MLB Pipeline

MLB Pipeline just published its new Top 100 prospects list, so that's what Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff focused on for this week's episode of the MLB Pipeline Podcast. They broke down the top of the list, starting with No. 1 prospect Konnor Griffin, who also joined the show, then looked at biggest risers from last year and prospects who could make big jumps in 2026. They finished with a pair of Mailbag questions about New York prospects, Spencer Jones (Yankees) and A.J. Ewing (Mets). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are plenty of rankings to discuss on the Pipeline Podcast as MLB Pipeline prepares to release its annual Top 100 Prospects list Friday at 8 p.m. ET on MLB Network and MLB.com. Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff start by breaking down the top 10 position lists for catcher, first base, second base and third base, identifying intriguing players and sleepers to watch for each spot. Then they're joined by international prospects maven Jesse Borek to discuss all the recent major signings on that market, highlighted by the Giants landing Venezuelan shortstop Luis Hernandez. The guys wrap things up with a listener mailbag question about another Giants international shortstop, Josuar Gonzalez. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prospect-ranking season has begun at MLB Pipeline, and Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff are all over it on this week's episode of the MLB Pipeline Podcast. Things have kicked off with the top 10 right-handed and left-handed pitchers lists, with Jim and Jonathan talking about which arms intrigue them most (RHP: Jonah Tong and Seth Hernandez; LHP: Liam Doyle and Cam Caminiti) as well as who might be next up to jump onto those lists in the future. The guys then jumped into the time machine to talk about Dansby Swanson and Alex Bregman as prospects now that they are about to pull off the rare feat of the top two players in a Draft playing for the same team. From there, they dug into the last two parts of the Executives Survey looking at top tools and farm systems, broke down the Edward Cabrera for Owen Caissie (and other prospects) trade and finished off with a question from the Mailbag. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo & Jason Ratliff ring in the new year and the latest Pipeline Podcast with a slew of predictions for 2026. They try to guess who will be the Rookies of the Year, the best prospects in the Minors and the No. 1 overall Draft pick, among other topics. Jonathan has conducted his fourth annual executive poll and shares the results of several prospect-related queries, with Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin getting mentioned in a wide variety of categories. Jim and Jonathan also discuss their first-ever Hall of Fame ballots and answer a listener mailbag question about Pipeline-related resolutions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the final Pipeline Podcast of the year, Jim Callis & Jason Ratliff break down the sudden flurry of pre-Christmas trades, highlighted by the Rays acquiring six prospects and a supplemental first-round Draft pick in exchange for four big leaguers in a deal with the Orioles and a three-way swap with the Astros and Pirates. Then they look back on 2025 by discussing which farm system improved the most (including the Brewers and Giants) and which prospects did the same (none more than Red Sox lefty Payton Tolle), before wrapping things up with a listener mailbag question about White Sox southpaw Hagen Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Following the launch of the 2026 Draft Top 100, Jim Callis and Jason Ratliff take a close look at the players top of the list, highlighting the best hitters and pitchers in the class, starting with UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowski. They then break down the intriguing challenge trade between the Red Sox and Nationals, in which Boston sent 22-year-old right-hander Luis Perales to Washington (and former Red Sox assistant GM turned Nats GM Paul Toboni) for 25-year-old lefty Jake Bennett. The episode concludes with a question from @bammbamcam about Yankees 2025 top Draft pick Dax Kilby. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Winter Meetings in Orlando are a hub of baseball activity, and Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff break it all down on the latest edition of the Pipeline Podcast. They begin by discussing the ramifications of the Draft Lottery and Jonathan talks to White Sox scouting director Mike Shirley about his team claiming the No. 1 overall pick. Then they shift their focus to another draft -- the Rule 5 Draft -- and analyze the 13 prospects taken, starting with No. 1 choice R.J. Petit (Tigers to Rockies). After celebrating the annual Scout of the Year winners, they circle back to the Rule 5 Draft with a listener mailbag question. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the impending release of MLB Pipeline's Draft Top 100 just before the Winter Meetings set to start this weekend, Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Jason Ratliff have plenty to unpack on the latest Pipeline Podcast. They begin by previewing the Meetings, taking a look at the Draft Lottery and the Rule 5 Draft before discussing which teams have the prospects and motivation to make significant trades. Next, the guys give a sneak peek at the Draft Top 100 by talking about two of the crop's deepest demographics, shortstops (led by clear No.  1 overall prospect Roch Cholowsky of UCLA) and high school left-handers. They wrap things up with one of the more thought-provoking listener-mailbag questions ever, debating the merits of Paul Skenes vs Roki Sasaki . . . in March 2023. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's so much to be grateful for in the prospect world and in this Thanksgiving week episode of the MLB Pipeline Podcast, Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo dig into those things like it's a pumpkin pie. The duo list things they're grateful for in Pipeline-land, from the Arizona Fall League to the College World Series to the tireless efforts of (in no particular order): scouts, player development staff, the MLB Pipeline department and their spouses. In addition to discussing gratitude, Jim and Jonathan break down the prospect impact of the Brandon Nimmo-for-Marcus Semien swap and unpack the breaking news of Sonny Gray being dealt to the Red Sox. They also took one last look at the AFL via Jim's Top 30 Prospects list, discussed 40-man roster decisions and the new All-Star Week schedule that flips the Draft and the Futures Game before taking two Mailbag questions about intriguing pitching prospects. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the latest Pipeline Podcast, Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo & Jason Ratliff put a bow on the just-concluded Arizona Fall League season. They recap the playoffs and the award winners before Jim interviews AFL batting champion Max Anderson (Tigers). Then they shift their focus to difficult roster decisions teams faced as they finalized their 40-man roster to protect prospects from the Rule 5 Draft at the Winter Meetings. They also look forward to the most intriguing matchups on the 2026 Spring Breakout schedule before circling back to the Fall League for a listener mailbag question. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices