About this episode
Ben and Carlos talk through Ben’s recently released international bonus board for the 2025 signing class. Ben talks through his process this year and the specific challenges that persist when ranking international prospects and the two talk more about how Roki Sasaki can and will shake things up when he signs. After that they discuss the top-ranked prospect in the 2026 draft class, Grady Emerson flipping his college commitment from TCU to Texas. Does it even matter if he’s not likely to get to campus? What does this say about Texas? And how does Emerson compare to the top high school players in the 2025 draft class and some of the best high school players in recent years? The two talk briefly about the Dodgers signing Blake Snell, then open up a bigger-than-average listener mailbag that hits on: the Astros signing older international players; whether or not Brewers outfielder Jose Anderson should get lumped in with players like Jesus Made; the value of international competition when scouting players; the Braves internal shortstop options; and more. — Time Stamps (1:30) Ben’s International Bonus Board (11:50) The large Roki Sasaki caveat (18:30) The diminished Cuban talent pool (21:30) Grady Emerson (35:00) Emerson vs. other top high school players (42:00) Blake Snell’s deal with the Dodgers (48:00) Astros and older international signings (54:00) Why is Brewers OF Jose Anderson not lumped in with Jesus Made? (57:00) How do we value international competition? (1:05:00) Do the Braves have any internal SS candidates? (1:09:00) Where will IFA players rank in their team’s top 30s? Do you have a question you want us to answer? Email us: futureprojection@baseballamerica.com Ben's Twitter: @BenBadler Carlos's Twitter: @CarlosACollazo Baseball America Website Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/future-projection-a-baseball-america-podcast/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy