Baseball America Top 100 Released

[Heyward]

Build it around Touki, Fried, Allard, etc

Truthfully anybody but Acuna, Wright, and Gohara I'd be ok building a package around for Yelich

Acuna and Ozzie are off limits for me.

I'd hate to part with Wright or Gohara, but if it was the missing piece in a deal, i wouldnt budge on it.

[clvclv]

A couple of snippets not mentioned by the Riley haters - it's not JUST Baseball America that mentions his improved bat speed, defense, and athleticism (contrary to several opinions voiced around here - by people who haven't actually SEEN him play BTW)...

"He's become a better overall hitter and is quicker to the ball than when he first entered pro ball. While he'll always rack up strikeouts, he did lower his K rate and improve his walk rate in 2017 while moving up the ladder."

"Riley also made huge strides in his defense at third and there are no longer concerns about his ability to stay at the hot corner, where his plus arm has always played well."

"He runs better than people might think at first glance, and some feel his athleticism would allow him to move to left field if there was a need or someone blocking him in Atlanta."


That's all directly from the blurb about him from MLB Pipeline's Top 10 3B prospects - apparently Law is seeing a different player. He was also given the same FV-55 grade as Andujar for what that's worth.

[BeanieAntics]

A couple of snippets not mentioned by the Riley haters - it's not JUST Baseball America that mentions his improved bat speed, defense, and athleticism (contrary to several opinions voiced around here - by people who haven't actually SEEN him play BTW)...

"He's become a better overall hitter and is quicker to the ball than when he first entered pro ball. While he'll always rack up strikeouts, he did lower his K rate and improve his walk rate in 2017 while moving up the ladder."

"Riley also made huge strides in his defense at third and there are no longer concerns about his ability to stay at the hot corner, where his plus arm has always played well."

"He runs better than people might think at first glance, and some feel his athleticism would allow him to move to left field if there was a need or someone blocking him in Atlanta."


That's all directly from the blurb about him from MLB Pipeline's Top 10 3B prospects - apparently Law is seeing a different player. He was also given the same FV-55 grade as Andujar for what that's worth.

Pipeline gives out wayyyyy too many 55 grades in my opinion, but that doesn't mean Riley isn't one. Between the Riley haters and Riley lovers, I fall somewhere in between. I think he has a chance to be a very solid power hitting 3rd baseman with below average to average defense. I just don't think he is the star that some on here want him to be. I think he is more along the lines of a .250 hitter that could drop 25 homers a year. Maybe there is a little wiggle room for a bit more power. I still have real concerns about how his bat path will play at the higher levels and I have real concerns about his consistency. This year I want to see him consistently be productive and get this streaky-ness out of his system. The whole left field thing is interesting. I've only seen Riley twice but both times he did look like he was athletic enough to play LF fairly well and he certainly has the arm for it. It wouldn't surprise me if he eventually makes the move there.

[thewupk]

Pipeline gives out wayyyyy too many 55 grades in my opinion, but that doesn't mean Riley isn't one. Between the Riley haters and Riley lovers, I fall somewhere in between. I think he has a chance to be a very solid power hitting 3rd baseman with below average to average defense. I just don't think he is the star that some on here want him to be. I think he is more along the lines of a .250 hitter that could drop 25 homers a year. Maybe there is a little wiggle room for a bit more power. I still have real concerns about how his bat path will play at the higher levels and I have real concerns about his consistency. This year I want to see him consistently be productive and get this streaky-ness out of his system. The whole left field thing is interesting. I've only seen Riley twice but both times he did look like he was athletic enough to play LF fairly well and he certainly has the arm for it. It wouldn't surprise me if he eventually makes the move there.

I think Riley is a high end 50FV guy that would put him in the back end of my top 100 list. That's a remarkable upgrade from a year ago. I still think he's a little hyped up for how he ended the year last year. We'll see how he does this season.

[Enscheff]

Pipeline gives out wayyyyy too many 55 grades in my opinion, but that doesn't mean Riley isn't one. Between the Riley haters and Riley lovers, I fall somewhere in between. I think he has a chance to be a very solid power hitting 3rd baseman with below average to average defense. I just don't think he is the star that some on here want him to be. I think he is more along the lines of a .250 hitter that could drop 25 homers a year. Maybe there is a little wiggle room for a bit more power. I still have real concerns about how his bat path will play at the higher levels and I have real concerns about his consistency. This year I want to see him consistently be productive and get this streaky-ness out of his system. The whole left field thing is interesting. I've only seen Riley twice but both times he did look like he was athletic enough to play LF fairly well and he certainly has the arm for it. It wouldn't surprise me if he eventually makes the move there.

Riley is not a FV 55. Pipeline tabbed something like 65 players with FV 50+ in last year's draft class. Longenhagen gave out 8 to the same draft class.

