Episode 154: Why The 2026 Prep Pitching Class Is Incredibly Strong

Ben and Carlos talk about how deep and talented the high school pitching crop is for the 2026 draft class. The two try to contextualize where this class of prep arms stacks up with some of the best in recent memory, and then discuss why pitchers across the board seem better today than they were five, 10, 15 years ago. The two talk about the general risk of pitching prospects vs. hitting prospects, how there are tools today that give us more precision in our pitching evaluations and then hit on a few of the different pitcher archetypes available in the class.After that Ben gives a rundown and update on the upcoming 2026 international signing period, which opens on January 15. Time Stamps:(0:00) Intro (5:35) Kaiden McCarthy reclassifies(8:00) Contextualizing the 2026 prep pitching class(12:00) The additional risk of pitching prospects(16:00) Misses from the vaunted 2018 class(18:30) Pitchers are better today in absolute terms(22:30) Better ability to evaluate pitchers(26:00) A variety of pitching styles(38:00) 2026 International Class thoughts(41:00) Luis Hernandez as the top bonus player(45:00) The status of an international draft(50:50) The state of international pitching(53:00) Notable names to keep in mindDo you have feedback for the show or want to ask us a question? Email us: [email protected]'s Twitter: @BenBadlerCarlos's Newsletter: Fringe AverageBaseball America WebsiteSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/future-projection-a-baseball-america-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Ben and Carlos have a conversation about pitching development with Paul Davis. Davis has spent years in the game and was most recently the Braves director of pitching. He’s also spent time with both the Cardinals and Mariners organizations, and coached and played baseball in college. Davis talks about what it’s like to be a pitching director and how pitching development has changed over the years. He talks about movement patterns, delivery checkpoints, injuries, the importance of having a competitive mindset, the development path of Spencer Strider, breaking ball development, why fastballs are more than just velocity, the importance of making hitters swing, stuff vs. command, how to train strike-throwing, developing deep arsenals and more. —Time Stamps:(2:30) An overview of a pitching director’s job(6:10) How much collaboration does a pitching director have with draft picks?(9:15) Delivery checkpoints, movement patterns and injuries(14:50) The difficulty of changing movement patterns(23:00) The importance of a competitive mindset(31:30) Spencer Strider’s development path(46:30) Developing a breaking ball(53:00) Why fastballs are more than velocity(55:00) The importance of making hitters swing(1:03:00) A pitcher with stuff vs. a pitcher with command(1:11:30) Training command and strike-throwing(1:16:20) Thoughts on stuff+ and granular pitch data (1:20:00) Combining force plate metrics with pitch data to reverse-engineer stuff(1:24:30) The next wave of Braves pitchersDo you have feedback for the show or want to ask us a question? Email us: [email protected]'s Twitter: @BenBadlerCarlos's Newsletter: Fringe AverageBaseball America WebsiteSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/future-projection-a-baseball-america-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Ben and Carlos break open the listener mailbag after talking briefly about MLB’s new tech limitations that are coming to baseball. Today’s listener topics include Dominican Summer League breakout candidates, the comps on 2026 high school shortstop Tyler Spangler, the rarity of 60-grade hit/power prospects and players outside the top 100 with the biggest upside potential. —Time Stamps: (0:00) Intro and tech talk(10:00) DSL breakouts(16:45) Tyler Spangler comps?(20:00) The rarity of 60-grade hit/power prospects(28:20) Upside players not on the top 100Do you have feedback for the show or want to ask us a question? Email us: [email protected]'s Twitter: @BenBadlerCarlos's Newsletter: Fringe AverageBaseball America WebsiteSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/future-projection-a-baseball-america-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Ben and Carlos complete their divisional prospect breakdown with the AL West. The two analyze each team’s farm system, talk about the strengths and weaknesses, get into some of the top players and more.