Los Angeles Dodgers 2022 Top 10 MLB Prospects Chat

Following today’s updated Dodgers ranking, Kyle Glaser answered your questions below. 

Kyle Glaser: Hey everybody, hope you all had a good holiday season. I’m looking forward to chatting Dodgers with you all. Let’s get started.

Jake (LA):

 Alex de Jesus was a potential breakout prospect on last winter’s top 30, but missed the mid-season list despite a productive season. What are the big concerns? Did he sneak back into this year’s top 30?

Kyle Glaser: De Jesus got into some bad swing habits during the 2020 shutdown and was a mess at the plate early in the season. Bad load, bad trigger, bad swing path, overly aggressive and did not see righthanded spin well at all. To his credit, he worked hard and was receptive to coaching to unlearn the bad habits he fell into and made some of the biggest strides of any player in the organization over the course of the season. The difference in him between May and August was startling, in a good way, and it’s a testament to him putting in the work to get there. He still has to show he can maintain his improved swing over a full season and tamp down his aggressiveness, but he put himself back in the prospect mix with his strong finish and indeed snuck back into the Top 30 in the Handbook.

Steve Borden (Lick Creek, KY):

 Ryan Pepiot is not projected as a starter in the 2025 Dodgers lineup. Is his reliever risk that extreme?

Kyle Glaser: The odds Pepiot ends up a reliever are high, but it also has to do with the team he’s on. If this was a lesser team with lesser starting pitchers and starting pitching prospects, he’d be in the projected rotation. The five guys in the Dodgers projected 2025 rotation are all just better starters.

Owen Savage (California):

 Is it too early to project a Major League comparison for Wilman Diaz? If not, who is it?

Kyle Glaser: It is way, way too early to project a major league comparison for Diaz. He’s such a young player with so much development left and so many different ways his body and game can develop, it really wouldn’t be responsible to put a major league comp on him.

Carl of New Jersey (Georgetown, NJ):

 Shocked not to see Jose Ramos in the top 10. What’s the report on him, and what kept him out?

Kyle Glaser: Ramos had arguably the biggest breakout of any player in the Dodgers system and didn’t miss the Top 10 by much. What keeps him out is he’s a dead-red fastball hitter who struggles to recognize or hit spin. He has to prove he can do that before he projects to be at least an average regular, and opinions are split whether he will be able to. For what it’s worth, I’m personally a believer after seeing him in Rancho at the end of last season.

ZP (NYC):

 Will Justin Yurchak make the top-30? What are your thoughts on him? He lacks power for a corner, but posted a strong BA and OBP in A+ and AA.

Kyle Glaser: Yurchak indeed made the Top 30. He’s a tough profile because he’s a 1B-only without much power, but he makes a ton of contact with a really efficient swing that doesn’t have many holes. He has a good approach, puts together really high quality at-bats and has a knack for getting big hits in big spots. He can hit, and that’ll get him to the majors. It’s just a question of what the impact is going to be when he gets there.

Micah (Sacramento, CA):

 Thanks for all of the hard work Kyle. Really appreciate all of this. As I was reading the scouting reports, especially with pitching it felt like the further I read down the list, the more loud the tools got. Pepiot has an 80 grade pitch, Knack the best control… Why were they behind Miller? Was it close?

Kyle Glaser: Hey Micah, my pleasure. Miller, Pepiot and Knack are the clear-cut top three pitchers in the system, and while there isn’t much debate that is the order they go in, the gap between them isn’t enormous. Miller has the best combination of stuff and control of the three (he’s made such enormous strides with his delivery – see his 2.1 BB/9 this year) and you need both to be an impact starter in the majors. He’s consistently seen as a potential No. 2 or 3 starter. Pepiot has the best individual pitch of the three in his changeup, but the lack of consistency in his delivery and well below-average fastball command really affect his ability to be consistent from start to start. As a result, he’s probably more of a hard-throwing but erratic No. 3-4ish starter, with a higher likelihood he ends up an impact reliever with his fastball and ridiculous changeup (a la Devin Williams). Knack is the most starter-ish of all three with his control and ability to mix and match his arsenal. What holds him back is his breaking balls are more in the 50-55 world (and some think his curveball is more 40-45) which gives him trouble against righties, who hit .271 with a .444 SLG against him last year. The potential struggles against righties keep him more in that No. 4 starter bucket. That all said, all three are very good pitching prospects in their own way, and it wouldn’t be shocking if any of the three takes a jump and ends up being the best guy.

