Cub prospects in the news

[Guest]

I was a bit surprised that the implied preference was McKinney > Zagunis defensively. I haven't heard much about Zagunis's defense, but I do know he's pretty fleet of foot and that McKinney was pretty much LF-only at the MLB level. I'm also holding out some hope that Happ could play some CF, but no one's seen much of him in the OF so I'm not ready to give that one up quite yet.

[sneakypower]

McKinney being able to cut it in CF would be a dream come true

[Gilby]

Ehh, he hasn't played a single game in CF this season. They've shown the willingness to rotate Almora and Hannemann in CF, and I'm sure Mckinney, easily the best prospect of the three, would've been given a shot to play there if they thought he had the slightest chance of sticking.

[Sammy Sofa]

It's irrational, but I want the Cubs to sell some prospects just to stop hearing the fans slot every Cubs prospect they've heard of into The Future as a starter.

 

This is the complete and total opposite of irrational.

[Rob]

Kiley with an interesting tidbit on the defensive hierarchy of the top OFs.

 

Comment From Andrew

Do you think Billy McKinney could hold down the Cubs CF job starting next year until someone like Happ, Almora, or Zagunis emerge?

 

Kiley McDaniel: Happ is corner OF, Zagunis is corner OF and McKinney is fringy in CF while Almora is fantastic defensively in CF. So, maybe, but don’t think that’ll happen for an extended period.

 

It's irrational, but I want the Cubs to sell some prospects just to stop hearing the fans slot every Cubs prospect they've heard of into The Future as a starter.

 

They'd still do it, just with prospects who have even less of a shot of making it happen.

[Guest]

BA Hot Sheet:

 

10. Kyle Schwarber, c, Cubs

 

Team: Triple-A Iowa (Pacific Coast)

Age: 22

Why He’s Here: .375/.423/.625 (9-for-24), 3 R, 3 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBIs, 2 BB, 8 SO

 

The Scoop: Schwarber’s Triple-A debut followed closely on heels of his major league debut, but with five strikeouts in his final two games for Chicago, he might have been due for a breather. The stocky lefthanded batter showed he can hold his own at the highest level, but the Cubs acknowledge a defensive home will be the last piece of the puzzle. Whether he masters catching or left field seems to be the key to whether he’ll return to Wrigley Field this season.

 

12. Gleyber Torres, ss, Cubs

 

Team: low Class A South Bend (Midwest)

Age: 18

Why He’s Here: .367/.424/.500 (11-for-30), 5 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBIs, 3 BB, 4 SO, 2-for-3 SB

 

The Scoop: The Cubs have a knack for drafting and developing well-rounded hitters—or trading for them, in the case of Addison Russell and Billy McKinney—but Torres is an advanced hitter for his age. The Midwest League has chewed up and spit out several of the top high school hitters from the 2014 draft class, e.g. Alex Jackson, Nick Gordon, Jake Gatewood and Monte Harrison, but Torres just cruises along. He may end up outgrowing shortstop, but he can really hit.

 

19. Eloy Jimenez, lf, Cubs

 

Team: short-season Eugene (Northwest)

Age: 18

Why He’s Here: .370/.452/.630 (10-for-27), 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBIs, 4 BB, 7 SO, 3-for-4 SB

 

The Scoop: A part of the same international signing class in which the Cubs signed Gleyber Torres, Jimenez is the more physical but less polished of the two. Already a left fielder, he has the hitting and power potential to handle the offensive demands of the position. Jimenez hit two home runs this week as he begins to tap into his well above-average raw power.

[BrockLanders]

Small piece on Ryan Kellogg by Sickels this morning.

 

I think his velocity WILL increase, not up to 97 or anything, but into the 90-94 range. Add that to his three strong secondary pitches and his mound instincts and you have a mid-rotation starter with advanced command who will zip through the minors fairly quickly. I think pro instruction and a mechanical tweak or two will add that extra zip to the heat Kellogg needs to live up to his full potential. And I think that velocity gain will be obvious and in place by the end of 2016.

 

Why do I think this? I just do.

 

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2015/7/5/8894537/an-unsubstantiated-prediction-regarding-chicago-cubs-ryan-kellogg

 

Not much there, but I'll take the positive thoughts.

[Guest]

Eloy Jimenez, OF, Chicago Cubs (Short-season Boise)

Jimenez is probably a year away from getting serious ink on top prospect lists, though an offensive explosion in the Northwest League this summer could accelerate his stock. Widely considered the top amateur in the Dominican Republic in 2013, the Cubs signed him as a 16-year-old for $2.8 million that July. He wasn't small back then and he's huge now, listed at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, and he looks even bigger in person. He's a high-waisted athlete with bulging forearms and a classic right fielder's frame.

 

At the plate, Jimenez has a smooth load and plus bat speed. Right now, he uses a clean and level stroke to mash deep line drives to all parts of the field. He's capable of manipulating the barrel to hit pitches in all quadrants of the zone, and while he's susceptible to chasing up when he's behind in the count, he has a decent feel for the strike zone. He's homered twice in the first two weeks of Eugene's season but the real power will come if he can incorporate his lower half more, and add a little loft into his swing.

 

In the field, Jimenez holds his own. He has above average arm strength, though his throws tail and were often off-line in my viewing. Further growth will knock his average foot speed down at least half a grade at full maturity, but he should still have the wheels to handle a corner. It's his bat that will do the talking though, and if it clicks, the Cubs could have a monster on their hands.

[Cubswin11]

Eloy Jimenez, OF, Chicago Cubs (Short-season Boise)

Jimenez is probably a year away from getting serious ink on top prospect lists, though an offensive explosion in the Northwest League this summer could accelerate his stock. Widely considered the top amateur in the Dominican Republic in 2013, the Cubs signed him as a 16-year-old for $2.8 million that July. He wasn't small back then and he's huge now, listed at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, and he looks even bigger in person. He's a high-waisted athlete with bulging forearms and a classic right fielder's frame.

 

At the plate, Jimenez has a smooth load and plus bat speed. Right now, he uses a clean and level stroke to mash deep line drives to all parts of the field. He's capable of manipulating the barrel to hit pitches in all quadrants of the zone, and while he's susceptible to chasing up when he's behind in the count, he has a decent feel for the strike zone. He's homered twice in the first two weeks of Eugene's season but the real power will come if he can incorporate his lower half more, and add a little loft into his swing.

 

In the field, Jimenez holds his own. He has above average arm strength, though his throws tail and were often off-line in my viewing. Further growth will knock his average foot speed down at least half a grade at full maturity, but he should still have the wheels to handle a corner. It's his bat that will do the talking though, and if it clicks, the Cubs could have a monster on their hands.

So he has the Derrek Lee "high butt" as Buck Schowalter once so eloquently put it?"

[Tryptamine]

BA released their top 50 Midseason

 

6.Schwarber

28.Torres

30. McKinney

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/midseason-top-50-prospects2015/

[sneakypower]

good to see somebody's finally picked up on what a great hitter McKinney is

[Guest]

BP released their midseason top 50 yesterday and had Schwarber and Torres in the top 50.

[Johnny OHagan]

Justin (Memphis): How close was Duane Underwood to making the list? He seems to have TOR "stuff", and is finally learning how and when to pitch to contact.

 

John Manuel: It's a top of the rotation fastball; up to 99 mph at times this year. The secondary stuff, according to our reports, are not top of the rotation yet. He's the top-ranking Cubs pitching prospect right now, though I think Dylan Cease actually has a higher upside. I don't think Underwood is top 50 ready yet though. There are pieces there, but a K rate below 6 per 9 is a good indicator that while he's an exciting pitching prospect, let's not get too crazy yet.

 

On BA Top 50 chat.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I'm pretty sure there's a law that the Cardinals must always have at least one top 10 pitching prospect.

[PackLandVA]

With Torres being in the Top 30 now, could he be the center piece of a significant trade? He's still really young but playing already at A ball.

[sneakypower]

With Torres being in the Top 30 now, could he be the center piece of a significant trade? He's still really young but playing already at A ball.

prepubescents Willy Adames and Franklin Barreto were both the center piece of significant trades, of course he can be

[SouthSideRyan]

BA released their top 50 Midseason

 

6.Schwarber

28.Torres

30. McKinney

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/midseason-top-50-prospects2015/

 

Wowza

[Guest]

3 top 30s after graduating alcantara, baez, soler, bryant, and russell within the last year.

 

not bad.

[PackLandVA]

How far outside of the top 30 does Baez fall?

[Guest]

How far outside of the top 30 does Baez fall?

baez graduated

[Ding Dong Johnson]

How far outside of the top 30 does Baez fall?

baez graduated

So all the way then?

[Sammy Sofa]

How far outside of the top 30 does Baez fall?

baez graduated

 

Unfortunately he went backpacking in Europe after his first semester.

[Little Slide Rooter]

3 top 30s after graduating alcantara, baez, soler, bryant, and russell within the last year.

 

not bad.

 

Alcantara didn't so much graduate as he flunked out #-o

 

I am curious as to where Edwards and Almora end up though. I can't imagine that Almora would have dropped off the top 100 altogether. Could he?

[Guest]

3 top 30s after graduating alcantara, baez, soler, bryant, and russell within the last year.

 

not bad.

 

Alcantara didn't so much graduate as he flunked out #-o

 

I am curious as to where Edwards and Almora end up though. I can't imagine that Almora would have dropped off the top 100 altogether. Could he?

 

Almora wasn't even on BA's preseason top 100

 

CJ was 38

[SouthSideRyan]

CJ was 38 on hopes he could still start right?