[SPEAKER_01]: Episode one, eighty six bonus episode. [SPEAKER_01]: Today we preview the twenty twenty five MLB draft with just baseball's amateur scouting director and co-hosts of on the clock pod, Tyler Jennings. [SPEAKER_01]: You are listening to the Bucco Banner broadcast broadcast brought you by the just baseball media network. [SPEAKER_00]: Welcome back to another episode of Bucco Banner. [SPEAKER_00]: Today I'm excited to be joined by Tyler Jennings, fellow just baseball guy Tyler.
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm excited to chop it up with you and talk twenty twenty five MLB draft. [SPEAKER_02]: Likewise, man, I'm excited to be here. [SPEAKER_02]: I'm just ready for everything to come this way and get ready for this wrap this week. [SPEAKER_01]: Absolutely, absolutely. [SPEAKER_01]: Well, let's get right into it, man. [SPEAKER_01]: First off, tell me about this class in general. [SPEAKER_01]: Like, what are the strengths, what are the weaknesses, how does it compare to other classes?
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, so admittedly, we've talked about this before where this year's draft classes, it merely just not as strong as some of the other classes.
[SPEAKER_02]: uh... at the top we don't have as much talents like the past couple years like twenty twenty three specifically uh... you always to have red louder uh... paul skis white like her billion crews on the big leads at this point and and contributing in their own respect of rights twenty twenty four of our got a few guys are already up here with him smith make curts uh... this year i i really just don't see a player that can provide that kind of value so quickly
[SPEAKER_02]: There's a lot of what is, and a lot of question marks surrounding a lot of guys at the top. [SPEAKER_02]: And there is some depth to this class, but it's not something that's going to come out and grab you. [SPEAKER_02]: It's more of like, it's there. [SPEAKER_02]: And there's probably a couple of gems you can find down somewhere in the third to fifth rounds or even part of that.
[SPEAKER_02]: But compared to other classes, this is definitely one of the weakest ones we've had recent memory. [SPEAKER_02]: And if there's any [SPEAKER_02]: Brights must kind of watch at the top. [SPEAKER_02]: It's the prepshorset class in its college pitching. [SPEAKER_02]: I think those are going to be off the board very, very quickly in both demographics. [SPEAKER_02]: And I would give the short set preps, the prepshorset stops on that side.
[SPEAKER_02]: They are very, very strong this year.
[SPEAKER_02]: In terms of raw talent, like, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that,
[SPEAKER_02]: and it was Ethan Holiday, Will, it's Billy Carlson, and I think I threw in Jojo Parker's one A, the one to be with Casey Cunningham, Daniel Pierce, Deal Hall. [SPEAKER_02]: So, there's gonna be quite a few guys that I feel within the top fifteen are gonna be taken pretty quickly. [SPEAKER_02]: So, those are two strongest parts, weaknesses, color shading, color shading is all over the sheer, I'm sorry.
[SPEAKER_02]: There's, there's a lot of question mark seem surrounding A for our cats, [SPEAKER_02]: hit tool at this point. [SPEAKER_02]: And as you go down the list, there's this would not really anybody that's really turned a page or really stepped up this year with, you know, just like you let falling from one one to might be a top, not even be a top twenty five thick. [SPEAKER_02]: So, you know, let's see what happens, but that's just to say this draft is not right now.
[SPEAKER_02]: So, it's a, [SPEAKER_02]: It's definitely something. [SPEAKER_02]: Well, we'll give it that much. [SPEAKER_02]: I won't crap on it, but it's something. [SPEAKER_01]: You know, I think compared to last year's class, we had the ninth pick and we're we really wanted college bets because this is an organization that produces arms. [SPEAKER_01]: We don't have many bad stuff or levels right now. [SPEAKER_01]: It's tomorrow Johnson.
[SPEAKER_01]: Talk about Jack Branigan, you can talk about Mauace Merlin Valdez and Omar Alfonso hits the ball really hard, but not a sure fighter big leaguer in the top half of this organization. [SPEAKER_01]: So we're like, let's just pile up on the college bats and you had Braden Montgomery, you had James Tibbs, you had JJ Weatherhold, who I was hoping would follow as a Pittsburgh kid.
