Cubs Top Prospect Lists

[Outshined_One]

With the offseason and boredom setting in, I figured this would be a good time to get this thread up. BA should be kicking off their top 10 lists soon as it is, so let's beat them to this.

 

Anyways, to kick this thread off, here's my Cubs Top 10 prospect list.

 

1) 3B Josh Vitters

2) P Jeff Samardzija

3) P Andrew Cashner

4) P Jose Ceda

5) C Welington Castillo

6) P Jay Jackson

7) 2B/SS Ryan Flaherty

8) P Dae-Eun Rhee

9) OF Tyler Colvin

10) IF Hak-Ju Lee

[Dirt Dog Sparly]

I know Colvin was selected in the first round and all. However if he is in the top ten for the system it is not saying much about the system. Granted I have not seen him play recently but looking at his numbers it does not look to me that he has developed plate discipline which will make him Keishnick Part2 IMO.

[Guest]

I know Colvin was selected in the first round and all. However if he is in the top ten for the system it is not saying much about the system. Granted I have not seen him play recently but looking at his numbers it does not look to me that he has developed plate discipline which will make him Keishnick Part2 IMO.

 

His plate discipline did improve in the first two thirds of the season (while he struggled with the bat) before tailing off in August (when he did better with the bat). That said, the Cubs likely have one of the 5 worst farm systems in MLB (only the Phillies, Astros and White Sox definitely have a worse farm system, imo).

[Post Count Padder]

Vitters

Ceda

Samardzija

Cashner

Rhee

Colvin

Castillo

Lee

Jackson

Atkins

 

This is more or less who I can think of now. If I put more thought into it, I may have a better list.

[Mephistopheles]

off the top of my head

 

1. Josh Vitters

2. Jeff Samardzija

3. Andrew Cashner

4. Jose Ceda

5. Ryan Flaherty

6. Jay Jackson

7. Tyler Colvin

8. Wellington Castillo

9. Hak-Ju Lee

10. Dae-Eun Rhee

[Guest]

I'll go with:

 

1. 3B Josh Vitters

2. RHP Jeff Samardzija

3. RHP Andrew Cashner

4. RHP Jose Ceda

5. C Welington Castillo

6. IF Ryan Flaherty - I'm assuming he's moving to second base

7. RHP Jay Jackson

8. RHP Dae-Eun Rhee

9. OF Tyler Colvin

10. RHP Chris Carpenter

11. RHP Aaron Shafer

12. SS Hak-Ju Lee

13. 3B Jovan Rosa

14. RHP Larry Suarez

15. RHP Esmailin Caridad

16. 2B Tony Thomas

17. OF Drew Rundle

18. RHP Dan McDaniel

19. SS Starlin Castro

20. RHP Mitch Atkins

[rawaction]

Same top 4.

 

1. Vitters

2. Samardzija

3. Cashner

4. Ceda

5. Castillo

6. Jackson

7. Colvin

8. Flaherty

9. Rhee

10 Lee

[Outshined_One]

Everything after the Top 10 is a mess for me. Most of the quality lies in guys who either are at very low levels, guys with checkered injury histories, or guys whose ceilings aren't particularly noteworthy, although they have a reasonable chance of making the majors.

 

I think there's some promise in this system, but the lack of depth and talent is a bit jarring.

[illiniguy]

Everything after the Top 10 is a mess for me. Most of the quality lies in guys who either are at very low levels, guys with checkered injury histories, or guys whose ceilings aren't particularly noteworthy, although they have a reasonable chance of making the majors.

 

I think there's some promise in this system, but the lack of depth and talent is a bit jarring.

If Wood and Dempster aren't back we will have a chance to reload in a hurry.

[Outshined_One]

Everything after the Top 10 is a mess for me. Most of the quality lies in guys who either are at very low levels, guys with checkered injury histories, or guys whose ceilings aren't particularly noteworthy, although they have a reasonable chance of making the majors.

 

I think there's some promise in this system, but the lack of depth and talent is a bit jarring.

If Wood and Dempster aren't back we will have a chance to reload in a hurry.

 

Ditto Howry, who could end up being a Type B.

 

I'm a bit concerned about the lack of names on these Top 10 lists who were drafted after the first round prior to this year. There's only one name consistently on any of these lists that fits that mold in Samardzija. While there's still time for guys like Rundle, Huseby, Thomas, Guyer, etc. to develop and blossom, it's a bit disconcerting.