Ken (Lakewood CA):

 Hello Kyle. I look forward to your chats in particular. Thanks. Wilman Diaz is the #10 prospect in a deep system. He is just 18 but they paid a ton of money to sign him. Have the Dodgers found more to work on with his hitting than originally anticipated? Still as positive on him as ever? Possible future stud/All Star? Or just a very good player in their eyes? In your eyes?

Kyle Glaser: Hey Ken, appreciate that. I’m always happy to talk baseball and I’m glad you enjoy them. Once the Dodgers got Diaz stateside for instructional league, they did see more to work on with him offensively than his amateur reports indicated. They still see a potential impact hitter with a lot of power, but his swing is pretty inconsistent and, depending on the day, you’ll get very different appraisals of it. At his best, Diaz has a short, direct swing and does a good job staying behind the baseball and not leaking out front. Other times, he gets his hands too far away from his body, comes out of his legs too quickly and is a little too jumpy toward the pitcher. He’s a good athlete who projects to stay up the middle and shows you flashes of a good swing with projectable power to come. He’s just a very young player with a lot of development ahead. If it all clicks, you can see All-Star potential, but we’re a long, long way from that and a lot of things have to come together.

Ken (Lakewood CA):

 I’m very impressed with your write up on Vargas, particularly his bat. You did keep him at 3B in your projected line exercise. But thinking that allowed you to keep Busch in that line up at 1B. Just how optimistic are you and the Dodgers that he sticks at 3B? Is he indeed the future LA 3B?

Kyle Glaser: My own looks at Vargas at third base have not been good, and thus I’m not personally very optimistic about his defense. Once he has to move his feet, especially to his left, that’s when the problems start. At the same time, others have seen him better and give him a chance to be playable (think 45ish) with more development. If he can get there, with the offense he provides, he’ll be the Dodgers everyday third baseman. It’s really going to come down to how much work he puts in to get quicker and more agile and keep his upper and lower halves better connected.

Karl of Delaware (Georgetown, Delaware):

 Repeated back injuries? Doesn’t that mean that Cartaya would be better off at a position other than catcher, and at worst case maybe even designated hitter if the NL adopts the DH?

Kyle Glaser: Not yet. Cartaya is so good back there you don’t want to move him off the position unless you absolutely have to. The back injuries were minor, so it’s more something to keep an eye on rather than a screeching red alert.

Ken (Lakewood CA):

 How tempted were you to put Pepiot into the projected starting pitching rotation? Or does he look more like a future RP to you? Side note – I groaned when he recently signed Boras as his agent.

Kyle Glaser: Not particularly. The top four starters (Buehler, Urias, May and Miller) are all clear-cut better starters than Pepiot projects to be. Gonsolin’s recent command struggles make you briefly think about the No. 5 spot, but just to put it in perspective, Gonsolin’s command—even with his current issues—is significantly better than Pepiot’s, so it really wasn’t much of a debate.

Warren (New London):

 Could I ask you to clarify the comment that Andy Pages struggles with his weight at times? Since he is a power hitter who doesn’t run well, I would guess that means he struggles to keep his weight down, but since he is listed at 6-1, 180, it could mean instead that he can’t keep weight on during the season. Which is it? How much does he really weigh? While I’m at it, I’m an Eddys Leonard fan and he is listed at 160. How close is that?

Kyle Glaser: Most international signees are listed at what they weighed when they were signed at 16, and the listings are nowhere close to their actual weight. (My favorite example is when I saw Reyes Moronta for the first time in 2016 with San Jose and he was listed at 190 – he was already the size he is now, which is 250+). Pages has a bigger, fleshier body and there have been times he’s come into camp too heavy. Per a Dodgers official, Pages currently weighs 220 and Leonard weighs 190 – so the official listings are 30-40 pounds off.

Chauncey (Centennial):

 What are you hearing about Jorbit Vivas and Jose Ramos and are either of them in your top 30?

Kyle Glaser: Both are in the Top 30. Vivas has really good barrel control and a strong eye at the plate. He’s gotten leaner and stronger and is starting to drive balls harder on a line. He’s a small guy without much projection and he’s just ok defensively, but his youth, contact skills and zone discipline have made him a very popular ask in trade discussions with other teams. Ramos destroys fastballs and has a ridiculous arm in right field (he made a throw in Rancho that will stay with me the rest of my life). He needs to prove he can recognize spin and not swing at breaking balls out of the strike zone, which will be the key thing to watch from him next year.

Frederick (Boston):

 Hi Kyle, thank you for the chat today! How close was Leonel Valera to the top 10? Also, what do you think the likelihood is that he can bring down his strikeout rate to manageable levels? Is it just an approach thing or will he need to change his swing?

Kyle Glaser: Hey Frederick, my pleasure. Valera was not close. He’ll tease you with his athleticism and ability hit balls a long way to all fields in BP, but he has zero plate discipline and just doesn’t see the ball well. He doesn’t hit enough, or project to hit enough.

Chauncey (Centennial):

 How close is Alex De Jesus to the top ten?

Kyle Glaser: De Jesus is pretty far from the top 10. As discussed earlier, he deserves a lot of credit for the strides he made during the year, but he still has a lot to prove as a hitter and defender (he got better defensively at SS as the year went on, but he’s not going to stick there).

Molly (New Jersey):

 Do you think this time next year Jose Ramos will be among the top 10? He seems like a great breakout candidate. What’s to like and not like about him? Thanks for time and answer!

Kyle Glaser: Ramos was close to making the Top 10 as is. There is a lot of like with his ability to destroy a fastball, big power and cannon for an arm. The giant question mark is whether he will recognize spin and learn to lay off of breaking balls out of the strike zone. That’s going to have a big effect on how much he projects to hit at higher levels and will be the key thing to watch from him in 2022.

Chris (Montana):

 Kyle you are my favorite BA analyst, love your no nonsense blunt approach. Who do you think has a more impactful big league career? Miguel Vargas or Bobby Miller? Does James Outman have a chance to be an everyday outfielder in MLB? Hard to crack the Dodgers’ lineup but what about somewhere else? Do you think Pepiot is a pen guy due to his lack of control and command? Cheers!

Kyle Glaser: Thanks Chris, appreciate that. Our number one priority is to be honest and straightforward with our subscribers. Without that, we’re doing them a disservice. Miller ranks ahead and thus gets the nod as the more impactful big league career, but it’s neck and neck. If everything clicks, Miller ends up a No. 2-caliber starter and Vargas ends up an All-Star third baseman who rakes but is a bit of a liability on defense. It’s very easy to see Vargas pulling ahead if, say, he shores up his defense or Miller struggles to hold his stuff and/or control over a larger innings workload. They’re both excellent prospects, and no one should be shocked if either of the two ends up being better. Outman is an impressive athlete, but he’s a consensus extra outfielder. He’s a really good defender in center field and his power and swing are coming along, but he’s more of a 40 hit, 45 power, 60/70 defense type in the end. The bat isn’t quite enough to play every day. Still, a good fourth outfielder who can come off the bench and provide excellent speed and defense and run into some balls at the plate is valuable, and should not be discounted. As for Pepiot, that’s the million dollar question. For the Dodgers, he’s probably a bullpen guy. It’s as often as much about the team you’re on and who’s around you. You see enough flashes to give him a chance to start and the Dodgers want to develop him as a starter, so I don’t want to say there isn’t a chance, but the odds do point toward him settling in as a reliever – and potentially a really good one – when all is said and done.