[SPEAKER_01]: and we got Connor Griffin and hindsight's pretty funny my reaction was like really we're taking a prep guy prep that he's gonna gonna take a lot of get here but he's moving very quickly in very advanced for his age we've talked to him twice here on bucko banner great kid I'm very high on him I think he's gonna move quicker than most prep guys you can't count on these prep guys to move that fast but it seems like the college bats in this draft of the top you got Ava Arcade and what like Irish
[SPEAKER_01]: Those guys would probably in last year's class be in the ten to twenty range. [SPEAKER_01]: Would you would you agree with that? [SPEAKER_02]: I'll go one step further and say they might need to be topped when he picks and in totality. [SPEAKER_02]: Like we look at what next year probably provides and I've started my scouting on that class. [SPEAKER_02]: That class at the top looks very very good for next year. [SPEAKER_02]: Especially in terms of college fast.
[SPEAKER_02]: Like the college best this year compared to next year, they don't hold a candle to them right now. [SPEAKER_02]: But I would say, even guys like Ethan Holiday might even be a fringe top eight prospect in a much stronger class. [SPEAKER_02]: There's a lot of guys at the top that are really benefiting from the fact that this just doesn't have a ton at the top.
[SPEAKER_02]: And like I had mentioned in the college bats, like we came into the year just a lot of be a little bit the one-one pick, the one-one favorite. [SPEAKER_02]: He's not proven he can hit. [SPEAKER_02]: I understand like, yes, seventy power from the left side, but I think he's a platoon risk. [SPEAKER_02]: And I think his profile is really staying afloat because of the fact that he's an outlier athlete at six, six, two, four. [SPEAKER_02]: He can place it in a field.
[SPEAKER_02]: And he looked as a couple other guys like Britain and Summer Hill who had an injury like halfway through the year, broke his hand. [SPEAKER_02]: And the power just never really came. [SPEAKER_02]: Like we all thought it was going to hit for a lot of power this year. [SPEAKER_02]: It's really kind of on the verge of forty power at best right now. [SPEAKER_02]: Even with a sixty-hit tool. [SPEAKER_02]: So it's just a lot of question marks with some of these guys.
[SPEAKER_02]: But overall like Kate Anderson could be a fringe top five guy in the Trump class. [SPEAKER_02]: Is it really? [SPEAKER_02]: Is it down here in general in terms of talent? [SPEAKER_01]: It reminds me of the Henry Davis class, a little bit beyond us with you. [SPEAKER_01]: But looking at your top three hundred prospects here on just baseball, trying to map out who could fall to six.
[SPEAKER_01]: To me and correct me if I'm wrong here, the only locks to be in the top five are probably Willets holiday and Kate Anderson. [SPEAKER_01]: Would you add any one to that? [SPEAKER_01]: Mix or do you disagree with any of those names? [SPEAKER_02]: So as of right now, depending on whichever scenario it does work, I think Leonardo is going to be a top five thing regardless.
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay, I can see, I see a world where he probably falls to Cincinnati, but I think at this point, assuming majors, which has this ups and downs, like they've had a couple really good first rounders and recent memory, Christian Moore, no one's genuine, Zach Netto are really standing out, but they just don't have a ton after that. [SPEAKER_02]: And if it's Ethan Holiday at one, then Lee and Doyle is probably gone by Colorado. [SPEAKER_02]: So I would argue there's four guys.
[SPEAKER_02]: I think Avera Kit is not quite a lot, but he's getting there. [SPEAKER_02]: I feel like Seattle's taking the tires there, but if he gets back to Seattle, he's not top five. [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, no, that makes sense. [SPEAKER_01]: I've seen, I think in your latest mock, and we'll get into that in a little bit, you had him at three to Seattle, but the pirates have picked six and fifty, so they don't have a convict.
[SPEAKER_01]: They don't vago from six and they don't pick until later in the first day. [SPEAKER_01]: Nope, they have the ninth largest bonus poll. [SPEAKER_01]: But do you see them potentially, I've seen ideas of them floating around and underslaught to maybe like an eye gyrish if you really want to college bat? [SPEAKER_01]: Or, I don't know, Billy Carlson, I don't know if he would necessarily be an underslaught at six, but do you see that as a possibility in this week class?
[SPEAKER_02]: I definitely do, and from what we've heard, I think Pittsburgh is leaning towards taking a college guy, whether it's a bat or a, and harm at this point. [SPEAKER_02]: You mentioned the eye girish. [SPEAKER_02]: I, for, for, for my own, uh, sake, like, eye girish is an underrated bat. [SPEAKER_02]: I understand he's not a capture and I really devalues his profile a little bit, but it's, it's a really safe bet to hit. [SPEAKER_02]: I think there's power there.
[SPEAKER_02]: You can clean up the swing a little bit, kind of, we've done with,
[SPEAKER_02]: kind of gripping a little bit like a swing really got overhauled over the off season and now here we are he's a he's got like what twelve home runs forty so invasive like he looks like a true power speed threat um so I think that's a scenario we can see happening I know we put Jimmie Arnold there and I feel like Jimmy Arnold slipping out at top five does have some teams thinking in that six to ten range like do we take a game on a guy that had admittedly a
[SPEAKER_02]: a quote unquote down here, I guess, because his fastball command kind of backed up a bit. [SPEAKER_02]: He really wasn't getting the same kind of swing and miss that he was a year ago. [SPEAKER_02]: And for a guy that has a unit profile like him where he really does rely on his unicorn abilities, like the low release point, the low approach angle. [SPEAKER_02]: It really helps his profile stand out amongst the crowd. [SPEAKER_02]: Just wasn't really there this year.
[SPEAKER_02]: So given given Pittsburgh's ability to develop arms, they've done the fantastic job on that front in recent years, it does feel like a good fit to see Jamie Arnold go to Pittsburgh. [SPEAKER_02]: If there's anybody else thrown there, if they've got a get falls down six, I could see them pulling trigger there. [SPEAKER_02]: I've seen separate names thrown around there. [SPEAKER_02]: And again, it's just really a question of patience with the prep they've got.
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, because like [SPEAKER_02]: You look at the past ten years, who's still one arm currently that's still throwing? [SPEAKER_02]: It's Hunter Green. [SPEAKER_02]: And again, Jackson Joe, yes, he did get a couple of coffee both last year in this year, but now he's done with TJ. [SPEAKER_02]: Hunter Green had Tommy John at one point, so it's a long waiting game, and as much as Pittsburgh probably is in a window the where they have enough time to kind of play with that.
[SPEAKER_02]: It's just such a volatile demographic that I just don't know if ownership or the front office has a patience to really weigh it on the guy like that with the kind of stuff that he has. [SPEAKER_02]: So that's why I'm inclined to think that like her name is what slip of past Pittsburgh in the scenario. [SPEAKER_02]: But I think right now like Jamie Arnold, I guy rich, she could draw her cat in there as a potential guy.
[SPEAKER_02]: Those are the main guys who really focus on for Pittsburgh as a fan right now to kind of get [SPEAKER_02]: you know, read up on, get used to because they very well could be in your farms system comes on the evening. [SPEAKER_01]: That was going to be my next question. [SPEAKER_01]: I was going to say, let's start big picture here.
[SPEAKER_01]: What's your overall sense of how the pirates are, you know, approaching this draft and it sounds like they're really focusing on college guys. [SPEAKER_01]: So let's, let's play a little scenario here. [SPEAKER_01]: If it was our cat and Arnold available at sex, who do you think the pirates go after? [SPEAKER_02]: I would take the gamble on our cat. [SPEAKER_02]: Pitching in it above itself, like I had mentioned with Stephanie, and it's just volatile as it is.
[SPEAKER_02]: There's a good chance Jimmy Arnold's not the same guy within two years as you look at our cat where there's a potential for him to be in advance, big league short stop, grain in the S.E.S.E.S.E.S.E.S.E.S.E.S.E.S.E.S.E.S.E.S.E.S.E.S.E.S.E.E.S.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E.E
[SPEAKER_02]: I think the play that really set him apart on a bigger stage was the play you made in Omaha where huge range to his left did the spin made a big league style play in Omaha that really if you were a common fan watching that if you saw that and kind of understood that yes this is a guy that's really eligible this year and could be a big leaker in the future that's a play you go look at and say [SPEAKER_02]: He's a legitimate shortstop. [SPEAKER_02]: He's got the orange strength.
[SPEAKER_02]: He's got the range. [SPEAKER_02]: He's got the flexibility, athleticism and make it work. [SPEAKER_02]: And there's above average power there. [SPEAKER_02]: There is some question marks with the hit tool. [SPEAKER_02]: He's a bit aggressive. [SPEAKER_02]: Just the swinging misses there. [SPEAKER_02]: But if you're looking at a guy that can legitimate say a shortstop and has the kind of impact potentially that he has.
[SPEAKER_02]: I would take him over the arm that could be much different within a two to three year time span. [SPEAKER_02]: That's just my philosophy in terms of looking at it, but that's what I would do. [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, absolutely. [SPEAKER_01]: I'm a big proponent too of like [SPEAKER_01]: taking the best player available because I think a draft is, well, especially a major league baseball draft is a crap shoot. [SPEAKER_01]: And sometimes you don't see guys for a couple years.
[SPEAKER_01]: If you're lucky a year, but you've got to take the best guy available. [SPEAKER_01]: That's why last year, I was like, all right, we'll trust the Connor Griffin pick because they obviously see something and he was the top prep player. [SPEAKER_01]: Do you see, like, this is only one year into the Justin Horowitz regime. [SPEAKER_01]: He's our amateur sky and director. [SPEAKER_01]: He's the one guy I trust in this organization right now because it seems like I know.
[SPEAKER_01]: It seems like that first draft small sample size. [SPEAKER_01]: He did pretty well and it seems like there's more talent at the lower levels right now. [SPEAKER_01]: Do you see any organizational trends in the Pirates draft last year? [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, I know it's only one year of a sample size, but do you see anything that they're focusing on that we can maybe look out for in this year's draft?
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I think one thing to look out for is I know last year I think [SPEAKER_02]: Excuse me. [SPEAKER_02]: It was very prep heavy at the top, too. [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_01]: If I'm not mistaken, it was like it was Griffin, Samford, and Levi Sterling. [SPEAKER_01]: I think. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_02]: Yep. [SPEAKER_02]: It was, and then like Josh Hardle was kind of there to save some money. [SPEAKER_02]: Any renders was a guy. [SPEAKER_01]: He's a Cleveland now.
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_02]: So I like, like, I like the idea of what they did last year where they took some high upside prep guy is to kind of, um,
[SPEAKER_02]: I will say this much I actually love Levi Sterling a year ago and he was one of my glue guys coming out of his junior high school where he he walks up to USA and he just shoves and you can tell that there's a at minimum a back and starter profile with him and he was super young for the class so I like to value that they got their white Santa was really good so I like what they did last year and I think this year
[SPEAKER_02]: You can probably play with that a little bit, especially on the prep site because the prep site is the better at the two classes. [SPEAKER_02]: I genuinely would not be shocked to see Pittsburgh, you know, go under slot with whoever they take it six, which I... [SPEAKER_02]: On the bigger scale, I just don't know how many teams go over slot in the top ten right now.
[SPEAKER_02]: Just with the fact that the bonus is so high, like, eleven million for the first overall pick in this class, they just know what it can really stand out and get ten mill in my opinion. [SPEAKER_02]: But, you know, that's a topic for another day, basically. [SPEAKER_02]: Like, I could, I would hundreds of recency Pittsburgh taking over slot six and then saving up for [SPEAKER_02]: a pretty big prep at fifty.
[SPEAKER_02]: And there's been rumors about over the past week about some guys being drawn back into the second round to be taken and get signed for over slot. [SPEAKER_02]: It might happen more than you think this year, especially with the change of focusing more on the transfer portal and college.
[SPEAKER_02]: I know some people will talk about that recently and it's a hot topic, but you look at schools like University of Georgia where most of their [SPEAKER_02]: It's not all of their freshman pitching from their twenty twenty-four recruiting classes now at different schools, or they're in the portal, because Western Austin just prioritizes the portal and is pushing, you know, older talent onto his roster.
[SPEAKER_02]: So you kind of wonder, how does this affect the prep side and how do these prep kind of look at this moving forward? [SPEAKER_02]: Is there going to be a change in their philosophies going to school? [SPEAKER_02]: Is that better for you?
