Jonathan Schoop #3 Prospect

[Tony-OH]

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.

Machado was the second youngest player in the Sally League with only Bryce Harper being younger. once he was promoted to the Carolina League is was easily the youngest. The age factor and the success that they've already had are two reasons why I'm so high on both. We truly have not had guys like this since Cal Ripken.

[Lucky Jim]

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.

That was my duo-comp from the minors forum. And I agree - that kind of production out of both spots would be A-OK.

[CA-ORIOLE]

Until a guys shows something in AA, I tend not to get too excited about these things. Age/skills/relative performance in A ball noted. Quite frankly, this prospect list seems pretty damn depressing.

[RVAbird]

I posted this in another thread, but it bears repeating here.

FWIW, I shot the breeze with a scout for an NL organization recently and he told me that Schoop is very highly regarded throughout MLB. He said that Schoop's name would be the first to come up in any attempt to trade for established talent. Front office execs know that D. Bundy and Machado are off limits, but plenty of Scouts feel that Schoop is on the same level and could end up the best of the bunch.

The thing that excited me most about watching Schoop play this year was how well he adapted to second base. I had faith in the bat, but was skeptical that he'd be able to stick up the middle. He really made strides with his footwork, his range was solid enough, and his hands and actions were much smoother than I expected.

[RVAbird]

Until a guys shows something in AA, I tend not to get too excited about these things. Age/skills/relative performance in A ball noted. Quite frankly, this prospect list seems pretty damn depressing.

From a scouting standpoint, Machado/D. Bundy/Schoop stands up strongly most top 3's in baseball. It's the depth beyond that point that is a little depressing.

[CA-ORIOLE]

From a scouting standpoint, Machado/D. Bundy/Schoop stands up strongly most top 3's in baseball. It's the depth beyond that point that is a little depressing.

That may be. Still, none of these guys have proven themselves where it counts (imo) at AA. I just have a hard time getting too excited about guys like this until they do. I do apprecaite what everyone is saying about the age/age relative to league/skills and that a couple of them play a premium postion etc.

[Hooded Viper]

From a scouting standpoint, Machado/D. Bundy/Schoop stands up strongly most top 3's in baseball. It's the depth beyond that point that is a little depressing.

Good lord you don't think either of these 3 would get dealt do you? I mean, if DD is looking to build through the farm then it just doesn't seem smart to even consider trading your top 3 young players. Unless of course you are the Sox in a Ramirez for Beckett deal to win your first WS in decades. That would just be moronic to me.

[RVAbird]

Good lord you don't think either of these 3 would get dealt do you? I mean, if DD is looking to build through the farm then it just doesn't seem smart to even consider trading your top 3 young players. Unless of course you are the Sox in a Ramirez for Beckett deal to win your first WS in decades. That would just be moronic to me.

No, I don't.

[Frobby]

From a scouting standpoint, Machado/D. Bundy/Schoop stands up strongly most top 3's in baseball. It's the depth beyond that point that is a little depressing.

Well, if all three of them panned out as we hope, I'd probably prefer that to having depth. But the reason you need depth is that things usually don't pan out as you hope.

[RVAbird]

Well, if all three of them panned out as we hope, I'd probably prefer that to having depth. But the reason you need depth is that things usually don't pan out as you hope.

Yep

[Lucky Jim]

Yep

And what you want is depth with risk diversity. The insurance against, say, Schoop not panning out would (it seems to me) ideally be a lower-upside, lower-risk college bat, rather than a HS 2B. And in this sense, we almost get it right. Our depth/insurance for Schoop and Machado? An "older" HS bat who can't field (Adams) and a college SS who can't hit (Miclat).

Honestly, though, just having these guys in the system makes me want to extend Wieters just to have those three up the middle. (In other words, I'm making the mistake of "dreaming on" prospects.)

[Frobby]

Honestly, though, just having these guys in the system makes me want to extend Wieters just to have those three up the middle. (In other words, I'm making the mistake of "dreaming on" prospects.)

Yeah, it is a mistake, but aren't we overdue to have something go right for a change? Sigh.

[DrungoHazewood]

That was my duo-comp from the minors forum. And I agree - that kind of production out of both spots would be A-OK.

Trammell and Whitaker are both HOFer (IMO, if not real life), and had 11 All Star games, seven gold gloves, seven silver sluggers, a ROY, and a bunch of MVP votes between them. That's almost like having Cal and Bobby Grich together for most of their careers. That would be the best thing to happen to the franchise in generations.

[Lucky Jim]

Trammell and Whitaker are both HOFer (IMO, if not real life), and had 11 All Star games, seven gold gloves, seven silver sluggers, a ROY, and a bunch of MVP votes between them. That's almost like having Cal and Bobby Grich together for most of their careers. That would be the best thing to happen to the franchise in generations.

Right. Obviously, I didn't mean it as a realistic full-career comp - just more along the lines of tempering the A-Rod + whatever expectations. If they're both slick-fielding, .280/.360/.430 guys, averaging somewhere between 15-20 HRs a year, with single-season upticks occasionally, that would be pretty darn great. Those guys, of course, were HOF-caliber in significant part due to longevity and consistency. I was referring more toward getting a solid five years of that production out-of-them. I don't think that's too grandiose.

[Frobby]

Right. Obviously, I didn't mean it as a realistic full-career comp - just more along the lines of tempering the A-Rod + whatever expectations. If they're both slick-fielding, .280/.360/.430 guys, averaging somewhere between 15-20 HRs a year, with single-season upticks occasionally, that would be pretty darn great. Those guys, of course, were HOF-caliber in significant part due to longevity and consistency. I was referring more toward getting a solid five years of that production out-of-them. I don't think that's too grandiose.

I like the 17-year plan better.