2009 Instructs

[CaliforniaRaisin]

The list is courtesy of Inside the Ivy.

 

All 5 Pac Rim 2009 signees are on the roster (both Wangs, Chen, Kim and Na). Jovan Rosa is listed as a catcher and is the only position change on there.

 

CUBS 2009 INSTRUCTIONAL LEAGUE ROSTER

 

PITCHERS (21)

 

Christopher Archer

Alberto Cabrera

Thomas Diamond

Rafael Dolis

Eduardo Figueroa

Steve Grife

Austin Kirk

Josh Lansford

Corey Martin

Hector Mayora

Trey McNutt

Tarlandas Mitchell

Billy Muldowney

Julio Pena

Brooks Raley

Dae-Eun Rhee

Jose Rosario

Chris Rusin

Nicholas Struck

Tzu-An Wang

Yao-Lin Wang

 

CATCHERS (5)

 

Michael Brenly

Sergio Burruel

Richard Jones

Brandon May

Jovan Rosa

 

INFIELDERS (10)

 

Justin Bour

Rebel Ridling

Pin-Chieh Chen

D. J. LeMahieu

Tony Thomas

Logan Watkins

Wes Darvill

Hak-Ju Lee

Ryan Flaherty

Robert Wagner

 

OUTFIELDERS (9)

 

Kyler Burke

Burundi Davis

D.J. Fitzgerald

Brandon Guyer

Jae-Hoon Ha

Brett Jackson

Dong-Yub Kim

Kyung-Min Na

Blair Springfield

[Wrigley Rat]

Jovan Rosa as a catcher excites me. If he can make the change, that's a potentially solid bat with gap power at a position where we can use a solid bat. He wasn't developing HR power and that would have been tough to make it as a 3B/1B.

 

Seeing all of those Pac-Rim players on our roster really excites me. It really feels like we are signing a bunch of potential top 5 round picks out of Asia. It's nice to finally be the major team signing these international free agents!

[Outshined_One]

Did we ever find out what exactly happened to Sung-Ming Jung?

[soonercub]

What happened to the Matt Cerda kid? He was a 4th round pick and looked good in his scouting video.

[Guest]

Did we ever find out what exactly happened to Sung-Ming Jung?

 

Just the news that he had gone back to college in South Korea. Both places that had info on that were vague enough that I wasn't sure if he'd quit baseball or was just doing it in the offseason.

 

What happened to the Matt Cerda kid? He was a 4th round pick and looked good in his scouting video.

 

He's still receovering from a broken hamate bone suffered during the Boise season.

[craig]

Thanks for the list, Cal. Interesting that not only Rosa but also May is listed at catcher. I'd heart May's name suggested at catcher, but I hadn't gotten a sense whether that was just an idea or was something they really wanted to look at. (Ty Wright of all people was once mentioned as a catcher possitibility; so just saying "maybe" and actually trying it are pretty different.) This also lists Springfield as OF. Given how little he hit, 2B/3B seemed dubious enough. If he's got to move to outfield without much speed, he's really going to be a hit-or-quit guy.

 

Interesting to look at who's in and who isn't on the pitching staff. Basically most of the drafted pitchers are included. (Kirk, Rusin, Raley, Grife, Martin, McNutt...) Interesting which aren't: Whitenack, Mincone, Keefe, Clubb, Schmidt. Did we ever get details on how bad Mincone's arm was? Did he have surgery already, or what? He's obviously injured or he'd be invited. Whitenack, I wonder what's up with him? If I'm Keefe, Clubb, and Schmidt and I'm not invited, I'm not feeling very good about my prospects for next year.

 

Pitcher switchers: Lansford yes, Dylan Thomas no. Thomas was said to have a huge arm, Sandberg supposedly said he threw as hard or harder than Dunston. After they said he was giving it a shot as a pitcher, I thought we'd see him in short-season. The fact we not only didn't see him then or in instrux suggests the pitcher thing is a no-go, he either quit or got released or hurt his arm. Based on reports from Peoria, he was frighteningly wild from SS, so maybe he was a wildman extraordinaire on the mound.

