Baseball America 2024 Top 100

[bpilktree]

I guess Getz will hold out for Mayo since he want 2 top 100 guys and Ortiz and Norby are out now.  

[sportsfan8703]

16 hours ago, RZNJ said:

Good chance that 6 or 7 guys in front of him including Holliday, Chourio, Caminero, Cárter, Lawlar, Skenes, don’t even qualify next year.  Langford, Crews, and Salas also ahead of him.

Basallo might not be #1 by mid season, but he’s certainly one of the three favorites to be there this time next year. Incredible. 

EBJ is the type of dude that goes from being off this iteration of the list, but could be top 50 at midseason. 

[Say O!]

Listened to the BA podcast on top100, and the commentators seemed to think Jackson Holliday eventual position is 2B unless he improves his arm strength for SS.  But notably that he still has physical projection ahead of him which should lead to more power and potentially more arm strength grade.

[Frobby]

I listened to it, too.  At me point they rattled off some names of players who initially were lower on their list but got moved up due to industry feedback.  Kjerstad was one of those named.  

[RZNJ]

JJ Cooper was…

The only person not to rank Yanquiel Fernandez, Max Meyer, Luis Morales, Bryce Eldridge or Colt Emerson among the top 100 of their personal rankings. He was also the high man on Joey Ortiz and Ty Madden, who did not make the list. 

Here’s JJ’s take: 

I like Bryce Eldridge, but I don’t mind slow-playing the ranking on a power-first first baseman who also pitches. It’s a fascinating combination, but there’s a lot of potholes that could get in the way of his rise to the majors.

As far as players I was high on, I know there is some debate among scouts on whether Joey Ortiz ends up as a versatile utility infielder or a regular because of his bat. I’m sold that his glove and his ability to make consistent contact can play as an everyday shortstop, largely because he’s so good defensively. It may not be in Baltimore, where it’s hard to see him pushing Gunnar Henderson off the spot, but I do think Ortiz could have a productive and lengthy big league career.

[RZNJ]

Avg Exit Velocity of All Hitters in The Top 100

Average Exit Velocity 

PlayerPosAvg. EV

Spencer JonesOF93.8

Everson PereiraOF93.8

Dylan CrewsOF93.3

Owen CaissieOF93.3

Bryce EldridgeOF/RHP92.4

James WoodOF92.2

Matt ShawSS92.2

Marco LucianoSS92

Coby Mayo3B91.8

Tyler SoderstromC91.6

Junior Caminero3B91.5

Jasson DominguezOF91.4

Colton CowserOF91.4

Michael Busch3B91.4

Jackson ChourioOF91.3

Jackson HollidaySS91.1

Brady House3B91

Ronny Mauricio2B91

Emmanuel RodriguezOF90.6

Heston KjerstadOF90.4

Samuel BasalloC90.3

Colt Keith3B90.3

Wyatt LangfordOF90.2

Carson WilliamsSS90.2

Austin WellsC90

Yanquiel FernandezOF89.9

Roman AnthonyOF89.7

Orelvis MartinezSS89.7

Dalton RushingC89.6

Chase DeLauterOF89.2

Jace Jung2B89.1

Ceddanne RafaelaOF89.1

Marcelo MayerSS88.9

Colt EmersonSS88.9

Lazaro MontesOF88.9

Noelvi Marte3B88.8

Jordan LawlarSS88.7

Jackson MerrillSS88.7

Jeferson QueroC88.7

Xavier Isaac1B88.7

Jacob MeltonOF88.7

Brayden Taylor3B88.7

Jett WilliamsSS88.5

Termarr Johnson2B88.5

Curtis Mead3B88.4

Pete Crow-ArmstrongOF88.3

Drew GilbertOF88.3

Brooks LeeSS88.1

Masyn WinnSS87.9

Tyler Black3B87.6

Andy PagesOF87.6

Roderick AriasSS87.4

Thomas Saggese2B87.2

Brayan RocchioSS87

Justin CrawfordOF86.7

Cole YoungSS86.5

Ethan SalasC86.1

Colson MontgomerySS86.1

Walker JenkinsOF85.7

Adael AmadorSS85.6

Evan CarterOF85.5

Sebastian WalcottSS84.9

Harry FordC84.8

Max ClarkOF84.7

Victor Scott IIOF84.7

Nolan Schanuel1B83.8

Kyle TeelC82.9

Jacob WilsonSS82.5

Leodalis De VriesSSN/A

[Sports Guy]

 

[OriolesMagic83]

I keep hearing that Holliday is lacking in power and isn't hitting the ball hard but I see him at 16th on this list behind only Mayo and Cowser and ahead of Kjerstad and Basallo among others.  Holliday is still getting stronger and probably bigger so he'll probably have plenty of power and I could see him w/ some 30 HR seasons.

[scarey1999]

20 hours ago, OriolesMagic83 said:

I keep hearing that Holliday is lacking in power and isn't hitting the ball hard but I see him at 16th on this list behind only Mayo and Cowser and ahead of Kjerstad and Basallo among others.  Holliday is still getting stronger and probably bigger so he'll probably have plenty of power and I could see him w/ some 30 HR seasons.

