Prospect #18 Runoff

[camisadelgolf]

C Tucker Barnhart, or RHP Kyle Lotzkar?

[mth123]

I'll go with Barnhart. I think he can be another Ryan Hanigan if not better.

Lotzkar has had too many arm problems IMO. He's not in my top 50. I'll believe he'll be a viable arm when I see it. Its a shame. He was a top 5 guy before all the injuries.

[dougdirt]

Lotzkar. Much better mechanics than ever before. He actually looks like a normal mechanics guy now. Quality stuff. Needs to get more innings under his belt, but with the new mechanics and the stuff, there is plenty to like.

MTH, I will just say it now. You are crazy if Lotzkar isn't in your top 50.

[HokieRed]

Lotzkar. Iffy, but the potential upside is too great to ignore. Still I have both these guys below Sulbaran and Rosa, maybe even Phipps. But it's a complex act of weighing--upside, probability of reaching that potential, nearness to a major league career etc. I will say this: I sure hope Lotzkar is now really sound. I've got Sulbaran as my breakout player for 2012, but I've got Lotzkar as my second candidate for that honor. I'd love to see what he can do through about 110 innings this year.

[mace]

Both are great choices here. I've been with Barnhart for a while now, and love his combination of position, defense, contact and makeup. I think he can be a very good major-league catcher and consequently should be ranked quite a bit higher than this.

That said, I believe I've had Lotzkar as high as #2 (not sure) in the past. If he's now sound, it's very promising. I like the fact that his mechanics have been remade, but it seems to have affected his performance somewhat; and not at all surprisingly. Which means we now need to see two things out of him: 1) that he can stay healthy, and 2) that he can return to dominance with a new delivery.

[Kc61]

I don't see Barnhart this high. I'm concerned his bat won't be effective at higher levels, which makes him a potential backup catcher. If his bat progresses, given his good defense, then we're talking.

Lotzkar did pretty well for a guy coming off a major injury. He's always had a very high talent level. IMO he is one of the Reds best starting pitching prospects, even with his injury history. I think he belongs in the top 20 and will vote for him here.

[mth123]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

Lotzkar. Much better mechanics than ever before. He actually looks like a normal mechanics guy now. Quality stuff. Needs to get more innings under his belt, but with the new mechanics and the stuff, there is plenty to like.

MTH, I will just say it now. You are crazy if Lotzkar isn't in your top 50.

Let's see him hold up for more than 40 innings or so first. I'd say he's a longer shot to make it to the majors in one piece than anyone in the system. Talent doesn't matter if its not on the field.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by mth123

Let's see him hold up for more than 40 innings or so first. I'd say he's a longer shot to make it to the majors in one piece than anyone in the system. Talent doesn't matter if its not on the field.

What has kept him off of the field has been his mechanics and they are night and day different from where they were.

[texasdave]

When it comes to Lotzkar just call me MissouriDave. He has to show me.

[bubbachunk]

Barnhart. Lotzkar just needs to be on the field more for me to move him up but he has the potential to jumps more spots than anybody else that we will rank this year.

[fearofpopvol1]

Originally Posted by Kc61

I don't see Barnhart this high. I'm concerned his bat won't be effective at higher levels, which makes him a potential backup catcher. If his bat progresses, given his good defense, then we're talking.

He's probably never going to be a power guy, but he has good contact and hits for average, doesn't K a lot and has a good BB rate. He's got a good shot of at least being Hanigan and his ceiling is probably Yadier Molina.

[mth123]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

What has kept him off of the field has been his mechanics and they are night and day different from where they were.

Damage is already done though. It remains to be seen if the patch job will hold up or if he can maintain those mechanincs once he's put some innings on his arm and gets a little fatigued during a long season. Keeping his Mechanics straightened out for 10 limited starts is a lot different than 20 or 30.

I need to see him do it before I believe he can.

[Edd Roush]

Originally Posted by mth123

Damage is already done though. It remains to be seen if the patch job will hold up or if he can maintain those mechanincs once he's put some innings on his arm and gets a little fatigued during a long season. Keeping his Mechanics straightened out for 10 limited starts is a lot different than 20 or 30.

I need to see him do it before I believe he can.

I agree with you, mth. Lotzkar still is an exciting prospect to me because he has a very high ceiling, but I can't have him over the best defensive catcher in all of the minor leagues. Barnhart has been decent offensively and supurb defensively. Unlike you, mth, I will have Lotzkar in my top 50, just not ahead of Barnhart.

[Ohayou]

Wasn't Lotzkar considered one of the Reds Top 10 prospects at one point?

[camisadelgolf]

I get flack every year for picking Lotzkar in my top 10, and I would've put him in there this year, too. He's got my vote, and I like Barnhart a lot.