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Here’s some of the detail…
Big shake up of Baseball America's Top 30 Cardinals Prospects. Our top four were all selected in the 2020 Draft:
3B Jordan Walker (#6 overall)
SS Masyn Winn (#62)
RHP Tink Hence (#63)
OF Alec Burleson (#72)
RHP Gordon Graceffo (#73)2022 1st rounder LHP Cooper Hjerpe ranks 9th. https://t.co/0okVEZtkyk
— Cardinals Player Development (@CardsPlayerDev) August 10, 2022
Anyone got an opinion on who Gordon Graceffo would be comparable too in MLB/Retired? As in someone comparable whether it be stuff, delivery……
I understand that no players are identical, just trying to get a feel for him as a prospect. I really haven’t heard much about him outside of what I have read on this board.
Thanks.
I think Graceffo might comp to Wacha, as both threw near upper 90s with a very good change up.I think Graceffo has another possibly plus pitch of a slider.
Baseball America posted team prospect rankings, and they placed the Cards 7th. 7 prospects in the top 100 deserve attention.
Is this Player of the Year or “Top Prospect” Player of the Year?
Jordan Walker’s glove is going to open a way for his bat to reach St. Louis as soon as 2023
Cardinals 2022 Minor League Player Of The Yearhttps://t.co/55vduGSVu8 pic.twitter.com/1EN0gPHJTi
— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) September 22, 2022
Geoff also had a chat yesterday about his new list. The top 10 is behind their pay wall, but top tools and 2026 projected lineup are free.
The Cardinals year after year identify and develop top notch talents and looking forward to 2023 it’s more of the same.
One of the more exiting Top Tens in the system led by one of the best prospects in baseball in Jordan Walker. #STLCards #Cardinals https://t.co/WRTsln2ONE
— Geoff Pontes (@GeoffPontesBA) December 5, 2022
Their new Top 100 is posted.
4. Jordan Walker
47. Tink Hence
48. Masyn Winn
79. Matthew Liberatorehttps://www.baseballamerica.com/rankings/2023-top-100-prospects/
No Graceffo, Burleson, or Herrera? A little surprising. I guess being the best hitter at AAA isn’t worth what one might think.
One of the questions in our chat is about players on our individual lists who didn't make the top 100. Here are 10 I had as T100:
Edouard Julien, Jace Jung, Gordon Graceffo, Edgar Quero, Quinn Priester, Dalton Rushing, Brice Turang, Chase Silseth, Alec Burleson, Jeferson Quero
— Carlos Collazo (@CarlosACollazo) January 18, 2023
In the last BA list I saw, back in August, so post-draft, Burleson, Graceffo and Herrera were all in the top 100, along with the four that remain. Makes one wonder what has changed so much given so little baseball has been played since then.
Maybe what little baseball that was played didn’t help. Burly and Herrera both hit about .200 in September.
As to Graceffo, he had a bad August, maybe non-Cardinals homers see a 5th rounder with a 4 ERA in AA and say ‘meh’.
Why would they focus on Graceffo’s bad August rather than his sensational September? Five exceptional months and one rough one.
As to Graceffo, he had a bad August, maybe non-Cardinals homers see a 5th rounder with a 4 ERA in AA and say ‘meh’.
They didn’t seem to say “meh” in season, which is odd. Anyway, an ERA around 4 in AA isn’t bad at all at 22 years old. Only 10 pitchers were better over the low bar of 70 IP there (Graceffo had 93-2/3).
Still, it’s possible that you’re right. It’s just a bit puzzling.
Makes one wonder what has changed so much given so little baseball has been played since then.
I tossed out a possible explanation, Brian. What’s yours?
I cannot explain their inconsistency but it affects three Cardinals, not just Graceffo.
Different rankers maybe? This current list (perhaps the annual one that goes into their book?) seems to be a blend of multiple analysts. Maybe they put more effort into this one, with the in-season rankings prepared by Joe Intern.
In August, they had seven Cardinals in the top 100. Going down to three is a big red flag on them.
Maybe one of our readers goes on their chats and can ask them. In August, they had:
Burleson 72
Graceffo 73
Herrera 93I can see Herrera maybe falling off, but how can anyone explain Burleson dropping at least 29 spots and probably more and Graceffo 28 or more in that very short period of time? There cannot be a reasonable explanation. Destroys the credibility of their in-season rankings with me. I get they have to do all 30 systems, but it’s their reputation on the line…
Finding fault with their process because you don’t like the result.
70 to 100 probably aren’t too much different from the couple dozen after 100. Maybe it’s like the Oscars and there is a lot of jockeying and PR and influence at work to get a guy over 100 instead of under.
Thanks for clarifying. It is not that I don’t like the result. I am questioning the comparative inconsistency between their own rankings, which I think is considerable. Did the three players do something bad at the end of the season, or did 30 other guys do something greater in terms of long term potential to jump ahead of two of them?
If I moved guys around that drastically, I know that I would either need to explain it or rightfully get questioned on it. The way I do it, every ranking is not new. It bridges back to the prior ranking. I explain why guys move up or down when the changes are big, like these. Not for two or three spots, but for 10 or 20 or 30, absolutely. Otherwise, it can appear random. They must do rankings differently.
My guess is its computer generated, with no human empowered to step in and fix something that is bizarre and defies baseball common sense. Like what happened with our lineup in the WC series.
The primary reason for the unexplained jockeying around of different names at different positions is probably a simple case of the desire of those who compile these rankings to keep those who have any interest in them continuously thumbing through the pamphlets and brochures that these “analysts” issue. If they don’t routinely shuffle the deck, no one will continue to play. In my view, the best way to avoid a bad game is to not take a seat at the table…
Baseball America’s Top 30 St. Louis Cardinals prospects list is out.
Full Top 30 here: https://t.co/lI5AR6aV3z pic.twitter.com/ShzXZKeOaj
— Ben Badler (@BenBadler) February 23, 2023
I confess I’m too painfully cheap for a BA subscription, Brian. On the bright side, I’ll die rich.
Could you please tell me where they rank Leonardo Bernal, Jimmy Dale Crooks 3, Alec Willis, and Jonathan Mejia? (I have them 5th, 11th, 9th, and 13th, respectively.) Thanks much!
If the mere numerical ranking placements are considered proprietary info, please forgive me. I know not the ethics in this instance.
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