[SPEAKER_02]: Or do we go [SPEAKER_02]: go to a smaller school, which in turn will make it easier for a team to buy you out of that commitment to go pro, because now you're kind of like not in limbo per se, but you're using the development route saying like juke out to a D-Wad, it's more of like a mid mid or D-Wad to, you can be SEC or ACC within two years, if everything pans out. [SPEAKER_02]: So long-winded answer, but that's basically where my mind is right now.
[SPEAKER_01]: I love that because I kind of provoked an idea in my mind like next year I think the question is going to be and I was going to pick your brain about this. [SPEAKER_01]: Do you think there's going to be more guys that don't sign because of the looming CBA that might go to college instead get that NIL money. [SPEAKER_01]: that might vastly improve the college product, too.
[SPEAKER_01]: And I think the college product has improved over the past few years, but you got to think that that's maybe an option for next year's class. [SPEAKER_02]: If very well-coated, we'll have to see how everything kind of pans out on that right now. [SPEAKER_02]: I know was it, Rob Manford and the University of Washington for a, sorry for that. [SPEAKER_02]: And in my thought processes on this, I feel like a Sally Kappa's anti-player and pro owner.
[SPEAKER_02]: That's essentially what it is. [SPEAKER_02]: And if you put a captain, you got to put a floor in there. [SPEAKER_02]: You can't just have the captain say, oh, well, you know, these teams can still have these low payrolls. [SPEAKER_02]: I kind of let the idea of just having a floor and keeping the luxury tax. [SPEAKER_01]: So that's always, I'm really happy you said that because the luxury tax is like a de facto cap anyway.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_01]: And I've always been a big proponent of a four because you need everyone talks about these big markets. [SPEAKER_01]: You need an incentive for these market owners to spend money. [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_01]: That's the only way you're going to bring about parody in this game. [SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, that's definitely a, uh, this definitely something that could come up next year. [SPEAKER_01]: I want to get into some of the prep guys real quick.
[SPEAKER_01]: I hate to say, like, compare anyone to Connor Griffin. [SPEAKER_01]: I was going to ask if you think there's any type of break, break up prep guys, like a Connor Griffin this year. [SPEAKER_01]: But I want to transition that into more the prep short stops to insane. [SPEAKER_01]: Say the college guys are both gone or mostly gone in the pirates decide to go prep short stop. [SPEAKER_01]: Billy Carlson and Jojo Parker two hot names.
[SPEAKER_01]: Personally, I love Jojo Parker's profile. [SPEAKER_01]: I'm a big, you know, hit tool guy. [SPEAKER_01]: I think that's something that's [SPEAKER_01]: Maybe easier, it's not as easy to learn as it is to, you know, like you either have it or you don't. [SPEAKER_01]: It's like a change of feel with a picture. [SPEAKER_01]: Jojo Parker would be my pick if I'd between him and Carlson, but I understand the upside with Billy Carlson, because he's maybe a seventy defender.
[SPEAKER_01]: Let's talk about the differences between these two and what, who would you prefer it six between both of them? [SPEAKER_01]: Because I think you've had Carlson mocked the pirates before. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, we did at one point. [SPEAKER_02]: I want to say it was on two point over something like that. [SPEAKER_02]: But the big difference between the two for me has been like with Carlson, I'll go with him first. [SPEAKER_02]: He's more of a projection play.
[SPEAKER_02]: He's highly athletic. [SPEAKER_02]: They're super stupid, stupid twitch in this profile both at the play and at a short stop. [SPEAKER_02]: And the biggest thing for him is you mentioned the seventy glove at shore stop. [SPEAKER_02]: That's very valuable for anybody. [SPEAKER_02]: It gives him kind of like a higher floor because you know there's going to be value derived from the glove move forward.
[SPEAKER_02]: Right now, I think the swing needs a bit overhaul personally like he's got a tight [SPEAKER_02]: coiled in his court where like his hips really just fire and that's a key indicator of potential power coming forward especially if he fills out his profile a bit he's like six one one seventy five so he gets like one ninety I feel like that's a gonna be a power jump but you know he doesn't chase a ton it's not a guy that is
[SPEAKER_02]: you know, swinging and missing in everything, but it's more of a potential above average hit tool and maybe the power gets to to average or maybe even above average if he feels afraid out properly. [SPEAKER_02]: But you go from Matt to Jojo where Jojo's a left-handed hitter, guys have put seventies on the hit tool. [SPEAKER_02]: He doesn't swing in miss, he doesn't chase, handles fastballs very, very well.
