ESPN Midseason Top 100 Prospects

[OriolesMagic83]

Well it's way past midseason, but it's good to see another Top 100 Prospect list even if it is ESPN's.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/insider/story/_/id/40846519/2024-midseason-top-100-mlb-prospects-rankings-update-kiley-mcdaniel

Top 5

1. Jackson Holliday, SS, Baltimore Orioles/MLB, Age: 20.7
You could put the four players in this top tier in any order you want. I'm leaning to Holliday, who was only temporarily unseated as my top prospect for Paul Skenes just before the Pirates' ace graduated. Holliday went on a heater in his return to the majors, posting a 1.072 OPS with five homers in his first 10 games back.

2. James Wood, LF, Washington Nationals/MLB, Age: 21.9

3. Carson Williams, SS, Tampa Bay Rays/AA, Age: 21.1

4. Junior Caminero, 3B, Tampa Bay Rays/MLB, Age: 21.1

5. Marcelo Mayer, SS, Boston Red Sox/AA, Age: 21.7

6. Coby Mayo, 3B, Baltimore Orioles/MLB, Age: 22.7
Mayo is on the third/first-base spectrum defensively and has roughly average on-base skills but projects for 25-30 homers.

10. Samuel Basallo, C, Baltimore Orioles/AA, Age: 20.0
Basallo is right there with the most raw power of anyone in the top 10, but he isn't that polished behind the plate and would play first base if he can't stick as a catcher.

No other O's prospects made the top 100.  Chayce McDermott and Luis De Leon were listed as "notable risers" 

I'm definitely not a prospect expert, but ESPN's list looks like it was put together by someone or several people who read other lists and just made placements based on those lists. 

I think it's only for ESPN Insider/+ members which is a waste of $8/month or whatever it costs.  MLB/MASN still blocks me out of O's games on ESPN+. 

[sportsfan8703]

Thanks for sharing. 
 

It seems pretty much on par with most of the rerank mid season lists. Maybe not a complete overhaul. The good news is that Holliday, Wood, and Caminero, will graduate soon, so Basallo, and Mayo, would tick up 3 spots. 

Basallo still has a month to go on a heater and take the #1 overall spot IMO. 

[Frobby]

9 hours ago, OriolesMagic83 said:

 

I'm definitely not a prospect expert, but ESPN's list looks like it was put together by someone or several people who read other lists and just made placements based on those lists. 

That’s definitely not correct.  Their prospect coverage is done by Kiley McDaniel, who formerly was a top prospect analyst for Fangraphs and has been in the front office of a couple of teams.   

[Sports Guy]

McDaniel also said a chat that he considered Morfe.

[Flash- bd]

32 minutes ago, Frobby said:

That’s definitely not correct.  Their prospect coverage is done by Kiley McDaniel, who formerly was a top prospect analyst for Fangraphs and has been in the front office of a couple of teams.   

Yep. I actually quite like Kiley McDaniel and his takes. Seems a pretty balanced, well-reasoned head for me. Doesn't have the desire to kind of 'build a brand' or stick his head out kinda just for the sake of it, like Law. 

[OriolesMagic83]

41 minutes ago, Frobby said:

That’s definitely not correct.  Their prospect coverage is done by Kiley McDaniel, who formerly was a top prospect analyst for Fangraphs and has been in the front office of a couple of teams.   

Just reading the blurbs after the prospect ratings, it dudn-t seen well written and I thought ESPN was on money saving mode as they are  on nuch if their non football coverage.  Glad I'm wrong.

[Just Regular]

2 hours ago, OriolesMagic83 said:

Just reading the blurbs after the prospect ratings, it dudn-t seen well written and I thought ESPN was on money saving mode as they are  on nuch if their non football coverage.  Glad I'm wrong.

TBD if ESPN in the medium term will pay Kiley more than a substack     #ModernMedia

He does get to be on TV sometimes with ESPN.

I guess notable neither Enrique Bradfield nor Vance Honeycutt even a mention, though I certainly hope they'll outperform Yankees P Will Warren on the back of the list in time.     It'll be bad news for the CF succession if one of them doesn't have a big 2025 to break into lists like these.