Chris (Fort Myers, FL):

 Thank you for the great write ups. Does Vargas have enough bat to be a first division 1b regular?

Kyle Glaser: You’re welcome. Glad you enjoyed them. The answer to your question is yes. Vargas has enough bat to be an impact, championship-caliber player at any position.

Jeremy (Vegas):

 Can Carlos Duran be a mid rotation starter? Or does his lack of a 3rd pitch make him more likely as a back end reliever?

Kyle Glaser: No. Duran is a pure reliever who will ride his slider to success. Even the Dodgers acknowledge he’s a 100% reliever. He’s starting in the low minors just to get enough innings to work on things.

Bill B (Glen Allen, VA):

 Kody Hoese… growing pains or real issues that will keep him from becoming a good major league 3B? Thanks

Kyle Glaser: Hoese is the most divisive player in the system in terms of what the Dodgers internally see and think and what opposing scouts see and think. Even in college, Hoese’s bat speed was a question mark, and it was a big issue at Double-A this year that opposing evaluators don’t see getting better. The Dodgers say his bat speed issues – and other mechanical flaws that showed up – were a product of the intercostal strain that ended up putting him on the IL for nearly two months. The 2022 season will be big for Hoese. Seeing if his lack of bat speed was just the product of his injury or if it is a real problem will determine what kind of major league future he has.

Kyle Weatherly (Timmonsville, South Carolina):

 I am REALLY high on Vargas. I see a guy who could hit .300 with 25+ HRs & 10+ SBs a season. While I know there are no guarantees with prospects do you think that line is reasonable for Vargas?

Kyle Glaser: The average and power numbers are not unreasonable at all, which is saying something. Vargas is a special young hitter. I’m not sure what the SB numbers will look like as he gets older and thickens up a bit, but he’s a sneaky good basestealer (31 for 37 in his minor league career) and it wouldn’t shock me if he’s able to keep swiping bags efficiently for at least a few years.

Bob (LA):

 Bobby Miller was spotty in the AFL with some pretty serious control issues at times. What gives you confidence he can iron those issues out and become a mid-rotation or better starter? Do you think he’ll debut in the second half of the year, perhaps in a pen role?

Kyle Glaser: Miller was rusty in the Fall League. He had thrown a total of 12 innings since July when he got to the AFL. His 2.1 BB/9 and sub-6% walk rate he posted during the regular season are much better indicators of the control he has and the gains he’s made. Even the evaluators who used to have reliever concerns with Miller don’t anymore. There really isn’t anyone who thinks he’ll have worse than average control based on what they saw this year. As far as his major league debut, both his timeline and his role will depend a lot on what happens in the majors ahead of him (injuries, etc.) and what the Dodgers need.

Raul (Mesa, Az.):

 Hola Kyle, what’s the buzz on a couple of guys I saw in rookie ball — Luis Rodriguez (outfielder) and Binony Robles (tall lefty)? Are they in your top 30?

Kyle Glaser: Que pasa, Raul? Rodriguez really struggled this year. Lots of overswinging and chasing and just not a lot of feel to hit. He’s fallen pretty far and has a lot to prove in 2022. Robles is an interesting sleeper type, but more of a wait and see player than a Top 30 guy.

Vin Scully (The Mercedes-Benz Broadcast Booth):

 Miguel Vargas climbed higher than I expected, considering that his exit velocities are more similar to Nick Madrigal than you’d want from a corner infielder. How big of a concern is it that Vargas is too contact-oriented and simply won’t hit for enough power to be relevant as a likely 1B?

Kyle Glaser: Your information is off. Vargas had an average exit velocity of 88.2 mph this year (which means he exceeded the major league average exit velocity of 88.1 mph as a 21-year-old in Double-A) and posted a max exit velocity of 110 mph – the same max exit velocity as Mitch Haniger, who just hit 39 home runs playing his home games at T-Mobile Park. Madrigal’s average exit velo in the majors this year was 85.5 and his max was 105.4. There is zero concern about how hard Vargas hits the ball. He’s well above average for his age and level and is only hitting the ball harder as he’s getting older, stronger and learning to pull the ball in the air more. This isn’t a concern.

