2018 Bowman Draft Baseball - Early Pricing Trends

2018 Bowman Draft has been out for two weeks and the pricing trends are very interesting. So far there are no big surprises. It seems the consumer has gotten smarter on who to buy. I wonder why. Please note my analysis is from the review of base auto prices on eBay. 

Alec Bohm - Philadelphia Phillies 3B - Selling for around $50-60. Too high for me right now.

Alek Thomas - Arizona Diamondbacks OF - Selling for $15-20.

Carlos Cortes - New York Mets 2B - Selling for under $10. A good bargain price.

Cole Roederer - Chicago Cubs OF - Selling for $15-25. Not bad.

Greyson Jenista - Atlanta Braves OF - Selling for $15. Waiting for a drop in cost.

Jordyn Adams - Los Angeles Angels OF - Selling for $30-40. Prices are way too high for me.

Josh Breaux - New York Yankees C - Selling for $5-15.

Jeremy Eierman - Oakland Athletics 2B - Selling for $5-10. Good cost. 

Jordan Groshans - Toronto Blue Jays SS - Selling for $30-40. Not surprised.

Jonathan India - Cincinnati Reds 3B - Selling for around $50. I am a little surprised.

Jeremiah Jackson - Los Angeles Angels SS - Selling for $25-30. Would like to see the price drop to around $15.

Jarred Kelenic - New York Mets OF (Traded to Seattle) - Selling for $40 -60. A little too high for me.

Jake McCarthy - Arizona Diamondbacks OF - Selling for $5-10. Good cost.

Kody Clemens - Detroit Tigers 2B - Selling for $15-20. Would like to see the price come down to about $10.

Luken Baker - St. Louis Cardinals 1B - Selling for $15-20. A little high in my opinion.

Nolan Gorman - St. Louis Cardinals 3B - Selling for over $100. Nope.

Nico Hoerner - Chicago Cubs 2B - Selling for $40-50. Nailed it.

Nick Madrigal - Chicago White Sox 2B - Selling for $50-60. For some reason I expect the price to drop.

Noah Naylor - Cleveland Indians C - Selling for $15-20. Not surprised.

Triston Casas - Boston Red Sox 3B - Selling for $40-50. Not surprised.

Tyler Frank - Tampa Bay Rays 2B - Bargain Bin

Trevor Larnach - Minnesota Twins OF - Selling for $25-35. Not surprised.

Tristan Pompey - Miami Marlins OF - Selling for $15. I expect this price to come down.

Travis Swaggerty - Pittsburgh Pirates OF - Selling for $15-25. I expect the price to stay closer to $15.

2018 Bowman Draft Checklist - Full MLB Prospect Review

2018 Bowman Draft is scheduled for release on December 14 and the draft class is strong this year. Bowman Draft is an interesting product because there is data to review but players just getting their first taste of pro ball. So many things could change after the season starts so it's always good to keep an eye on a players development. If you have any questions feel free to send me an email or message me on Twitter @prospects4cash. Thanks for reading.

Alec Bohm - Philadelphia Phillies 3B - I wrote in an earlier post that college 3B are pretty safe prospects. Even though Alec did not have the best debut I love his makeup and rate him as a buy.

Anthony Seigler - New York Yankees C - Nice catching prospect that will take time to develop. Not sure how good the bat is yet. I would wait to buy.

Alek Thomas - Arizona Diamondbacks OF - Strong rookie debut but I am not sure if the pop is there. Another prospect I would watch. If you bought in I would understand.

Braxton Ashcraft - Pittsburgh Pirates P - Only pitched 17 innings. Another person to keep an eye on.

Brady Singer - Kansas City Royals P - Did not pitch. If you buy now you are only relying on the scouting reports. I need more data.

Brice Turang - Milwaukee Brewers SS - I love the talent but no pop. Pass.

Carlos Cortes - New York Mets 2B - Nice college bat with decent pop. I would rate as a buy. The price has to be around $10-15 for me.

Cadyn Grenier - Baltimore Orioles SS - Pass for now. Strikeouts are up there.

Casey Mize - Detroit Tigers P - The top pick of the draft. He did not pitch much but I would never pay high prices for a pitcher anyways. Pass for me.

Connor Scott - Miami Marlins OF - Did not play. See Brady Singer. The same approach applies.

Cole Winn - Texas Rangers P - See above.

Cole Roederer - Chicago Cubs OF - Strong buy. Nice power and contact player. Prices may be expensive due to being a Cub.

Daniel Lynch - Kansas City Royals P - Nice stats but a pass for me. Not a 1 or 2 starter.

Ethan Hankins - Cleveland Indians P - Pass. I need more data to make a good evaluation.

Griffin Conine - Toronto Blue Jays OF - Good power numbers with a high strikeout rate. Conine was suspended 50 games but I am passing even if that event did not happen.

Greyson Jenista - Atlanta Braves OF - I'm am going to rate Greyson as a buy. He's 22 years old but I like his makeup.

Grant Lavigne - Colorado Rockies 1B- Great numbers in rookie ball. I still am following my rule on Rockies prospects. Would be a strong buy in any other market but I will pass.

Grayson Rodriguez - Baltimore Orioles P - Pass. I need more data to make a good evaluation.

Griffin Roberts - St. Louis Cardinals P - Pass. I need more data to make a good evaluation.

Jordyn Adams - Los Angeles Angels OF - Adams is a buy for me but with a warning. I am not sure if the power will be huge. He is a project but the payoff could be huge if everything hits. A small position would be a good approach in my opinion.

Josh Breaux - New York Yankees C - See Anthony Seigler.

Jeremy Eierman - Oakland Athletics 2B - Nice prospect. The strikeouts need to come down but the hit tool seems very good. I rate as a buy.

Jordan Groshans - Toronto Blue Jays SS - A buy for me. I think he has a better bat the Conine and can hit 20 homers.

Joe Gray - Milwaukee Brewers OF - Impressive athlete that is a project. Pass for now.

Jonathan India - Cincinnati Reds 3B - Buy for me. My reasons are the same as Alec Bohm. Good power potential and the strikeouts won't be too bad.

Jeremiah Jackson - Los Angeles Angels SS - I am taking the same approach with Adams and applying it here. The difference is Jackson's bat is better and he could hit for more power. If I had a choice of one it would be Jackson.

Jarred Kelenic - New York Mets OF (Traded to Seattle) - Pass. If he was a Met I would recommend a strong buy. Not sure if superstar potential is there but he is good. He has to be a superstar to sell in Seattle.

Jackson Kowar - Kansas City Royals P - Pass. I need more data to make a good evaluation.

Jake McCarthy - Arizona Diamondbacks OF - Buy. Nice debut with decent power.

Josiah Gray - Cincinnati Reds P - I like the stats but he is a 4th starter at best. Pass.

Josh Stowers - Seattle Mariners OF - Good numbers but I will pass.

Jayson Schroeder - Houston Astros P - Pass. I need more data to make a good evaluation.

Jake Wong - San Francisco Giants P - Pass. I need more data to make a good evaluation.

Kris Bubic - Kansas City Royals P - Nice K/9 rate. I will watch.

Kody Clemens - Detroit Tigers 2B - College bat. Nice numbers. I would buy if bargain bin (Under $10).

Luken Baker - St. Louis Cardinals 1B - Baker is a buy for me. Seems to be a big time slugger. Needs to stay healthy though.

Logan Gilbert - Seattle Mariners P - Did not play. Pass for now.

Lenny Torres - Cleveland Indians P - Pass. I need more data to make a good evaluation.

Mason Denaburg - Washington Nationals P - Pass. I need more data to make a good evaluation.

Matthew Liberatore - Tampa Bay Rays P - A nice player but my statement about Casey Mize applies here. I will pass.

Nolan Gorman - St. Louis Cardinals 3B - Gorman ripped up rookie ball but came back down to earth after being promoted. Still a buy but will be on the high end due to the inflated rookie ball stats.

Nico Hoerner - Chicago Cubs 2B - A nice player who has played well this year. He is a buy for sure but will be high end.

Nick Madrigal - Chicago White Sox 2B - Another prospect who will be high end but I am not sold. Scouts are very worried that power will not develop. I will do a separate post on him.

Noah Naylor - Cleveland Indians C - Another interesting catching prospect. I am watching because Cleveland is good at developing hitters.

Nick Schnell - Tampa Bay Rays OF - Pass for now. Not enough data.

Osiris Johnson - Miami Marlins SS - Watching closely. A project that will take a long time to develop.

Owen White - Texas Rangers P - Did not play. Pass for now.

Parker Meadows - Detroit Tigers OF - Pass for now. Too many Ks.

Ryder Green - New York Yankees OF - Pass for now. Too many Ks but watch closely.

Ryan Jeffers - Minnesota Twins C - Another solid catching prospect. I will watch for now.

Ryan Rolison - Colorado Rockies P - Pass for me.

Ryan Weathers - San Diego Padres P - Pass for me.

Shane McClanahan - Tampa Bay Rays P - Pass for now. Will follow.

Simeon Woods-Richardson - New York Mets P - Pass for now. Will follow.

Triston Casas - Boston Red Sox 3B - Did not play much but the power is serious. I am rating this as a buy even though he got hurt. He could shoot up lists but be aware that Ks may be an issue.

Tim Cate - Washington Nationals P - Pass for me.

Tanner Dodson - Tampa Bay Rays P - Pass for me.

Tyler Frank - Tampa Bay Rays 2B - Very good prospect. Rays prospects are tough to sell sometimes but I would rate as a buy but I will take a small position.

Trevor Larnach - Minnesota Twins OF - Buy for me. Good prospect that should move fast.

Tristan Pompey - Miami Marlins OF - Nice prospect. Almost a pass for me but I would buy. Good player.

Travis Swaggerty - Pittsburgh Pirates OF - A buy but this season will be huge for him. I need to see a cutdown in strikeouts. The talent is there.

Will Banfield - Miami Marlins C - Pass for me. 

2018 Bowman Draft Warning - Jarred Kelenic Traded to The Seattle Mariners

Multiple reports have surfaced today confirming the Mets and Mariners are completing a trade to send Robinson Cano to New York for multiple prospects. 2018 first round draft pick Jarred Kelenic is included in the deal. My initial reaction is that I am officially taking a very small position on Kelenic's cards due to this trade. If you are a Mariners fan you are excited about reloading your farm but Seattle prospects have never sold for big money. I love Jarred as a prospect but he has to be a superstar to sell in the Seattle market. It will be interesting to see his prices upon release.

Early 2018 Bowman Draft Checklist Reaction

Bowman Draft is scheduled for release in the near future and while the entire checklist is not out some names have been announced. Overall I really like this draft and I'm looking forward to breaking all these names down. Checkout some of the names below and lookout for more posts from PFC.

Jordyn Adams (Angels) - Project but gifted.
Josh Stowers (Mariners) - Love it but he is a Mariner.
Triston Casas (Red Sox) - Did not play. Will he be a bargain?
Jonathan India (Reds) - Love it.
Jake Wong (Giants) - Analysis is pending.
Will Banfield (Marlins) - Analysis is pending.
Anthony Seigler (Yankees) - Analysis is pending.
Nolan Gorman (Cardinals) - Will his cards be expensive?
Ryan Weathers (Padres)- Analysis is pending.
Alec Bohm (Phillies) - Love it. 
Brady Singer (Royals) - Did not play. Bargain bin potential?
Nick Madrigal (White Sox) - An enigma in my opinion.

2018 Bowman Chrome Baseball - Early Pricing Trends

2018 Bowman Chrome Baseball has been out for a few days and I wanted to provide some pricing updates for some of my buy recommendations. Please note that I only looked at completed auctions for base autograph cards on eBay for the price estimates . I expect prices to change as supply increases. 

Carlos Rincon - Los Angeles Dodgers OF - Currently around $30. I hope the price comes down to around $20.

James Nelson - Miami Marlins 3B - His auto is selling for about $10. I would not pay above that price.

Michel Baez - San Diego Padres P  - Under $10. A good price for a nice talent. Still has some things to work on but I like the potential.

Seth Romero - Washington Nationals P - Not a lot of sales online. I don't think he is short printed. Keep an eye on the sales.

Yordan Alvarez - Houston Astros OF - As expected his prices are on the high end. 

Akil Baddoo - Minnesota Twins OF - His auto is selling for $15-$20. I would prefer to buy at $15. $25 would be too much.

Antoni Flores - Boston Red Sox SS - Prices are around $20-$25. Seems that people are buying the potential. Him being with the Red Sox helps. 

Brandon Marsh - Los Angeles Angels OF - Auto is selling for around $35-$40. Way too much for my taste. I will wait until the winter to buy. 

Carter Kieboom - Washington Nationals SS - As expected his prices are on the high end. 

Daulton Varsho - Arizona Diamondbacks C - I was surprised to see his auto selling for $20. In my opinion this is a great price. If he performs well in the Fall League the price will go up to around $30 possibly. 

Eduardo Diaz - Arizona Diamondbacks OF - Auto is selling for around $10. I am waiting to see if the price drops. 

Kristian Robinson - Arizona Diamondbacks OF - Robinson's prices are odd to me. I thought they would be around $10 or less but I have not seen any prices under $50 so far. Due to the price I am going to wait to see if the price drops.