 

If Mincone's got obvious healthy problems, Tarlandus Mitchell's inclusion surprised me. Good sign that his arm isn't surgery-type hurt yet.

 

Interesting that none of the Australians, all of whom seem rather unrefined and in need of coaching, are included. I wonder what's up with that?

 

Also interesting on who's in and who's not from the Latins.

*Cabrera has been around for years, but he's still in.

*Juan Pena, the good-sized strike-thrower who hasn't been moved along fast enough to confirm that they liked him much. Good sign for him.

*Jose Rosario, the short righty from New York with the jazzy numbers this year who got a cameo at Daytona, good sign that he's possibly interesting. I'll be curious someday to get his story, if he gets far enough for anybody to be interested enough to track it down.

*20-year-old short right Hector Mayora, after spending two years in DSL without the kind of usage or peripherals that signals "prospect", he's the biggest surprise to me. Hopefully that means he's got a really nice arm. Maybe also reflect a real tiny supply of Latins of any interest, I guess. If they had some 6'4" 95-mph throwers, they'd be in instrux. So probably our weak Latin program just isn't producting guys like that.

*Eduardo Figuroa, 20, short righty, really forgettable ugly numbers as a 3-year pro. Had a 1.9+ WHIP at Boise. This is one of the better Latin arms we've got? Disappointing.

 

Not included, so possibly not viewed as much more interesting than Figuroa or Mayora:

*Yohan Gonzalez. He's young and big, was signed for some bonus, and had a lot of effective outings at Boise. I'd hoped he might have a chance to emerge. Non-inclusion here, combined with modest promotion rate and usage in relief rather than rotation, does not auger well for his status.

*Dionis Nunez. They put him at Boise, and he had good ERA. I'd hoped maybe it would turn out that he's raw but throws 98 and has a chance, or something.

[Wrigley Rat]

Pitcher switchers: Lansford yes, Dylan Thomas no. Thomas was said to have a huge arm, Sandberg supposedly said he threw as hard or harder than Dunston. After they said he was giving it a shot as a pitcher, I thought we'd see him in short-season. The fact we not only didn't see him then or in instrux suggests the pitcher thing is a no-go, he either quit or got released or hurt his arm. Based on reports from Peoria, he was frighteningly wild from SS, so maybe he was a wildman extraordinaire on the mound.

Do you mean Dylan Johnston? I had heard that he was hurt (somehow).

 

Also, some of the pitchers who are missing may have pitched too many innings or don't have anything specific to work on. I think a lot of the guys who go to instructionals are working on a new pitch, trying to get lefties out, or changing their arm slot, etc. I think that a lot of the guys who aren't invited aren't being "tinkered" with this fall.

[Guest]

I wouldn't worry too much about Latin American players not on the Arizona instructs roster. There could be visa problems, scheduling conflicts or anything else that might keep them from Mesa. Last fall, Jeffry Antigua, Manolin de Leon, Rafael Dolis, Julio Pena, Starlin Castro, Junior Lake and Nelson Perez all took part in the Dominican instructs even though they played their 2008 regular season (or rehabbed in Dolis' case) in the U.S. And it didn't hurt their prospect status: all of them returned to the States this season and got at least a cup of coffee in full season ball while Antigua and Castro broke out. The Cubs also sent Matt Cerda, Brandon Guyer, Nate Samson and Josh Vitters to the Dominican instructs last fall so that's a serious operation down there.

 

Yohan Gonzalez was at the Dominican instructs last season; I'm guessing he''ll probably be there again. The Cubs surely think he's a better prospect than someone like Hector Mayora.

[craig]

...Last fall, Jeffry Antigua, Manolin de Leon, Rafael Dolis, Julio Pena, Starlin Castro, Junior Lake and Nelson Perez all took part in the Dominican instructs even though they played their 2008 regular season (or rehabbed in Dolis' case) in the U.S. .... The Cubs also sent Matt Cerda, Brandon Guyer, Nate Samson and Josh Vitters to the Dominican instructs last fall so that's a serious operation down there. Yohan Gonzalez was at the Dominican instructs last season; I'm guessing he''ll probably be there again. The Cubs surely think he's a better prospect than someone like Hector Mayora.