It’s his in game, present day power that people who say he’s lacking power are referring to.  As you say, he’ll continue to grow and mature physically and the power will come.   Today, while he still hits the ball hard, it’s more of a line drive producing swing because mechanically the swing is very level and on plane through the hitting zone.  It will be interesting to see how many of his doubles and triples turn into homers as he evolves. 

[OriolesMagic83]

3 hours ago, scarey1999 said:

It’s his in game, present day power that people who say he’s lacking power are referring to.  As you say, he’ll continue to grow and mature physically and the power will come.   Today, while he still hits the ball hard, it’s more of a line drive producing swing because mechanically the swing is very level and on plane through the hitting zone.  It will be interesting to see how many of his doubles and triples turn into homers as he evolves. 

It seems like it would be a lot easier for Holliday to increase his launch angle a little than for an average hitter to acquire elite strike zone judgement and bat control.

[emmett16]

On 1/20/2024 at 5:56 PM, OriolesMagic83 said:

I keep hearing that Holliday is lacking in power and isn't hitting the ball hard but I see him at 16th on this list behind only Mayo and Cowser and ahead of Kjerstad and Basallo among others.  Holliday is still getting stronger and probably bigger so he'll probably have plenty of power and I could see him w/ some 30 HR seasons.

They are talking about average exit velocity, not max exit velocity or 90th percentile exit velocity.  So that counts every single ball put into play.  Average exit velocity is a better gauge of how often the player is making solid contact vs. how much max power they have.  Impressive nonetheless. 

[emmett16]

57 minutes ago, OriolesMagic83 said:

It seems like it would be a lot easier for Holliday to increase his launch angle a little than for an average hitter to acquire elite strike zone judgement and bat control.

Nah.  His swing is damn near perfect.  He’s likely to add significant exit velo over the next few years as He grows.  

[wildcard]

On 1/20/2024 at 8:56 AM, RZNJ said:

Avg Exit Velocity of All Hitters in The Top 100

Average Exit Velocity 

PlayerPosAvg. EV

Spencer JonesOF93.8

Everson PereiraOF93.8

Dylan CrewsOF93.3

Owen CaissieOF93.3

Bryce EldridgeOF/RHP92.4

James WoodOF92.2

Matt ShawSS92.2

Marco LucianoSS92

Coby Mayo3B91.8

Tyler SoderstromC91.6

Junior Caminero3B91.5

Jasson DominguezOF91.4

Colton CowserOF91.4

Michael Busch3B91.4

Jackson ChourioOF91.3

Jackson HollidaySS91.1

Brady House3B91

Ronny Mauricio2B91

Emmanuel RodriguezOF90.6

Heston KjerstadOF90.4

Samuel BasalloC90.3

Colt Keith3B90.3

Wyatt LangfordOF90.2

Carson WilliamsSS90.2

Austin WellsC90

Yanquiel FernandezOF89.9

Roman AnthonyOF89.7

Orelvis MartinezSS89.7

Dalton RushingC89.6

Chase DeLauterOF89.2

Jace Jung2B89.1

Ceddanne RafaelaOF89.1

Marcelo MayerSS88.9

Colt EmersonSS88.9

Lazaro MontesOF88.9

Noelvi Marte3B88.8

Jordan LawlarSS88.7

Jackson MerrillSS88.7

Jeferson QueroC88.7

Xavier Isaac1B88.7

Jacob MeltonOF88.7

Brayden Taylor3B88.7

Jett WilliamsSS88.5

Termarr Johnson2B88.5

Curtis Mead3B88.4

Pete Crow-ArmstrongOF88.3

Drew GilbertOF88.3

Brooks LeeSS88.1

Masyn WinnSS87.9

Tyler Black3B87.6

Andy PagesOF87.6

Roderick AriasSS87.4

Thomas Saggese2B87.2

Brayan RocchioSS87

Justin CrawfordOF86.7

Cole YoungSS86.5

Ethan SalasC86.1

Colson MontgomerySS86.1

Walker JenkinsOF85.7

Adael AmadorSS85.6

Evan CarterOF85.5

Sebastian WalcottSS84.9

Harry FordC84.8

Max ClarkOF84.7

Victor Scott IIOF84.7

Nolan Schanuel1B83.8

Kyle TeelC82.9

Jacob WilsonSS82.5

Leodalis De VriesSSN/A

Would Ortiz be #1 on this list if he had made the top 100?

[RZNJ]

1 minute ago, wildcard said:

Would Ortiz be #1 on this list if he had made the top 100?

No. I think I posted an article that said his avg EV was over 94 early in the season but at the end of the full season, I believe it was 90.3 or something like that.  I’ll try to find it.

[Frobby]

BA writer Geoff Pontes was interviewed on WBAL Hot Stove last week.  A few tidbits:

- Basallo is Pontes’ favorite to be the no. 1 prospect next year if he still looks likely to stick at C.  Pontes thinks Basallo could handle LF as well as 1B if the catcher thing doesn’t work out.  

- Pontes is high on Ortiz and personally believes he can be a starting SS, though perhaps not for the Orioles given their other options.   

- Pontes singled out Chayce McDermott as a player not in the top 100 who could be an impact player.