Episode 51: Is Jackson Holliday The Best Prospect In Baseball?

Ben and Carlos talk about how impressive Orioles shortstop Jackson Holliday has been since he was drafted and make the case for him as the No. 1 prospect in baseball. The 19-year-old shortstop has an extremely well-rounded game with few, if any, holes to speak of—who else is in the conversation and competing with him right now?

After that, the two discuss a few other players who were taken with the first few picks of the 2022 draft, including Rangers righthander Kumar Rocker, D-Backs outfielder Druw Jones and Pirates second baseman Termarr Johnson. What’s the level of concern with all three players, and is there any underlying data to give us confidence moving forward? Is it simply too soon to get skeptical of the high school hitters? How quickly do we change our opinions on recent draftees based on pro data and how quickly should we change our minds?

After that, the two talk about the 2023 draft rankings update process and dive into a few players who are especially difficult to place—most notably Tennessee righthander Chase Dollander. Where does he fit with the top tier of pitching prospects and how do we compare and contrast the performance and consistency of Wake Forest righthander Rhett Lowder with the elite pure stuff of Florida righty Hurston Waldrep, in addition to the more risky but exciting prep profiles of Noble Meyer and Thomas White.

Finally the two talk about how impressive Braves righthander AJ Smith-Shawver has been this season and get into a few listener questions.

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