Luis Garcia - Washington Nationals 2B 50-60 - I'm surprised that Garcia's auto is on the high end. His auto is selling for $50-60. 

LoLo Sanchez - Pittsburgh Pirates OF - Sanchez auto is selling for $15-$25. Not really surprised at the price.

Luis Urias - San Diego Padres 2B - As expected his prices are on the high end. 

Tyler Freeman - Cleveland Indians 2B - Auto is selling for $10-$15. Not surprised at the price. It seems people are afraid that he only has doubles power. I am willing to take a risk that he will hit for more power. 

William Contreras - Atlanta Braves C - His auto is selling for $40-$60. Way too high for me. 

Yasel Antuna - Washington Nationals 2B - Not too many sales out there. I will watch. 

2018 Bowman Chrome Baseball - Prospect Checklist Review

2018 Bowman Chrome Baseball releases this week and I wanted to provide my thoughts before the release. Please review the breakdown below. I will write a follow up after prices settle. The recommendations below are all based off performance and not card prices. If you have any questions please email me at prospectsforprofit@gmail.com or on Twitter @prospectsforcash. Overall I think the checklist is a C+ due to a number of older prospects being included.

Brett Cumberland - Atlanta Braves C - A little older prospect but the K rate is 25%. I want to see an improvement before purchasing.

Brayan Hernandez - Miami Marlins OF  - Pass. I don't see huge power potential here.

Chris DeVito - Kansas City Royals 1B - Pass. No pop.

Carlos Rincon - Los Angeles Dodgers OF - Buy. Love the power numbers and I am making the bet that the K rate drops. He need to keep it under 25%.

Daniel Gonzalez - Boston Red Sox P - Decent numbers but not enough for me to purchase.

Estevan Florial - New York Yankees OF - Love his talent but he will be overpriced due to being a Yankee prospect. Too high of a price to pay and too many strikeouts for me to recommend. I wonder what his auto cost would be if he was not a Yankee.

Gavin LaValley - Cincinnati Reds 1B - Another decent prospect but nothing really blows me away here.

Heath Fillmyer - Oakland Athletics P - Too old and the K/9 rate is not the best.

Jaime Barria - Los Angeles Angels P - Pass. Stats look very average to me.

Jose Gomez - Philadelphia Phillies 2B - Pass. No pop.

James Nelson - Miami Marlins 3B - Nelson is a buy for me. He had injuries during the 2018 season but I like the power numbers and I think he can improve on the strikeouts. I will take a small position.

Jake Ring - Baltimore Orioles OF - Pass. 24 and has not touched AA.

Jake Rogers - Detroit Tigers C - I like the profile but I think he has too much swing and miss.

Kyle Cody - Texas Rangers P - Pass. 24 and has not played in AA.

Kyle Young - Philadelphia Phillies P - Decent numbers but nothing blows me away. Pass.

Michel Baez - San Diego Padres P - A buy for me. The numbers jump out. Potential #2 starter.

Matthias Dietz - Baltimore Orioles P - Pass. Nothing really moves the needle to me.

Matt Hall - Detroit Tigers P - Pass. 25 years of age.

Nick Fanti - Philadelphia Phillies P - Pass. Not enough innings in 2018 for me.

Ryan Helsley - St. Louis Cardinals P - I love the numbers but the reports say he may be a bullpen guy. Pass.

Ranger Suarez - Philadelphia Phillies P - Pass. K/9 rate is too low.

Shao-Ching Chiang - Cleveland Indians P - Pass. K/9 rate is too low.

Seth Romero - Washington Nationals P - Romero is a buy for me . Not a lot of innings but this guy can pitch and will be a starter. I will take a small position depending on price.

Travis Lakins - Boston Red Sox P - Numbers are not bad at all but he is not a top end starter. Pass.

Willie Abreu - Colorado Rockies OF -  I really like the numbers but he is a Rockies prospect. If he gets traded I would buy.

Yordan Alvarez - Houston Astros OF - Very impressive prospect. I would buy but the price has to be right. He may be on the high end out of the gate.

Aramis Ademan - Chicago Cubs SS - Ademan will most likely be the Cubs top prospect going into 2019. He won't hit for a lot of power but I am curious to see what his auto will go for. I will watch for now.

Austin Allen - San Diego Padres C - 24 years of age but had good numbers in AA. Due to the age I would have to pass. Buying one auto would not hurt though for the right price.

Akil Baddoo - Minnesota Twins OF - I am recommending a buy here. Please be aware that he is a project and if you buy the hope is that the Twins and Akil will work on cutting down the K's. If he improves a 20-20 player is the ceiling. I need to see where prices settle at before writing more.

Antoni Flores - Boston Red Sox SS - Not a lot of data on this player. But that is not a bad thing. If you buy you are relying 100% on the scouting reports.

Alex Wells - Baltimore Orioles P - K/9 too low. Pass.

Brusdar Graterol - Minnesota Twins P - Love the numbers but he has already had injury issues. Pass.

Brendon Little - Chicago Cubs - Pass. K/9 not high enough for me.

Brandon Marsh - Los Angeles Angels - Marsh is a strong buy for me but is a gamble. I am aware of the high K rate but love his 5 tool potential. The bet I am making is that he will improve and hit for more power. He will be 21 during the 2019 season.  For other prospectors, I 100% understand why you would pass.

Charcer Burks - Chicago Cubs OF - Pass. No pop.

Conner Capel - Cleveland Indians OF - Capel is a watch for me. He just was traded to the Cardinals. I am interested in how he develops with them. Right now he is hitting for a little power.

Cole Freeman - Washington Nationals 2B - Pass. 23 years old in A ball. College bat who was just drafted in 2017. His extra base hits are not bad though.

Carter Kieboom - Washington Nationals SS - A high end prospect. Prices will be insane.

Chase Pinder - St. Louis Cardinals OF - Pass. Decent numbers but I don't see a lot of upside here.

Connor Seabold - Philadelphia Phillies P - Numbers are not bad. Worth a watch. I want to see more data before buying.

Chris Torres - Miami Marlins - Pass. Good player but the K's are too much of an issue. Not sure if he can improve those issues.

Darwinzon Hernandez - Boston Red Sox  P - Watch. Very solid numbers but needs the BB/9 rate to drop 50%.

Dustin May - Los Angeles Dodgers P - Another good Dodgers pitching prospect. Does not walk a lot of batters. Not a front line starter so I will have to pass.

Daulton Varsho - Arizona Diamondbacks - Strong buy for me. Will be 22 most of the 2019 season. He had a few injuries but the K rate is 20% and the walk rate is solid. He can also hit for power. Varsho is one of the few catching prospects that I would recommend. My hope is that prices are reasonable. In addition, he also stole 19 bases in 2018.

