Jonathan Schoop #3 Prospect

[Tony-OH]

Probably of little surprise, but Jonathan Schoop comes in at #3.

http://www.orioleshangout.com/articl...oop-3-prospect

[Lucky Jim]

Probably of little surprise, but Jonathan Schoop comes in at #3.

http://www.orioleshangout.com/articl...oop-3-prospect

Good stuff, Tony. Thanks.

[MikeAD]

I cannot wait until he and Machado are in Baltimore. I have seen them play together a few dozen times and boy do they both have baseball down, Schoop especially. Watching him make in-game adjustments on defense and at the plate is a real joy.

[CA-ORIOLE]

I cannot wait until he and Machado are in Baltimore. I have seen them play together a few dozen times and boy do they both have baseball down, Schoop especially. Watching him make in-game adjustments on defense and at the plate is a real joy.

What in-game adjustments does he make on defense?

[MikeAD]

What in-game adjustments does he make on defense?

Its more of a communication thing with the infield and Machado. Last year I saw the infield make shifts directed by him (not from the dugout) that led to very easy plays. Won't lead to many flashy plays but he seems to have what it takes mentally to do well if he continues to progress.

[CA-ORIOLE]

Its more of a communication thing with the infield and Machado. Last year I saw the infield make shifts directed by him (not from the dugout) that led to very easy plays. Won't lead to many flashy plays but he seems to have what it takes mentally to do well if he continues to progress.

Seems odd that a 19 year old would have such a grasp of positioning, much less directing the infield positioning of others. Do you think those may be pre-determined as part of a game plan?

[Frobby]

If you read that write up, its hard to believe we have a position player who is even more highly regarded than that. Schoop would have been our overall no. 1 prospect in a lot of years. Maybe even when Markakis was in the system.

[AgentOrange]

If you read that write up, its hard to believe we have a position player who is even more highly regarded than that. Schoop would have been our overall no. 1 prospect in a lot of years. Maybe even when Markakis was in the system.

Our top 4 is loaded with very young, very high ceiling guys. Hope and pray they develop.

[thundercleetz]

Schoop is one of the those special players that is going to hit for average and power while also being a plus defender at whatever position he ends up playing in the big leagues. As one scout said when he saw Machado and Schoop turn a double play, "That's the way they look in the big leagues."

I love hearing that! I saw Machado and Schoop play in Frederick and they looked incredibly smooth and had good chemistry working together. I cannot wait to see them progress through the system.

[Frobby]

I love hearing that! I saw Machado and Schoop play in Frederick and they looked incredibly smooth and had good chemistry working together. I cannot wait to see them progress through the system.

I'm not sure if I have posted this in the major league forum before, but somewhere I read an analogy to Lou Whitaker and Alan Trammel. That would do nicely. They played together in AA and then were together 17 years in the majors.

[Say O!]

Worth adding the ESPN's Klaw likes Schoop a lot as well, in terms of his hitting stroke. And Klaw is generally pretty muted in his comments towards prospects. It will be interesting to see where he ranks on Klaw's prospect list, but I would be surprised if Schoop is top 40.

[Tony-OH]

Worth adding the ESPN's Klaw likes Schoop a lot as well, in terms of his hitting stroke. And Klaw is generally pretty muted in his comments towards prospects. It will be interesting to see where he ranks on Klaw's prospect list, but I would be surprised if Schoop is top 40.

Scouts by nature or more reserved on guys then the fans obviously, but I couldn't find anyone who had something bad to say about Schoop. The few times I saw him this year he impressed me. When you are the youngest or second youngest guy on the field and you are head and shoulders better than everyone you are playing against, it says something.

[LookinUp]

This is as I suspected.

I really really really really really really really really really really really hope that Duquette views Machado, Bundy and Schoop as untouchable. There is very little I'd rather have in the O's future than a middle infielder combination that is good at defense and well above average with the bat. That's not something that just about any team can claim. It would put us *gulp* ahead of the curve at two critical positions.

[Enjoy Terror]

Do Machado and Schoop both speak English and Spanish?

[DrungoHazewood]

Scouts by nature or more reserved on guys then the fans obviously, but I couldn't find anyone who had something bad to say about Schoop. The few times I saw him this year he impressed me. When you are the youngest or second youngest guy on the field and you are head and shoulders better than everyone you are playing against, it says something.

I knew Machado and Schoop were young, but looking at the CL leaders Machado was the only regular in the league playing at 18, and Schoop and Boston's Christian Bethancourt were the only regulars at 19. Only an additional four 20 year olds. So the vast majority of players in the Carolina League were at least 2-3 years older than Machado and Schoop. It's not exaggerating to say that's huge.