While not quite as deep into spring training as in years past, MLB still couldn’t get this to us during the doldrums. Consequently, this feels like a check-the-box exercise.
After an outlying year in 2022, the MLB Pipeline Top 30 is back in lockstep with the Baseball America Top 30 for the most part.
The Top 5 – James Wood, Robert Hassell, Elijah Green, Cade Cavalli, and Brady House – are identical, while MLB has Crithian Vaquero at #6 and Jarlin Susana at #7 instead of vice-versa for BA, and Jake Bennett at #9 instead of #11 and, again, the opposite for MLB for Jackson Rutledge.
However, just as a year ago, there are some differences in which MLB seems to be valuing making the team in 2023 more than the player’s ceiling. Thad Ward, for example, is #12 instead of #16 and Jake Alu made the Top 30. Then again, MLB has Matt Cronin lower than BA (#21 vs. #18) and Israel Pineda (#22 vs. #19).
Other differences:
- C Drew Millas (#30 vs. #25)
- 3B Trey Lipscomb (#19 vs. #24)
- LHP José Ferrer (#26 vs. #20)
- OF Jared MacKenzie (#25 vs. NR)
- LHP Mitchell Parker (#24 vs. #14)
- OF Brenner Cox (#23 vs. NR)
The accompanying writeup breaks no new ground, which it probably shouldn’t as it’s aimed towards a more general audience with an implied utility for gambling fantasy baseball.
Now, back to the business of pretending Spring Training is meaningful…