MLB Pipeline

Find out about the stars of tomorrow, from the guys who know today. Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) and Jonathan Mayo (@JonathanMayo) are your tour guides for this ride through the unfolding stories & breaking news in Minor League Baseball. From top prospects to scouting executives to farm directors, the MLB Pipeline is jam-packed with exclusive coverage of the minors you can't get anywhere else.

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Baseball
226
Breaking down the new Top 100 Prospects list
On this week’s episode of the Pipeline Podcast, Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff break down the newly unveiled Top 100 list that features 13 members of the 2020 Draft class. The trio discuss which teams now have the most players on the Top 100 and how that might impact their standing on the farm system rankings before looking at prospects -- both elite-level and lesser-known -- who have come up to make an impression in the big leagues during the early stages of the 2020 season.
58 min
227
Looking at the big league debuts of top prospec...
On this week’s Pipeline Podcast, Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff break down all things Major League debut-related, from Kyle Lewis’ power output to Tyler Stephenson’s home run in his first big league at-bat on the offensive side and from Brady Singer’s first big league start for the Royals to what to expect from the Blue Jays’ Nate Pearson on the mound. Stephenson’s debut sparked a conversation about the difficulty in drafting and developing high school catching and the podcast also turned from guys who are on big league rosters to those who aren’t, focusing on two Brendans in the Top 100: Brendan Rodgers of the Rockies and the Rays’ Brendan McKay. Things wrapped up with Callis discussing his interview (now on MLB.com) with who he feels is the most interesting man in the 2020 Draft: Landon Knack.
64 min
228
Breaking down prospects to watch on Opening Day...
With the 2020 season about to get started and summer camps winding down, Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff spent most of this week’s Pipeline Podcast talking about prospects in camp and their chances to impact the big leagues this year, starting with the news that National League Rookie of the Year favorite Gavin Lux will not start the year with the Dodgers. They discussed prospect who have impressed, like White Sox outfielder Luis Robert and Blue Jays right-hander Nate Pearson, and some who have gotten hurt, like Julio Rodriguez of the Mariners and A.J. Puk of the A’s. The trio touched on where Draft signings stood before Jonathan interviewed Red Sox infield prospect Jeter Downs.
49 min
229
Breaking down Opening Day rosters and looking a...
On this week’s Pipeline Podcast Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff talked about prospects who could land on Opening Day rosters, candidates for Rookie of the Year and guys who have impressed in summer camp. They also looked ahead to who they’d like to see in the 2021 Futures Game before wrapping up with a look at the 2020 Draft signing landscape.
52 min
230
Breaking down the 2020 draft signings, Top 10 p...
On this week’s Pipeline Podcast, Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff start by talking about players they would’ve loved to see in this year’s Futures Game had it taken place, along with who they would’ve been excited to watch in the PDP League and High School All-Star Game that became a part of All-Star Weekend last year in Cleveland. The trio provided an update on 2020 Draft signings, focusing on some intriguing off-the-radar high school signees by some teams. They broke down the recent Top 10 prospects draft held with colleague Mike Rosenbaum, looked at the farm system rankings Pipeline did according to left-handed and right-handed pitching and finished up by making 2020 Rookie of the Year predictions.
62 min
231
Breaking down which prospects will be joining t...
On this week’s Pipeline Podcast, Jim Callis, Mike Rosenbaum and Jason Ratliff discuss the cancelation of the Minor League season, prospects who were named to their teams’ 60-man player pools, which 2020 Draft picks we’ll see in the big leagues first and which farm systems have the most talent among their middle-infield prospects. They also look at baseball’s best switch-hitting prospects -- a list led Tampa Bay’s Wander Franco, Baltimore’s Adley Rutschman and 17-year-old Yankees prospect Jasson Dominguez – and a couple of record-breaking Draft signings.
57 min
232
Breaking down the return of baseball and the im...
  On this week’s Pipeline Podcast, Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff discuss the announcement of a return to baseball and how it might impact prospects and player development, they look at the top performers in the PG National Showcase and break down the recent look at the top farm systems based on talent at catcher. The podcast concludes with Jonathan’s interview with Mariners prospect Julio Rodriguez.
