Excerpts from Baseball America Hot Sheet Chat

Baseball America published their weekly Hot Sheet yesterday with Giants outfield prospect Gary Brown topping the list as he hit .556-.571-1.037 for the week with 2 HR, 3 doubles, 2 triples, 9 runs, 8 RBI and was 1-3 on the base paths.

Here are some excerpts from the Hot Sheet chat:

Will T. (Cary, N.C.): What kind of power do you see in Zach Cox's future? 20-25 HR guy or more of a 12-15 HR guy?

Matthew Eddy: Split the difference and say 15-20, which when factored with Cox's feel for hitting and solid defense gives you average production from the hot corner.

I think fantasy owners will want more power from their third baseman than what Cox can provide if Eddy is accurate, as 15-20 HRs seems low for a third baseman, but then again, power is down in the big leagues, so he will still have value if he can hit for a high BA.

Sam (Queens): Reese Havens seems to be finishing strong. On the outside chance he's still healthy next spring, would you give him a shot to win the 2B job with the Mets?

Matthew Eddy: Havens' ceiling is considerably higher than Justin Turner's, but Turner has been a valuable replacement find for the Mets, one who has proven himself as a (future) sub around the infield. He's fallen pretty hard in the second half, batting .233/.311/.338, which is an offensive hurdle Havens ought to be able to clear pretty easily. (Huge caveat: assuming he stays healthy.) Havens is batting .295/.379/.454 in 183 at-bats for Double-A Binghamton.

One of these years Havens will stay healthy and show off his bat. I think he will be the Mets second baseman at some point in 2012. He will probably start the season at AAA and get a midseason call up.

More excerpts after the jump:

Dan (Chicago): Josh Vitters walked TWICE! in the same game yesterday and has 5 in his last 9 games. Small sample size that means nothing or good sign that he may finally be learning some patience???

Matthew Eddy: I'll go farther than that. Vitters has seven walks in 23 August games for Double-A Tennessee, giving him roughly one-third of his totals for 2008-09 in 185 games. Real progress? We'll see, but this was an amusing question.

I wrote about Vitters last Sunday over at Minor League Ball asking the same question. If he can increase his patience at the plate, he could see time in Chicago as soon as 2012, but more likely in 2013 as he is still just 21 years old.

Landon (Kelowna, BC): Tough question but settle this debate, who is the top catching prospect in the minors? D'Arnaud or Mesoraco, and why?

Matthew Eddy: I prefer d'Arunad because he's more polished defensively and has just as much offensive potential.

d'Arnaud is having an excellent season at the plate at AA New Hampshire, as he is hitting .317-.378-.545 with 19 HRs, 71 RBI, 70 runs, 52 extra base hits and a 92-31 K/BB rate in 398 at bats. He should push the Blue Jays to deal J.P. Arencibia in 2012, or possibly platoon with him.