[illiniguy]

Everything after the Top 10 is a mess for me. Most of the quality lies in guys who either are at very low levels, guys with checkered injury histories, or guys whose ceilings aren't particularly noteworthy, although they have a reasonable chance of making the majors.

 

I think there's some promise in this system, but the lack of depth and talent is a bit jarring.

If Wood and Dempster aren't back we will have a chance to reload in a hurry.

 

Ditto Howry, who could end up being a Type B.

 

I'm a bit concerned about the lack of names on these Top 10 lists who were drafted after the first round prior to this year. There's only one name consistently on any of these lists that fits that mold in Samardzija. While there's still time for guys like Rundle, Huseby, Thomas, Guyer, etc. to develop and blossom, it's a bit disconcerting.

If we offer, wouldn't Howry accept anything at this point? There cannot be much of a market for him still, can there?

 

Also Epatt, Gallagher, and Donaldson landed us Rich Harden. They amounted to something at least.

[Guest]

Donaldson would have been #4 in the system for me if he was still around.

[Outshined_One]

If we offer, wouldn't Howry accept anything at this point? There cannot be much of a market for him still, can there?

 

Also Epatt, Gallagher, and Donaldson landed us Rich Harden. They amounted to something at least.

 

As a Type B, a team can sign him early without having to forfeit any draft picks. It's like the Brewers did with Jason Kendall.

 

Also, point taken on those three, although I think Patterson and Gallagher wouldn't have qualified for the list in terms of playing time with the Cubs had they stayed. That's more of a counterfactual situation, though.

 

Donaldson would have been #4 in the system for me if he was still around.

 

Assuming he turned it around in the MWL like he did following his trade to the A's, I think 3 or 4 on my list would be about right.

[illiniguy]

Just out of curiosity, why aren't you guys higher on Castillo? I really want to be excited about him, but read where you guys don't like him all that much in what is a weak system.

[illiniguy]

If we offer, wouldn't Howry accept anything at this point? There cannot be much of a market for him still, can there?

 

Also Epatt, Gallagher, and Donaldson landed us Rich Harden. They amounted to something at least.

 

As a Type B, a team can sign him early without having to forfeit any draft picks. It's like the Brewers did with Jason Kendall.

 

Also, point taken on those three, although I think Patterson and Gallagher wouldn't have qualified for the list in terms of playing time with the Cubs had they stayed. That's more of a counterfactual situation, though.

 

Donaldson would have been #4 in the system for me if he was still around.

 

Assuming he turned it around in the MWL like he did following his trade to the A's, I think 3 or 4 on my list would be about right.

I thought we got a pick for Kendall?

[Outshined_One]

Just out of curiosity, why aren't you guys higher on Castillo? I really want to be excited about him, but read where you guys don't like him all that much in what is a weak system.

 

He doesn't have much power and has iffy patience at the plate. I like how he's young for AA and has produced there, but his peripherals are kind of eh.

[Guest]

If we offer, wouldn't Howry accept anything at this point? There cannot be much of a market for him still, can there?

 

Also Epatt, Gallagher, and Donaldson landed us Rich Harden. They amounted to something at least.

 

As a Type B, a team can sign him early without having to forfeit any draft picks. It's like the Brewers did with Jason Kendall.

 

Also, point taken on those three, although I think Patterson and Gallagher wouldn't have qualified for the list in terms of playing time with the Cubs had they stayed. That's more of a counterfactual situation, though.

 

Donaldson would have been #4 in the system for me if he was still around.

 

Assuming he turned it around in the MWL like he did following his trade to the A's, I think 3 or 4 on my list would be about right.

I thought we got a pick for Kendall?

 

Yes (Ryan Flaherty). But that was a sandwich pick, not a former Brewers pick. The Brewers didn't give up a pick for signing Kendall early; rather, the Cubs were compensated with a sandwich pick. Howry - like Kendall last offseason - is a Type B free agent.

[illiniguy]

If we offer, wouldn't Howry accept anything at this point? There cannot be much of a market for him still, can there?

 

Also Epatt, Gallagher, and Donaldson landed us Rich Harden. They amounted to something at least.

 

As a Type B, a team can sign him early without having to forfeit any draft picks. It's like the Brewers did with Jason Kendall.

 

Also, point taken on those three, although I think Patterson and Gallagher wouldn't have qualified for the list in terms of playing time with the Cubs had they stayed. That's more of a counterfactual situation, though.

 

Donaldson would have been #4 in the system for me if he was still around.

 

Assuming he turned it around in the MWL like he did following his trade to the A's, I think 3 or 4 on my list would be about right.

I thought we got a pick for Kendall?

 

Yes (Ryan Flaherty). But that was a sandwich pick, not a former Brewers pick. The Brewers didn't give up a pick for signing Kendall early; rather, the Cubs were compensated with a sandwich pick. Howry - like Kendall last offseason - is a Type B free agent.

So we don't have to offer him anything and will still get a pick for him if he is signed early? If so great, at this point a sandwich guy should help us out more going forward anyways.

[Guest]

Here you go, illiniguy:

 

Free Agent Compensation

 

A club may receive draft-pick compensation if it loses a free agent if:

 

(1) the player signs with another club before December 2; or

 

(2) the club offered arbitration to the free agent but failed to re-sign him.

 

Free agent compensation is based on the free agent’s place in the Elias Sports Bureau’s ranking of all major league players by position based on their performance during the last two seasons. Players are ranked by league in one of five positional groups: 1) 1B/DH/OF, 2) 2B/SS/3B, 3) catchers, 4) starting pitchers or 5) relief pitchers. The statistical criteria vary by position, and are not made available to anyone outsideof Major League Baseball.

 

Type A players are those who rank statistically in the top 20 percent at their position. Compensation for a Type A player is the signing club’s first-round draft pick and a supplemental pick between the first and second rounds.

 

Type B players are those who rank between the top 21 and 40 percent. Compensation for a Type B player is a supplemental pick between the first and second rounds.

 

If a team loses a free agent who is statistically in the bottom 60% of all players at his position, the former team does not get any compensation.

 

http://baseball.suite101.com/article.cfm/baseball_free_agency_rules

 

Howry is likely to be a Type B and Dempster and Wood will likely be Type As.

[tspain]

1. Josh Vitters

 

2. Jeff Samardzija

 

3. Chris Carpenter

 

4. Andrew Cashner

 

5. Jose Ceda

 

6. Dan McDaniel

 

7. Jonathan Nagel

 

8. Casey Coleman

 

9. Welington Castillo

 

10. Tyler Colvin

 

McDaniel should be there cause of 92-93 mph, will be good as develops off speed pitches, as he did this past season. Pitched real well.

 

Casey Coleman, son of 20 game winner Joe Coleman, only begin pitching in 2008, was a short stop in '07. 94 mph, and knows how to pitch.

 

Nagel can be very good, is coming back from injury and surgery, but the Cubs picked a good one. He has a chance to be a real good starting pitcher for the Cubs.

 

11. Jay Jackson

 

12. Aaron Schafer

 

13. Luis Bautista

 

14. Rocky Roquet

 

15. Hak Lee

 

Jay Jackson come a long way in a half season, all the way to Daytona and pitched in the playoffs. Can be a real steal in the 9th round.

 

Schafer can be good if velocity returns, if it does he will move up this list. Until then, I rate him low.

 

Bautista, I am not sure about. Catcher maybe, or a corner man. Depends on bat, which was very good at Peoria. Guy to keep an eye on.

 

Roquet throws 94, can be a very good reliever, just needs time, as does Ceda and Cashner.

 

Lee may be good, hard to rate him high since he has yet to even play over here yet. Here's hoping he is going to be a great short stop for us.

 

Suarez and Castro are the two who just missed my list.

 

Pastor Tom Spain

[Guest]

Man, Nagel has the potential to be a great prospect but he hasn't thrown in, what, 1.5 years? I couldn't rank him in the top 30 even until he comes back. Hopefully he will pitch in Mesa and Boise next season.

 

But that was a great pick by the Cubs.

[sneakypower]

i guess i think more highly of Brandon Guyer than essentially everyone else

[Guest]

i guess i think more highly of Brandon Guyer than essentially everyone else

 

Do you have him in your top 10?

[Outshined_One]

Casey Coleman, son of 20 game winner Joe Coleman, only begin pitching in 2008, was a short stop in '07. 94 mph, and knows how to pitch

 

I liked Coleman when I saw him, but he was working with a fastball was in the high 80s, I think touching 90/91 at some points. He had a great feel for pitching, but if he doesn't sharpen his curve and get a better working velocity, I don't see him becoming more than a back end of the rotation starter at best.

[sneakypower]

i guess i think more highly of Brandon Guyer than essentially everyone else

 

Do you have him in your top 10?

yeah, i have higher hopes for him than guys like Flaherty, Rhee and Colvin