat about their enthusiasm for the depth of the Twins—though neither disagrees about how excited they are for Walker Jenkins and Brooks Lee. After that, the two debate whether or not the Guardians or the White Sox system is better, with both teams boasting solid prospects up top—Chase DeLauter, Brayan Rocchio, Colson Mongtomery and Noah Schultz—but more questions beyond that. 

    Finally, the two talk about the Royals and the lack of excitement there is to be found throughout the farm—though there are two catching prospects of note to monitor—before getting into the last listener mailbag of the year, which includes questions about Jac Caglianone and college summer camps. 

    Happy Holidays!

    Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com  

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    1h 55m | Dec 22, 2023
  • Episode 71: The State Of AL East Farm Systems

    Ben and Carlos discuss their caffeine of choice during the busy December prospect season, then react a bit to Shohei Ohtani’s historic contract with the Dodgers. 

    After that, the two get straight into prospect talk and analyze the farm systems of the AL East, which includes four good to great systems—including the Orioles, who have the easy No. 1 group in the league—and one that’s maybe a bit less exciting. The two discuss how close Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony are in terms of overall prospect status, talk through the impressive depth of the Yankees, try and figure out the best infield alignment for the Orioles and which prospects might be best utilized in a trade and also talk through how expectations could impact us more when looking at the Rays than other orgs. 

    After talking through the farm systems, the two take a few listener questions, including where the top-ranked international prospect for the 2024 signing class would fit into the 2024 draft class, how often teams try and steal international players who already have deals with other clubs, thoughts on college vs. pro development and the top third base prospects in the 2024 prep class.

    Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com  

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    2h 0m | Dec 15, 2023
  • Episode 70: Analyzing The Draft Lottery + The Shohei Ohtani Narrative

    Ben and Carlos break down the second annual draft lottery and the implications that come from the Guardians and Reds leaping up to secure the top two picks in the 2024 draft. The two discuss how this could impact Cleveland’s draft strategy and whether or not the top players in the class fit their typical MO on prospects, as well as look at some of the draft lottery “losers” including the A’s, White Sox and Nationals.

    Is the draft lottery system working as intended? Are Ben and Carlos fans of the system? What tweaks would they recommend for the future and how could the viewing experience be improved for die-hard draftniks and casual baseball fans alike. 

    After that, the two turn their eyes towards the Winter Meetings and break down the one big trade that actually happened at the event: the Padres trading hitting savant Juan Soto to the Yankees for a package of big-league ready (or near ready) pitchers, headlined by righthanders Drew Thorpe and Michael King. 

    Finally, the two discuss the developing narrative surrounding Shohei Ohtani as he pursues a more clandestine free agent process than many national baseball writers would like. Does anyone truly care how he goes about the free agent process? Are the Winter Meetings still necessary? And what is Ohtani’s dog’s name???

    The podcast closes with a few listener questions, including SoCal prep prospects in the 2024 draft class and where Rays infielder Junior Caminero might land on Ben and Carlos’s personal top 100 lists. 

    Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com  

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    1h 50m | Dec 8, 2023
  • Episode 69: The State of NL West Farm Systems

    Ben and Carlos talk about the rumored Jackson Chourio extension with the Brewers and talk through evaluating risk for prospects vs. risk for veteran players. 

    After that the two talk through Carlos’s updated 2024 draft rankings and discuss the state of a very muddled draft class. Which player would be the No. 1 pick if the draft were today? Is there any separation on the pitching side? Which players made the most notable jumps up the board? The two find themselves liking the depth of pitching on the high school side, but also acknowledge some of the pitfalls of this year’s class.

    After that the conversation turns pro, and the two talk through each of the farm systems in the NL West. Is the top-heavy impact of the Padres better than a deep Dodgers system? Why is Carlos high on the Giants? And where do the Rockies and D-backs line up among this group?

    They end the show with a solid listener question about players who have been better than expected as pros.  

    Kyle’s story on Padres prospects traded

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    2h 3m | Dec 1, 2023
  • Episode 68: The State Of NL Central Farm Systems

    Ben and Carlos chat about MLB awards season, despite the fact that most of the winners were unanimous and ultimately not too surprising. After that the two talk about the PPI picks that the D-Backs and Orioles will receive thanks to Corbin Carroll and Gunnar Henderson, and the pros and cons of all of the new rule changes in regards to the draft—and it seems like mostly pros outside of additional headaches that Carlos has to deal with. 

    The two briefly talk about the Braves-White Sox trade that put Aaron Bummer in Atlanta and sent a five-player package to Chicago, before touching on the 40-man roster deadline and talking a bit of Rule 5 draft. The two also examine some of the first round misses that the protection deadline highlighted, including Twins shortstop Keoni Cavaco, Twins first baseman Aaron Sabato and Royals lefthander Asa Lacy. What are the lessons to be drawn from those picks?

    The bulk of the episode is spent analyzing the farm systems for the NL Central clubs. Just how good is the Brewers farm system? Which of these teams has surged forward over the second half of the season given their 2023 draft and prospect finishes? And which clubs or prospects do the two disagree on? All that and more.

    Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com  

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    2h 5m | Nov 17, 2023
  • Episode 67: What Makes A Good Manager?

    Ben and Carlos talk about a number of the managerial moves in the big leagues in recent weeks, and then Ben talks about the traits and skills that he would want to have in a big league manager. It’s hard to quantify the value of big league managers with precision, but Ben breaks down the various hard and soft skills that he thinks might be important for the modern game.

    The two talk about whether or not playing backgrounds are important or necessary for big league managers, the value of managerial experience, the value of being on the same page philosophically with your front office and whether or not you need different managers for teams at different competitive stages. 

    After that, the two talk about the Yankees and the various comments made recently by owner Hal Steinbrenner and general manager Brian Cashman. Are the narratives surrounding the Yankees’ “disappointing” 2023 season accurate, and what’s the current state of the organization in a routinely competitive AL East division?

    Next, the two move on to some free agency talk, think about how historic Shohei Ohtani is on the free agent market and work through some of the top available pitchers and hitters available. The two end by discussing national signing day for the 2024 high school class, talk through a few of the best classes of talent and then take a few listener questions that get into more scouting talk. 

    Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com  

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    2h 10m | Nov 10, 2023
  • Episode 66: Scouting Speed

    Ben and Carlos have a long conversation about speed on today’s episode. How they evaluate it, how much it matters, which players the tool is most important for and how to project it into the future. Rule changes in MLB mean steals are more common than ever, and Diamondbacks rookie Corbin Carroll was a great example of a young player with both elite speed and elite baserunning instincts.

    Who could be the next Carroll? The two talk through a number of minor league candidates who are speed demons and could shortly find themselves atop the big league stolen base leaderboards. After that, they briefly touch on speedsters in the 2024 and 2025 draft classes and Ben gives a few dark horse candidates from the international ranks.

    The episode closes with a large mailbag section from listeners, including hypothetical prospect-for-prospect trades, Twins prospect Kala’i Rosario’s offensive profile and some fun platoon split/bunt talk surrounding Cardinals outfielder Victor Scott.

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    2h 16m | Nov 3, 2023
  • Episode 65: The State Of NL East Farm Systems

    Ben and Carlos hop on the podcast and talk about the Marlins and Kim Ng splitting up—or more accurately Kim Ng deciding that she wanted no part in the Marlins hiring someone above her after one of the organization’s most successful seasons in recent memory. 

    The two talk about the state of the Marlins and whether or not the team has an optimistic future outlook, look at the state of the farm system and the team’s recent draft history and then attempt to line up the various states of the NL East—all of whom are now done for the year with the Phillies falling to the D-Backs in the NLCS.

    Conversation about the teams’ various farm systems becomes a conversation about the relative strength of the top prospects in baseball at the moment, before the two move to World Series talk and then take a few listener questions. How much weight is placed on offense vs. defense when evaluating prospects? Which top 100 prospects do Ben and Carlos expect to be the high man on for 2024? 

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    2h 9m | Oct 27, 2023
  • Episode 64: MLB Postseason Drama & Winning 54%

    Ben Badler and Carlos Collazo recap their trip to Jupiter and break down some of the most interesting players they saw. They also talk about the value of scouting an event like Jupiter, which has so much going on at once. 

    After that, the two pivot to big league talk and discuss the postseason. The two give their thoughts on the many blowout series we have had so far, lament the brutal start from Clayton Kershaw and talk about the randomness of the playoffs in general, and especially the current 12-team format. After that, the two talk about Braves-Phillies, which has been the most interesting division series so far, and give their thoughts on the Bryce Harper/Orlando Arcia drama.

    Finally, the two discuss Mariners president Jerry Dipoto’s comments about winning 54% of the time and the merits of trying to build a sustainable team vs. setting the bar too low.

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    1h 43m | Oct 13, 2023
  • Episode 63: Previewing The Postseason + Scouting Jupiter

    The postseason field is set and October baseball is here. Ben and Carlos talk about the field and think through which teams are well-positioned to advance to the World Series as much as possible given the randomness of playoff baseball. The two talk about styles of play, which teams have the toughest and easiest paths, and then try and figure out which playoff teams are best positioned for success in the next five years.

    After that the two discuss the careers of four big league legends: Miguel Cabrera, Adam Wainwright, Joey Votto and Zack Greinke.

    Next the two move into the amateur baseball space and look at the state of the 2025 high school draft class, thanks to Ben’s recently updated top 100 list. Ethan Holliday continues to top the list, but there are plenty of shortstops to get excited about and a few standout arms as well. 

    Finally the two talk about their upcoming trip to Jupiter for Perfect Game’s WWBA World Championship. Who are the teams and players to know? Are more high school players taking the fall off? Does that even matter? And do you really need to bring an umbrella to the field? All that and more.

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    1h 52m | Oct 3, 2023
  • Episode 62: Scouting The Arizona Fall League

    Ben and Carlos dig into some of the more interesting prospects to know from the Arizona Fall League rosters, including a few well-known players with a chance to make up for lost time, and a few lesser known names who could jump on the scene. Players include Guardians outfielder Chase DeLauter, Tigers righthander Jackson Jobe and Blue Jays lefthander Ricky Tiedemann, among others.

    After that, the two talk about more big league call-ups, led by Phillies righthander Orion Kerkering, who went from an inconsistent starter and reliever at South Florida to one of the most exciting relievers in baseball in just over a year’s time. They touch on Junior Caminero’s promotion, and briefly look ahead to the top tier of prospects for the 2024 season, before talking about Evan Carter’s power surge in the big leagues, and also touch on Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, lefthander Jordan Wicks, Reds infielder Noelvi Marte and Dodgers righthander Kyle Hurt. 

    After that, the two talk about baseball’s youth movement. The 2023 rookie hitting class is historic, and at the minor league level players are being pushed quicker than ever before. Why is that? Is it a good thing? And what are the pros and cons between development pro ball vs. college anyway?

    Finally, the two take a listener email that gets at some of these same questions.

    Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com  

    Follow us on Twitter: @FutureProPod

    Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler

    Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo

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    1h 59m | Sep 29, 2023
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