Official MiLB/Prospects Thread

[Spanky__99]

Sounds like some of the BA staff would have zero Jays prospects in the top 100

 

Yes, I read it, as I posted it?

[L54]

Yes, I read it, as I posted it?

 

So do you trust them?

[Spanky__99]

So do you trust them?

 

Yes, especially over the likes of saskjaysfan or yourself if that's your point here?!

[John Balkabella]

Re Pontes’s chat, what puzzles me is that, according to him, the Jays have shifted resources away from the International market.

 

Practically every problem the Jays have can be traced to a less than stellar draft/development record, including signings on the International side.

 

I would have thought resources would be increased, not decreased. Did the construction of those “state of the art” facilities, a capital project, mandate a reduction in operating expenses?

 

Long gone are the days when the International market was a strength.

[saskjayfan]

I'm going to roll with BA staff and MLB scout and crosschecker resources over some British dude living in Saskatchewan, thanks.

 

Yes I like soccer. No I'm not British..lol. BA and myself are on the same side. Our farm sucks. Our big money international signings the past 4 years aren't looking great. What player signed over the last 4 years for more than a million dollars is looking intriguing. We spent 4.1 mil on bonilla and he posted a .556 OPS last year. I do have hope for Nimmala and Tiedemann. The cupboard isn't completely bare. I still think we're a bottom 1/3 farm system.

 

Atkins greatest success has been via trade for close to major league ready players. We need to extend Vlad and Bo or trade them but we're doing neither because Atkins is a lame duck GM with his job on the line. I blame Rogers for this situation.

[Rusty_Savage]

We get the 7th overall pick in the draft

[Terminator]

Actually we got the 8th pick. What a disaster.

[Terminator]

This is horse s***, the Marines are going to end up with at least a Top 6 pick when they should have had 15th.

[Stangstag]

Actually we got the 8th pick. What a disaster.

 

Gross. Worst finish in years and we only get the 8th pick lol. And we can thank the A’s that its not worse.

[Brownie19]

Gross. Worst finish in years and we only get the 8th pick lol. And we can thank the A’s that its not worse.

 

This team is cursed.

[Krylian]

Actually we got the 8th pick. What a disaster.

 

Did you honestly think it would go any differently?

[G-Snarls]

[Krylian]

 

I hear Jacob makes a mean pretzel.

[John_Havok]

I hear Jacob makes a mean pretzel.

 

Youre capable of better. Do better

[Krylian]

Youre capable of better. Do better

 

no.

[Spanky__99]

BA's top 50 updated prospect listing...

 

11. Cristopher Polanco, SS, Dominican Republic

 

Born: Jan. 3, 2008. B-T: L-R. Ht.: 5-11. Wt.: 180.

 

Team: Blue Jays

 

Polanco is one of the more advanced lefthanded hitters in the 2025 international class. He regularly strings together quality at-bats and performs well in games with a short, sweet swing that’s mechanically sound and a knack for barreling good velocity. Polanco’s hitting ability is what stands out most. He can sneak a ball out to his pull side, but it’s mostly doubles pop with a hit-over-power game. An average runner, Polanco is an offensive-oriented middle infielder who should get a chance to develop at shortstop. Scouts highest on him thought he had a chance to stick at the position, praising his defensive actions, improved footwork and good body control. Others thought he might go to second base, in part because of a fringe-average arm, though he shows the ability to throw from multiple angles and could see that tool tick up with strength gains.

 

Our next Tony Fernandez.

[Spanky__99]

Also... this guy's going to be our SS in '26.

 

Headshot of Josh Kasevich

6. Josh Kasevich

SS

 

Ht: 6'1" | Wt: 200 | B-T: R-R

 

Age: null

 

BA Grade/Risk: 50/Medium.

 

Track Record: Kasevich spent three seasons at Oregon, earning first-team all-Pacific-12 Conference honors as a junior. He was drafted by the Blue Jays in the second round in 2022 and signed for a bonus of $1 million. Kasevich debuted post-draft with Low-A Dunedin before making the jump to High-A Vancouver in his first full professional season in 2023. Kasevich was assigned to Double-A New Hampshire to begin 2024 and earned a late-season promotion to Triple-A Buffalo. In 41 games with Buffalo, Kasevich hit .325/.382/.433 while making 31 starts at shortstop.

 

Scouting Report: Kasevich is a well-rounded, sum-of-his-parts-type of player who shows an advanced feel to hit. His bat-to-ball skills are top 98th percentile in terms of every contact measure, and he shows an uncanny ability to make contact with a variety of pitch shapes. He has above-average swing decisions to go along with his plus-plus bat-to-ball skills. Kasevich’s swing is level and flat, leading to a heavy rate of groundball contact. His underlying exit velocity data is average, with a 90th percentile EV of 103.5 mph. Kasevich shows a knack for making consistent hard contact with a higher hard-hit rate than his power numbers would suggest. He is an above-average runner but not an aggressive basestealer. His speed translates to solid range at shortstop, with the ability to stick at the position despite a fringy throwing arm. At the very least, Kasevich is a utility infielder with a plus hit tool and a touch of power projection.

 

The Future: Kasevich’s advanced hit tool and the ability to play a variety of positions should land him in the major leagues 2025. He looks like a good second-division regular with versatility.

 

Scouting Grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 40 | Run: 55 | Field: 55 | Arm: 45.

[saskjayfan]

Also... this guy's going to be our SS in '26.

 

Headshot of Josh Kasevich

6. Josh Kasevich

SS

 

Ht: 6'1" | Wt: 200 | B-T: R-R

 

Age: null

 

BA Grade/Risk: 50/Medium.

 

Track Record: Kasevich spent three seasons at Oregon, earning first-team all-Pacific-12 Conference honors as a junior. He was drafted by the Blue Jays in the second round in 2022 and signed for a bonus of $1 million. Kasevich debuted post-draft with Low-A Dunedin before making the jump to High-A Vancouver in his first full professional season in 2023. Kasevich was assigned to Double-A New Hampshire to begin 2024 and earned a late-season promotion to Triple-A Buffalo. In 41 games with Buffalo, Kasevich hit .325/.382/.433 while making 31 starts at shortstop.

 

Scouting Report: Kasevich is a well-rounded, sum-of-his-parts-type of player who shows an advanced feel to hit. His bat-to-ball skills are top 98th percentile in terms of every contact measure, and he shows an uncanny ability to make contact with a variety of pitch shapes. He has above-average swing decisions to go along with his plus-plus bat-to-ball skills. KasevichÂ’s swing is level and flat, leading to a heavy rate of groundball contact. His underlying exit velocity data is average, with a 90th percentile EV of 103.5 mph. Kasevich shows a knack for making consistent hard contact with a higher hard-hit rate than his power numbers would suggest. He is an above-average runner but not an aggressive basestealer. His speed translates to solid range at shortstop, with the ability to stick at the position despite a fringy throwing arm. At the very least, Kasevich is a utility infielder with a plus hit tool and a touch of power projection.

 

The Future: KasevichÂ’s advanced hit tool and the ability to play a variety of positions should land him in the major leagues 2025. He looks like a good second-division regular with versatility.

 

Scouting Grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 40 | Run: 55 | Field: 55 | Arm: 45.

 

Man, I hope not.

[Pendleton]

Also... this guy's going to be our SS in '26.

 

Headshot of Josh Kasevich

6. Josh Kasevich

SS

 

Ht: 6'1" | Wt: 200 | B-T: R-R

 

Age: null

 

BA Grade/Risk: 50/Medium.

 

Track Record: Kasevich spent three seasons at Oregon, earning first-team all-Pacific-12 Conference honors as a junior. He was drafted by the Blue Jays in the second round in 2022 and signed for a bonus of $1 million. Kasevich debuted post-draft with Low-A Dunedin before making the jump to High-A Vancouver in his first full professional season in 2023. Kasevich was assigned to Double-A New Hampshire to begin 2024 and earned a late-season promotion to Triple-A Buffalo. In 41 games with Buffalo, Kasevich hit .325/.382/.433 while making 31 starts at shortstop.

 

Scouting Report: Kasevich is a well-rounded, sum-of-his-parts-type of player who shows an advanced feel to hit. His bat-to-ball skills are top 98th percentile in terms of every contact measure, and he shows an uncanny ability to make contact with a variety of pitch shapes. He has above-average swing decisions to go along with his plus-plus bat-to-ball skills. Kasevich’s swing is level and flat, leading to a heavy rate of groundball contact. His underlying exit velocity data is average, with a 90th percentile EV of 103.5 mph. Kasevich shows a knack for making consistent hard contact with a higher hard-hit rate than his power numbers would suggest. He is an above-average runner but not an aggressive basestealer. His speed translates to solid range at shortstop, with the ability to stick at the position despite a fringy throwing arm. At the very least, Kasevich is a utility infielder with a plus hit tool and a touch of power projection.

 

The Future: Kasevich’s advanced hit tool and the ability to play a variety of positions should land him in the major leagues 2025. He looks like a good second-division regular with versatility.

 

Scouting Grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 40 | Run: 55 | Field: 55 | Arm: 45.

 

Sounds more like a decent 2B or good utility guy to me, but could be another option at some point this year

[The_DH]

Sounds more like a decent 2B or good utility guy to me, but could be another option at some point this year

 

the other assessments I saw on this guy suggested his defense was real at ss. Maybe his arm can be worked on a bit and his speed can be "coached".

[Daniel Labude]

Also... this guy's going to be our SS in '26.

 

Headshot of Josh Kasevich

6. Josh Kasevich

SS

 

Ht: 6'1" | Wt: 200 | B-T: R-R

 

Age: null

 

BA Grade/Risk: 50/Medium.

 

Track Record: Kasevich spent three seasons at Oregon, earning first-team all-Pacific-12 Conference honors as a junior. He was drafted by the Blue Jays in the second round in 2022 and signed for a bonus of $1 million. Kasevich debuted post-draft with Low-A Dunedin before making the jump to High-A Vancouver in his first full professional season in 2023. Kasevich was assigned to Double-A New Hampshire to begin 2024 and earned a late-season promotion to Triple-A Buffalo. In 41 games with Buffalo, Kasevich hit .325/.382/.433 while making 31 starts at shortstop.

 

Scouting Report: Kasevich is a well-rounded, sum-of-his-parts-type of player who shows an advanced feel to hit. His bat-to-ball skills are top 98th percentile in terms of every contact measure, and he shows an uncanny ability to make contact with a variety of pitch shapes. He has above-average swing decisions to go along with his plus-plus bat-to-ball skills. Kasevich’s swing is level and flat, leading to a heavy rate of groundball contact. His underlying exit velocity data is average, with a 90th percentile EV of 103.5 mph. Kasevich shows a knack for making consistent hard contact with a higher hard-hit rate than his power numbers would suggest. He is an above-average runner but not an aggressive basestealer. His speed translates to solid range at shortstop, with the ability to stick at the position despite a fringy throwing arm. At the very least, Kasevich is a utility infielder with a plus hit tool and a touch of power projection.

 

The Future: Kasevich’s advanced hit tool and the ability to play a variety of positions should land him in the major leagues 2025. He looks like a good second-division regular with versatility.

 

Scouting Grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 40 | Run: 55 | Field: 55 | Arm: 45.

 

Long rebuild if he is, so I'm gonna guess no

[Brownie19]

Looks like a potential Tommy Edman type, possibly with less speed, but better infield defense? Nico Horner and Brice Turang also come to mind as potential positive outcomes. Then again, maybe those are the 80th+ percentile outcome.

[Spanky__99]

Man, I hope not.

 

WTF? How come, at least a utility man at worst? He's making huge strides in our system.

[Spanky__99]

Sounds more like a decent 2B or good utility guy to me, but could be another option at some point this year

 

Would be nice, and we have guys here not wanting it? WTF?

[Spanky__99]

Long rebuild if he is, so I'm gonna guess no

 

[saskjayfan]

WTF? How come, at least a utility man at worst? He's making huge strides in our system.

 

He could be a big leaguer. He's not that young. A light hitting starting short stop doesn't exactly excite me. Utility guy sounds more palatable. I'm hoping Nimmala is a special young player. He was overwhelmed at the start of last year, but his turn took a u-turn June 1 and he posted an OPS north of 900 from that point on. I'm hoping he blows through high A and onto AA next year at 19 and maybe at 20 he can find his way to the bigs at some point. A guy with 30 home run potential at short. Now that's something to get excited about.

[Carlos Danger]

Looks like a potential Tommy Edman type, possibly with less speed, but better infield defense? Nico Horner and Brice Turang also come to mind as potential positive outcomes. Then again, maybe those are the 80th+ percentile outcome.

 

You say better IF defense than Edman, as if Edman does not provide excellent D at his IF positions??

 

Or is this guy super duper elite D??

[Spanky__99]

He could be a big leaguer. He's not that young. A light hitting starting short stop doesn't exactly excite me. Utility guy sounds more palatable. I'm hoping Nimmala is a special young player. He was overwhelmed at the start of last year, but his turn took a u-turn June 1 and he posted an OPS north of 900 from that point on. I'm hoping he blows through high A and onto AA next year at 19 and maybe at 20 he can find his way to the bigs at some point. A guy with 30 home run potential at short. Now that's something to get excited about.

 

I was just perking up a guy that isn't talked about as much, man. Not young, really? I have similar hope with Nimmala. Y'all should smoke a joint, man!

[Spanky__99]

You say better IF defense than Edman, as if Edman does not provide excellent D at his IF positions??

 

Or is this guy super duper elite D??

 

It's right there in my post, dude? He has a 55 defensive tool, bro.

[max silver]

Also... this guy's going to be our SS in '26.

 

Headshot of Josh Kasevich

6. Josh Kasevich

SS

 

Ht: 6'1" | Wt: 200 | B-T: R-R

 

Age: null

 

BA Grade/Risk: 50/Medium.

 

Track Record: Kasevich spent three seasons at Oregon, earning first-team all-Pacific-12 Conference honors as a junior. He was drafted by the Blue Jays in the second round in 2022 and signed for a bonus of $1 million. Kasevich debuted post-draft with Low-A Dunedin before making the jump to High-A Vancouver in his first full professional season in 2023. Kasevich was assigned to Double-A New Hampshire to begin 2024 and earned a late-season promotion to Triple-A Buffalo. In 41 games with Buffalo, Kasevich hit .325/.382/.433 while making 31 starts at shortstop.

 

Scouting Report: Kasevich is a well-rounded, sum-of-his-parts-type of player who shows an advanced feel to hit. His bat-to-ball skills are top 98th percentile in terms of every contact measure, and he shows an uncanny ability to make contact with a variety of pitch shapes. He has above-average swing decisions to go along with his plus-plus bat-to-ball skills. Kasevich’s swing is level and flat, leading to a heavy rate of groundball contact. His underlying exit velocity data is average, with a 90th percentile EV of 103.5 mph. Kasevich shows a knack for making consistent hard contact with a higher hard-hit rate than his power numbers would suggest. He is an above-average runner but not an aggressive basestealer. His speed translates to solid range at shortstop, with the ability to stick at the position despite a fringy throwing arm. At the very least, Kasevich is a utility infielder with a plus hit tool and a touch of power projection.

 

The Future: Kasevich’s advanced hit tool and the ability to play a variety of positions should land him in the major leagues 2025. He looks like a good second-division regular with versatility.

 

Scouting Grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 40 | Run: 55 | Field: 55 | Arm: 45.

 

It seriously sounds like this guy needs to revamp his swing. It appears as though there is plenty of juice in the bat but his launch angle is completely ****ed at 2.8 degrees. leading to a flyball rate of only 17.3%.