Eduardo Diaz - Arizona Diamondbacks OF - Watch. Played decent in A ball but struck out 31% of the time. Seems to be a project.

Enyel De Los Santos - Philadelphia Phillies P - Pass.

Edwin Rios - Los Angeles Dodgers 1B - 24 years of age. Seems to be stuck in AAA. Pass.

Evan Steele - Kansas City Royals P - Pass. Not much out there. I think he may have gotten injured.

Franklin Perez - Detroit Tigers P - Young but I need to see more data. Pass but I am watching.

Gregory Soto - Detroit Tigers P - Pass. Too many walks.

Jose Albertos - Chicago Cubs P - Watch. Stats are all over the place. I want to see if he can get back on track. Only 19 years old.

Joe Dunand - Miami Marlins SS - Worth a watch but I want to see how he does in a full season at AA. Decent pop. Seems like a 15hr guy.

Jorge Guzman - Miami Marlins P - Pass. Walk rate needs to improve.

Joey Lucchesi - San Diego Padres P - Pass. 25 years of age.

Jonathan Loaisiga - New York Yankees P - Yankees are the best at developing pitchers. Not sure if I would buy though. He may go to the bullpen.

Jairo Solis - Houston Astros P - Only 18 years of age. Walks are up there. A buy but you need to be aware that he is a project.

Kevin Maitan - Los Angeles Angels - Pass. Second auto.

Kristian Robinson - Arizona Diamondbacks - Buy. Please be warned this is a long term project buy. Robinson is only 17 years of age but is a 5 tool prospect. The swing and miss is there but he continues to make adjustments. I think he has the chance to be a really good power/speed prospect.

Luis Guillorme - New York Mets 2B - Not a bad talent but the power numbers are not there.

Luis Garcia - Washington Nationals -Only 18 and is a strong buy. I think there is power potential here. A lot of upside and will take time but is worth the risk.

Luis Medina - New York Yankees P - Only 19 but is a project. If you buy now you are trusting the Yankees to develop him.

Leonardo Rivas - Los Angeles Angels 2B - Pass. Low extra base hits numbers.

Logan Shore - Oakland Athletics P - Pass. Not a front end starter.

LoLo Sanchez - Pittsburgh Pirates - 19 years of age. 16.3% K rate 10% walk rate but I need more power. It is a chance it could happen. The price has to be right for me to buy.

Luis Urias - San Diego Padres 2B - I expect him to be on the high end. Good hitter that hit for power in AAA.

LaMonte Wade - Minnesota Twins OF - Pass. 24 years of age. Decent numbers but I see no upside.

Micker Adolfo - Chicago White Sox OF - Pass. Love the talent but has some elbow issues.

Mike Baumann - Baltimore Orioles P - Pass.

Nick Allen - Oakland Athletics - Only 19 years old but I see no power potential at all. Pass.

Nicky Lopez - Kansas City Royals SS - Nice hitter but wont hit for much power. Pass for me but I would love to debate.

Riley Adams - Toronto Blue Jays C - Nice catching prospect but rather spend money on Varsho. I would not be mad at a prospector who bought a few.

Rogelio Armenteros - Houston Astros - 24 years of age. Pass but the numbers are insane. Too old for me but I understand if you would buy.

Russell Wilson - New York Yankees - No comment.

Shane Bieber - Cleveland Indians P - Nice bullpen arm but not a player I would buy.

Sheldon Neuse - Oakland Athletics 3B - Pass. K rate over 30%.

Tyler Freeman - Cleveland Indians - STRONG BUY - Line drive hitter.Scouts say he will not hit for game power. I am making the bet that he does. He is only 19 and is already an advanced hitter. 29 doubles, 4 triples and 2 home runs.

Trevor Oaks - Kansas City Royals P - Pass.

Trevor Stephan - New York Yankees P - Decent number but walks need to be cut down. Possibly a reliever. Pass.

William Contreras - Atlanta Braves C - Wow. Another catcher that I like. Brother of Wilson Contreras of the Cubs. Worth a buy but I am focused on Varsho.

Yasel Antuna - Washington Nationals 2B - 18 years of age. 14 doubles, 2 triples, and six home runs in 2018. The gamble will be the power potential. I think it is there and I will buy.

The Most Important Arizona Fall League Players To Watch

Arizona Fall League rosters have been released and did not disappoint. The Fall League is a great time for teams to test the overall skills of a prospect. Positive performance is a great sign of future success in the Major Leagues. I have listed a few players below that I will be watching.

Peoria Javelinas

Keston Hiura - I am interested to see how well he hits and defends. AFL MVP is not impossible.

Cristian Pache - Keep a close eye on his extra base hits and home runs.

Buddy Reed - I am looking for an overall good performance. He continues to improve.

Scottsdale Scorpions

Sixto Sanchez - I am worried about Sixto's health. If he is healthy and performs well, he will be a top 15 prospect in 2019.

Ronnie Dawson - Watching for an improvement in the strikeout rate.

Suprise Saquaros

Khalil Lee - Watching for an improvement in the strikeout rate.

Bryan Reynolds - Nice prospect. A good performance will boost his stock.

Salt River Rafters

Daulton Varsho - A rare catching prospect that I love. He should play well. Still needs a Bowman Chrome auto.

Pavin Smith - Smith is the most important player to keep an eye on during this Fall League season. I will be monitoring a few things. The most important will be power numbers and batting average.

Mesa Solar Sox

Bobby Dalbec - The K rate has to come down.

Jahmai Jones - Trout needs help. Jones must have a good showing.

Josh Ockimey - Josh is under the radar. He won't be after if he performs well.

Glendale Desert Dogs 

Yu Chang - I love Cleveland hitters and will be looking for a good performance with a decrease in his K rate. 

Arizona Fall League Full Rosters

MLB Prospect Statistical Analysis (Stats Don't Lie) - Good Hitters

In this edition of Stats Don't Lie, I wanted to see who were the best hitters this season. When I run this report, batting average is not really a factor. The goal is to looks for hitters with high walk rates, good strikeout rates and power potential. Check out the list below.

