Prospects Chat: Excerpts from Mike Newman Chat

I recently noticed that Mike Newman is holding prospect chats over at Fangraphs now and he usually answers ALOT of questions, which he did yesterday. Mike also runs his own blog called Scouting the Sally where he writes scouting reports on prospects that come through the South Atlantic League, and he also covers prospects over at SB Nation's Rotohardball. Here are some excerpts from his chat yesterday.

Comment From RK  have you seen the preliminary hardball times top 100? if so, what are your biggest objections?

4:00	Mike Newman:  I have to be honest. I closed it out after seeing Yankees Gary Sanchez above Rangers Jurickson Profar. That's the danger of these lists. I don't think a single scout I know who has seen both would say Sanchez belongs in the same sentence based on defense and makeup.

The Hardball Times are in the middle of publishing their Top 100 prospects and ranked Yankees catching prospect as the 8th best prospect in baseball, ahead of guys like Juilo Teheran, Shelby Miller, and Jurickson Profar. 

More excerpts after the jump:

4:06	Comment From The Dude  Bat only: Wilson Ramos, Willin Rosario or Yasmin Grandal?

4:06	Mike Newman:  Rosario seems to have the best combination of park/opportunity for playing time. I'm pretty sure he also has the most raw power.

This is a tough one for sure, as Grandal had a very good first season in the minors this season, while Rosario seemed to regress a little bit, yet he was coming off knee surgery, so that may have had something to do with his down year. Grandal started the season at High A and ended it at AAA, when Devin Mesoraco was called up to the big leagues. He hit .305-.401-.500 with 14 HRs, 68 RBI, and a 97-59 K/BB rate in 374 at bats.

4:28

Comment From Austin 

Travid D'Arnaud is expected to play the entirety of 2012 at AAA Las Vegas for the Blue Jays. With another solid year, is he the opening day starting catcher for 2013? Assuming Edwin Encarnacion is traded at the deadline next year, moving J.P. Arencibia to the DH role for 2013.

4:29

Mike Newman: Do you buy that Arencibia and his <.280 OBP is good enough to be an AL East DH? I sure don't. I've never really been an Arencibia guy. Power from the catching position is nice, but I think he's much more valuable to a fantasy team than to the Blue Jays.

d'Arnaud certainly raised his prospect ranking this year. ESPN's Keith Law ranked him as his 20th best prospect back in July saying he has All Star potential.

4:43 Comment From Babba Ganoush 

Who do you think will be the surprise prospect of 2012?

4:44

Mike Newman: I know everybody loves Profar, but I think the idea of just how fast he could move next season is a story not talked about enough. He could be pushing for a spot by June 2013.

Profar is just 18 years old, but he hit .286-.390-.493 with 12 HRs, 65 RBI, 86 runs, 23 SBs in 32 attempts, and a 63-65 K/BB rate. He also threw in 57 extra base hits. Why isn't this guy getting more love? Wow.

4:59 Comment From matt 

what do you get more? seinfeld "newman"'s or "nice dressing" newman's ?

5:00

Mike Newman: "Hello Newman" still reigns supreme. In college, every head coach strolled by me on their way to their coaching box and threw it out there at least once. I think I've heard that statement more on a baseball field than I've heard the National Anthem.

For the Seinfeld fans out there.

5:35 Comment From Blue 

Who will ultimately turn out to be the best player from the 2011 draft? I'm on team Bundy.

5:37

Mike Newman: In any year, I think it's awfully tough to go against a skill set like Starling. Big tools plus a CF profile is just about the best non-SS starting point one can think of. I had a scout imply his love for Lindor was bordering on not healthy. That was the same scout who commented on Matusz. Needless to say I trust said scout.

As if the Royals needed another top prospect, they drafted Bubba Starling with their first pick in this year's draft. The should be a very entertaining team to watch if a few of their starting pitcher prospects pan out.

And I have to end the excerpts post with this:

5:33 Comment From Tom 

Mike Stanton: 40 HR bat with 50 HR upside?

5:33

Mike Newman: 50 HR bat with the upside of challenging Bonds' record....seriously....