Cub prospects in the news

[TruffleShuffle]

BA Prospect Hot Sheet:

 

8. Albert Almora, cf, Cubs

 

Team: Double-A Tennessee (Southern)

Age: 21

Why He’s Here: .538/.625/.769 (14-for-26), 7 R, 6 2B, 3 RBIs, 4 BB, 1 SO, 1-for-2 SB

 

Almora has long drawn raves for his outstanding competitive makeup, so the Cubs didn’t sweat it when their 2012 first-rounder endured three rough summer months. He has begun to right the ship in August, collecting a hit in 10 straight games, including seven straight multi-hit games from Aug. 5-11. Perhaps more impressively, Almora has struck out just 35 times this season in 322 at-bats.

 

Am I to understand that there are seven minor league baseball players that literally didn't make an out all week?

 

technically there would be a lot more than seven. most of them being pitchers.

[Aaron_Kennelly]

technically there would be a lot more than seven. most of them being pitchers.

 

Yeah, well... so

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those south bend jerseys look better than our road jerseys

[apete6]

those south bend jerseys look better than our road jerseys

 

The Cubs road jerseys (both versions) are an embarrassment. Most high schools have better road jerseys. Those 1958 throwbacks from Friday's game would be glorious as the new road jerseys.

[Guest]

BA prospect hot sheet:

 

12. Ian Happ, of, Cubs

 

 

Team: low Class A South Bend (Midwest)

Age: 21

Why He’s Here: .455/.519/1.000 (10-for-22), 9 R, 2 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 8 RBIs, 4 BB, 4 SO

 

The Scoop: As if Kyle Schwarber, Kris Bryant, Addison Russell and Jorge Soler weren’t enough, the Cubs went and plucked Happ from Cincinnati with their first choice this year, and he’s had a fine go of it at the lower levels. He socked two of his four South Bend homers this past week, and overall he’s slugging .524 in 21 games in the Midwest League.

[Guest]

http://www.bleachernation.com/2015/08/23/javier-baezs-absurd-opposite-field-shot-and-dan-vogelbachs-return-bomb-videos/

 

i still <3 you javy

[Johnny OHagan]

With Schwarber graduated De La Cruz enters the Cubs Top 30 at 23. Interesting.

[mul21]

I'm not sure what this means, but it seems good:

 

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nice to see us so high on the walks

 

too bad all our dongsmiths are donging in the big leagues

[sontensei]

To be honest, with all the young power guys already up, having some balance with high obp guys isnt so bad i think..

 

Is there a stat around somewhere comparing strikeouts?

[Guest]

BA Hot Sheet with a couple of NWL guys:

 

14. Eloy Jimenez, lf, Cubs

 

Team: short-season Eugene (Northwest)

Age: 18

Why He’s Here: .308/.367/.692 (8-for-26), 8 R, 1 2B, 3 HR, 7 RBIs, 2 BB, 3 SO

 

The Scoop: Two Julys ago, the Cubs flexed their financial muscle when they hauled in Jimenez and Gleyber Torres, two tantalizing international prospects, for a combined $4.5 million. So far, those investments are paying off. Torres is turning heads in the Midwest League, and Jimenez is more than holding his own against older competition in the Northwest League. His .340 on-base percentage and 16.7 percent strikeout rate both bode well for his future in a stocked Cubs system.

 

16. Oscar de la Cruz, rhp, Cubs

 

Team: short-season Eugene (Northwest)

Age: 20

Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 1 GS, 7 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 13 SO, 1 BB

 

The Scoop: De la Cruz played shortstop growing up, but when the Cubs signed him out of the Dominican Republic they were much more impressed with the arm than his bat. Quickly converted to a pitcher, de la Cruz understandably needed a little time to adjust, but he dominated the Dominican Summer League last year in a return trip, and he’s been just as good this season in the Northwest League, where he’s among the league leaders in strikeout rate (9.3 per nine innings), opponent average (.217) and WHIP (1.04). The 6-foot-4 righthander has an above-average fastball and a developing curveball with a clean delivery.

[Guest]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/kiley-mcdaniel-prospects-chat-9115/#more-197067

 

Comment From Brando

What are your expectations of Javy Baez for the remainder of the year?

12:36

Kiley McDaniel: Not really thinking about him. I was the low guy on him but didn’t think this would happen. He needs a mental adjustment to scale his whole thing down at the plate and it sounds like he still hasn’t consistently been able to do that yet.

The Cubs told me they brought him up before the other big prospects last year because his mind can wander and he needed the cold reality/failure/focus that the big leagues would bring. He now needs the same thing, to be embarrassed about this demotion and figure out what he can do to get back up. Until someone tells me he’s done that or something close to it, I’m not really gonna spend much time keeping track of him.

