Inbox: The best future batteries are ...
MLB Pipeline released its new farm system rankings this week, with the Orioles claiming the top spot. And speaking of Baltimore ...
With the relatively high number of catching prospects, what’s the best future battery(ies) to get excited to watch? @MetsNextYear
The Orioles not only have the best prospect in baseball in catcher Adley Rutschman, but also the top pitching prospect in Grayson Rodriguez, so that's the obvious answer. Incidentally, since MLB.com began ranking Minor League talent in 2004, the only other club to have both the best position and pitching prospect was the White Sox with Yoán Moncada and Michael Kopech in mid-2017.
Here are my top 10 prospect batteries, catchers listed first:
1. Orioles: Adley Rutschman, Grayson Rodriguez
2. Nationals: Keibert Ruiz, Cade Cavalli
3. Pirates: Henry Davis, Quinn Priester
4. Blue Jays: Gabriel Moreno, Nate Pearson
5. Dodgers: Diego Cartaya, Ryan Pepiot
6. Padres: Luis Campusano, MacKenzie Gore
7. Rangers: Sam Huff, Jack Leiter
8. Giants: Joey Bart, Kyle Harrison
9. Royals: M.J. Melendez, Daniel Lynch
10. Mariners: Harry Ford, George Kirby
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Torkelson and Greene have been quite impressive this year. Given the organization's aggressiveness with promotions, how early could they be in Detroit next year? When that time comes, do you envision both having an immediate impact on a club that has surprised many this season? @Rwlindsa
Corner infielder Spencer Torkelson and outfielder Riley Greene are the highest-ranked tandem of position players on our new Top 100 Prospects list, coming in at Nos. 4 and 7. They both got promoted to Triple-A last week in what is Torkelson's pro debut and essentially Greene's first full pro season, so they aren't far away from joining Detroit.
The Tigers' 21-15 record since the All-Star break is the third-best in the American League and they realistically could contend for at least a Wild Card next year. Torkelson and Greene would be significant additions to the lineup, so I could see the club calling them up as soon as they're ready (especially if service-time manipulation is addressed in the new collective bargaining agreement). That conceivably could be as early as Opening Day.
Even the best hitting prospects take some time to adjust to big league pitching -- see Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Wander Franco in recent years. That probably will be true of Torkelson and Greene, but I think both would adapt fairly quickly en route to becoming stars in the future.
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Why isnt Eury Perez in the top 100?? @Green_N_Gold18
Give him a little more time. Perez first started drawing raves in instructional league last fall and has continued to do so this season while making his pro debut in full-season ball at age 18.
Signed by the Marlins for $200,000 out of the Dominican Republic in July 2019, Perez has added four inches and 45 pounds since turning pro and now is listed at 6-foot-8 and 200 pounds. The right-hander has a smooth delivery and does a tremendous job of keeping his mechanics in sync, especially for such a tall teenager. He throws strikes with three pitches, a 92-95 mph fastball that reaches 97, a curveball that's at least a solid offering and a changeup that's getting there.
Perez posted a 1.61 ERA, .163 opponent average and 82/21 K/BB ratio in 56 innings in Low-A before getting promoted and becoming the youngest player in High-A, where he struck out six in five innings without permitting an earned run in his first start. If he keeps this up, you'll see him on the Top 100 at some point in 2022.
Sorry if this has been asked already -- but of all the Cubs teenagers, which are you most interested in, not including Hernandez? (Caissie, Alcantara, Preciado, Howard)
@Rationalfan1999
I'll go off the board and pick 19-year-old outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, the 19th overall pick in the 2020 Draft who was acquired from the Mets in exchange for Javier Báez and Trevor Williams last month. He hasn't played since tearing the labrum in his non-throwing shoulder in May, but he was one of the best pure hitters and perhaps the best defensive outfielder in his prep class.
Nine of the first 18 spots on our just-updated Cubs Top 30 belong to teenagers, including six acquired in the past nine months. Shortstop Reginald Preciado and outfielder Owen Caissie highlighted the Yu Darvish trade with the Padres last December, shortstop Cristian Hernandez was signed out of the Dominican Republic for $3 million in January, shortstop James Triantos was an over-slot second-round pick in July and Crow-Armstrong and outfielder Kevin Alcantara came in deals later in the month.
If all goes according to plan, all that young talent will make an impact on Chicago's big league lineup in three or four years. To return to contention, the Cubs will need to develop some pitching to go with it.