David (NEW YORK):

 What position in the system is the strongest? … the weakest?

Kyle Glaser: The Dodgers system is strongest in second basemen and righthanded pitchers. It is weakest in center fielders and first basemen (unless you project Busch and Vargas to 1B).

Vin Scully (The Mercedes-Benz Broadcast Booth):

 What have you heard on Jose Ramos? Various rumors have him pegged to have a hit tool like Miguel Vargas and raw power approaching Andy Pages, with a strong arm and solid defense too. That sounds like he could have helium to break out big in 2022.

Kyle Glaser: Ramos’ power, defense and arm are real, but you’re way, way high on the hit grade. As mentioned in previous answers, Ramos crushes fastballs but has to prove he can recognize and lay off of spin, which he struggled to do even during his breakout season last year. I got to see Ramos in person a good bit in Rancho and like him a lot, but Vargas is a full two grades better of a hitter.

Vin Scully (The Mercedes-Benz Broadcast Booth):

 Does Eddys Leonard do anything one thing well enough to be a 1st division regular? Obviously there is value in a versatile, all-around solid player, maybe the heir in spirit to CT3, but is there more there?

Kyle Glaser: If you’re hitting .270 with 20 home runs – which is what Leonard’s grades project out to – you’re an everyday player on a first-division team. He’s probably going to have to bounce around the diamond (some 2B, some 3B, some CF) but he’ll be in the lineup every day as long as he keeps up what he showed last year.

Vin Scully (The Mercedes-Benz Broadcast Booth):

 How quickly could Cartaya arrive? Do you envision him in a C-DH timeshare with Will Smith, or do you think the Dodgers will only keep one when the time comes?

Kyle Glaser: Cartaya is extremely talented. He also just turned 20 years old and has played 31 games above the complex levels. He’s at least three years away, and likely longer (again, catchers take time – Keibert Ruiz broke out younger and at higher levels in 2017 and he’s just now about to get his first full season as a starter five years later). So much can and will change in the next 3-5 years, there really isn’t any point on speculating on what the Dodgers will do. This isn’t a problem they are going to have to worry about for a long time.

Vin Scully (The Mercedes-Benz Broadcast Booth):

 Your breakdown of Landon Knack’s repertoire makes him sound exciting – plus-plus control, a fastball with cut and ride touching 98 and a plus change? Yes please! But you also project him as a steady #4. That seems like an underwhelming outcome. Is the lack of progression in his breaking stuff that concerning?

Kyle Glaser: As mentioned to earlier, Knack’s breaking stuff – and thus how effective he’ll be against righthanded hitters – is what keeps him more in the No. 4 starter bucket in most evaluators’ eyes. A steady, efficient, durable No. 4 starter is something teams desperately need and would love to have. That should not be seen as a bad outcome.

Vin Scully (The Mercedes-Benz Broadcast Booth):

 How much separation is there between Bobby Miller and Ryan Pepiot in terms of stuff?

Kyle Glaser: Both have plus-plus fastballs, Miller’s breaking balls are better, Pepiot’s changeup is better. It’s not just about stuff. You have to throw strikes and locate consistently to be an effective pitcher in the major leagues (and particularly an effective starter). That’s where Miller comes out ahead by a good margin.

Kenny (Inglewood):

 How close was Jose Ramos to the Top 10? I imagined scenarios with Ramos as high as #3 with a more balanced all-around game than Vargas/Busch/Pages. Am I off-base?

Kyle Glaser: Ramos wasn’t far off. You can see exactly where in the Prospect Handbook. He’s a very promising prospect and has a lot of things to like, and I personally am bullish on him, but you’re pretty far off-base putting him in that tier of guys. Vargas and Busch are significantly better hitters (that’s more a testament to the caliber of hitters they are than any knock on Ramos) and Pages does a better job of laying off pitches outside the strike zone, although his overall toolset is similar to Ramos’.

Dan (Anaheim isn’t LA):

 Were any ’21 draftees considered for the list? Selecting last in the each round & losing their second-round pick hurt, but it sounds like some of the college arms LA took had big upside.

Kyle Glaser: Maddux Bruns isn’t too far off the Top 10 and got some support for being in the 8-10 range. He has special arm strength from the left side, but ultimately the lack of conviction that he’ll throw strikes consistently (the Dodgers internally are naturally higher than opposing evaluators on the probability he will) pushed him just outside of the 10. You’ll see a couple of the pitchers you’re referring to ranked in the 11-30 group when you buy your Prospect Handbook.

Mike R (Lockport, NY):

 What were the reports on Rayne Doncon ?

Kyle Glaser: Doncon got a lot of really positive reviews this year and is someone both the Dodgers and opposing evaluators are very high on. He has real bat speed, good natural timing and a knack for barreling fastballs, all really good ingredients to work with. He’s also a good athlete with a beautiful throwing motion at shortstop. He’s very young and has yet to make his stateside debut so there is a long way to go, but he’s someone to keep an eye on and could make a big jump in the next year.

Peter (Seattle):

 Clayton Beeter seemed to not just recover but thrive after a tough start to the 21 season. Do the Dodgers see him as a late inning reliever? And what does he need to do to debut in LA in 2022?

Kyle Glaser: Both the Dodgers and opposing evaluators do see Clayton Beeter as a potential late-inning reliever, yes. What changed is he started landing his curveball for strikes in the second half of last year, as opposed to earlier in the season when batters could just spit on it out of the hand and sit fastball. As long as he stays healthy, which has been an issue in the past, and keeps throwing his curveball for strikes, he’ll have a chance to debut next season.

D Fox (Macedon New York):

 Who is the most likely to contribute to the Dodger’s pennant run this year, Bobby Miller, Ryan Pepiot, or Landon Knack? Significant contribution or fringe?

Kyle Glaser: It honestly might be Pepiot out of the bullpen. I can see him coming up and forming a vicious end-of-game trio with Graterol and Treinen.

Nick Bruce (Castro Valley):

 How close was Jorbit Vivas to making the list? Can you give a hit / power grade for him?

Kyle Glaser: Vivas is divisive. Analysts and numbers-driven folks absolutely love him. Scouts and others who watch him in person are much more skeptical (myself included). He’s a small guy who’s an early-count swinger and posts below-average exit velocities. Myself and others think he’s going to eventually get exploited at higher levels. That said, the data can’t be ignored, and you can’t totally discount his ability to manipulate the barrel and fight through an at-bat. 50 hit, 30 power are generally the most bullish grades on him, although many others think they’re lower. He’s in the Top 30, but he wasn’t really close to the Top 10.

Evan (New York):

 Thoughts on Jake Vogel? He had a slow start in A ball but seemed to come on strong toward the end of the season. Was he close to making the top 10?

Kyle Glaser: Vogel did ok in September, but that was preceded by a .188/.290/.271 line in August. Vogel didn’t make the Top 30, let alone the Top 10, and there was no real push from anyone for him to be in the 30. He has such an extremely long way to go as a hitter, it’s hard to project much. He never looked comfortable in the box and his swing, pitch recognition and general feel for hitting are really lacking. He needs to repeat Low-A next year and we’ll see what he looks like when he does.

RL (Texas):

 Are there any potential breakout arms the organization is high on? Newer draftees like Heubeck, Nastrini, Sheehan, even Kyle Hurt?

Kyle Glaser: Heubeck, Nastrini and Sheehan are all potential breakout pitchers to keep an eye on next year. You’ll see all of them ranked in the Prospect Handbook.

Mike S (Scarsdale):

 Zach McKinstry graduated fairly narrowly from prospect status but didn’t play too much of a role down the stretch for the Dodgers. What role, if any, do you expect him to play for the Dodgers going forward? How would he fit if still prospect eligible?