[SPEAKER_02]: I think Kim and his brother [SPEAKER_02]: collectively may have had single digit whips on fast both all summer last year. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I think Jojo may have had just one. [SPEAKER_01]: So it would be poetic for the pirates to dip into the Mississippi prep scene two years in a row, I think. [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know. [SPEAKER_02]: That would be, but, you know, holy cow. [SPEAKER_02]: Anyways, with Jojo, you know, you had the hit to a prowess.
[SPEAKER_02]: I think he grows in a more power to like, [SPEAKER_02]: I think right now I think he's more of an average guy, but I can see a love average power production from that. [SPEAKER_02]: And teams are going to value the left handed bet over the right right guy. [SPEAKER_02]: That's just how I've kind of looked at it from a scouting standpoint. [SPEAKER_02]: There's more eyes going to be on the left you guy more than anything.
[SPEAKER_02]: And I think saying eyes is probably the worst way to describe it, but I can't really think of the name or the right description to really describe it. [SPEAKER_02]: But they're going to be higher valued for scouts. [SPEAKER_02]: And if there's anything that Parker doesn't have what Carlson has, it's a glove. [SPEAKER_02]: Like we don't know if he's a short stop.
[SPEAKER_02]: I think he might be a third base method, but he's more of like an average guy and not a double plus defender like Carlson is. [SPEAKER_02]: So kind of moving forward, you look at a guy that is going to have most of his value derived from the bat, but it's a really, really good bat. [SPEAKER_02]: And he might be a guy that kind of grows into athleticism a bit, maybe handles the six better than what he is now.
[SPEAKER_02]: But for me, I would gamble more on the upside with Carlson, assuming that what happened with Connor Griffin can happen to him and knowing that there is something to derive from both sides of the ball here, where his Parker's more of like a [SPEAKER_02]: a one-dimensional piece in a larger puzzle because we just don't know where he's going to fit defensively at the next level.
[SPEAKER_01]: I think the words uh, swing adjustment scares me a little bit because I'm not I don't have much confidence in the piracy. [SPEAKER_01]: That's right now and Connor Griffin had the same label on him so I'm like [SPEAKER_01]: I'm trying to bring myself back to Earth here a little bit, but he also has a dad who's like a college. [SPEAKER_01]: I think he's a sophomore coach, but his dad works with him quite a bit.
[SPEAKER_01]: He's definitely made a ton of adjustments before the season. [SPEAKER_01]: So I think I'd be happy with both of them, but right now my preference is Parker. [SPEAKER_01]: I know we're running over a little bit. [SPEAKER_01]: I just got a couple two more questions for you. [SPEAKER_01]: First, did me some late round sleepers? [SPEAKER_01]: Who are some guys that we might see at fifty that could be intriguing?
[SPEAKER_02]: So most of the guys I expect to be available closer to the beginning of the second round. [SPEAKER_02]: Look at guys like Koi James from David County, North Carolina. [SPEAKER_02]: He's a guy that really didn't have the greatest somewhere last year. [SPEAKER_02]: I knew he was injured for a little bit, but it's aggressive mindset to play. [SPEAKER_02]: He likes to swing and the power is really jumped up this year, specifically this spring.
[SPEAKER_02]: Like I heard a bunch of areas got to hear talk about how the power is really [SPEAKER_02]: taking the step forward this year and he's really pushing himself in the second round territory. [SPEAKER_02]: So he's a guy that could fit there. [SPEAKER_02]: Cooper Fleming, he's a guy from I believe. [SPEAKER_02]: I can't remember which part of California is from, but I think it's so cow. [SPEAKER_02]: He is very projected.
[SPEAKER_01]: Could be Corona, because everyone's from Corona this year, so. [SPEAKER_02]: It's true. [SPEAKER_02]: Corona has got a really, really stupid team. [SPEAKER_02]: But like with Fleming, it's a very polished, left-handist wing. [SPEAKER_02]: It takes tight turns to the baseball. [SPEAKER_02]: It's really projectable. [SPEAKER_02]: I think there's a blend of hit and power. [SPEAKER_02]: It's a kind of project upon there.
