Jim Callis: Is Vlad Jr. the best prospect ever?

[Chuck]

https://www.mlb.com/news/vladimir-guerrero-jr-best-mlb-prospect-ever/c-303267350?tid=151437456

[UndertheHalo]

Lol this is so stupid.  He’s a great prospect and I have no doubt that he’ll mash.  Best ever ? I would think that the “best prospect ever” wouldn’t be on a trajectory to be a full time DH before he’s 25. 

[jessecrall]

It's probably Griffey, maybe A-Rod...Trout was a better prospect than Vlad Jr, I think. It's hard to guess because in retrospect, you end up gravitating toward guys who had huge careers.

[Docwaukee]

I love Valddy jr (on purpose) and wish we had him no doubt, but his weight is going to be an issue.  Not that it makes me feel any better because he's still gonna be a beast, but I hope it doesn't sap from his ability to be one of baseball's best over the next 15 years.  I am concerned that it will.  

btw, what does 'best prospect ever' even mean?  Wasn't that something said about Moncada a couple years ago?  

[Make Angels Great Again]

The same thing was said about Harper and Strasburg.

[Chuck]

26 minutes ago, Dochalo said:

I love Valddy jr (on purpose) and wish we had him no doubt, but his weight is going to be an issue.  Not that it makes me feel any better because he's still gonna be a beast, but I hope it doesn't sap from his ability to be one of baseball's best over the next 15 years.  I am concerned that it will.  

btw, what does 'best prospect ever' even mean?  Wasn't that something said about Moncada a couple years ago?  

The list is long. Mark Prior, Ruben Mateo. Brien Taylor. Nick Johnson. Rick Ankiel. Rocco Baldelli. Drew Henson. Jesus Montero. Ruben Rivera. Delmon Young. Shawn Abner. Brandon Wood. Dallas McPherson. Ben McDonald. Lastings Milledge.

Next up, maybe Moncada and Buxton.

[arch stanton]

Is the desperate need for clicks the greatest threat to man since bubonic plague?

[eligrba]

Ahem.....

http://www.metstoday.com/10596/14-15-offseason/angels-sign-shortstop-roberto-baldoquin/

Per Angels GM Jerry DiPoto:

“Roberto is a very well-rounded player. He can play all three infield positions, he’s a gifted defender with soft hands and the arm strength to play any infield position.

He has a very advanced feel in the batter’s box for what’s a ball, what’s a strike, and for using the middle of the field with a level line-drive stroke. He has power to lift the ball. The only tool that grades out as average is running speed.

He’s not a raw, let’s-wait-and-see-how-this-turns-out projection. He looks like a major league player now. He needs a little time in the minor leagues to adjust to a new country, but he’s a pretty mature kid. He has a skill set that is very well-balanced.”

[Stradling]

I’d say that Harper or Griffey or maybe even Arod were better prospects.  

[floplag]

1 hour ago, UndertheHalo said:

Lol this is so stupid.  He’s a great prospect and I have no doubt that he’ll mash.  Best ever ? I would think that the “best prospect ever” wouldn’t be on a trajectory to be a full time DH before he’s 25. 

pretty much this, there is worthless click-bait and then there is whatever this article is.  

[GrittyVeterans]

I'd say it's Griffey, due to the notoriety he generated from his dad playing in the league, #1 pick, destroyed the minors at every level as a teenager. Was known to be a great defender and great hitter 

[GrittyVeterans]

44 minutes ago, eligrba said:

Ahem.....

http://www.metstoday.com/10596/14-15-offseason/angels-sign-shortstop-roberto-baldoquin/

Per Angels GM Jerry DiPoto:

“Roberto is a very well-rounded player. He can play all three infield positions, he’s a gifted defender with soft hands and the arm strength to play any infield position.

He has a very advanced feel in the batter’s box for what’s a ball, what’s a strike, and for using the middle of the field with a level line-drive stroke. He has power to lift the ball. The only tool that grades out as average is running speed.

He’s not a raw, let’s-wait-and-see-how-this-turns-out projection. He looks like a major league player now. He needs a little time in the minor leagues to adjust to a new country, but he’s a pretty mature kid. He has a skill set that is very well-balanced.”

Baldoquin greatest prospect ever

[beatlesrule]

Oh come on now, we all know that honor belongs to Brandon Wood.

[bruin5]

Clint Hurdle may have been the most overhyped.  SI cover boy before he played a game.  

[Second Base]

Looks like Callis is trolling for page views to me.

Also, if we're talking about greatest "prospects" ever, I have to throw Shohei Ohtani into the mix. He came with more international success than any of the names listed, possessed as much power as anyone listed, and is the only one with triple digit heat to go with those 450 foot bombs. 

The kid threw 102 mph and hit one through the roof in the Tokyo Dome at age 21. 

Not a single two-way player has been capable of doing that.  EVER.

All those names listed were great prospects, but not a single one of them could do what Shohei does.

Throws like the greatest pitching prospect in the last decade, hits for power like the greatest power prospects of the last decade. Shoot, he even runs with some of the better prospects of the last five years. If we're talking about just prospects, I take the unicorn. The ONLY one in the modern game to ever do both as well as he does. The only.

I'd strongly consider Ohtani for best prospect ever. 

[failos]

F*ck you Jerry Dipoto

[T.G.]

What does "greatest prospect ever" even mean? Frankly, who cares?

[Dtwncbad]

This is so typical. EVERYTHING is always the most/worst/best "of all time". . .

Carter was the worst President of all time until Reagan was the worst President of all time until Bush was the worst President of all time until Clinton was the worst President of all time until the other Bush was the worst President of all time until Obama was the worst President of all time until Trump was the worst President of all time.

Need headline.  Need click.  Need to make extreme statements for attention.

Given all this, this is the best post of all time.

[Dtwncbad]

The above post is no longer the best post of all time.

THIS is the best post of all time.

[Dtwncbad]

The above post is no longer the best post of all time.

THIS is the best post of all time.

[Slegnaac]

I remember when Ralston Schmidt was The Greatest Prospect of all time.

[angelsnationtalk]

"Prospect" and best "Major Leaguer" are two veryyyyyyy different things. 

Remember when scouts were always saying Trout has power but not 30+ potential? Everything is about guessing when it comes to prospects. Vladdy Jr. is just having great numbers in the minors because he's a man amongst boys. Considering his fielding, base running and speed are below average, i'd say he lines up with Ohtani when he was on the list. Ohtani had legit power, speed and a fastball. So far it translated to the bigs... we shall see. 

But yes, I can't to watch Valddy Jr. play in the bigs. Such amazing talent for only a 19 year old

[Dtwncbad]

Milb has a tool for sorting stats that include stuff like "last 10 games" etc.

There were stretches of Harper in AA as an 18 year old that were just shocking and gaudy.

I recall specifically thinking at the time, "There is no way of predicting who actually will be the greatest player of all time from looking at small minor league samples, but looking at the stuff this guy is doing over some of these 10 game stretches. . .this is probably what it would look like."

[red321]

15 hours ago, Dochalo said:

 

btw, what does 'best prospect ever' even mean?  

it's called clickbait and designed to create an argument

[Taylor]

4 hours ago, Slegnaac said:

I remember when Ralston Schmidt was The Greatest Prospect of all time.

False.

Ralston was drafted and immediately joined the big leagues. He hit 3 HR in his first game (at age 18), and then came in to get the save (striking out the side, of course).