 

Posting this because I found the tidbit about what the Cubs supposedly told him sort of interesting (and something that has been speculated before)....

 

That said, what the hell? What demotion? This sounds like he wrote this in March, not on the heels of what was a very successful AAA campaign with a bunch of obstacles thrown in.

[Aaron_Kennelly]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/kiley-mcdaniel-prospects-chat-9115/#more-197067

 

Comment From Brando

What are your expectations of Javy Baez for the remainder of the year?

12:36

Kiley McDaniel: Not really thinking about him. I was the low guy on him but didn’t think this would happen. He needs a mental adjustment to scale his whole thing down at the plate and it sounds like he still hasn’t consistently been able to do that yet.

The Cubs told me they brought him up before the other big prospects last year because his mind can wander and he needed the cold reality/failure/focus that the big leagues would bring. He now needs the same thing, to be embarrassed about this demotion and figure out what he can do to get back up. Until someone tells me he’s done that or something close to it, I’m not really gonna spend much time keeping track of him.

 

Posting this because I found the tidbit about what the Cubs supposedly told him sort of interesting (and something that has been speculated before)....

 

That said, what the hell? What demotion? This sounds like he wrote this in March, not on the heels of what was a very successful AAA campaign with a bunch of obstacles thrown in.

 

He's said some other weird things about Javy this year. He's never liked him, mainly because of his make-up, something about his character or whatever.

[davell]

1:08

Comment From Daragh

Oscar De La Cruz…… Is he a notable prospect for you?

 

 

1:08

Kiley McDaniel: Yep, he’s on the list

 

 

1:10

Kiley McDaniel: 6’4, some athleticism, 90-93 heavy sinker, above avg curve, starter traits, some projection. Lots to like.

 

 

1:11

Kiley McDaniel: Tracked down this note from a scout on De La Cruz earlier this year: “he didn’t hesitate to take food from the premium seating buffet between innings, so you know he has cojones.”

[Guest]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-willson-contreras-receiving-praise-20150908-story.html

[Guest]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-willson-contreras-receiving-praise-20150908-story.html

[Little Slide Rooter]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-willson-contreras-receiving-praise-20150908-story.html

 

The article states that Contreras is going to be Rule 5 eligible, when in reality, he's Rule 55. And I'm not quite sure what that .

 

Additionally, any player eligible to be an Article XIX-A or Article XX-D Minor League Free-Agent or MLB Rule 55 Six-Year Minor League Free-Agent (6YFA) post-2015 (see list below) who signs a 2016 minor league contract or agrees to a 2016 minor league successor contract prior to the December 2015 Rule 5 Draft will be eligible for selection.

 

Also, any player eligible to be a Rule 55 Second Contract Minor League Free-Agent (see list below) who signs a 2016 minor league contract prior to the December 2015 Rule 5 Draft will be eligible for selection if the player was 18 or younger on the June 5th immediately prior to signing his first contract and it is at least the 5th Rule 5 Draft since he signed his first contract, or the player was 19 years or older on the June 5th immediately prior to signing his first contract and it is at least the 4th Rule 5 Draft since he signed his first contract.

 

So basically, if he weighs the same as a duck...

[jersey cubs fan]

The article states that Contreras is going to be Rule 5 eligible, when in reality, he's Rule 55. And I'm not quite sure what that .

 

That just means he's minor league free agent eligible, right? Which doesn't really matter for a guy who is a real prospect the team wants to and can keep.

[davell]

in Keith Law's chat today, he was asked a question about AJ Reed and mentioned that him or Contreras had improved their stock more than any hitters over the course of the year.

[Bobson Dugnutt]

in Keith Law's chat today, he was asked a question about AJ Reed and mentioned that him or Contreras had improved their stock more than any hitters over the course of the year.

 

After reading this, I'm really interested to see where Contreras winds up on postseason prospect lists. Will he get docked some for age and because he just has one year of this level of success, or is that less of a consideration because he is a catcher and they tend to take longer to develop?

 

Would Torres, McKinney, Contreras, and Almora be a decent guess as to who ends up on top 100s? As good as Almora's second half was, I have no idea what the opinion on him will be.

[davell]

Catchers typically develop later, so I don't think he'll get docked there.

 

I think Torres and McKinney are the only 2 guys we have that'll get unanimous love for top 100's between BA, BP, Law, Kiley, and MLB. Too many different eval processes going on. But I'd bet we see Underwood, Contreras, and Happ on a list or more. With Almora as a possibility and Jimenez and Cease as dark horses for BP.

[davell]

Contreras got an above average regular put on him by Law today. So he's a top 50 guy now on his list most likely.

[Guest]

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http://i.imgur.com/rtyWldh.jpg