Name              2B              3B               HR          BB%          K%            ISO         BB/K Royce Lewis 29 0 10 8.50% 15.10% 0.161 0.56 Isaac Paredes 20 2 13 10.10% 15.10% 0.185 0.67 Jeter Downs 22 2 11 9.60% 19.70% 0.154 0.49 Gavin Lux 23 7 12 10.40% 16.90% 0.199 0.61 Carter Kieboom 24 0 13 10.30% 19.60% 0.162 0.52 Jahmai Jones 14 7 9 12.80% 19.80% 0.141 0.64 Seth Beer 11 0 7 10.80% 15.40% 0.194 0.70 Daulton Varsho 10 4 9 9.60% 18.50% 0.196 0.52 Kyle Tucker 24 2 14 9.70% 19.20% 0.208 0.51 Ke'Bryan Hayes 27 6 6 10.90% 15.70% 0.167 0.69 Bryan Reynolds 15 1 5 12.10% 19.40% 0.152 0.63

* Min of 175 Plate Appearances

* Age range was 23 or younger

Takeaways

Ke'Bryan Hayes - Still a bargain bin buy. Scouts are skeptical that he can develop power.

Issac Paredes, Daulton Varsho & Carter Kieboom - All need a Chrome auto.

Jeter Downs - Still affordable and a strong buy.

Gavin Lux - Great bounceback season.

Jahmai Jones - Still a strong buy for me.

Seth Beer - I hope he is in 2018 Bowman Draft.

Early 2018 Bowman Draft Prospects to Target

The release of 2018 Bowman Draft was just announced and while a full checklist will be released at a later date, I have already targeted a few players. Keep and eye on Jonathan India and Alec Bohm. Third base prospects who are selected high are safer than most players. Both are college bats so the path to the majors will be hopefully faster. It will be interesting to see how both perform in short season ball.

Contact In Baseball Is Still King and Strikeouts Do Matter

If you are a reader of the site and have read my previous recommendations I am sure you have noticed a trend. Contact matters when I am searching for prospects to invest in. Yes I know we are still in the moneyball era and I am well aware that strikeouts don't matter. Trust me strikeouts do matter. Especially in the minors and playoff baseball. A number of prospects have inflated prices due to huge home run totals but strikeout in 30% of their at bats. If there are cases where I think a player can cut down on the strikeouts I will be sure to let the readers know. Keep following for more updates as the season goes on.

Could Cristian Pache's Bowman Auto Reach Ronald Acuna Prices?

When 2018 Bowman Baseball was released one of my favorite prospects in the product was Cristian Pache. I thought his prices would be reasonable after release but I was 100% wrong. His autographs were immediately on the high end. I think the main reason is because he made a few top 100 lists despite not being a lock to have power. The Braves have been working with him on his swing and he has five home runs on the year. Not to mention he is already an elite defender. It seems his card prices are only going to go up. In my previous article regarding Senzel I said it is OK to take risk. After review, I noticed a big difference between Senzel's situation and Pache's. The Reds rebuild seems to be taking longer than expected while the Braves are playing well and are loaded on the farm. Cristian Pache may be a year or two away but the time to buy is now if your budget allows.

Nick Senzel Out For The Season - Prospecting Advice

Today the Cincinnati Reds announced that Nick Senzel will be out for the year with a hand injury. The news is unfortunate as he was on fire the last ten games and a promotion to the Reds was imminent. I have said this multiple times on the blog that injuries are one of the few reasons investing in high end prospects is a big risk. Every year in baseball a high end prospect gets hurt and collectors feel the pain. Don't get me wrong its OK to take risk but sometimes the cost is not worth it. In Senzel's case he was one of the safest prospects in the minors far as talent is concerned but was high priced as soon as his auto came and had previously missed time. Due to the injury his prices could drop. It would be best practice to hold on to what you have unless you can make a profit. 

Austin Beck's and Pavin Smith's Stocks Are Not Trending Down

Sam Dykstra at MILB.com posted an article discussing the 2017 MLB Draft and the performance of certain prospects. I was surprised to see that he stated Austin Beck and Pavin Smith's stocks were trending down. Austin Beck tore his ACL while in high school and while he did struggle in short season ball, he is still 19 and is playing better. He was known to be a project when he was drafted. Pavin Smith is only batting .214 but his K rate and walk rate are exceptional and the power numbers are acceptable despite being in a hitter friendly league. I think sometimes we are not patient with the development of these players as they adjust to pro ball.

MILB Article by Sam Dykstra

Pittisburgh Pirates 3B/SS Oneil Cruz is Under the Radar

One prospect that is a bargain bin and should not be forgotten is Oneil Cruz. He was traded to the Pirates last season from the Dodgers and is still only 19. So far this season he has hit 8 HR's to go with 11 doubles and 5 triples. I would like to see his strikeout rate go down but so far I am very impressed with him this season.

Link to stats via FanGraphs

Los Angeles Dodgers OF Alex Verdugo - Buy, Sell or Hold

The Los Angeles Dodgers are currently next to last in their division and just optioned Alex Verdugo back down to Triple A after a cup of coffee in the Majors. I understand the move due to Yasiel Puig returning from injury. Verdugo is one of my favorite prospects and has the plus bat you need in a current strikeout or home run league. At this moment I would currently hold his auto's. The market is now flooded with people selling. In my opinion I think he stays with the Dodgers and eventually comes back up to the 40 man roster. I don't believe they would trade him (especially if they are out of the playoff race) but I am watching closely. If you can make a profit by all means sell but I making the bet that he is in the Dodgers future plans.

MLB Prospect Statistical Analysis (Stats Don't Lie)

A full month of the season has passed and sample sizes are starting to be large enough to run my first Stats Don't Lie report of the year. The main focus of this report is to find prospects who have undervalued Bowman Chrome autographs. When I run this report I am looking for hitters with good walk rates combined with manageable K rates. In addition, I am looking for average to above average isolated slugging percentage. The goal is to look for hitters who make contact and hit for decent power. For this report I have added a few players who don't fit the criteria but should be mentioned. Please note the season is still young so these numbers should be taken into account but pitchers will adjust accordingly.

Any notable numbers highlighted in red should be monitored and numbers highlighted in blue are positive signs of good performance.

