Down On The Farm: Baseball America Hot Sheet Chat

Baseball America has a Minor League Player of the Year podcast up on their site and here are a few of the names they discussed: Brandon Belt, Devin Mesoraco, J.P. Arencibia, Jerry Sands, John Lamb, Mike Moustakas, Eric Hosmer, Wil Myers, Mike Trout, Jeremy Hellickson, Domonic Brown, Julio Teheran, Brandon Beachy, Chris Archer, Michael Pineda, Freddie Freeman, Jesus Montero. 

I have not listened to it yet, but am interested in what they have to say about Belt, Mesoraco and Sands.

Here are some excerpts from Friday's chat:

Matt (Seattle): Nick Franklin, best shortstop prospect in the minors? Do you think he can ever hit as many homers in the majors as he has for Clinton in the MWL?

Conor Glassey: I love Franklin as much as anybody, but no. I've only just started to think about my Top 100 list, but Manny Machado is definitely ahead of him, as is Grant Green. He could be a top 5 SS though..

Dee Gordon anyone?

John (NC): Give us five position players currently in the minors that you think will have starting jobs in the mlb at the start of 2011

Conor Glassey: Desmond Jennings, Dustin Ackley, Freddie Freeman, Wilson Ramos & Justin Smoak.

I will add a few more-Aroldis Chapman (starter or reliever?), Jesus Montero, Brandon Belt and Mike Moustakas.

mike (nj): Top 3 Lefty pitchers in MiLB? Top 3 Righty pitchers in MiLB?

Conor Glassey: In no order & just my off-the-cuff opinion: Teheran, Pineda & Taillon for righties and Perez, Lamb & Matzek for lefties.

I think Conor left off Aroldis Chapman in the lefties rankings. 

Victor (San Diego): Taking both glove and bat into the equation, is Jason Kipnis the best second base prospect in the minors?

Conor Glassey: No, it's still Ackley. Ackley's bat is better & I know there have been mixed reviews on his defense, but he's athletic enough that I think he'll be fine.

I wrote about Ackley a few days ago, and he has rebounded from a slow April. Kipnis has hit .315-.397-.500 at High A and AA this season, with 15 HRs, 69 RBIs and 8 SBs. He is hitting better at AA Akron than he did at High A, which is promising.

Mark (Madison, WI): I've always been a little reserved with my expectations for Freeman, but his performance is getting a little hard to ignore. Is he a top-10 guy at this point?

Conor Glassey: TONS of Freeman questions today! I would guess he'll probably be in the 10-20 range. Wow...look at his post ASG numbers: .397/.497/.685. That's awesome!

I think there is no question Freddie Freeman will be the Braves starting first baseman in 2011.