 

Thanks. I didn't even realize they had a Dominican version, although it makes tremendous sense that they do. Nor had I realized that we'd sent some American kids down there. I assume they schedule at different times, so that perhaps some of the coaches can watch and teach at both instrux? Did the American kids just go to both instrux, or did they skip the Mesa instrux and just go to Dominican instead?

[Guest]

...Last fall, Jeffry Antigua, Manolin de Leon, Rafael Dolis, Julio Pena, Starlin Castro, Junior Lake and Nelson Perez all took part in the Dominican instructs even though they played their 2008 regular season (or rehabbed in Dolis' case) in the U.S. .... The Cubs also sent Matt Cerda, Brandon Guyer, Nate Samson and Josh Vitters to the Dominican instructs last fall so that's a serious operation down there. Yohan Gonzalez was at the Dominican instructs last season; I'm guessing he''ll probably be there again. The Cubs surely think he's a better prospect than someone like Hector Mayora.

 

Thanks. I didn't even realize they had a Dominican version, although it makes tremendous sense that they do. Nor had I realized that we'd sent some American kids down there. I assume they schedule at different times, so that perhaps some of the coaches can watch and teach at both instrux? Did the American kids just go to both instrux, or did they skip the Mesa instrux and just go to Dominican instead?

 

Cerda, Guyer and Vitters were at the Mesa instructs before going to the Dominican. Samson skipped the Mesa instructs but he also went to the Hawaii Winter Baseball League after Dominican instructs.

 

Last year, the Dominican instructs started 5 days after instructs ended in Mesa. I believe last year was the first time the Cubs sent Americans down there. They have two teams down there so there's tons of playing time to go around.

[chattbaseball]

There will be more Americans going down there again this year AFTER Mesa instructs...

[Guest]

There will be more Americans going down there again this year AFTER Mesa instructs...

 

I figured as much. Both Vitters and Samson had rave reviews of their experience in the DR last season. Do you have an idea who might be headed down there?

[Guest]

I cannot believe Kyung-Min Na is that small. I've heard the speedy slap hitter in every report of his signing but I find it stunning the Cubs would drop $725,000 on someone who is 5'6".

 

Arizona Phil @ The Cub Reporter[/url]"]Outfielders Dong-Yub Kim and Kyung-Min Na are the latest Korean teenagers signed by the Cubs to big bucks bonus contracts, and it's pretty obvious why Kim was rated by many scouts as the top high school player in South Korea. He is a big kid, a right-handed hitter with plus-speed and plus-power, the protypical five-tool outfielder.

 

Na is a litlle guy, maybe 5'6 130. He is a left-handed slap hitter who uses a toothpick for a bat, but he is fast runner (although Hak-Ju Lee is faster), and an outstanding defensive CF with s plus-arm. Na is so small he makes Tony Campana look like the Incredible Hulk. I understand Na was lost for several hours last week until the Fitch Park ground crew could mow the lawn and give the kid a chance to see over the tops of the blades of grass and find his way to the clubhouse.

 

While fellow Koreans Su-Min Jung, Hak-Ju Lee, and Jae-Hoon Ha were playing at Boise and Dae-Eun Rhee was rehabbing from TJS at Fitch Park, Kim and Na spent the summer at the MLB Australian Baseball Academy while waiting for their H2B visas to get processed.

 

The Cubs also signed three Taiwanese players this year (RHPs Tzu-An Wang and Yao-Lin Wang and 2B Ping-Chieh Chen), and they are supposed to participate in the AZ Instructional League, although they hadn't reported as of last week.

