Down On The Farm: Baseball America Hot Sheet Chat

Here are some excerpts from Friday's Hot Sheet chat over at Baseball America:

James (Whittier, CA): What is Jordan Lyles upside overall? Solid #3 or possibly a number 2 and is he a top 20 prospect overall? Thanks

Ben Badler: He has the stuff to be a top-of-the-rotation starter. He's 88-93 but he locates it incredibly well for his age to both sides of the plate, his breaking stuff has improved to become more usable and his changeup is a swing-and-miss pitch that could be a 70 down the road. You know I'm not crazy about comps, but in some ways, he reminds me of a taller, more athletic version of Jeremy Hellickson.

Lyles is a 19 year old pitching prospect who could be in the majors in 2011. He's a name to watch in keeper leagues and NL-only leagues.

Truck Starkey (117 Grissom): When will we finally see a Dellin Betances promotion to AA?

Ben Badler: From what I've heard, 2011.

The Yankees have the best team in baseball and their farm system is pretty damn good as well. Betances is just one of several top pitching prospects in the Yankees system.

Theodore Logan (San Dimas, CA): Where would Brandon Belt rank / project? I keep reading conflicting things on whether he's playing over his head or whether this is a real breakout. If this is a breakout, what's his ETA?

Ben Badler: Can't it be both? I think it's a real breakout, but nobody's true talent level is a .471 OBP/.639 SLG. He should be ready to contribute next year, but I'm not going to play the guessing game with big league ETAs for the Giants.

The Giants certainly could use Belt's bat in their lineup in 2011. I think Kevin Goldstein from Baseball Prospectus slapped a James Loney comparison on him, as he's not a big power hitter.

Jeff (New Hampshire): Is Wil Myers a top 5 talent in terms of pure hitters? Thanks!

Ben Badler: Definitely. Frankly, he's in the discussion for the top five among ALL prospects in the minors.

If the Royals system isn't the best in baseball, I am not sure what team has a better system-Myers, Mike Moustakas, Eric Hosmer, Mike Montgomery and John Lamb is tough to beat.

Dan (East Brunswick, NJ): Rubby De La Rosa has earned two hot list mentions this year, but there seems to be little scouting data on him other than his fastball mph. What does he offer in terms of repertoire movement and make-up, and what's the ceiling?

Ben Badler: Hard, heavy fastball up to the mid-90s, a slider with sharp bite that grades out around average and feel for a changeup, although as a reliever for most of the season he hasn't used that pitch as much. He's still learning how to mix all three pitches as a starter and I know some scouts see him as a late-inning reliever, but I see him developing more feel for how to pitch with experience and sticking as a starter.

RDLR gave up just one hit in 7 innings last night in his AA start for Chattanooga.