Cub prospects in the news

[abuck1220]

yeah, that is so, so awful.

[CubsInNC]

Albert Almora, CF, Cubs (High-A Daytona)

What he lacks in natural speed, he makes up for with excellent reads off the bat and sound routes to the ball. There were a few balls smoked into the gaps that he was able to cut off, holding the batter to long singles.

 

- BP

This has been said about him over and over again since the day he was drafted. Anyone seen him play that can add to this? Will this play in larger outfields like Coors or Turner?

 

I'm no scout, and only saw him in 3 games, but he made playing CF look easy. He seemed to know where the ball was going the moment it left the bat, and got what I thought were good jumps on balls hit in his direction. Didn't see anything to the extreme gaps though.

[UMFan83]

Keith Law updated his top 25. Bryant jumps Baez and is 8th (up from 15). Baez drops from 7th to 9th. Almora and Soler are honorable mentions.

 

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/10996551/minnesota-twins-outfielder-byron-buxton-no-1-top-25-prospect-ranking-mlb

 

8. Kris Bryant | 3B | Chicago Cubs (age 22)

Current level: Double-A (Tennessee)

Preseason ranking: 15

 

Aside from a high strikeout rate (more than 25 percent of his plate appearances), Bryant's season so far is unimpeachable, as he's walking, hitting for average, hitting for huge power and improving the second time around the league. We'll have to see what happens to that contact rate when he gets to Triple-A, though.

 

 

9. Javier Baez | SS | Chicago Cubs (age 21)

Current level: Triple-A (Iowa)

Preseason ranking: 7

 

Speaking of Cubs who don't make enough contact in Triple-A, here's Baez, owner of the fastest bat in the minors, striking out in a third of his plate appearances so far this year for Iowa.

 

When he does square the ball up, he hits it hard, but he's got work to do to make more contact, especially cutting down on his aggressiveness with two strikes, before he's ready to come up and take over any position in Chicago.

[Guest]

Who were the top 5? I assume some combination of Buxton, Taveras, Polanco, Correa and Gray?

[sneakypower]

sort of unrelated, but Badler said Buxton-Polanco were his personal top 2, which i found interesting

[wekim81]

Who were the top 5? I assume some combination of Buxton, Taveras, Polanco, Correa and Gray?

Buxton, Correa, Polanco, Taveras, Russell.

 

Gotta remember KLaw is big for up the middle guys. Personally, Buxton is the only one there i'd trade Bryant for. Might trade Baez for Polanco also.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Almora should get used to "honorable mention" because that's where his trajectory is taking him on future top-100 lists.

[Guest]

sort of unrelated, but Badler said Buxton-Polanco were his personal top 2, which i found interesting

 

I can see it but I still prefer Taveras to Polanco.

[Guest]

Who were the top 5? I assume some combination of Buxton, Taveras, Polanco, Correa and Gray?

Buxton, Correa, Polanco, Taveras, Russell.

 

Gotta remember KLaw is big for up the middle guys. Personally, Buxton is the only one there i'd trade Bryant for. Might trade Baez for Polanco also.

 

Of course, forgot how much Law likes Russell (and I kind of forgot about Addison since he's hurt). Russell in the top 5 is way better than Lindor.

[Guest]

Matt (Jacksonville): Does Kris Bryant get promoted before rosters expand on Sept. 1st? Does he got to AAA first, or jump directly to Chicago?

 

Ben Badler: I know there’s Cubs fans expecting Bryant to be up this year, but I’d be surprised if they brought him up. He’s not on the 40-man roster, he hasn’t played above Double-A (although he’s certainly mastered the level) and the Cubs aren’t going anywhere this year. At some point in the next month or so, maybe around the Futures Game, Bryant’s going to get to Triple-A, but a 2015 debut seems more likely.

 

A. Harhay (Courtroom): Can we all finally take a big sigh of relief on Baez, or do you think his struggles may continue?

 

Ben Badler: I do think he’s a much better player than he’s shown to start the season, but the jump in his strikeout rate and his tendency to overswing and losing the hitting approach he worked to improve last year is concerning. Still a premium prospect, but the second half of the season is going to be big for him to show he can adjust.

 

Michael Labella-Starkey (Grand Finale): Is Kris Bryant more of a 20 or 30 homerun guy?

 

Ben Badler: He has 80 raw power. A 40 home run season isn’t out of the question, but he should be a 30-plus guy by the time he’s in his mid-20s, if not sooner.

[jersey cubs fan]

Michael Labella-Starkey (Grand Finale): Is Kris Bryant more of a 20 or 30 homerun guy?

 

What does that question mean Michael LaBatt-Blue?

[Guest]

4 Daytona all-stars:

 

OF Bijan Rademacher

2B Gioskar Amaya

SP Felix Peña

RP Andrew McKirahan

[Guest]

6 Smokies all-stars:

 

3B Kris Bryant

2B Stephen Bruno

C Rafael Lopez

OF John Andreoli

SP Corey Black

RP Armando Rivero

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Kris Bryant should be our representative in the MLB all-star game.

[imb]

Kris Bryant should be our representative in the MLB all-star game.

 

lol

[ScrubMD]

Apparently CJ Edwards just tweeted that he begins throwing on Thursday.

[Guest]

Apparently CJ Edwards just tweeted that he begins throwing on Thursday.

 

 

Cj Edwards @CEdwardsSBS · 15m

 

Update on me... Great MRI starting to throw Thursday ready get back to Tennessee... Just pretty much to get back on the field #go#cubs#go

[Guest]

Kris Bryant and Paul Blackburn named Cubs minor league player and pitcher of the month for May.

[Guest]

4 Daytona all-stars:

 

OF Bijan Rademacher

2B Gioskar Amaya

SP Felix Peña

RP Andrew McKirahan

 

SS Marco Hernandez was added to the team today.

[Guest]

4 Kane County all-stars:

 

C Will Remillard

SP Paul Blackburn

RP Jose Arias

IF Jordan Hankins

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Arias over Pugliese? I demand a re-count.

[Little Slide Rooter]

4 Daytona all-stars:

 

OF Bijan Rademacher

2B Gioskar Amaya

SP Felix Peña

RP Andrew McKirahan

 

SS Marco Hernandez was added to the team today.

 

He must be one hell of a fielder.

[Guest]

Zach Cates finally promoted to AA.

[Guest]

Soler update from Muskat: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20140604&content_id=78178224&notebook_id=78204872&vkey=notebook_chc&c_id=chc

 

Soler, ranked No. 5 on MLB.com's list of the Cubs' top 20 prospects, is doing agility work and hitting in the batting cages. He has not played in extended spring games.

[Guest]

Zach Cates finally promoted to AA.

 

Corresponding move is Trillho's boy Justin Amlung getting promoted to Daytona.