—Time Stamps:(0:00) Intro & Prospect Handbook Talk(4:45) Mariners(31:30) Athletics(59:30) Rangers(1:19:00) Astros(1:33:30) AngelsDo you have feedback for the show or want to ask us a question? Email us: [email protected]'s Twitter: @BenBadlerCarlos's Newsletter: Fringe AverageBaseball America WebsiteSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/future-projection-a-baseball-america-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Let’s open the listener mailbag.To get into all of your questions, Ben and Carlos shake up the Future Projection formula and give you a 30-minute episode exclusively with listener questions. Where would Roch Cholowsky slot onto the top 100 prospects list right now? Who are our favorite pure hitters in the 2026 class? What do we think about Texas catcher Carson Tinney and his summer struggles? And will the Braves take a pair of high school pitchers in 2026? If you have questions of your own, send them to us with the contact info below.—Time Stamps:(0:30) Where would Roch Cholowsky rank on the top 100?(9:00) Who are our favorite technicians at the plate in the 2026 class?(18:00) What do we think about Carson Tinney’s poor production in the Cape?(21:00) Will the Braves take two high school arms?Do you have feedback for the show or want to ask us a question? Email us: [email protected]'s Twitter: @BenBadlerCarlos's Newsletter: Fringe AverageBaseball America WebsiteSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/future-projection-a-baseball-america-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Ben and Carlos continue their divisional prospect breakdown with the AL Central. The two analyze each team’s farm system, talk about the strengths and weaknesses, get into some of the top players and more.—Time Stamps:(0:00) Intro(2:00) Draft lottery(9:20) AL Central talk(10:45) Tigers(40:40) Guardians(1:03:10) Twins(1:24:30) White Sox (1:50:00) RoyalsDo you have feedback for the show or want to ask us a question? Email us: [email protected]'s Twitter: @BenBadlerCarlos's Newsletter: Fringe AverageBaseball America WebsiteSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/future-projection-a-baseball-america-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Ben and Carlos continue their divisional prospect breakdown with the AL East. The two analyze each team’s farm system, talk about the strengths and weaknesses, get into some of the top players and more.—Time Stamps:(0:00) Intro(5:30) AL East overview(8:00) Red Sox(33:30) Orioles(58:00) Blue Jays(1:16:00) Rays(1:36:00) YankeesDo you have feedback for the show or want to ask us a question? Email us: [email protected]'s Twitter: @BenBadlerCarlos's Newsletter: Fringe AverageBaseball America WebsiteSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/future-projection-a-baseball-america-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Ben and Carlos throw the mailbag wide open and take a variety of listener questions ahead of Thanksgiving. The two put grades on Thanksgiving dishes and also spend plenty of time talking about prospects, scouting, baseball jargon, sleepers, potential position switches, draft busts, personal cheeseballs and more. —Time Stamps:(0:00) Intro(3:00) Thanksgiving food grades(14:00) What do we mean by hitterish?(28:30) Biggest personal cheeseball hits?(35:00) Pitchers beyond the first round who could pop(43:00) Who has the best command in the 2026 class?(50:00) Is travel ball a scam? Has it been good or harmful?(1:00:00) Biggest draft busts?(1:12:50) Should Rainiel Rodriguez move off catcher?(1:14:30) Who are the top 2027 northeast arms to know?Do you have feedback for the show or want to ask us a question? Email us: [email protected]'s Twitter: @BenBadlerCarlos's Newsletter: Fringe AverageBaseball America WebsiteSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/future-projection-a-baseball-america-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Ben and Carlos continue their divisional prospect breakdown with the NL West. The two analyze each team’s farm system, talk about the strengths and weaknesses, get into some of the top players and more.—Time Stamps:(0:00) Intro(5:30) Dodgers(31:40) Giants(56:30) D-backs(1:18:00) Rockies(1:41:10) PadresDo you have feedback for the show or want to ask us a question? Email us: [email protected]'s Twitter: @BenBadlerCarlos's Newsletter: Fringe AverageBaseball America WebsiteSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/future-projection-a-baseball-america-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Ben and Carlos continue their divisional prospect breakdown with the NL Central. The two analyze each team’s farm system, talk about the strengths and weaknesses, get into some of the top players and more.—Time Stamps:(0:00) Intro(8:00) Brewers(41:00) Pirates(1:00:00) Cardinals(1:25:00) Reds(1:42:00) CubsDo you have feedback for the show or want to ask us a question? Email us: [email protected]'s Twitter: @BenBadlerCarlos's Newsletter: Fringe AverageBaseball America WebsiteSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/future-projection-a-baseball-america-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy