Chris (Tampa): How good is Willy Adames? Having hard time sorting out his talent and attention he's getting against lack of depth in the Ray's system
Mark Anderson: It was even harder to sort out just how good Adames was when compared to the complete absence of depth in the Tigers system. I like Adames. I've seen him a fair bit, both right when he arrived in the States and a little bit in West Michigan this year. The defensive profile sits around average if the body matures as you'd expect from an athlete of his caliber, and I think he sticks at the position for a while, at least. I think the bat is going to play but he's going to have to evolve the approach a bit to really see his raw power manifest in games. I like Adames a lot but I'm not convinced he's a budding star quite yet. I've talked to scouts that turned him in as everything from a utility player to a high-6 talent; that's a wide gap and one that should narrow as he faces a little stiffer competition in the FSL in 2015.
Mike (Utica): Margot or Devers, who do you take?
Mark Anderson: This is tough. I really think I flip-flop on this every time I am asked. Right now I tend to be biased toward Margot because I have first-hand experience with the player, and I'm a sucker for an up the middle profile defensively. It is really close, but right now I lean Margot over Devers....and if Devers starts to realize the monstrous offensive potential he has, then I reserve the right to change my mind!
Drew (Washington, DC): Of the young hitters in the low minors, who has the highest ceiling? Are there any "franchise" type players with elite ceilings?
Mark Anderson: I won't suggest there are elite ceilings out there among the hitters in the lowest levels of the minors, as that's a pretty special player, but there are some really incredible players at the lowest levels....a guy like Rafael Devers has game-changing potential. Someone like Alex Jackson could be a beast. Eloy Jimenez carries a ton of risk but is really talented and could be the type of power prospect that is rare in today's game.
Bret tweeted that Rafael Devers may be the best J2 bat since Sano. Does Devers have that type of offensive potential?
Mark Anderson: I've touched on Devers a couple of times tonight....bottom line, yes, he does have that type of potential.
Mike (Utica): Gut feeling, who are the top 5 prospects after the 2015 season?
Mark Anderson: Giolito, Buxton, Correa, Urias, Russell.
Mark Anderson: Alright gang, I hate to run, but it's time for me to bow out and slide back to reality. Thanks again for coming with strong questions and I'll be sure to get on a more regular cycle of doing these chats! In the interim, any time you have questions, hit me up on Twitter (@ProspectMark).
Chris (Boston): How good is Rafael Devers? Does he have the talent/tools to become a top 10 prospect down the road? Would he be a serious candidate for #1 overall pick in the 2015 draft if he were eligible?
Mark Anderson: Devers is really good, particularly for a player of his age. His offensive projection is mammoth and if the body develops in a positive way and he finds a solid defensive home, then he's a potential All-Star caliber bat. The internal discussions on the player were really strong in our Red Sox ranking debate, and he could be a guy that really flies up the prospect lists, peaking in the top 10-15 in baseball over the next couple of years. Devers is a name that is going to be really, really well known in a very short amount of time.
Nick (Colorado): Do you think Tapia will be a top 25 prospect by the end of the 2015 season?
Mark Anderson: I really like Tapia's hitting ability, but the 2015 campaign may be a bit early for him to make that type of leap. I think he'll be close, but it would take a pretty enormous season in 2015, and I expect him to get challenged with some time in Double-A if things go well in the first half, meaning there are likely to be some developmental bumps next year...all before he explodes in 2016; that's my call.
Cal Guy (Cal): Hi Mark, As an expansion team in a dynasty league I get to select one pitcher and one hitter off any current team's roster as long as the player has not reached AA ball, or I can get the first two picks of unrostered players. I am leaning towards taking Giolito and Correa off existing rosters, but international free agents are fair game too, and Maeda and Tomas are available. The best player not rostered yet is Devers. What would you advise?
Mark Anderson: Dynasty league advice isn't really my area of expertise, so I would encourage you to reach out to folks like Bret Sayre, Craig Goldstein, Ben Carsley, etc., but I can try to give you some advice too. From a pure scouting standpoint, it's pretty hard to walk away from the raw potential of guys like Giolito and Correa. That's two of the top 5-10 prospects in the game with potential role 7 futures....Tomas and Maeda could both be really good players, but Giolito and Correa could be complete and utter superstars.
Chris (Baltimore): Stephenson or Appel? Who is more productive at the MLB level in 2015 and 2016?
Mark Anderson: This is an interesting question. Both have question marks right now and neither guy is a slam dunk to approach their ceiling in the next two years. There are still whispers that Stephenson ends up in the bullpen, though in my personal observations he has looked like a potential MLB starter. I also think that while Appel may come up short of the lofty expectations associated with his college hype and lofty draft status, he still ends up a solid MLB starter in pretty short order. I'd take Appel in 2015, but it becomes a lot tougher to discern once we get to 2016...