[SPEAKER_02]: And he can play shortstop and he's also been up to ninety three on the mound. [SPEAKER_02]: So he's a [SPEAKER_02]: He's a two-way guy that I think people are going to take as a short stop legitimately. [SPEAKER_02]: And if there's anybody to kind of put the label of the potential co-embers in or like co-young kind of guy that the Mariners have really developed well, he's the kind of guy that could, you know, provide that kind of value at the next level.
[SPEAKER_02]: So he's the guy to kind of watch there. [SPEAKER_02]: If there's any arms to kind of watch like AJ Russell for Tennessee, I understanders, you know, injury history there. [SPEAKER_02]: But in terms of the guy that has so much value from his stuff, the fastball is one of the best in the entire class. [SPEAKER_02]: Stupid low launch, it's a very flat approach angle, gets on guys very quickly. [SPEAKER_02]: He has a slider agenda to go with it.
[SPEAKER_02]: He's been bounced around in roles, but I think he might be a starter long term. [SPEAKER_02]: He's a guy to kind of watch for as well. [SPEAKER_02]: But I think in general, like most of these prep guys like James Fleming, [SPEAKER_02]: You can probably even throw a few other guys like Jordan Yosen there from Florida who's brothers at the University of Florida hated Nios. [SPEAKER_02]: So yeah.
[SPEAKER_02]: So there's a few guys that kind of watch there, but those are for four names in my opinion that kind of get into that range. [SPEAKER_02]: If they're not taking before and especially these prep guys, but those are guys that kind of fit that range very, very well. [SPEAKER_01]: Okay. [SPEAKER_01]: Dolly noted, we'll have to watch for those names on Sunday. [SPEAKER_01]: Last question here, pick six. [SPEAKER_01]: You're the GM of the Pirates.
[SPEAKER_01]: And you've got the, you're on the clock. [SPEAKER_01]: Who are you taking? [SPEAKER_01]: Maybe this is an easy answer because you just published mock draft three point out today. [SPEAKER_01]: But let the Pirates fans know what you're thinking of pick six. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I'm going to say the words we had on the mock today with Jamie Arnold.
[SPEAKER_02]: And it's much like we talked about the start of the show where I trust Pittsburgh's development, especially on the pitching side, to really get him back to what he was as a sophomore, where his fastball was just untouchable, getting a lot of chases, a lot of whiffs in his own eyes, a plus slider in the change of taking a set forward this year.
[SPEAKER_02]: Cleanups a command, it might be something where like, [SPEAKER_02]: For example, Chastolander a couple years ago, his draft year, he had some sort of, it was a very small hitch in his delivery. [SPEAKER_02]: That really affected his command, especially arm side. [SPEAKER_02]: I feel like might be a similar situation with Arnold right now. [SPEAKER_02]: So if you fix that and he returns to form, I think that's very good value at six.
[SPEAKER_02]: So as a bright nail, B.G.me Arnold, and I would have, for me, no regrets doing that, entrusting my development team outside of that. [SPEAKER_01]: Absolutely. [SPEAKER_01]: If there's one thing the Paris can do is develop pictures. [SPEAKER_01]: We got them at every level right now. [SPEAKER_01]: So that would be a great pick. [SPEAKER_01]: But Tyler, I appreciate you coming on. [SPEAKER_01]: If you want to find his work, go to justbasable.com.
[SPEAKER_01]: He does all the draft and related stuff and he's co-hosts on the clock pod. [SPEAKER_01]: Is there anything else you want to plug before we go here? [SPEAKER_02]: No, not this moment. [SPEAKER_02]: No. [SPEAKER_01]: Okay. [SPEAKER_01]: I hit it all. [SPEAKER_01]: Good. [SPEAKER_01]: That's good for me. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_02]: So obviously, I think the only other thing is obviously followed Jared Hurkins and Jared CP one on Twitter. [SPEAKER_02]: He's the co-host.
[SPEAKER_02]: He is awesome. [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know. [SPEAKER_02]: Ready for the strategy going. [SPEAKER_01]: Absolutely, let's do it. [SPEAKER_01]: All right, Jared, I mean, Tyler. [SPEAKER_01]: We had Jared on for the Royals preview at the beginning of the season, so. [SPEAKER_01]: But Tyler, appreciate you coming on, man. [SPEAKER_01]: And we'll have to do this again soon. [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, absolutely, I'm down.