BaseballAmerica.com: Prospects: Ask BA

Ask BA
Jun. 29, 2009
Which top draft talents are the most likely to not sign? Which first-round picks are the least likely to crack their teams' Top 10 Prospect lists? How to teams determine which legitimate late-round talents to sign, and what bonuses do they receive? [...] Continue Reading »

Ask BA
Jun. 15, 2009
Which first-rounders will be their team's No. 1 prospect? Who's a better prospect, Stephen Strasburg or Bryce Harper? Why didn't Florida State shortstop Stephen Cardullo get drafted? [...] Continue Reading »

Ask BA
May. 31, 2009
How many 2000 draftees will make the Top 100? Who's more attractive as a prospect, Rangers first baseman Justin Smoak or Orioles lefthander Brian Matusz? Where might Oklahoma State pitchers Tyler Lyons, Tyler Blandford and Thomas Keeling go in the draft? [...] Continue Reading »

Ask BA
May. 19, 2009
What has happened to Delmon Young? Would the Nationals consider redrafting Aaron Crow? Who are the best prospects who have been drafted more than once? [...] Continue Reading »

Ask BA
May. 11, 2009
Will Stephen Strasburg's no-hitter drive up his value? What were the scouting reports on Zack Greinke when he was coming up as a prospect? Is it too soon to call Pirates lefthander Daniel Moskos a bust? [...] Continue Reading »

Ask BA
May. 4, 2009
How good is Astros righthander Ross Seaton? Is it time to start worrying about Orioles catcher Matt Wieters? What's the upside for North Dakota high school star Cole Frenzel? [...] Continue Reading »

Ask BA
Apr. 27, 2009
Who's the best two-way player in the draft? How will the Rays make room in their outfield for Desmond Jennings? Will Rice's three first-round picks in the 2004 draft ever live up to their former promise? [...] Continue Reading »

Ask BA
Apr. 20, 2009
How do this draft's prep catchers compare to each other? Why doesn't Arizona State lefthander Josh Spence get more love from scouts? Is Rickie Weeks a bust? [...] Continue Reading »

Ask BA
Apr. 13, 2009
How good or bad is Cardinals third baseman Brett Wallace's defense? How much is Marlins outfielder Mike Stanton's stock rising? Has a major league Rule 5 pick returned to his original club ever become an all-star for that team? [...] Continue Reading »

Ask BA
Apr. 6, 2009
Did the Dodgers pay too much for Casey Blake? Can teams manipulate the Rule 5 draft rules by activating injured players in September? What's the status of last December's Rule 5 picks? Why can't teams trade draft picks? [...] Continue Reading »

Ask BA
Mar. 30, 2009
Could Bryce Harper use a GED to enter the 2010 draft? Could Josh Lindblom really crack the Dodgers rotation less than a year after being drafted as a reliever? Where would Angels shortstop Brandon Wood rank on the Top 100 Prospects list if he were eligible? [...] Continue Reading »

Ask BA
Mar. 23, 2009
Who will be the top five picks in the 2010 draft? Which Top 100 Prospects are in line for a breakout season in 2009? Are Georgia first baseman Rich Poythress and Louisiana State righthander Anthony Ranaudo legitimate College Player of the Year candidates? [...] Continue Reading »

Ask BA
Mar. 16, 2009
Where would Stephen Strasburg, Matt Harvey and Bryce Harper rank on the Top 100 Prospects list if they were eligible? What percentage of first-round picks reach the majors? Could a 16- or 17-year old American move to a different nation to avoid the draft? [...] Continue Reading »

Ask BA
Feb. 23, 2009
What's the No. 1 overall pick worth in a trade? How long will it take Joshua Fields to become the Mariners' closer? Who's better: Lonnie Chisenhall or Nick Noonan? Ryan Flaherty or Todd Frazier? Shooter Hunt or Tim Melville? Jason Castro or Brett Lawrie? [...] Continue Reading »