 

AZ Phil's Abridged Box Score:

 

Here is today's abridged box score (Cubs players only):

 

LINE-UP:

1. Hak-Ju Lee, SS: 1-5 (F-7, 2B, 4-3, 6-3, 6-3), 1 R, 2 RBI

2. D. J. LeMahieu, 2B: 3-5 (6-3, F-9, 2B, 3B, 1B), 2 R

3. Ryan Flaherty, 3B: 3-4 (2B, BB, 1B, 1B, F-8), 2 R, RBI

4, Rebel Ridling, 1B: 2-4 (1B, 2B, FC, F-9), 4 RBI

5. Kyler Burke, RF: 0-4 (FC, F-8, K, K)

6a. Jovan Rosa, C: 0-2 (K, 5-3)

6b. Michael Brenly, C: 2-2 (2B, 3B), 2 R

7. Justin Bour, DH #1: 1-4 (K, F-7, 1B, 4-3)

8. Runey Davis, LF: 1-4 (L-7, K, K, 1B), RBI, PO

9. Dong-Yub Kim, DH #2: 2-4 (1B, 3B, FC, K), R, RBI

10. Kyung-Min Na, CF: 0-3 (BB, 6-3, K, 3-U), R

 

PITCHERS:

1. Alberto Cabrera - 3.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 1 K, 1 WP,1 GIDP, 6/2 GO/FO, 44 pitches (25 strikes)

2. Rafael Dolis - 2.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 4 K, 1 WP, 1 BALK, 1/0 GO/FO, 50 pitches (30 strikes)

3. Jose Rosario - 1.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R (3 ER), 1 BB, 0 K, 1/2 GO/FO, 17 pitches (8 strikes)

4. Austin Kirk - 2.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 4 K, 1 WP, 2/0 GO/FO, 37 pitches (24 strikes)

5. Corey Martin - 1.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 0 K, 1/2 GO/FO, 15 pitches (11 strikes)

 

OUTFIELD ASSISTS: Kyung-Min Na (2) - 1) threw out runner trying to stretch single into a double, and 2) doubled runner off 2nd base on line drive to CF

[Guest]

Thomas Diamond started in Instructs yesterday, Brooks Raley and Trey McNutt followed. Taiwanese infielder Ping-Chieh Chen made his stateside debut. Korean outfielder Kyung-Min Na hurt his ankle on a foul ball but it doesn't seem too serious. LHP John Mincone and 2B/C Matt Cerda are healthy and getting ready for in-game action but Cerda has moved to 2B at least for the time being. A few of the details (the rest in the link):

 

Arizona Phil at The Cub Reporter[/url]"]18-year old Taiwanese 2B Ping-Chieh Chen made his U. S. debut today, and went 0-3. He did make a strong relay throw from mid-RF to 3rd base attempting cut-down a baserunner, however (the runner was just barely safe), and handled four other chances at 2B flawlessly.

 

LINE-UP:

1a. Kyung-Min Na, CF: 0-2 (E-4, 4-3)

1b. Blair Springfield, RF: 0-2 (K, K)

2. Logan Watkins, DH #1: 1-4 (1B, 4-3, 3-1, P-6), CS

3. Ryan Flaherty, 3B: 1-4 (K, E-6, L-7, 2B), R

4. Rebel Ridling, 1B: 0-3 (K, BB, F-8, 1-3)

5. Kyler Burke, RF-CF: 0-3 (K, K, P-2)

6a. Brandon May, C: 1-2 (2B, 6-3)

6b. Richard Jones, C: 1-1 (1B)

7. Bobby Wagner, DH #2: 0-2 (BB, K, K)

8. D. J. Fitzgerald, LF: 0-3 (K, K, 6-3)

9. Ping-Chieh Chen, 2B: 0-3 (6-3, 4-3, F-7)

10. Wes Darvill, SS: 0-3 (K, K, 4-3)

 

PITCHERS:

1. Thomas Diamond - 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (0 ER), 2 BB,.2 K, 2 WP, 3/1 GO/FO, 54 pitches (32 strikes)

2. Brooks Raley - 3.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 4 K, 1 HBP, 1 HR, 1 WP, 1 PO, 1/3 GO/FO, 53 pitches (33 strikes)

3. Trey McNutt - 3.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 3 K, 1 HBP, 1 WP, 4/2 GO/FO, 54 pitches (31 strikes)

4. Steve Grife - 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 2/1 GO/FO, 15 pitches (nine strikes)

 

ERRORS: NONE

 

CATCHERS DEFENSE:

Brandon May: 0-1 CS, 2 PB

Richard Jones: 1-1 CS

[davell]

AZ Phil made an interesting observation on LeMahieu, saying he has a hard time turning DP's and mentioned that CF may be his best option longterm, unless he develops enough power to hit at third or one of the corner OF spots.

[ChiefsVoice]

AZ Phil made an interesting observation on LeMahieu, saying he has a hard time turning DP's and mentioned that CF may be his best option longterm, unless he develops enough power to hit at third or one of the corner OF spots.

 

He didn't have any trouble turning the DP in Peoria this season. Made very few errors as well. I like him better at 2nd long term but he was fine at SS here (didn't give us all a heart attack every time the ball was hit to him like Lake did). And he isn't going to slot at 3rd with Vitters ahead of him.

[Wrigley Rat]

I didn't have time to read everything prior to posting, so sorry if I repeat things. Here are some Arizona Phil notes:

 

- 2008 4th round pick Matt Cerda (broken hand) and 2009 11th round pick LHP John Mincone (June 2009 shoulder surgery to clean-up "debris") have been moved from the Fitch Park Rehab Group to the Cubs Instructs Active Roster. Mincone is scheduled to pitch tomorrow, and Cerda will be returning to the lineup sometime later this week. Cerda, who was drafted as a catcher out of HS despite not catching since his Oceanside, CA little league team played in the Little League World Series several years earlier, has been moved to 2B full-time, a postion he played off-and-on this season prior to his injury. Whether he will ever go back behind the plate (or get moved to yet another different position) is still TBD.

 

- Meanwhile, Peoria RHP Marcus Hatley has undergone Tommy John Surgery and will probably miss most of the 2010 season while rehabbing at Fitch Park. And 2009 1st round pick CF Brett Jackson continues to nurse a sore wrist and is unable to play in games.

 

- Jae-Hoon Ha was a catcher in high school in South Korea, but the Cubs moved him to the outfield immediately after signing him to take advantage of his speed and athleticism. But he (Ha) looks OK behind the plate--certainly better than recent converts Jovan Rosa or (especially) Brandon May have looked so far--and it will be interesting to see if the Cubs used Ha more as a catcher now that Matt Cerda has apparently been moved to 2B full-time.

 

- Fellow Korean RHP Su-Min Jung returned to South Korea in August to attend college so he is not at Instructs, but he is expected back at Fitch Park in time for Minor League Camp next March.

[davell]

Jung is coming back? That's great news, assuming it's true.

[Guest]

Arizona Phil at The Cub Reporter[/url]"]AA Tennessee Smokies 2B Tony Thomas and CF Brandon Guyer got starts today, and Guyer had a nice game, reaching base three times, including a double and a triple, plus a sacrifice fly RBI. Thomas went hitless, but did score a run after reaching base on a FC.

 

It's unusual for AA guys to get assigned to Instructs, but in the case of Guyer and Thomas, it's to work on parricular aspects of their game. In the case of Guyer, it's a Strength & Conditioning Program designed to help him develop more strength and power, and for Thomas, it's a crash course in base-stealing with Organizational Base-Running Instructor Bobby Derrnier.

 

...

 

And speaking of CF, #1 draft pick Brett Jackson (Cal) is progressing with his rehab (sore wrist) and should return to the lineup sometime next week, joining 2009 11th round pick LHP John Mincone (missed three months after June shoulder surgery) and 2008 4th round pick 2B Matt Cerda (missed three months with a broken hand) as recent additions on the Instructs Active Roster. (While Hak-Ju Lee was named the Northwest League's #1 best prosprect by Baseball America today, BA named Jackson the 3rd best prospect in the NWL).

