Ben and Carlos give their final thoughts on an epic World Baseball Classic, then turn their eyes towards prospects and spring training. The two talk about some of the top hitters who have played well this spring, plus a couple of notable pitching prospects who might have made key additions to their arsenals for 2026.

–

Time Stamps:

• (0:30) Final WBC talk
• (8:45) Spring training talk
• (14:20) Jesus Made
• (18:30) Colt Emerson
• (27:00) Bryce Eldridge
• (30:40) Samuel Basallo
• (33:50) Charlie Condon
• (50:00) Joshua Baez
• (53:00) Braden Montgomery
• (55:00) Sam Antonacci
• (57:40) Hagen Smith
• (1:00:45) Didier Fuentes

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: Fringe Average

Baseball America Website

Ben and Carlos break open the listener mailbag and answer questions on a trio of young Cardinals shortstops, why Brady Harris might be slipping in the draft and how his risk and upside compares to Kevin Roberts Jr., whether or not Elian Pena has a chance to be a top 25 prospect and what changes we would make to the draft broadcast.

—

Time Stamps:

• (1:20) Can you compare and contrast Yairo Padilla, Miguel Hernandez & Sebastian Dos Santos?
• (6:50) Why is Brady Harris slipping and how does his risk compare to Kevin Roberts Jr.?
• (13:10) Will Mets SS Elian Pena be a top 25 prospect this time next year?
• (16:15) What changes would you guys make to the draft presentation?

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: Fringe Average

Baseball America Website

Ben and Carlos talk about the World Baseball Classic and the drama surrounding team USA. After that they move onto real baseball things, like comparing and contrasting some of the top college outfielders in the 2026 draft class. Why is Ben so high on Virginia’s AJ Gracia? And why can Carlos not quit on LSU’s Derek Curiel? Those two, plus thoughts on Sawyer Strosnider and Drew Burress—plus a few comments on his Georgia Tech teammate Vahn Lackey skyrocketing with more power this spring.

–

Time Stamps:

• (2:00) A valid Team USA critique and a non-valid critique
• (18:30) College outfield talk begins
• (21:00) AJ Gracia
• (25:00) Sawyer Strosnider
• (30:00) Derek Curiel
• (38:30) How would we line up the outfield group?
• (45:00) Thoughts on Georgia Tech’s Vahn Lackey

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: Fringe Average

Baseball America Website

Ben and Carlos answer listener questions about how we know when to re-adjust expectations for prospects and the difference in value between center fielders and shortstops.

—

Time Stamps:

• (3:00) How do you know if a player is hitting a high percentile outcome vs. adjusting possible expectations?
• (8:00) Why it’s hard to deal with specific percentile projections
• (16:00) Why approach changes are incremental
• (18:00) Being skeptical of surface level results with no process changes
• (25:00) How much more do teams value shortstops vs. center fielders?

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: Fringe Average

Baseball America Website

Ben and Carlos talk about a double first base bag dilemma that surfaced in college baseball, then get into some spring training prospect talk. Should Kevin McGonigle and JJ Wetherholt make opening day rosters? Is Orioles outfielder Vance Honeycutt starting to figure something out? They talk about other names like Payton Tolle and Connelly Early, Charlie Condon, Sam Antonacci, Justin Crawford, JR Ritchie and then get into some brief week three college baseball and draft talk.

—

Time stamps:

• (0:30) A college double first base bag dilemma
• (10:00) Spring training talk
• (14:15) Does Kevin McGonigle make the opening day roster?
• (20:50) JJ Wetherholt and the Cardinals
• (25:40) The looming CBA negotiations
• (29:00) The merits of a college baseball system
• (31:30) Is Vance Honeycutt figuring it out?
• (36:15) Red Sox lefties Payton Tolle & Connelly Early
• (39:20) Charlie Condon
• (46:15) Sam Antonacci
• (51:50) Justin Crawford
• (55:55) JR Ritchie
• (59:00) Week three draft talk

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: Fringe Average

Baseball America Website

Ben and Carlos open up the listener mailbag and take questions on a number of draft topics including: prep sleepers who could be first rounders; Ace Reese’s defensive profile; Konnor Griffin’s impact on scouting; who our favorite prospect in the class is after Roch Cholowsky and Grady Emerson; Derek Curiel’s lack of power; and whether or not teams care about the pick order when they are picking back-to-back.

—

Time Stamps:

• (0:50) Who are some sleeper prep names who could be first rounders?
• (8:20) What do you think about Ace Reese’s upside and defensive profile?
• (12:45) How did so many teams miss on Konnor Griffin and how does that change scouting for 2026?
• (20:30) Who is your current No. 3 prospect after Roch Cholowsky and Grady Emerson?
• (25:20) Where does Derek Curiel fit in the draft given his lack of power?
• (31:40) How do teams decide who to pick first when they have back-to-back picks?

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: Fringe Average

Baseball America Website

Ben and Carlos talk about a few pitchers who have them excited from early spring training outings, then get into one of the most exciting pitching prospects in the country, Oregon State righthander Dax Whitney. The two talk about whether or not he’s the best pitching prospect since Paul Skenes, and then kickstart a conversation about the top prospects from each of the next two draft classes, headlined by some players to know from our recently released 2028 high school rankings.

—

Time Stamps:

• (0:00) Intro
• (4:00) Bishop Letson
• (12:30) Carlos Lagrange
• (19:10) Dax Whitney
• (31:00) Dax Whitney vs. Brendan Lawson
• (37:00) 2028 high school rankings
• (39:00) Why Striker Pence is No. 1
• (47:00) Other names to know at the top of the 2028 class

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: Fringe Average

Baseball America Website

Ben and Carlos take listener questions on whether pitchers with deep arsenals and good command are overrated, about players who aren’t ranked top 100 who could jump into top-10 territory with a good season, and about whether or not recent Duke commit James Clark has a chance to make it to campus.

—

Time Stamps:

• (1:25) Do you think pitchers with deeper arsenals get undervalued?
• (11:30) Who is someone outside the top 100 who could be a top 10 prospect by the end of the season?
• (18:20) Will James Clark make it to campus at Duke or go straight to the pros?

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: Fringe Average

Baseball America Website