Name Team              PA         BB%          K%            ISO Stuart Fairchild Reds (A) 133 13.50% 23.30% 0.130 Ernie Clement Indians (A) 137 11.70% 9.50% 0.092 Hoy Jun Park Yankees (A+) 122 18.00% 18.90% 0.104 Jeter Downs Reds (A) 145 9.00% 22.10% 0.125 Dylan Carlson - - - 113 15.00% 17.70% 0.147 Juan Yepez - - - 123 8.10% 14.60% 0.155 Will Benson Indians (A) 125 20.00% 25.60% 0.237 Khalil Lee Royals (A+) 137 17.50% 25.50% 0.138 Luis Alexander Basabe White Sox (A+) 131 16.00% 26.00% 0.266 Demi Orimoloye Brewers (A) 125 8.00% 18.40% 0.155 Daulton Varsho Diamondbacks (A+) 122 10.70% 18.90% 0.179 Jalen Miller Giants (A+) 150 6.70% 16.00% 0.168 TJ Friedl Reds (A+) 148 16.20% 14.20% 0.108 Daniel Johnson Nationals (AA) 146 6.80% 21.20% 0.115 Peter Alonso Mets (AA) 138 14.50% 18.10% 0.295 Kacy Clemens - - - 140 20.00% 19.30% 0.324 Cavan Biggio Blue Jays (AA) 119 15.10% 26.10% 0.392 Matt Thaiss Angels (AA) 137 8.80% 21.20% 0.203 Cedric Mullins Orioles (AA) 140 5.70% 13.60% 0.214 Ryan Howard Giants (AA) 125 5.60% 11.20% 0.106 David Fletcher Angels (AAA) 152 7.20% 4.60% 0.252
My Analysis
Stuart Fairchild - Bargain bin buy that has showed flashes of power which is why the strikeout rate is a little high.         Ernie Clement - A prospect to keep an eye on. The signs of power are not there at the moment. Hoy Jun Park - Park will not hit for much pop but I love the Yankees system right now. Worth a buy. Jeter Downs - One of my favorite prospects but can the power improve? Dylan Carlson - Carlson is a buy. His Bowman auto is still very affordable and I think he will continue to improve. He is turning the corner after a rough season last year. Juan Yepez - Another Cardinal who I liked when he was signed by the Braves. I recommended that prospectors watch him and he has now been upgraded to a buy. Scouts worry that he cannot make consistent contact. This season is a big one for him to prove them wrong. Will Benson & Khalil Lee - I like both prospects but they are also projects. High risk/reward but both take walks which is why I have taken a small position. The contact must improve and that is my main concern. Luis Alexander Basabe - Impressive so far and still a bargain buy. The strikeout rate is high but I am watching closely.  Demi Orimoloye - Demi does not have a Bowman auto but his early performance is showing he might be turning the corner. Impressive athlete. Daulton Varsho - If Varsho had a Chrome auto, he would be a strong buy.  Jalen Miller - Bargain bin buy who is repeating a level. I am not sure he can keep up the power surge though so don't go too crazy.  TJ Friedl - Love him as a prospect but he may be only a fourth outfielder. Daniel Johnson - Trending up and is currently a bargain bin buy. He has great ability but is still putting it together.  Peter Alonso - I told you to buy him here. The window has closed. Kacy Clemens - Still a bargain bin buy for me. Impressive start so far but is an older prospect.  Cavan Biggio - I told you to buy him here. Power numbers are there but the K rate needs to come down.  Matt Thaiss - One of my favorite prospects that is hitting for some decent power this year. Still a bargain. Cedric Mullins - Like him but Baltimore is bad and I would only buy for bargain bin prices (No more than $5-10). Ryan Howard & David Fletcher - Both are older bargain bin prospects who could possibly help their teams this year. Fletcher has been incredible so far this season.

Los Angeles Dodgers 2B/SS Gavin Lux Trending Up

After a rough 2017, Gavin Lux seems to be figuring it out. I recommend him as a strong buy back in 2017. He has impressed with a 15% walk and strikeout rate and has already hit 10 doubles. The potential for more power is still there and I would not be surprised to see him continue his success A+ ball.

2018 Bowman Baseball - Complete Analysis of Every Prospect

2018 Bowman Baseball releases this week and while everyone is hunting for Otani autographs I will be looking at other opportunities. Overall the checklist is pretty solid. I would give it an overall grade of a B-. If you would like me to comment on any retail only or rookie prospects, please leave comments below or email me at prospectsforprofit@gmail.com. Retail only usually has sticker autographs and I am not a fan of them. Thanks again for visiting Prospects For Cash!

 

Adbert Alzolay - Chicago Cubs RHP - Decent pitching prospect in a depleted system. I have decided to pass on buying his autograph. The he seems like a 4/5 starter at best. 

Andres Gimenez - New York Mets SS - Nice prospect. Just not enough pop for me. Prices will be inflated due to him being a Met. 

Brendan McKay - Tampa Bay Rays P/DH - I love that Brendan is sticking with playing both ways. So far he has exceeded at both this season. He is a high end prospect but his draft autograph would be the best one to purchase. 

Jose Adolis Garcia - St. Louis Cardinals OF - Older prospect but has amazing tools. I would not invest too heavy. If he was 5 years younger I would say different. 

Corbin Burnes - Milwaukee Brewers P - Nice arm but Brewer prospects only move the needle if they have international or superstar potential. 

Cedric Mullins - Baltimore Orioles OF - Nice prospect. He hit for some power in AA last year but the Orioles are headed towards a rebuild. I think no one will care if he puts up good numbers on a bad team.

Cristian Pache - Atlanta Braves OF- STRONG BUY! I would not say he is the next Acuna but Pache is an elite defender. The only thing missing is more power. The Braves have been working with him to improve the power numbers. Pache will be a breakout star this year. 

Chris Rodriguez - Los Angeles Angels - Pass. The K/9 rate needs to be higher for me to buy right now.

Colton Welker - Colorado Rockies 3B - This kid can flat out hit. The issue is that he is a Rockies prospect. No one cares about Rockies prospects and the inflated numbers at Coors Field. If you disagree I would love to debate the readers on this one. 

Darick Hall - Philadelphia Phillies 1B - Pass. The K rate is a little too high for me. 

Daniel Johnson - Washington Nationals OF - Prospectors are all in on Robles and Soto but Johnson is impressive. I rate him as a STRONG BUY. He will rise up the charts if he keeps it up.

DJ Peters - Los Angeles Dodgers OF - The Dodgers have another potential stud. The issue I have with Peters is his K rate. It has to come down for me to really feel comfortable investing. Buying one or two may be the best approach. 

Dennis Santana - Los Angeles Dodgers P - Former hitter turned pitcher but is a pass for me. Not enough production to make a fair judgement. 

Edward Olivares - Toronto Blue Jays OF - A buy for me. Nice power numbers and a respectable strikeout rate. 

Eric Pardinho - Toronto Blue Jays P - 17 year old from Brazil. He has not played in pro ball as of this write up. Keep an eye on him. Pass for now.

Greg Deichmann - Oakland Athletics 1B - Classic Athletic's prospect. Big time power but needs to cut down on strikeouts. Worth a small investment. 

Hunter Greene - Cincinnati Reds P - The number one pick will be in high demand. I like him as a prospect but high school arms are always risky and high end prospects are expensive. Pass

Ibandel Isabel - Los Angeles Dodgers - Pass. Strikeout rate is over 30%.

J.B. Bukauskas - Houston Astros P - Another top pick that will be high end. The sample size is small so I am staying away.

Jordan Humphreys - New York Mets P - Would be a buy if he did not blow his elbow out. 

Jordan Hicks - St. Louis Cardinals P - Nice prospect but I will pass.

JoJo Romero - Philadelphia Phillies P - Like him but I will pass. Seems to be a 3/4 starter.

Jeren Kendall - Los Angeles Dodgers OF - Pass. See Ibandel Isabel.

Jose Siri - Cincinnati Reds - Siri is known for an impressive hitting streak last season but his contact needs to improve. Sounds crazy but the K rate needs to be under 20% for me to buy.

Joey Wentz - Atlanta Braves P - Nice arm. Keep an eye on him. Would not have an issue buying a few. His K/9 rate was over 10 and he pitched over 130 innings.

Keibert Ruiz - Los Angeles Dodgers C - If you are patient Ruiz is a buy. Impressive hitting statistics but catchers take time to develop. 

Logan Allen - San Diego Padres P - Pass - Not enough data to make a fair assessment. 

Luis Escobar - Pittsburgh Pirates P - Keep an eye on him. The walks need to come down. 

Luis Robert - Chicago White Sox OF - Will most likely be a high end prospect. The rookie ball stats are deceiving. I would buy if the price was low due to the injury. 

MacKenzie Gore - San Diego Padres P - Another high end pitching prospect. Pass. Good talent though.

Michael Mercado - Tampa Bay Rays P - Young arm but I will pass. The K/9 rate was very low. Still time to improve at age 19.

McKenzie Mills - Philadelphia Phillies P - Pass. Mills is most likely a 3/4 starter. Nice tools.

Mike Shawaryn - Boston Red Sox P - Pass. Not enough for me to invest.

Matt Sauer - New York Yankees P - Keep an eye on Sauer. Only 19 and the sample size is limited.

Pedro Avila - San Diego Padres P - The K/9 rates for Avila are impressive. I am buying one or two.

Royce Lewis - Minnesota Twins - Pass. His second autograph.

Sandro Fabian - San Francisco Giants OF - Buy. A little high risk but the tools are there. Would like to see him walk a little more. Keeping an eye on him. Could of easily have been a strong buy. I am being conservative with my rating.

Spencer Howard - Philadelphia Phillies P - I like his tools but the walks need to come down. Pass for now.

Sam Hilliard - Colorado Rockies OF - Another Rockies prospect that I like but will pass on. 

Shed Long - Cincinnati Reds 2B- Shed is a buy. A little older but I like the talent. I worry about people not caring as the Reds are in rebuild mode. 

Sean Murphy - Oakland Athletics C - Pass. Not enough pop for me. 

Thomas Hatch - Chicago Cubs P - Pass. Nice talent but not a top starter. 

Zack Littell - Minnesota Twins - Pass. Not a top starter.

MLB Prospects Off To Hot Starts

The first week of the MILB season is almost complete and so far there have been some notable performances. While there is still a lot of baseball to be played, fast starts are always a positive. For prospects that are struggling there is no reason to panic. Below are a few names that are catching my attention.

Baltimore Orioles P Zac Lowther - I recommended prospectors to buy Lowther a few weeks ago. He was very impressive in his debut and showed some impressive arm talent.

Kansas City Royals OF Khalil Lee - Another breakout prospect candidate that has been mentioned on the site before. He still has work to do but his ability to walk makes me a believer.

Oakland Athletics OF Austin Beck - Beck has all the superstar tools you want but has struggled to make contact so far in his young career. So far this season he seems to have improved his plate discipline. The sample size is small though. Beck is a long term project.

Minnesota Twins OF Alex Kiriloff - In his return from Tommy John surgery, Alex has already hit two home runs and is back on track to the majors. The window is small to still buy him. I think he will be the Twins top prospect by the end of the season.

Los Angeles Angels OF Brandon Marsh - 2018 Breakout Prospect

One of my favorite breakout prospect candidates in 2018 is Brandon Marsh. A former two sport athlete, Brandon has the power/speed combination that could have him in the top 100 by the end of the year. He has battled injuries the first few seasons in his pro career but now he is finally healthy and ready to play full time. Above average power is definitely a future possibility and flashes of five tool ability are hard to ignore. Unfortunately, Brandon does not have a Bowman Chrome auto. Hopefully on April 25th that changes when 2018 Bowman is released.

Atlanta Braves OF Cristian Pache - 2018 Bowman Alert

2018 Bowman comes out later this month and while collectors are on the hunt for Otani autographs I am looking for players with the potential to be in the top 100 next year. When I saw Cristian Pache officially sign for Bowman, I immediately got excited. Pache is already one of the top outfield defenders in the minors and has improved all of his tools since signing with the Braves as a 16 year old. He did not hit any Home Runs in 2017 but all the reports I have read state that he has power potential. The Braves are working on his swing constantly and I think he will break out in 2018.

Link to Stats via Fangraphs

One New Rule for Investing in Pitching Prospects

Every year it seems pro baseball has major pitching injuries before the season starts. Multiple talented arms have went down already and we have not even started the season yet. From Jharel Cotton, Brent Honeywell and Rafael Montero, investing in pitching is risky business. A.J. Puk was just shut down due to biceps tightness this week and he was one of my favorite pitching prospects. I can honestly say at the moment that if I invest in a pitcher it will be a small investment. How would I define small investment? For me it would be no more than 5 base auto's for a player and I would spend no more than $15 each. I think these players are throwing way too much these days and it starts at the youth level. Buyer beware.

Spring Training and Prospect Performance - Does It Matter?

Spring Training is wrapping up and prospects are headed to Minor League camp. I noticed a number of prospects had really good camps this year and showed off a number of tools and abilities. Should prospectors take these performances seriously? In my opinion good performances should be noted but not taken too seriously. Spring Training for a majority of the players attending is an extended Major League tryout. The pitching quality is not the most elite and the hitters are not facing the best competition on a daily basis.

2 MLB Prospects Who Will Move Quickly In The Minors

Pavin Smith and Keston Hirua are two members of the 2017 Draft class who posses above average hitting skills. Most reports expect Keston to have above average power and Pavin Smith to eventually come into his power last. Prices are a little on the high end for both but the hitting skills are so good the potential for prices to explode this season are likely. I have provided a few additional thoughts below for each player.

Milwaukee Brewers 2B - Keston Hirua - Reports have stated that Keston's elbow is fully healed. Scouts worry about his defense but the bat is so good it will become a non factor. You may see him in the Majors this year and I expect him to move quickly. Milwaukee Brewers prospects usually do not sell but I think Keston is a special player. For a Brewer prospect, his cards are in high demand. The best time to buy is now.

