Ben and Carlos are joined by JJ Cooper for a hybrid Future Projection/draft podcast breaking down everything we know or are hearing about the top of the 2026 draft. We talk through possibilities and players for each team’s first pick, talk about org tendencies, system strengths and weaknesses and try to get a better understanding of how the draft could unfold to get you ready for draft day.

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Time Stamps:

• (2:30) White Sox
• (10:00) Rays
• (15:15) Twins
• (22:30) Giants
• (31:00) Pirates
• (40:20) Royals
• (44:30) Orioles
• (50:20) Athletics
• (54:20) Braves
• (59:30) Rockies
• (1:03:40) Nationals
• (1:08:30) Angels
• (1:12:00) Cardinals
• (1:15:10) Marlins
• (1:18:30) D-backs
• (1:21:30) Rangers
• (1:25:00) Astros
• (1:27:10) Reds
• (1:30:20) Guardians
• (1:33:30) Red Sox
• (1:38:40) Padres
• (1:43:20) Tigers
• (1:46:50) Cubs
• (1:50:20) Mariners
• (1:52:10) Brewers
• (1:54:50) Mets
• (1:57:10) Yankees
• (1:59:30) Phillies
• (2:01:00) Blue Jays
• (2:02:50) Dodgers

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Do you have feedback for the show or want to ask us a question? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com.

Future Projection Twitter: @FutureProPod

Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler

Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo

Baseball America Website

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Ben and Carlos talk through MLB’s proposal to shake up the draft and the international talent acquisition system, working through ramifications for the game, player development, scouting and more.

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Time Stamps

• (0:15) Where have we been?
• (2:30) MLB’s player acquisition proposal
• (7:00) MLB’s dishonest messaging
• (9:00) Why high school players are more expensive to scout
• (13:00) Development in pro ball vs. college
• (16:40) This is always how MLB negotiates
• (22:30) Why MLB teams don’t want to compete with each other
• (25:00) The value of creating histories with players
• (29:00) Hypocrisy in the international market
• (33:30) Raising the signing age of international players
• (38:00) The shadow development system in Latin America
• (42:00) This felt like a misstep PR wise
• (45:00) Everyone loves the pick trading idea
• (50:50) Steroids and age issues in the international market
• (55:00) The pulse of international agents on the idea of a draft

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Do you have feedback for the show or want to ask us a question? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com.

Future Projection Twitter: @FutureProPod

Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler

Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo

Baseball America Website

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SEAT GEEK

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Ben and Carlos talk about Baseball America’s new top 500 high school player ranking, as well the new star rating system we are unveiling to help further contextualize high school recruits. The two talk about what separates a five-star, four-star and three-star high school player and then talk through some of the top recruiting classes in the country. After that the two hit on a few notable Top 100 risers and the different ways that UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky and Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey ended their 2026 seasons.

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Time Stamps

• (2:30) Top 500 High School list and new star system ratings
• (7:30) Why the star system ranking is different from BA grades
• (11:40) What is a BA five-star recruit?
• (18:30) Four-star players are the backbone of premier recruiting classes
• (23:40) What does a three-star prospect entail?
• (29:00) How the star scale applies to underclassmen
• (32:55) The schools with the most exciting recruiting classes
• (40:40) Top 100 talk
• (41:00) Travis Bazzana
• (44:00) Ryan Sloan
• (46:30) Ethan Salas
• (49:30) Theo Gillen
• (51:30) Mike Sirota
• (55:10) Luis Hernandez
• (56:50) Alfredo Duno
• (59:00) Roch Cholowsky vs. Vahn Lackey

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Do you have feedback for the show or want to ask us a question? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com.

Future Projection Twitter: @FutureProPod

Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler

Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo

Baseball America Website

In this week’s listener mailbag, Ben and Carlos take questions like: can you make the case for Jacob Lombard over Grady Emerson? Where would UC Santa Barbara righthander Jackson Flora stack up with other Giants pitching prospects? Who are the top DSL pitchers to watch? Why isn’t Georgia catcher Daniel Jackson ranked even higher?

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Time Stamps:

• (0:50) Give me an argument for taking Jacob Lombard over Grady Emerson
• (7:00) Where would Jackson Flora rank among top Giants pitching prospects?
• (12:00) Who are the best arms in the DSL this season?
• (18:00) Why isn’t Daniel Jackson ranked higher?

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Do you have feedback for the show or want to ask us a question? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com.

Future Projection Twitter: @FutureProPod

Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler

Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo

Baseball America Website

Ben and Carlos talk about the upcoming NCAA tournament and the players, teams and matchups they are looking forward to seeing. The two talk about the state of the college pitching in the 2026 draft class, and wonder who the best candidates are to come off the board after UC Santa Barbara righthander Jackson Flora.

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Time Stamps

• (0:00) Opening banter
• (3:50) NCAA regional talk
• (8:30) College pitching talk
• (12:00) Cameron Flukey
• (25:00) Mason Edwards
• (27:00) Cole Carlon
• (29:00) Tegan Kuhns
• (37:00) Cade Townsend
• (46:30) Jack Radel
• (51:30) College pitching depth and draft strategy
• (54:00) Closing Derek Curiel propaganda

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Do you have feedback for the show or want to ask us a question? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com.

Future Projection Twitter: @FutureProPod

Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler

Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo

Baseball America Website

Ben and Carlos answer mailbag questions surrounding Red Sox outfielder Justin Gonzales, Athletics shortstop Johenssy Colome, Royals outfielder Angeibel Gomez and Mets shortstops Wandy Asigen and Elian Peña.

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Time Stamps:

• (0:30) What are your thoughts on Red Sox outfielder Justin Gonzales?
• (6:00) Where would A’s shortstop Johenssy Colome and Royals outfielder Angeibel Gomez stack up with 2026 high school draft prospects?
• (14:00) Is Wandy Asigen a better prospect than Elian Peña?

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Do you have feedback for the show or want to ask us a question? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com.

Future Projection Twitter: @FutureProPod

Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler

Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo

Baseball America Website

Ben and Carlos focus on up-arrow prospects who are not quite on the top 100, but are tracking up the board on individual Top 30s. The group of names includes a pair of Brewers lefthanded hitter, a trio of Guardians contact bats, A Rangers shortstop to know, even more Dodgers outfield prospects to be aware of and a few young arms with big stuff. They close with a chat about what scouting departments are doing this time of year as the college season winds down and the draft approaches.

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Time Stamps

• (4:00) Prospect talk begins
• (4:30) Braylon Payne
• (10:00) Blake Burke
• (17:30) Cooper Ingle
• (23:00) Jasion Chourio & Robert Arias
• (29:40) Yolfran Castillo
• (32:40) Pedro Ramirez
• (36:00) Charles Davalan & Kendall George
• (42:00) Sadbiel Delzine
• (45:40) Dylan Jordan
• (50:00) How scouting departments operate this time of year

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Do you have feedback for the show or want to ask us a question? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com.

Future Projection Twitter: @FutureProPod

Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler

Carlos's Newsletter: @CarlosACollazo

Baseball America Website

Ben and Carlos open the mailbag to answer questions about the top defensive shortstop prospects in the minors; where 2027 California high school shortstop Dylan Seward would rank in the 2026 class; the center field likelihood of Derek Curiel, Drew Burress and AJ Gracia; and the odds that Justin Lebron slides out of the first round.

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Time Stamps:

• (1:30) Who are the best defensive shortstops in the minors?
• (10:00) Where would Dylan Seward rank if he was in the 2026 class?
• (16:00) CF defense profiles of Derek Curiel, Drew Burress & AJ Gracia
• (20:00) Is there a chance Justin Lebron falls out of the first round?

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Do you have feedback for the show or want to ask us a question? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com.

Future Projection Twitter: @FutureProPod

Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler

Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo