Guy to watch out for

[CubfanBen]

I think someone to watch out for next year is a guy by the name of Arismendy Alcantara, a shortstop. He's only 18 and will stay 18 for all of next year. He hit 275 with 3 homers and 20 stolen bases. He had over 70 hits while leading or in the top 5 in every DSL Cubs hitting category. He also was hitting well over 300 for most of the year until he started to slow down a little bit at theend and fade. He did this all while he was 17 and in his first year. He's also a switch hitter which could increase his value. I know it was only one year and I know it was the DSL but he reminds me a little bit of Starlin Castro.

[scarey]

What makes the 20 steals more impressive is that he was only caught twice. Not bad, nothing to flip out about but definitely someone to watch out for.

 

Here's another one to look out for Jose Rosario: http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=P&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=542231

 

Again, most of his work was in the DSL and Arizona Summer league, but has 52 Ks in 41.2 IP, a 1.18 WHIP, given up only 1 HR, and showed the Cubs enough to give him a chance in the FSL at the end of the year. Pretty good for an 18 year old.

[CubbieBum]

So we should check back in a year or two when they are close to being in the bigs?

[Guest]

So we should check back in a year or two when they are close to being in the bigs?

In a year or two, they might be close to AA.

[scarey]

So we should check back in a year or two when they are close to being in the bigs?

 

Nobody is trying to find the next Castro here. The numbers these guys put up are pretty decent though. Alcantara is a switch hitting middle infielder who has either pretty good speed or good base stealing skills judging by his 91% success rate. Plus, he put up a pretty decent IsoD meaning he should have some sense of plate discipline. If he can be a middle of the road defender, he could be a good SS prospect.

 

Rosario's peripherals are excellent and he's been pushed through the system pretty quickly early on.

 

Rarely do these guys turn into anything, but there's some nice results from some no names so far.

 

I would love people to bring up some similar no-names with a semblance of potential. Farm systems have built up to some decent coverage, but the rookie leagues are still hard to follow.

[CubbieBum]

So we should check back in a year or two when they are close to being in the bigs?

 

Nobody is trying to find the next Castro here. The numbers these guys put up are pretty decent though. Alcantara is a switch hitting middle infielder who has either pretty good speed or good base stealing skills judging by his 91% success rate. Plus, he put up a pretty decent IsoD meaning he should have some sense of plate discipline. If he can be a middle of the road defender, he could be a good SS prospect.

 

Rosario's peripherals are excellent and he's been pushed through the system pretty quickly early on.

 

Rarely do these guys turn into anything, but there's some nice results from some no names so far.

 

I would love people to bring up some similar no-names with a semblance of potential. Farm systems have built up to some decent coverage, but the rookie leagues are still hard to follow.

 

That's all wonderful but these guys are so young and played at a low level league that none of this is really worth talking about because there have been thousands who have done this and gone on to never get to even AAA ball.

[Guest]

So we should check back in a year or two when they are close to being in the bigs?

 

Nobody is trying to find the next Castro here. The numbers these guys put up are pretty decent though. Alcantara is a switch hitting middle infielder who has either pretty good speed or good base stealing skills judging by his 91% success rate. Plus, he put up a pretty decent IsoD meaning he should have some sense of plate discipline. If he can be a middle of the road defender, he could be a good SS prospect.

 

Rosario's peripherals are excellent and he's been pushed through the system pretty quickly early on.

 

Rarely do these guys turn into anything, but there's some nice results from some no names so far.

 

I would love people to bring up some similar no-names with a semblance of potential. Farm systems have built up to some decent coverage, but the rookie leagues are still hard to follow.

 

That's all wonderful but these guys are so young and played at a low level league that none of this is really worth talking about because there have been thousands who have done this and gone on to never get to even AAA ball.

 

Then why are you in the minor league forum?

[scarey]

So we should check back in a year or two when they are close to being in the bigs?

 

Nobody is trying to find the next Castro here. The numbers these guys put up are pretty decent though. Alcantara is a switch hitting middle infielder who has either pretty good speed or good base stealing skills judging by his 91% success rate. Plus, he put up a pretty decent IsoD meaning he should have some sense of plate discipline. If he can be a middle of the road defender, he could be a good SS prospect.

