Future Value: The Battle for Baseball's Soul and How Teams Will Find the Next Superstar
4.6 | 185 ratings
Price: 18.95
Last update: 01-24-2026
Product details
- Publisher : Triumph Books
- Publication date : June 1, 2021
- Language : English
- Print length : 384 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1629378801
- ISBN-13 : 978-1629378800
- Item Weight : 1.04 pounds
- Dimensions : 6 x 1.1 x 9 inches
- Best Sellers Rank:#2,534 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- Baseball Coaching (Books)
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- Customer Reviews:4.64.6 out of 5 stars(185)
Top reviews from the United States
- clemente_in_rightMust read for seamheadsI've enjoyed reading the authors' analysis of prospects online and this book did not disappoint. This is a broad topic and Longenhagen and McDaniel have done a nice job of going in depth in language that is accessible even to those who aren't frequently reading about prospects.
There are chapters devoted to the amateur draft, the international player market and about scouting professional players. The authors also dive into how scouts think and what they look for in both hitters and pitchers. There is a discussion of the 20-80 scale (and the different attributes that get rated on that scale) that the vast majority of teams employ. There are chapters devoted to people who want to be employed in baseball - one chapter for players and one chapter for people who want a gig as a scout or an analytics/R&D person. The also have a chapter strictly about how data is gathered - the different technological devices that are used (Trackman, Rapsodo, Edgertronic high speed cameras, etc) and the various employments of those devices to make decisions. Of particular note to me is how that kind of now-available data - specifically exit velo - helped scouts to understand the difference in the future offensive profile of Ronald Acuna compared to Victor Robles (p. 303)
My favorite chapter is the final one - about running an MLB team. As a Pirates fan, I was amused that they referred to the Pirates as a '30-grade ownership' team. To give you a sense of how bad it is, earlier in the book they gave Josh Bell a grade of 40 for arm utility. The authors give their general point of view of how all 30 teams operate in the various areas that the book covered.
One thing to point out is that this isn't a book that dishes dirt. So, if you approach this book hoping to learn what teams have royally messed up in the amateur draft or in Latin America, you won't find it. For example, there was no mention of how the Pirates botched the signing of Miguel Sano and lost him to the Twins. Most of the stories are instructive - how thought processes and data usage and scout deployment have changed and how those changes have manifested themselves in specific decisions. I was intrigued by the story of the Marlins pursuit of JT Realmuto (p. 252) and how no other teams were 'on him' to the same extent. Their multi-page profile of Padres GM AJ Preller was also magnificent (starting around p. 340).
Unquestionably, this can be a dry topic. So, I was pleased that they injected some humor into the book from time-to-time, usually in one-off comments rather than full blown anecdotes. For example, they gave Branch Rickey's eyebrows an 80 grade and ranked the various Batman movies on the 20-80 scale. There's also a joke about TrackMan becoming self aware. As someone who has spent his entire professional career in the paper industry, their comment (p. 123) about bringing in Al Dunlap to institute layoffs knocked me off my chair.
This can be topic (at least on twitter) that quickly devolves into an 'I'm smarter than you' back-and-forth. So, I appreciated the humility they show, acknowledging they've 'been wrong a lot' in the chapter on scouting hitters. Given that modesty is almost absent in the online baseball space, for Longenhagen and McDaniel - to me, these guys are at the top of the mountain in terms of prospect analysis - to exude that character trait was delightful.
Sources are sited and the end of the book. The book does lack an index, which it could've used given how many of the people they named and quoted I was not personally familiar with.
Highly recommended for any passionate baseball fan. Even if you don't like reading about prospects, this kind of behind-the-scenes glimpse into how teams run such an important part of the organization is fascinating. - Nategreat bookThis is a must-read for anybody who wants to get a job in baseball. It dives deep into scouting, explaining it in great detail. The authors use awesome anecdotes to really inform the reader on how scouting works, including the evaluation of players and covering anywhere from teenagers playing in tournaments to professionals. Any fan that is interested in this, there is no shortage of information you can take away from it. This book will not disappoint.
- AnonymousInformative but DullThe book provides a large amount of information for those curious about scouting and player development. However, the prose is very dull and reads more like a textbook. I only paid 2 dollars for the Kindle version, but I'd suggest skipping a full priced copy.
- Will StoreyMust read for MLB/MiLB fansThis book is amazing. An inside look at modern day scouting in MLB.
- Timothy S. CookeFantastic Look at Baseball in the 2020’sEric and Kiley explain complicated baseball matter in a clear and concise way. If you love behind the scenes baseball in the modern game, get this book now.
- MikeKnowledge dropGreat book. Highly recommend. Well researched on Dominican Baseball and many other areas.
- book wizardGreat presentationI loved the method and depth of content. Well written and very easy to learn from.
- boogMust Read for us baseball nerds!Loved every second of this read. Really appreciate going behind the proverbial curtains and learning some of the ins and outs of the team building and business aspects of the sport. Nice job making it personal by placing the spotlight on many scouts that are getting replaced by video and computer platforms. Also a highly recommended reading for those aspiring to join the baseball workforce.