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With the hot stove season just warming up, here are some excerpts from recent Top 10 chats over at Baseball America.
Nationals Top 10 Chat
Grant (NYC): How many of these top ten guys do you think could make BA's list of 100 next year?
Teddy Cahill: We're still a few months from putting that together, but the top three are locks. They'll all be in the top half. I would also rank Fedde and possibly Lopez. That's where I'd draw the line, personally, but someone could make a case for Difo and Cole.
The Nationals top 3 include Lucas Giolito, Trea Turner and Victor Robles, so it appears all three could be ranked in the their top 50 when they release their Top 100 next year. Giolito is a no brainer, Turner was in their midseason top 50, and Robles might be the prospect with the most helium this offseason.
Phillies Top 10 Chat
Frank (Philadelphia): Why Knapp over Alfaro? What about Medina made you rank him over Eflin and Pinto?
Josh Norris: I think Knapp has a better chance to catch longterm and be a more reliable hitter, and Medina has a higher ceiling than either Eflin or Pinto.
Andrew Knapp is a name we all should consider in the later rounds of drafts in 2016. But, the fact that he likes Knapp over Jorge Alfaro long term is quite interesting. Knapp has some power but with that comes a low BA. You take the good with the bad.
Nenad Tomovic (Fiorenzeville): Which prospect, aside from J.P, has elite potential and could be a star if everything breaks right?
Josh Norris: Williams
Nick Williams is an outfielder the Phillies received in the Cole Hamels trade with the Rangers. He has the power to be a 20+ home run hitter, especially in that ball park, and showed signs of improved plate discipline in the first half of the season, but regressed to his old swing at everything self in the second half. That said, he is still an interesting guy to target in keeper leagues.
Pirates Top 10 Chat
Blaine (Indiana): As a Braves fan, I think the Braves and Pirates line up well for a Shelby Miller for Austin Meadows package. What is Meadows' upside? .300 hitter with 20hr? Has a very handsy swing that is taking away his power. Thanks!
John Perrotto: That's a intriguing possibility. I think you've hit it on the head, .300 with 20/20 and good CF defense.
Meadows hasn't shown much power yet in the minors, but the potential to put up 20-20 seasons makes him very valuable in keeper leagues. How he gets playing time in Pittsburgh with Starling Marte, Andrew McCutchen and Gregory Polanco manning the Pirates outfield will be the subject of many trade rumors in the next 12 months, I imagine, as Meadows should be ready in 2017.
Jeb (Des Moines): How good can Tyler Glasnow be?
John Perrotto: A No. 1 starter and one of the best in baseball.
I tend to agree, especially pitching in that pitcher-friendly ball park, under the tutelage of pitching coach Ray Searage, and for an organization that is one of the more defensive-minded organizations in baseball. Invest.
Rockies Top 10 Chat
Todd (Tosa): Isn't Carlos Estevez the real name of Charlie Sheen? It's cool you have the guy who played Rick Vaughn as the Rockies' closer in 2019
Michael Lananna: Yes, Carlos Estevez is the real name of Charlie Sheen. At least, that's what Google tells me. But Carlos Estevez is also a prospect in the Rockies organization, and he's a name that all Rockies fans should know. He sits 97-99 mph with a double-plus fastball, and he's made strides with his hard slider and command. He made the jump this year to Double-A, and he could be a quick riser to the big league level. Lots of love for Estevez both within the organization and outside of it. He has the look of a future closer or high-leverage reliever.
Estevez was just added to the Rockies 40-man roster last week, and they DFA'd closer John Axford, so he is a name to remember on draft day should he make the team out of spring training. He saved 18 games in High A and AA last season, striking out more than a batter per inning and limiting the free pass, striking out 69 while walking just 14 in 55.2 innings.