He is a 45 bordering on 50. He is a good prospect. He is likely a RHed Jake Lamb with a half grade less power. Saying he isn't someone to plan around is not being a hater.

Clvderpclv didn't post anything we haven't already seen from other sources.

[clvclv]

Pipeline gives out wayyyyy too many 55 grades in my opinion, but that doesn't mean Riley isn't one. Between the Riley haters and Riley lovers, I fall somewhere in between. I think he has a chance to be a very solid power hitting 3rd baseman with below average to average defense. I just don't think he is the star that some on here want him to be. I think he is more along the lines of a .250 hitter that could drop 25 homers a year. Maybe there is a little wiggle room for a bit more power. I still have real concerns about how his bat path will play at the higher levels and I have real concerns about his consistency. This year I want to see him consistently be productive and get this streaky-ness out of his system. The whole left field thing is interesting. I've only seen Riley twice but both times he did look like he was athletic enough to play LF fairly well and he certainly has the arm for it. It wouldn't surprise me if he eventually makes the move there.

Haven't really broken it down that closely, but I wouldn't dispute that for sure.

The only point is that they view him favorably compared to Andujar, so whatever that correct grade might be there are either a lot of people overrating Andujar or underrating Riley.

[Enscheff]

Kiley is doing the Braves list over at FG, so expect it to be super pozzy. How pozzy? I think this comment sheds some light:

Alex
12:04 Hi Kiley, what are your thoughts on Cristian Pache's ultimate offensive ceiling? Thanks!
Kiley McDaniel
12:06 He's an interesting one. I've joked that he's an LSU wide receiver athletically, so almost anything is possible in the long-term. More practically he needs to refine the approach and lift the ball a little more, but he's also a 70 runner and if doesn't improve at all he's something like Kevin Pillar, which may not be what Braves fans want but that's an everyday guy.

Kiley just said Pache's floor is Kevin Pillar, who posted 9.5 fWAR over his first 3 full MLB season, and is projected to produce 2-3 fWAR this year. "Everyday guy" is a bit of an understatement, no?

Sorry, but that is an absurd floor to give a player in low-A ball unless you are so drunk on the Braves kool-aid that you're puking all over the team van.

[Russ2dollas]

Pipeline gives out wayyyyy too many 55 grades in my opinion, but that doesn't mean Riley isn't one. Between the Riley haters and Riley lovers, I fall somewhere in between. I think he has a chance to be a very solid power hitting 3rd baseman with below average to average defense. I just don't think he is the star that some on here want him to be. I think he is more along the lines of a .250 hitter that could drop 25 homers a year. Maybe there is a little wiggle room for a bit more power. I still have real concerns about how his bat path will play at the higher levels and I have real concerns about his consistency. This year I want to see him consistently be productive and get this streaky-ness out of his system. The whole left field thing is interesting. I've only seen Riley twice but both times he did look like he was athletic enough to play LF fairly well and he certainly has the arm for it. It wouldn't surprise me if he eventually makes the move there.

I think I'm in the neighborhood you are.

I like that most ppl say the defense is much better. Some say it's good. He's still very young and can continue to refine the body. I think an avg defender or slightly less is reasonable.

Chipper was the famed 300/400/500 guy. That's why he's a HOF player. I think Riley will be a 230/330/450. I think that is a solid player but not someone I'm worried about blocking.

I also think Braves fans have crazy ideas about timelines given Coppy's decisions and guys like Albies and Acuna. Most guys aren't in MLB at 20. Even if Riley is going to be an 800+ OPS 3B with avg defense (that's absolute ceiling right?) it still makes sense that he has 2 more years in the minors to get there.

Get 2 years of Frazier with an option year.

[UNCBlue012]

Kiley is doing the Braves list over at FG, so expect it to be super pozzy. How pozzy? I think this comment sheds some light:

Alex
12:04 Hi Kiley, what are your thoughts on Cristian Pache's ultimate offensive ceiling? Thanks!
Kiley McDaniel
12:06 He's an interesting one. I've joked that he's an LSU wide receiver athletically, so almost anything is possible in the long-term. More practically he needs to refine the approach and lift the ball a little more, but he's also a 70 runner and if doesn't improve at all he's something like Kevin Pillar, which may not be what Braves fans want but that's an everyday guy.

Kiley just said Pache's floor is Kevin Pillar, who posted 9.5 fWAR over his first 3 full MLB season, and is projected to produce 2-3 fWAR this year. "Everyday guy" is a bit of an understatement, no?

Sorry, but that is an absurd floor to give a player in low-A ball unless you are so drunk on the Braves kool-aid that you're puking all over the team van.

Or, Kiley could be right and have his reasons for giving the grade. Just sayin'

[Enscheff]

Or, Kiley could be right and have his reasons for giving the grade. Just sayin'

You think it's reasonable to project the floor of a player in Low-A ball to be Kevin Pillar? A guy who has averaged over 3 fWAR per year?

Isn't that a Top 10 prospect?

[UNCBlue012]

You think it's reasonable to project the floor of a player in Low-A ball to be Kevin Pillar? A guy who has averaged over 3 fWAR per year?

Isn't that a Top 10 prospect?

I'm saying Kiley McDaniel sure as hell is more qualified to make that assumption than (probably) anyone on here is.

[thewupk]

I'm saying Kiley McDaniel sure as hell is more qualified to make that assumption than (probably) anyone on here is.

He's probably more biased as well.

[Russ2dollas]

You think it's reasonable to project the floor of a player in Low-A ball to be Kevin Pillar? A guy who has averaged over 3 fWAR per year?

Isn't that a Top 10 prospect?

I don't think it's reasonable for a floor.

He could be more nuanced in that term. It seems like everyone thinks he could be a top level CF now. With the weight of defense in WAR he could do that. Pillar is not a good hitter but he's not bad. The reason Pache's floor is way lower than Pillar is that there is a chance Pache can't hit at all.

Based on what I've read I think Pillar is a likely outcome for Pache, not a floor. Inciarte also a decent comp.

Pache seems to have a decent hit tool, walks some and can run the bases. Will he ever get the power ppl are projecting?

[thewupk]

I don't think it's reasonable for a floor.

He could be more nuanced in that term. It seems like everyone thinks he could be a top level CF now. With the weight of defense in WAR he could do that. Pillar is not a good hitter but he's not bad. The reason Pache's floor is way lower than Pillar is that there is a chance Pache can't hit at all.

Based on what I've read I think Pillar is a likely outcome for Pache, not a floor. Inciarte also a decent comp.

Pache seems to have a decent hit tool, walks some and can run the bases. Will he ever get the power ppl are projecting?

Plus defense in center will take you a long way in the WAR game

[Enscheff]

I don't think it's reasonable for a floor.

He could be more nuanced in that term. It seems like everyone thinks he could be a top level CF now. With the weight of defense in WAR he could do that. Pillar is not a good hitter but he's not bad. The reason Pache's floor is way lower than Pillar is that there is a chance Pache can't hit at all.

Based on what I've read I think Pillar is a likely outcome for Pache, not a floor. Inciarte also a decent comp.

Pache seems to have a decent hit tool, walks some and can run the bases. Will he ever get the power ppl are projecting?

You seem to have a better grip on Pache than Kiley.

[clvclv]

He's probably more biased as well.

More biased than some people are against him???

The blackjack dealer's rhetoric has made things so ridiculous around here it's miserable. You can't say anything flattering about someone - Braves' player/prospect or not - without being labeled an "idiot", "pozzy", or whatever term some of you choose to call those who don't share your opinion. The last time I checked, this was a place for Braves fans to discuss their favorite team - not toss insults at those they don't like.

Does it seriously affect some of your lives so adversely that thethe (and others including myself) is an over-the-top "glass at the very least half-full" fan when he's as Braves nuts as he is? Then maybe some of you need to reconsider who really has a problem - he's a Braves fan. If you're not, what in the *ell are you wasting your time here for???

[clvclv]

Plus defense in center will take you a long way in the WAR game

Apparently not to the HOF though.

[Managuarantano's Volunteers]

Apparently not to the HOF though.

Best defense in CF history won’t take you to the HOF

[smootness]

The rest of the grades are locked behind a paywall, but here are Acuna's grades according to BA:

Hit: 60 - Power: 70 - Speed: 70 - Glove: 70 - Arm: 60

I think those are a half grade too high, except for maybe his arm and hit tool. I think I would have him at a 60/65/65/65/60. I don't know, maybe I'm wrong. I'm just really reluctant to grade out three tools as being a 70 grade.

Are these current grades or future grades?

[smootness]

You think it's reasonable to project the floor of a player in Low-A ball to be Kevin Pillar? A guy who has averaged over 3 fWAR per year?

Isn't that a Top 10 prospect?

He's obviously not going to say that any Braves prospect's floor is a guy who never contributes anything. These guys will read this stuff.

My guess is that he means that a reasonable low-end projection for him, given his current abilities, is Kevin Pillar. I don't think there's ever been any prospect in baseball history in A-ball who didn't have an absolute floor of 'never contributes anything at the major league level.' Obviously Kiley knows that.

What Pache does have is apparently incredible athleticism and defense. Sure, it's possible he doesn't get to Pillar's level. But Pillar was a major league player who made it almost entirely on defense and athleticism. So even if Pache doesn't add anything else to his game, he can get to a level like that. I'm pretty sure that's what he's saying.