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
26
It's Top 30 Time!
MLB Pipeline is releasing Top 30 Prospects lists for all 30 organizations this week, so Jim Callis and Jason Ratliff open the latest Pipeline Podcast by breaking down the rankings in a variety of ways. Jonathan Mayo checks in from his Cactus League adventure with an interview with Padres left-hander Robby Snelling before Jim talks about the highlights of his recent Grapefruit League travels. Jim and Jason then preview next week's Spring Breakout spectacular before answering a listener mailbag question about which Top 100 Prospect Jim and Jonathan disagree about most.
64 min
27
Spring Breakout Buzz
On this week's MLB Pipeline Podcast, Jim Callis Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff are abuzz with excitement over the start of Spring Training games and jump right in to early prospect performances in Grapefruit and Cactus League games while also taking a sneak peek at the upcoming Spring Breakout. One player they all hope will be playing in it is Tigers top prospect Max Clark, and he joined the pod to talk about his first Spring Training and who he wants to play with and against in a Spring Breakout game. From there, Jim and Jonathan draft power-hitting prospects to see which squad can hit the most long balls in 2024 and then answer a question from the Mailbag about a high schooler who could make a run at No. 1 overall pick.
54 min
28
Spring Has Sprung
Spring Training is officially underway, the college baseball season also has begun and Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo couldn't be more excited on the latest MLB Pipeline Podcast. They begin by discussing prospects fighting for jobs in big league camp, including Jackson Holliday (Orioles), Wyatt Langford (Rangers) and Pete Crow-Armstrong (Cubs). Then they're joined by another, as Diamondbacks shortstop Jordan Lawlar talks about a big league debut that took him all the way to the World Series. Afterward, the guys break down how top Draft prospects fared in the first weekend of the NCAA Division I season and answer a related question from the listener mailbag.
61 min
29
Back to School Day
On this episode of the MLB Pipeline Podcast, Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff go back to campus to preview the start of the 2024 college baseball season.
62 min
30
Way to go, Joe!
Newly elected Hall of Famer Joe Mauer was the first-ever No. 1 prospect when MLB.com started rankings back in 2004. On this week's edition of the MLB Pipeline Podcast, Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff take a look at Mauer and the other 'greatest hits' from 20 years of rankings, while also looking at guys who were top prospects who didn't quite live up to billing. The guys are then joined by former long-time Twins general manager Terry Ryan for a look back at how Minnesota decided to draft Mauer No. 1 overall in 2001. Then talk turns to the others in this year's Cooperstown class, Todd Helton and Adrian Beltre, before the trio discusses recent trades involving Top 100 prospects Joey Ortiz and Gabriel Gonzalez and finishes up with a question from the Mailbag.
74 min
31
What Gives With The New Top 100?
Jim Callis, Sam Dykstra, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff discuss the Top 100 Prospects list that MLB Pipeline unveiled last Friday.
63 min
32
Gearing up for the Top 100
It's a special time of year as we near the release of a new Top 100 prospects list, and this week's episode helps get everyone ready. Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff take a closer look at a quartet of Top 10 by Position lists (C, 1B, 2B, 3B), with Jim and Jonathan picking the player on each list who most intrigues them, as well as a sleeper pick from outside the top 10. Then Jim and Jonathan put their draft hats on to select a 10-man squad using only players on the Top 10 by Position lists before finishing up with a question from the Mailbag.
51 min
33
IHOP (International House of Prospects)
To celebrate the opening of the 2024 international signing period, Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff welcome in international prospect guru Jesse Sanchez to this week's MLB Pipeline Podcast to break down the top players and all the signings. It's also the start of prospect ranking season, so the guys take a closer look at the first two Top 10 position lists, the right-handed and left-handed pitchers, before answering a Mailbag question about righty pitching prospects.
45 min
34
Survey Says...
In the latest edition of the Pipeline Podcast, Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff dive into MLB Pipeline's annual Executive Poll
56 min
35
Looking Ahead, Looking Back
On the newest addition of the Pipeline Podcast, Jim Callis, Sam Dykstra and Jason Ratliff divided their attention between the year to come and the year just completed. First, they try to project when some of the most anticipated 2024 big league debuts will occur, including those of Orioles shortstop Jackson Holliday, Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio and Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes. Then they break down six farm systems that improved most in 2023, highlighted by the Brewers and Cubs, before fielding a listener mailbag question about the most impressive pro debuts from members of the 2023 international class.
50 min
36
Predictions: Looking back at 2023 and ahead to '24
In this special year-end episode of the MLB Pipeline Podcast, Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff take a look back at the predictions that were made for 2023, highlighted by correctly picking both Rookies of the Year. Jim and Jonathan also looked ahead to '24 to make a new set of predictions, from top rookies to who will be the Pipeline Hitting and Pitching prospects of the Year in the new season.
48 min
37
Draft Top 100 + an interview with the No. 1 pro...
In the penultimate MLB Pipeline Podcast of 2023, Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff bring a lot of 2024 Draft talk your way. The guys break down the newly minted Top 100 Draft Prospects list, which has an historic number of college hitters at the top, and are joined by the No. 1 player on the list, West Virginia infielder JJ Wetherholt. Then they turn their sights to MLB's exciting new Spring Breakout event, where the best prospects from each organization will square off against each other during Spring Training, before finishing up with a question from the mailbag.
57 min
38
Tools and the Trades
On this week's MLB Pipeline Podcast, Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff give a sneak peek at the soon-to-be released 2024 Draft Top 100 list by breaking down each of the top tools from the list, from hit and power to fastball and control. The guys then take a look at the big Juan Soto trade as well as the deal the Dodgers made to clear 40-man space for Shohei Ohtani, with both deals involving the Yankees. From there, they turned their sights to last week's Rule 5 Draft, with Jim and Jonathan each making a "pick to stick" before finishing up with a question from the mailbag.
53 min
39
Lottery Pays Off For Ohio
The latest Pipeline Podcast comes on the heels of the second annual Draft Lottery, and Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff break down the results. In a stunning turn of events, the Guardians moved up from the No. 9 pick to No. 1 and the Reds jumped from No. 13 to No. 2. Jonathan sat down with Paul Gillispie, Cleveland's vice president of scouting, to discuss the ramifications of the first No. 1 overall choice in franchise history. There's also talk about the game's top two prospects (Orioles middle infielder Jackson Holliday, Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio) making news, a pair of trades that have happened at the Winter Meetings and a listener mailbag question about how the top three picks in the 2024 Draft could play out.
62 min
40
Prepping for the Winter Meetings
The baseball world will descend on Nashville next week for the Winter Meetings and the MLB Pipeline Podcast gets you ready. Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff kick off this Winter Meetings-focused episode by talking about the second Draft Lottery and how it will impact the 2024 Draft order. From there, they start previewing the Rule 5 Draft before welcoming in Cubs national crosschecker Marti Wolever, one of this year's Scouts of the Year who will be honored in Nashville. After that conversation, the trio look at teams with the prospect depth to pull off a big trade next week before answering a question in the Mailbag.
64 min
41
Talking Rule 5 turkey with a side of Fall League
On this Thanksgiving episode of the MLB Pipeline Podcast, Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff dish on all the 40-man roster/Rule 5 decisions made by teams, from the Top 100 prospects added to interesting decisions made by teams to protect or not to protect players. From there, the trio head back to the Arizona Fall League one last time, looking at players who faced Rule 5 decisions in the league to the ranking of the Top 25 prospects in the circuit. For dessert, the guys look at Jim's much-reviled long-term rookie rankings and answer a question from the mailbag.
58 min
42
That's a wrap on the Fall League
Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff put a bow on another Arizona Fall League season on this week's episode of the MLB Pipeline Podcast, but not before breaking down the 2023 Rookies of the Year, Gunnar Henderson and Corbin Carroll, and drafting potential 2024 ROY candidates. AFL Offensive Player of the Year James Triantos (Cubs) sat down with Jim in Arizona and then conversation turned to the championship game and all of the award winners, including MVP Jakob Marsee (Padres) and Pitcher of the Year Ricky Tiedemann (Blue Jays). They finished up, as always, with a question from the mailbag -- this one about Rockies flame-thrower Jaden Hill.
65 min
43
Fall Stars Shine
On the latest edition of the MLB Pipeline Podcast, Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo focus on the Arizona Fall League and its Fall Stars Game festivities from the past weekend. They discuss several standouts from the AFL's all-star game, including Top 100 Prospects Colson Montgomery (White Sox) and Kyle Manzardo (Guardians) and 2022 first-round pick Eric Brown (Brewers)
51 min
44
Previewing Fall Stars Game, 2024 Draft
The latest edition of the Pipeline Podcast features Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff discussing the upcoming Fall Stars Game and looking ahead to the 2024 Draft. First, they talk some Arizona Fall League and players they hope to see in Sunday's all-star prospect showcase, including Top 100 Prospects Jace Jung (Tigers) and Kyle Manzardo (Guardians) as well as catcher Dominic Keegan (Rays) and outfielder Victor Scott (Cardinals). Then Jonathan sits down for an interview with shortstop Colson Montgomery (White Sox), another likely FSG participant. After that, it's on to the 2024 Draft as Jim and Jonathan discuss their top 20 college and high school prospects lists before participating in a 10-player draft and answering a related question from the listener mailbag.
72 min
45
Power Ranger
The World Series is upon us and we're halfway through the Arizona Fall League and Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff dig into all of it in this week's episode of the MLB Pipeline Podcast.
63 min
46
The Joys of Fall
If it's October, then the Pipeline Podcast must be discussing the postseason and the Arizona Fall League. Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo do just that, starting off by riffing on the Championship Series before discussing some early AFL standouts. Sam Dykstra contributes an interview with Fall Leaguer Eric Brown, the Brewers' 2022 first-round pick. Then Jim and Jonathan discuss how the Rangers landed Evan Carter when not many teams were on him in the 2020 Draft, break down some organization hitters and pitchers of the year and dive into the mailbag for a two-part question about the Orioles' future.
68 min
47
Loving October baseball
The leaves may be changing and thoughts of pumpkins are in the air, but there's still plenty of great baseball to talk about on the MLB Pipeline Podcast
49 min
48
Awards & AFL
With the Minor League season ending and the MLB postseason and the Arizona Fall League beginning, there's a lot for Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff to unpack in the latest edition of the Pipeline Podcast.
58 min
49
And the winners might be....
We're less than a week away from the first MiLB Awards Show, and Sam Dykstra, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff continue taking a look at the nominees on this week's episode of the MLB Pipeline Podcast. After discussing the Pitching Prospect of the Year finalists last week, it's time to examine some bats and the Hitting Prospects of the Year finalists: Michael Busch, Junior Caminero and Jackson Holliday. The trio also breaks down the Breakout Prospect of the Year and MiLB Debut of the Year Award contenders. From there, the pod turns its sights to the Arizona Fall League, which begins on Monday, and the remaining matchups in the Minor League playoffs before answering a mailbag question about the best relief pitching prospects in the game.
41 min
50
Men of Steal
This week's episode of the MLB Pipeline Podcast has plenty of speed. That's because Sam Dykstra, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff are joined by the Cardinals' Victor Scott II and the Rays' Chandler Simpson, who stole a combined 189 bags in 2023. The Pipeline trio also takes a look at the finalists for Pitching Prospect of the Year, discusses some intriguing promotions to Triple-A to close out the Minor League season, analyzes the most recent Rookie Power Rankings and answers a mailbag question about the top two on those rankings, Corbin Carroll and Gunnar Henderson.
55 min