 

Rosario's peripherals are excellent and he's been pushed through the system pretty quickly early on.

 

Rarely do these guys turn into anything, but there's some nice results from some no names so far.

 

I would love people to bring up some similar no-names with a semblance of potential. Farm systems have built up to some decent coverage, but the rookie leagues are still hard to follow.

 

That's all wonderful but these guys are so young and played at a low level league that none of this is really worth talking about because there have been thousands who have done this and gone on to never get to even AAA ball.

 

 

I just enjoy conversing about it. I'm not saying they'll turn into anything, and I realize there's a long shot that they even to reach the even the upper levels in the minors. It's just interesting to talk about.

[Guest]

I had Alcantara and Rosario on my list of breakout players for 2010 when we did the NSBB Prospect List chat.

[Rob]

So we should check back in a year or two when they are close to being in the bigs?

 

Nobody is trying to find the next Castro here. The numbers these guys put up are pretty decent though. Alcantara is a switch hitting middle infielder who has either pretty good speed or good base stealing skills judging by his 91% success rate. Plus, he put up a pretty decent IsoD meaning he should have some sense of plate discipline. If he can be a middle of the road defender, he could be a good SS prospect.

 

Rosario's peripherals are excellent and he's been pushed through the system pretty quickly early on.

 

Rarely do these guys turn into anything, but there's some nice results from some no names so far.

 

I would love people to bring up some similar no-names with a semblance of potential. Farm systems have built up to some decent coverage, but the rookie leagues are still hard to follow.

 

That's all wonderful but these guys are so young and played at a low level league that none of this is really worth talking about because there have been thousands who have done this and gone on to never get to even AAA ball.

 

Then why are you in the minor league forum?

 

Dollars to dimes says he didn't realize he was in the minor league forum. There's no other reason for such stupid posts.

[TruffleShuffle]

lock the thread please, no reason to talk about this guy.

[Clem Fandango]

What about Tony Thomas. I'm not saying that in a "I think he's gonna break out" sense, but I was curious about him. How does he project? What would be his peak? He's got some pop which is nice for a 2B, and he has speed but he appears to be a poor baserunner judging from his terrible SB%. I saw him play while in Mobile and he crushed a few homers off the BayBears. Could he be one of those guys who comesu p through the system and just randomly gets a spot by default (i.e. Blanco, Theriot, etc) because of a lack of options at the position? I don't know much abou him, but he intrigues me. Can he improve and become a good player because right now judging from his numbers the past two years it seems he's destined to become a AAAA player.

[CubsWin]

What about Tony Thomas. I'm not saying that in a "I think he's gonna break out" sense, but I was curious about him. How does he project? What would be his peak? He's got some pop which is nice for a 2B, and he has speed but he appears to be a poor baserunner judging from his terrible SB%. I saw him play while in Mobile and he crushed a few homers off the BayBears. Could he be one of those guys who comesu p through the system and just randomly gets a spot by default (i.e. Blanco, Theriot, etc) because of a lack of options at the position? I don't know much abou him, but he intrigues me. Can he improve and become a good player because right now judging from his numbers the past two years it seems he's destined to become a AAAA player.

I have been intrigued with Thomas as well since becoming a 3rd round selection in '07. Following his season last year and the year before, he seems to be a real streaky hitter. Short spurts of great offensive output where it looks like he might have it figured out, but then long stretches when he struggles mightily. He had great numbers in short season his first year, but his bat has been overmatched ever since. Personally, I've lost faith in him after this last season, but I could be wrong to give up on him so soon and I hope I am.

 

As far as there being a lack of middle infielders on the big league roster in order for Thomas to have a chance, that doesn't seem likely. We'll have to see who the Cubs bring back, but with Miles, Baker, Fontenot, Theriot and Blanco there last year, there was a glut not a lack. Darwin Barney at AAA is way ahead of Thomas in the line to get the call and coming up fast behind him are Castro, Flaherty and LeMaheiu with Lee and Watkins lurking in Low A, so it doesn't appear that there will be a lack of middle infielders at any point in the near future for the Cubs.

 

Looks to me like Thomas is the odd man out at 2B for the Cubs and, unless he figures out how to hit higher level pitching, he will deserve to be...

[utkcub]

I hope he becomes a great prospect, then we can trade him for something we need down the line. Carl Crawford anyone?

[soonercub]

Caught a little blurb on Minorleaguebaseball.com about Brad Snyder. I remember him getting off to a great start last year at Iowa before getting hurt. Not as hot as Fox, but not far behind. Looks like he had a nice Winter league. Could he be the Cubs 4th or 5th outfielder this year? Seems to have a bigger bat that Fuld and enough speed to steal a few bases.

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=&sid=l132&t=p_pbp&pid=430957

[Illini Iceman]

Caught a little blurb on Minorleaguebaseball.com about Brad Snyder. I remember him getting off to a great start last year at Iowa before getting hurt. Not as hot as Fox, but not far behind. Looks like he had a nice Winter league. Could he be the Cubs 4th or 5th outfielder this year? Seems to have a bigger bat that Fuld and enough speed to steal a few bases.

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=&sid=l132&t=p_pbp&pid=430957

 

My guess is that they will give him a chance in spring training to battle Hoff for the lefty off the bench role. Hoff has more experience and can play 1b so Snyder probably has to have a huge spring to make the team.

[jersey cubs fan]

Nobody is trying to find the next Castro here.

 

It's a little scary that people are now referring to Castro in this fashion, as some sort of established known quantity too good to be a fair comparison for any other prospect.

[SouthSideRyan]

Nobody is trying to find the next Castro here.

 

It's a little scary that people are now referring to Castro in this fashion, as some sort of established known quantity too good to be a fair comparison for any other prospect.

 

I believe they're referring to him as a prospect who wasn't thought of as much of anything besides toolsy who then becomes an elite prospect.

[CUBZ99]

Nobody is trying to find the next Castro here.

 

It's a little scary that people are now referring to Castro in this fashion, as some sort of established known quantity too good to be a fair comparison for any other prospect.

 

What is scary about it? Castro went from a decent/good prospect in the Cub's system to a top 25 prospect in all of baseball. Even if Castro never pans out in the major league level, according to all reports his trade value is extraordinary at the moment. Hopefully, the Cub's system can effectively judge which prospects they should sell high, and which ones are worth holding on to.

[jersey cubs fan]

Nobody is trying to find the next Castro here.

 

It's a little scary that people are now referring to Castro in this fashion, as some sort of established known quantity too good to be a fair comparison for any other prospect.

 

What is scary about it? Castro went from a decent/good prospect in the Cub's system to a top 25 prospect in all of baseball. Even if Castro never pans out in the major league level, according to all reports his trade value is extraordinary at the moment. Hopefully, the Cub's system can effectively judge which prospects they should sell high, and which ones are worth holding on to.

 

Normally that sort of language is used with some discretion, "nobody is trying to find the next ARod here, but Castro is a legit prospect". Nobody is trying to find the next Pujols here, etc. We absolutely should be trying to find the next Castro. He was a talented player who became a really good prospect, but that is all he is at the moment, a prospect. He's still got a lot to prove before he achieves "okay let's not get crazy here and compare guys to Castro" status.

[SouthSideRyan]

A-Rod isn't comparable to the people they're talking about. Castro is.

[jersey cubs fan]

A-Rod isn't comparable to the people they're talking about. Castro is.

 

Then why are we supposedly not trying to compare the guys to Castro? That's my point. Castro isn't some icon that cannot be referred to when describing other prospects. There's nothing wrong with comparing others to him. He shouldn't be excluded from the conversation with "we aren't trying to find the next" language.

[scarey]

A-Rod isn't comparable to the people they're talking about. Castro is.

 

Then why are we supposedly not trying to compare the guys to Castro? That's my point. Castro isn't some icon that cannot be referred to when describing other prospects. There's nothing wrong with comparing others to him. He shouldn't be excluded from the conversation with "we aren't trying to find the next" language.

 

 

Castro is a very rare case where a young kid produces against advanced competition. Whether he pans out and becomes an elite MLB player is irrelevant to my comment. Right now, Castro's perceived value as a prospect is extrodanary. My point was it's unlikely that any of these rookie level players will go the same route as Castro because it is so rare.

 

I don't think there's too many people that are already predicting an .800-.900 career OPS for Castro. I'm pretty sure the Ryan Harvey's and Brian Dopirak's of the past have kept everyone's long term expectations in check.