Kyle Glaser: McKinstry’s role with the Dodgers is a defensively versatile bench player. That’s what he’s always been. He’d be somewhere in the 10-20 range of the system if he was still prospect-eligible.

John (Los Angeles):

 Where will Jonny DeLuca rank on your Dodgers Top 30? He’s a real Swiss Army knife of an Athlete with usable game speed & power. The Dodgers grabbed him late in the 2019 Draft for an Over Slot bonus. He really took off last year with a 20-20 season and was all over the org’s statistical Leaderboard. What do you expect from him in 2022 and beyond? What could his role eventually be in LA? Everyday Player? 4th Outfielder? Super Utility Guy?

Kyle Glaser: I’m glad you brought up DeLuca. Numbers that college draftees put up in Low-A should always be viewed skeptically, but he’s a very good athlete with real tools and earned some buzz this year. His bat projects to always be a little light (offensive numbers at High-A are always a better indicator for college draftees), but he can hit a fastball, he conducts solid ABs, he’s got some power, he can run and he can throw. He has a chance to surface as a reserve outfielder some day.

Warren (New London):

 Is there still hope for Jacob Amaya after a difficult 2021 season? I liked him before COVID.

Kyle Glaser: Amaya is a really good defensive shortstop and that will keep getting him opportunities. He got out of his game last year and started chasing power. If he can get back to controlling the strike zone and focusing on lining balls from gap to gap, he has a chance to hit enough to make it as reserve someday. He started getting back to that in the Fall League, so there is some hope.

Julie (G):

 Thanks for doing this! Who seems to have a higher ceiling Pages or Busch?

Kyle Glaser: No problem. I really dislike “ceiling” questions because they assume 100% outcomes. It’s not realistic and doesn’t really tell you anything. If you’re asking who the better player is going to be, the answer is Busch (thus, he’s ranked higher). Similar power production, but Busch projects to hit for a higher average from the left side while playing the infield.

Erik (Chicago):

 Happy to see Eddys Leonard in the top 10, what should he focus on next season as he gets closer to MLB?

Kyle Glaser: Leonard has always hit fastballs and he learned to stay back long enough to read and hit sliders this year, which is what fueled his breakout. Offensively, the next step is staying back long enough on slower curveballs, which still give him trouble because his hands and bat are just so damn fast. The biggest thing Leonard needs to focus on is improving defensively and being willing to put in the work on that side of the ball. He’s the type of guy who loves to hit and would much rather be in the cage than take ground balls. Making a concerted effort to work on his defense, and putting in the reps to get better, will go a long way toward helping his development.

RayG (NJ):

 Can Pages play a passable CF, or is he more of a RFer? Can he be a 30 HR bat in the big leagues? Also. Dodgers moved Vargas from A+ to AA midseason, why didn’t Pages move up to AA at any point in 2021?

Kyle Glaser: No. Pages is a pure right fielder, and a very inconsistent one at that. He has the power to hit 30 home runs in the majors. It’s just going to come down to how much contact he makes. As for as Double-A, it’s pretty simple – Pages wasn’t ready. He still had things to work on as far as making contact and staying focused and consistent defensively and on the basepaths.

Pablo (Torrence):

 Did Gavin Stone get close to the top 30? If not, how far was he?

Kyle Glaser: Gavin Stone is in the Top 30. You can see where when you buy your Prospect Handbook.

Phil (Pittsburgh):

 Gua Varland had a tough year staying healthy, what are the odds can he become a big league SP?

Kyle Glaser: Varland has never thrown more than 65 innings in a season, even in college. That does not bode well for a future as a major league starter. He’s not really in consideration to be one, to be honest.

Greg (Tustin, CA):

 Thanks for the great write ups guys! How far off the top 10 list has Kody Hoese fallen?

Kyle Glaser: Hoese is in the 11-20 range, closer to 20 than 10. You can find out exactly where in the Prospect Handbook.

Kyle Glaser: Ok everyone, that will do it for today. Thanks for coming out, and have a great weekend.