Q: Kyle from Middletown asks:Where would Chris Valaika rank on this list during an average year talent wise? Does his increased agility give him a chance to be an average defensive shortstop in the bigs?
 
 A: Ben Badler: When I started with a preliminary Top 20 in August, Valaika was in my 20. But the more people I talked to about him, the more he kept falling. The bat speed is so-so, the approach isn’t ideal, the tools don’t overwhelm anyone, he’s got a thick-lower half and the foot speed isn’t great. But you know what? I still like him. He has a good feel for hitting (though not necessarily good strike-zone discipline) and just good baseball instincts. I don’t think he’ll stick at shortstop, but if he can stick at second base, that’s fine. The move from shortstop to second base is a move down the defensive spectrum, but I also think the magnitude of that move is overrated. He ended up in that 21-25 range for me, but I think he has a good chance to prove a bunch of people wrong in the big leagues.

 Q: Tony from Durham, NC asks:I wanted to ask about a couple of outfielders, Daniel Dorn and Cole Gillespie. Are they future ML regulars, or role players? Dorn I suppose I can see as the RH half of a great LF platoon, and Gillespie the LH half. Or does either of them profile as more than that? Thanks.
 
 A: Ben Badler: Great question, and I think you’ve got a pretty good take on those guys. Gillespie gets a little lost in the mix of talented bats that Huntsville had this year and that the Brewers always seem to produce. He should be a solid big league contributor, sort of like a Brandon Moss-type who won’t blow you away with anything but can be a serviceable outfielder for you. Dorn’s numbers in the league this year were excellent, but scouts seemed to think the tools were a little short. Kind of like Valaika, I think he has a good chance of proving the doubters wrong. He’s a guy who people grew to like a little more each time they saw another one of his at-bats.

it was a year of uneven growth.