Ask BA
Feb. 17, 2009
How many No. 1 overall draft picks this decade were considered their draft's top prospect, and how many have become their draft's best player? Which all-prospect team would be best: one made up entirely of college draftees, high school draftees, junior college draftees or internationally signees? Which catchers have ranked as the best prospect in baseball? [...] Continue Reading »

Ask BA
Feb. 9, 2009
How do this decades No. 1 overall picks stack up against each other? Where would North Carolina righthander Matt Harvey rank as a prospect if he were eligible for the 2009 draft? Who are the best players ever to make Baseball America's 31st Team? [...] Continue Reading »

Ask BA
Feb. 3, 2009
How does Madison Bumgarner stack up against David Price? How is Jason Varitek a Type A free agent when Milton Bradley is only a Type B? Why have the Braves had success finding catchers? [...] Continue Reading »

Ask BA
Jan. 26, 2009
Where would the No. 30 prospect in the best farm system rank in the worst system? What might Matt Harrington have accomplished had he signed out of high school? If the Nationals take Stephen Strasburg with the No. 1 overall pick, who will have better frontline pitching—them or the Orioles? [...] Continue Reading »

Ask BA
Jan. 19, 2009
Who's better, Elvis Andrus or Alcides Escobar? Does the Dodgers' Ivan DeJesus Jr. profile better at shortstop or second base? How rare is it for a college player drafted in the first 15 picks to start his first full pro season in low Class A or below? [...] Continue Reading »

Ask BA
Jan. 12, 2009
Who are the top 10 prospects in the National League? Where should Michael Inoa, Dayan Viciedo and Junichi Tazawa rank on the Top 100 Prospects list? Is there an expiration date on free-agent compensation? [...] Continue Reading »

Ask BA
Jan. 5, 2009
Who's the best first-base prospect in the game? Who's the better Royals prospect, Eric Hosmer or Mike Moustakas? Will the free-agent compensation system get overhauled? [...] Continue Reading »

Ask BA
Dec. 21, 2008
Who are the top 10 prospects in the American League? What does the Mariners Top 10 look like after their three-team, 12-player trade? [...] Continue Reading »

Ask BA
Dec. 7, 2008
What does the White Sox Top 10 Prospects list look like after the Dayan Viciedo signing and the Javier Vazquez trade? Where would Junichi Tazawa fit on the Red Sox Top 10? [...] Continue Reading »

Ask BA
Nov. 24, 2008
How much does Braves catcher Tyler Flowers' AFL performance affect his prospect status? What's the outlook for Red Sox first baseman Anthony Rizzo after he was diagnosed with cancer? How good is the second tier of Rangers catching prospects? [...] Continue Reading »

Ask BA
Nov. 17, 2008
Which was the last organization to win Triple-A and Double-A titles in the same year? If Cubs outfielder Felix Pie gets a chance to play, how good can he become? Will Notre Dame quarterback/first baseman Evan Sharpley get drafted high enough to turn pro in baseball next year? [...] Continue Reading »

Ask BA
Nov. 10, 2008
Do the Cardinals and Rays make good trade partners? Will White Sox lefty Aaron Poreda be a starter or reliever? Are minor league free agents eligible for the Rule 5 draft? [...] Continue Reading »

Ask BA
Nov. 3, 2008
What's the deal with 2009's top draft-eligible sophomores? What should the Mariners do with all their catchers? What does the Yankees Top 10 Prospects list look like? [...] Continue Reading »

Ask BA
Oct. 27, 2008
Who are the best lefty-righty pitching prospect combos? What does the future hold for Rangers first baseman/outfielder Mitch Moreland? Could lefthander Eric Berger be a steal for the Indians as an eighth-rounder? [...] Continue Reading »

Ask BA
Oct. 20, 2008
Who has the best lefty-righty prospect combo? What's the status of A's seventh-round pick Brett Hunter? If a team signs multiple Type A free agents, who gets its first-round pick as compensation? [...] Continue Reading »

Ask BA
Oct. 13, 2008
Will the White Sox keep Gordon Beckham at shortstop? Who might the Royals take with the No. 12 pick in the 2009 draft? Do teams have to negotiate in good faith to get compensation for unsigned draft picks? [...] Continue Reading »