Arizona Diamondbacks 1B - Pavin Smith - Similar to Keston, Smith has above average hitting ability and walked more than he struck out during the 2017 season. He is a lock to be the replacement for Paul Goldschimdt in 2019 and should move quickly. The main issue scouts have is the power potential. I am taking the gamble that he will develop power last 

A.J. Puk Shining In Spring Training

One of my favorite pitching prospects, A.J. Puk is having an impressive spring. He has added a few pitches to his arsenal and arrived to camp in great shape. He is clearly the best pitcher the A's have and his Bowman auto can still be bought for around $15. It is not too late to invest in a future stud.

Justin Williams - Tampa Bay Rays OF - Breakout Prospect Canidate

It's a good feeling when you find an under the radar prospect with a track record of making adjustments each season. Justin Williams has played 5 minor league seasons and is only 22 years of age. In 2017, Williams made multiple adjustments at AA Montgomery and raised his walk rate to an impressive 9% while cutting down on strikeouts. Not to mention he mashed 21 doubles, 3 triples and 14 homers. After doing some research online it seems that prices are still very affordable. EBay does not have much on sale which is a sign of people buying and holding until the season starts. I would suggest digging around at local card shows and set up alerts for any new sales of his Bowman Chrome auto. I think Williams will continue to improve. Scouts love his overall makeup and hitting ability.

Stats Don't Lie - 2017 Final Report Highlights

Stats are big part of my prospect analysis and this season I would like to share more numbers with my readers. All of the hitters listed below finished the season with a walk rate above 8%, a K rate below 20% and an .ISO above .140. The basis of the report shows hitters who have a great chance of success as they move up the ladder. Keep in mind this is only for the 2017 season and some players may have played across multiple levels. More names could of been added but I only wanted to focus on players with Bowman Chrome Auto's.

Houston Astros - Ronnie Dawson - STRONG bargain bin recommendation. He has to cut down on the K rate to make it to the Majors.

New York Yankees - Nick Solak  - A Yankee prospect that has been overshadowed. Decent pop and a good eye at the plate. Worth a buy.

Cincinnati Reds - Jeter Downs - Breakout prospect candidate. Very impressive first season in the Minors.

Toronto Blue Jays - Vladimir Guerrero Jr. - Stud

Tortonto Blue Jays - Bo Bichette - Stud

Cincinnati Reds - Nick Senzel - I think he will grow into power and hit 20-25 home runs annually.

Miami Marlins - Lewis Brinson - Will finally get his shot but can he stay healthy.

Boston Red Sox - Rafael Devers - Stud

Toronto Blue Jays - Reese McGuire - On the 40 man roster.

Baltimore Orioles - D.J. Stewart - Scouts are skeptical but his auto is nowhere to be found on EBay. Interesting.

Tampa Bay Rays - Jake Bauers - Nice prospect but not sure if I would buy. Prices are a little out of range for me.

Philadelphia Phillies - J.P. Crawford - Nice prospect with good defense but the time to buy was when he was struggling in AAA.

Prospects Who Need A Chrome Auto

While we all wait for the 2018 Bowman Checklist to be finalized check out the names below. The prospects listed are on my wishlist to sign a Bowman Chrome card this year. 

Washington Nationals - Carter Kieboom - Exciting prospect with multiple tools.

Minnesota Twins -Akil Badoo - Good prospect still who is still growing into his power potential.

Arizona Diamondbacks - Daulton Varsho - Rare catcher prospect that I like. Impressive first season in A ball.

St Louis Cardinals - Carson Kelly - Another catching prospect that I like. Expect to see him in the Majors this year.

New York Yankees 2B/SS Hoy Jun Park - Bargain Bin

I was running some numbers a few days ago and noticed Hoy Jun Park had an under the radar season. What I love about Park is his walk rate and ability to get on base. His batting average was around .250 for the season but he showed signs of power with 12 doubles, 6 triples and 7 home runs. Base autographs are selling for under five dollars. For that price I think buying a few is a good move. I think Park will take a big step this year and has double digit home run potential.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr's Bowman Chrome Autograph Is A Bargain

Baseball America and MLB Pipeline both released their top 100 prospect lists this week and ranked Vladimir Guerrero Jr in their top 5. After reading various articles and scouting reports, there is a consensus within the baseball community that Vlad Jr possess an 80 grade hit tool and 70 grade power. Tools at this level translate to a high batting average with the ability to hit 30 or more home runs annually. Jim Callis from MLB pipeline even compared him to Miguel Cabrera which immediately put me on high alert. The only reason why he is not the number one prospect is because he does not possess multiple tools like Ronald Acuna or Shohei Ohtani. His 2016 Bowman Chrome Autograph prices are around $250-$300 for base and $400 for a refractor. If you have the means I would consider buying a graded version of this card. I strongly believe the returns will be off the charts. Remember you only need one.

Austin Beck is the Next Oakland A's Superstar

One of my favorite prospects in 2017 Bowman Chrome Draft is Austin Beck. Drafted 6th overall by the Oakland Athletics in the 2017 MLB Draft, Beck has some of the best overall tools in the draft class and is the true definition of a high risk prospect. His hit tool will take time to develop but if it does he will become a star. After reviewing pricing trends over the last few weeks, I believe his cards are currently overpriced and will cost you around $40 a base auto. In my opinion, the main reason is because he is a high draft pick and has been covered by major publications. If Beck was drafted in the second round prices would be half of what they are now. Overall, I am making a small investment in Beck if I can buy a base auto around $25. I expect dips in performance during the adjustment to professional baseball and will buy when others are selling low due to being impatient. Any purchases will be a long term hold but I strongly feel a big return will happen in the future.

The State of MLB Baseball Prospecting In 2018

As we prepare for a new baseball season, taking a look at the overall state of prospecting, baseball and the hobby is needed if not mandatory. In my honest opinion baseball and prospecting have never been better. Here are a few reasons why.

1. Social Media - It has never been easier to follow a prospect on a day to day basis. Most if not all players have accounts on Twitter and Instagram. YouTube provides scouting videos and interviews.

2. The MLB and Topps Relationship - Prospectors may have issues with various checklists when they are released but Topps has done a great job. I don't see this relationship ever breaking up and Topps continues to release the best on card autographs on the market.

3. Data - Access to advanced statistics has made the prospecting process very fun if not easier. A number of sites have emerged that provide all the information you need to analyze a prospect.

4. Media Coverage - From Blogs to Podcasts, access to discussions and other opinions have never been more available. In addition, the Futures Game and MLB Draft continue to improve their broadcast. You can even watch the Arizona Fall League now!

Are there concerns? Of course there are. The Hobby Shops are slowly being taken over buy the online stores which makes buying cards harder since you are looking at photos and scans. The positive is that card shows are still very active and provide an alternative.