Here's a fun one from the combine. Loud.

Genson Veras, OF, TNXL Academy, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

BA Draft Rank: 498

When you watch a lot of baseball games, your brain starts to form pattern associations, and you’ll sometimes have “blink moments.” On Wednesday, I had one of those in what was a visceral response to Veras’ bat speed. It instantly stood out as an elite outlier tool. Veras, a three-star BA high school prospect, has arguably the best swing at this year’s MLB draft combine, and he put on a show in batting practice. The baseball explodes off his barrel in a special way.

Mechanically, the swing works well. Veras has well-timed hip rotation, explosive hands and an ideal bat path for both staying on plane and producing loft. He extends his hands and meets the ball out front, which creates big backspin and tremendous carry. It is a rare combination of strength, bat speed and the ability to create consistent loft.

Veras has no-doubt 80 raw power. In his first two BP rounds, he hit multiple balls 20-25 rows deep to left field and another to straightaway center. I thought I had seen it all, but I was wrong. In his third round, he hit a titanic blast landing in the second deck of Chase Field.

The crazy thing is, I am not sure Veras is physically maxed out yet. He’s listed at 6-foot-6, 225 pounds and has a lean-to-medium build. It’s also worth noting he is the son of former nine-year MLB veteran Jose Veras, who also measured at 6-foot-6 but got up to 240 pounds.

Defensively, Veras took center field reps and showed an easy plus arm with a smooth throwing motion. He moves very well for his size, but weight gain could push him to a corner eventually.

There is a looseness and ease of operations to all aspects of Veras’ game. He makes everything look easy. Veras is a veritable toolshed with big-time potential.

2 hours ago, DirtySox said:

Awesome article at BA today where they make the case for each of Cholowksy, Emerson, and Lackey as the number 1 overall pick. I will post only the portions on what each player could be like as a big leaguer and how it could go wrong. There is plenty more analysis within that is worth the read if you are a subscriber.

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/mlb-draft-2026-making-cases-for-roch-cholowsky-grady-emerson-vahn-lackey-to-go-no-1-overall/

The podcast that goes with it is really good too. Something that's being lost about Emerson is the necessity to be correct on the hit tool. If it's not 60-65 hit, he's not a star.

3 minutes ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

The podcast that goes with it is really good too. Something that's being lost about Emerson is the necessity to be correct on the hit tool. If it's not 60-65 hit, he's not a star.

Thanks. Gonna go listen to it on my run.

Im at the point where im seriously considering just taking the cheapest of the three if there's decent savings with one of them.

14 minutes ago, DirtySox said:

Thanks. Gonna go listen to it on my run.

Im at the point where im seriously considering just taking the cheapest of the three if there's decent savings with one of them.

It would be really interesting to see what the cost savings offered by each is, and who we can fit into a slide for an overslot signing because of it. Is it worth it to draft the "lessor" guy if we get an extra high ceiling high school signing out of it? Are they that close where the question might come down to the whole draft package versus one v the other one?

2 hours ago, DirtySox said:

Here's a fun one from the combine. Loud.

Not surpassingly - dude caught my eye during the combine for sure.

1 hour ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

The podcast that goes with it is really good too. Something that's being lost about Emerson is the necessity to be correct on the hit tool. If it's not 60-65 hit, he's not a star.

Co-signing that this is an excellent listen. As @Y2Jimmy0 sort of alluded to, missing on Emerson's hit tool would be pretty catastrophic. The rest of the tools are solid across the board, but Konnor Griffin/Bobby Witt he is not. So you need to be pretty convinced that he's going to hit.

One point that was hammered home on Roch and Lackey is that even if you come up light on both the hit and power tools by a grade or so, you are still going to have a valuable big leaguer for years, simply due to how stellar the defense is for both of them. The defensive value of both of those players will carry so much value even if the bats aren't what was projected.

I think I'm still at the point where I would seriously factor in how much savings you can get and what you can do with that money with further picks.

3 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

It would be really interesting to see what the cost savings offered by each is, and who we can fit into a slide for an overslot signing because of it. Is it worth it to draft the "lessor" guy if we get an extra high ceiling high school signing out of it? Are they that close where the question might come down to the whole draft package versus one v the other one?

2 hours ago, DirtySox said:

Co-signing that this is an excellent listen. As @Y2Jimmy0 sort of alluded to, missing on Emerson's hit tool would be pretty catastrophic. The rest of the tools are solid across the board, but Konnor Griffin/Bobby Witt he is not. So you need to be pretty convinced that he's going to hit.

One point that was hammered home on Roch and Lackey is that even if you come up light on both the hit and power tools by a grade or so, you are still going to have a valuable big leaguer for years, simply due to how stellar the defense is for both of them. The defensive value of both of those players will carry so much value even if the bats aren't what was projected.

I think I'm still at the point where I would seriously factor in how much savings you can get and what you can do with that money with further picks.

I still don't think either player gets $10 million but let's say Cholowsky is $10 million, Emerson would be $9.75 million and Lackey is still probably breaking the record too. I just don't see much cost savings on anyone so I'd take Cholowsky.

14 minutes ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

I still don't think either player gets $10 million but let's say Cholowsky is $10 million, Emerson would be $9.75 million and Lackey is still probably breaking the record too. I just don't see much cost savings on anyone so I'd take Cholowsky.

Say the difference between Lackey and Cholo allows you to add a guy like the Contreras kid in the 3rd (or pick whoever your high ceiling guy is), versus another college guy. Is it worth it?

There’s risk everywhere. I think you have to factor in a significant right-handed hitter penalty in mlb right now. Lefties are over performing righties by a good margin right now thanks to platoon advantage and abs. I think Lackey and Roch have a greater risk of busting offensively because of it. Look at Dylan Crews and to some extent Wyatt Langford. When in doubt, draft the lefty.

When we pulled the number 1 pick I was aboard the Roch train… then Lackey became my guy… and now I’m back on the Roch train. 😆

1 hour ago, southsider2k5 said:

Say the difference between Lackey and Cholo allows you to add a guy like the Contreras kid in the 3rd (or pick whoever your high ceiling guy is), versus another college guy. Is it worth it?

I'm operating right now as if Vahn Lackey isn't under consideration. They might save a little with Emerson but not enough for me to not take the college guy.

1 hour ago, Timmy U said:

There’s risk everywhere. I think you have to factor in a significant right-handed hitter penalty in mlb right now. Lefties are over performing righties by a good margin right now thanks to platoon advantage and abs. I think Lackey and Roch have a greater risk of busting offensively because of it. Look at Dylan Crews and to some extent Wyatt Langford. When in doubt, draft the lefty.

Crews yes, but Langford is a really good player.

13 minutes ago, ChiSoxFanMike said:

Crews yes, but Langford is a really good player.

Eh. He’s got 7 HR this year. He has not been what they were hoping imho

9 hours ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

The podcast that goes with it is really good too. Something that's being lost about Emerson is the necessity to be correct on the hit tool. If it's not 60-65 hit, he's not a star.

They also mentioned Lackey not doing much against good velocity, which I wasn’t aware of.

I’m glad I’m not in charge of the draft room. Really don’t see how they come off Roch. Theres too much risk for whoever has to wear potentially passing him up.

5 hours ago, Lukakke Appling said:

They also mentioned Lackey not doing much against good velocity, which I wasn’t aware of.

I’m officially team Roch.

14 hours ago, Timmy U said:

There’s risk everywhere. I think you have to factor in a significant right-handed hitter penalty in mlb right now. Lefties are over performing righties by a good margin right now thanks to platoon advantage and abs. I think Lackey and Roch have a greater risk of busting offensively because of it. Look at Dylan Crews and to some extent Wyatt Langford. When in doubt, draft the lefty.

Wyatt Langford has a 1.7 WAR in 40 games this year with a 128 wRC+. Not entirely sure what about that means stay away. That's nearly a 7 war pace as a 24 year old.