55 min
233
2020 MLB Draft Recap: What team got the best ha...
Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff reconvene for the first post-Draft Pipeline Podcast to break down their favorite picks and the most surprising selections from the Draft. They also discussed which teams had the best Draft hauls, previewed an upcoming story about each team’s first pick from the 2017 Draft, looked ahead at the 2021 Draft class and finished with a discussion about the non-drafted free agent landscape this summer.
51 min
234
Predicting the top of the 2020 Draft, "Tools-Tw...
Just days before the Draft, the Pipeline Podcast crew – Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff – assembled to talk about the upcoming Draft broadcast, discuss the top of the Draft, particularly Spencer Torkelson, and broke down “tools twins,” looking at current Draft prospects and how they compared grades-wise to draftees in years past. Jason then sprung a pop Draft quiz on Jim and Jonathan before Jim’s interview with top high school prospect Zac Veen.
55 min
235
Latest buzz surrounding the 2020 Draft, the sco...
Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo discuss the best Draft classes of all time, the unsual scouting story of Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon and the latest buzz surrounding the first round of this year’s Draft. Jim then talks to University of Minnesota right-hander Max Meyer, who most project to be a top 10 pick.
54 min
236
Breaking down best draft classes and an intervi...
On this week’s Pipeline Podcast, Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff dig into Draft history and talk about some of the best Draft classes for teams over the years as well as a look at how the 2010 Draft should’ve have gone with some hindsight. They also look at the top two-way Draft prospects, past and present before discussing the most recent mock draft buzz. Texas A&M lefty Asa Lacy, considered to be the top pitching prospect in the class, chats with Jim to close out the pod.
64 min
237
Top 200 Draft prospects, latest mock, best OF p...
On this week’s Pipeline Podcast, Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff discuss the new Top 200 Draft Prospects list, some of the most intriguing players from the 150-200 range and some similarly ranked players from recent Drafts who have become early picks. They also look at Jim’s latest mock draft and each team’s best outfield prospect of the past 20 years.
48 min
238
No. 1 pick: Spencer Torkelson vs. Austin Martin...
On this week’s Pipeline Podcast, Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff discussed what scouting execs had to say about whether Spencer Torkelson or Austin Martin should be the No. 1 Draft pick, identified the best small-school Draft prospects, past and present, and played the tools comp game, looking at current and past Draft prospects.
51 min
239
Breaking down International Prospect List and 2...
Jason Ratliff, Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo are joined by Jesse Sanchez to break down his newly released Top 30 International Prospects list, led by Yoelqui Cespedes. Then the trio turned their attention to the Draft, which now looks like it will take place on June 10 and analyzed Jonathan's first mock draft of the first round.  
54 min
240
Breaking down the new Top 150 Draft Prospects a...
Jason Ratliff, Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo break down the new Draft Top 150 prospects rankings and also take a look at the best shortstop prospects over the past 20 years.
55 min
241
Callis and Mayo's Top 20 Picks
On this week’s Pipeline Podcast, Jason Ratliff, Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo dive into the 2020 Draft as they work on their Draft rankings. Jim and Jonathan did a self-draft, taking turns for the top 20 picks based on who they would want, not what they think teams will do.
50 min
242
Analyzing Pipeline Prospect Quizzes; Vlad Jr. v...
On this week’s Pipeline Podcast, Jason Ratliff, Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo talk about the Pipeline Prospect quiz and how they did in naming the top prospect from each organization. Speaking of prospect quizzes, the trio dove into Jim’s story comparing Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Wander Franco, and what scouts in the industry had to say about the duo. They also looked at the top second base prospects for each team and teased Jonathan’s story about ranking the No. 1 prospects from over the years of MLB.com rankings (2004-2020).
52 min
243
Breaking down the "expert drafts" and top first...
Jason Ratliff, Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo are joined by Pipeline colleague Mike Rosenbaum to discuss the “experts draft” they held. They also talked about the top first base prospects for each organization and the terrific series about scouts by Alexis Brudnicki before closing out with Jonathan’s interview with Twins prospect Royce Lewis.
50 min
244
The '20 Draft, all-time prospect teams, compari...
Jason Ratliff, Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo talk about the new deal for the MLB Draft, while also disussing Jim and Jonathan’s all-time all-prospect teams, MLB Pipeline’s picks for best catching prospects for each team this century and how their Top 100 measures up when compared to other Top 100 prospects lists put out by colleagues and competitors.
49 min
245
Prospects who will be creating buzz in 2022
On today’s Pipeline Podcast, Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff look ahead to 2022 and some prospects who will be generating buzz a couple years down the road. They discuss a big recent international signing (Yhoswar Garcia with the Phillies) and the news that Yoenis Cespedes’ younger brother Yoelqui is now on the market. They also consider how the coronavirus and the suspension of the season could impact the Draft.
39 min
246
Breaking down the Top 30 prospects for each club
Jonathan Mayo and Jim Callis break down the new Top 30 farm system rankings, talk about their favorite guys who just missed the top 30 team rankings list and discuss their favorite parts of traveling around the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues.
37 min
247
Prospects in Spring Training to get excited about
MLB Pipeline's Jim Callis (@JimCallisMLB) and Jonathan Mayo (@jonathanmayo), as well as Jordan Shusterman of @CespedesBBQ, discuss which prospects they are most looking forward to seeing in Spring Training, especially ones that they haven’t seen before, including Yankees OF Jasson Dominguez and Giants SS Marco Luciano, among others. Then, they review which prospects in big league camp they are most intrigued to see compete for a job, including Blue Jays RHP Nate Pearson, Astros RHP Forrest Whitley, Twins SS Royce Lewis, Angels OF Jo Adell, and D-backs C Daulton Varsho.
24 min
248
Reviewing the real Mookie Betts trade, the fast...
MLB Pipeline's Jim Callis (@JimCallisMLB) and Jonathan Mayo (@jonathanmayo), as well as Jordan Shusterman of @CespedesBBQ, discuss the finalized deal between the Dodgers and Red Sox that sent Mookie Betts west and netted Boston prospects Jeter Downs and Connor Wong. Then they review the deal that sent Brusdar Graterol to the Dodgers and the Minor Leaguers involved in that trade, Luke Raley and Jair Camargo. Next, they debate which of the 30 prospects listed as the faster players in each organization is actually the definitive fastest. Finally, they review the best fastballs in the Minor Leagues.
31 min
249
Mookie Betts trade reaction and intriguing clos...
MLB Pipeline's Jim Callis (@JimCallisMLB) and Jonathan Mayo (@jonathanmayo), as well as Jordan Shusterman of @CespedesBBQ, discuss the reported trade between the Red Sox, Dodgers and Twins that is sending Mookie Betts to LA. They also touch on the reported trade that is sending Joc Pederson from the Dodgers to the Angels, and the interesting young OF prospect Andy Pages that is expected to be involved. Finally, they review three young pitching prospects who were not quite on the Top 100 list but could be with a strong 2020: White Sox RHP Jonathan Stiever, Twins RHP Jhoan Duran and Rockies LHP Ryan Rolison. 
32 min
250
New Top 100 List Discussion and Starling Marte ...
MLB Pipeline's Jim Callis (@JimCallisMLB) and Jonathan Mayo (@jonathanmayo), as well as Jordan Shusterman of @CespedesBBQ, discuss the 2020 Top 100 prospect list and the process behind how the list gets put together, including: why Wander Franco was the unanimous no. 1 overall prospect; the most likely candidates to be no. 1 on the 2021 list; where the 2019 Draft class slotted into the list; which Brewers prospect was closest to cracking to the Top 100; which team’s group of Top 100 prospects is most intriguing; comparing Yankees RHP prospects Clarke Schmidt and Deivi Garcia; and more! Finally, they touch on this week’s trade between the Pirates and D-backs which netted Pittsburgh two very young high-upside prospects, SS Liover Peguero and RHP Brennan Malone.
42 min