 

RHP Dae-Eun Rhee (2008 TJS) is still not throwing in Instructs games, although he is participating in daily PFP drills. Rhee made a few rehab appearances at Mesa and Boise at the end of the season, but struggled with his control and got hammered when he did throw strikes (9.35 ERA and 2.08 WHIP). Hopefully Rhee will be back close to 100% in 2010.

 

Fellow Korean RHP Su-Min Jung returned to South Korea in August to attend college so he is not at Instructs, but he is expected back at Fitch Park in time for Minor League Camp next March.

 

LINE-UP:

1. Hak-Ju Lee, SS: 2-4 (1B, 3-U, L-4, 1B)

2. Tony Thomas, 2B: 0-4 (K, F-8, 6-3, 4-6 FC), R

3. Brandon Guyer, CF: 2-3 (K-WP, 3B, 2B, F-9 SF), R, RBI

4. Jovan Rosa, 1B: 2-3 (6-4-3 DP, HBP, 1B, 1B), R, 2 RBI

5. Justin Bour, DH #1: 1-4 (4-3, 4-6-3 DP, L-6, 2B), RBI

6a. Jae-Hoon Ha, C: 0-1 (P-1)

6b. Sergio Burruel, C: 0-3 (P-6, 3-1, K)

7. Bobby Wagner, 3B: 1-4 (P-5, HR, K, K,)R, RBI

8. Runey Davis, LF: 3-4 (2B, 1B, 3B, L-9) R

9. Dong-Yub Kim, DH #2: 0-4 (6-3, 6-3, 6-3, K)

10. Blair Springfield, RF: 1-3 (K, K, 1B), R

 

PITCHERS:

1. Chris Rusin - 3.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 4 K, 2/2 GO/FO, 35 pitches (27 strikes)

2. Chris Archer - 2.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R (4 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 2/2 GO/FO, 58 pitches (43 strikes)

3. Julio Pena - 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 3 K, 2/1 GO/FO, 44 pitches (31 strikes)

4. Eduardo Figueroa - 2.0 IP, 5 H, 5 R (5 ER), 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP, 1 HR, 1 GIDP, 38 pitches (26 strikes)

 

ERRORS (2) -

1. Chris Rusin (E-1) - overthrow at 1B on pick-off atemnpt with no outs in top of the 2nd, allowing runner to advance from 1st to 3rd.

2. Bobby Wagner (E-5) - bobbled chopper hit to 3B, allowing batter to reach base with two outs and runners at 1st & 2nd in the top of the 6th.

 

CATCHERS DEFENSE:

Jae-Hoon Ha - 1-2 CS, 1 PB

Sergio Burruel - 0-1 CS

 

OUTFIELD ASSIST:

Blair Springfield - threw out batter-runner 9-3-4 trying to advance to 2nd base after throw to plate was cut-off by first-baseman on RBI single to RF

[toonsterwu]

I'm not sure what to make of Cerda going to 2nd. Is this a case of getting him back in the swing of things before contemplating catching again? IIRC AzPhil's early season reports, Cerda was inconsistent and spotty behind the plate. At 2nd, Cerda seems likely to be logjammed behind a lot of guys, unless his bat really takes off and forces his way through.

 

Here's hoping Burruel and Rosa provide intriguing guys to follow in the lower levels in regards to catching depth.

[Guest]

Yeah, AZ Phil said he wasn't sure if the move to second base was permanent or not. I hope it isn't, Cerda would have much more value at catcher. I'm not too concerned that he has struggled in the position switch - he hasn't played there since he was 12 so it's going to take him some time to convert (which is why his injury this season was disappointing).

[Outshined_One]

Good to hear Jung didn't quit baseball.

[TruffleShuffle]

jae-hoon ha was the guy who didn't hit for any power and didn't walk at all this year, right?

[Guest]

jae-hoon ha was the guy who didn't hit for any power and didn't walk at all this year, right?

 

Correct. I think he had more outfield assists than walks last season.

[soonercub]

Anyone know which hand Cerda broke? If it was his left, I doubt they would want him behind the plate yet. More likely to re injure it catching hard throwing sometimes wild young pitchers. Or even if it was his right, then taking a foul tip off it.