2011 Fall Instructs

[CaliforniaRaisin]

While we wait for the full Instructs roster, Kevin Capie at the Peoria Journal-Star sheds light on which Chiefs will be at Mesa next month:

 

Peoria Journal-Star[/url]"]INSIDE PITCHES: Seven Chiefs are scheduled to participate in the Chicago Cubs’ fall Instructional League. Position players Rubi Silva, Taiwan Easterling, Dustin Geiger and Micah Gibbs and pitchers Starling Peralta, Luis Liria and Frank Del Valle will head to the Cubs’ complex in Mesa.

[Vinestal]

Dunston Jr has tweeted he will be there. He's going home for a couple of weeks then back for instructional league.

[KingKongvs.Godzilla]

What's the scouting report on Liria? Are we still at "can hit 93/94 and throw a changeup?"

 

I get the feeling Dunston Jr. is going to kick ass and take names one day.

[toonsterwu]

Been hearing more high 80's/low 90's for Liria, but he can occasionally ratchet it up. I think it's more, we hope he can get to 93/94, as he does have some physical projection left.

[Guest]

I heard operates in low 90s and tops out at 95.

[chattbaseball]

Kyler Burke will be in Instructs working on the slider he's developing. Currently throwing fastball, curve, changeup and slider. The slider is the fourth pitch that he has just begun to work in this season. His fastball has been 91-93 recently, topping out at 94.

 

Another good outing tonight:

3.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K

 

Season Totals:

42 IP, 34 H, 13 ER, 17 BB, 43 K, 2.79 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 2.76 K/BB

 

**If you take out his first outing as a pitcher in 5 years, the line becomes:

2-0, 1 S, 40.1 IP, 32 H, 11 ER, 14 BB, 46 K, 2.45 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 3.29 K/BB

[seattlecub]

thanks for the update on kyler! it's great to see him succeeding in his transition, and he's performed better in his first season as a pitcher than i could have hoped for.

[toonsterwu]

Kyler's definitely had a solid year. Looking forward to seeing what he can do in full-season ball as a pen lefty. With the deep repetoire, I half-wonder if they ponder him for some rotation/piggyback work.

[chattbaseball]

Kyler's definitely had a solid year. Looking forward to seeing what he can do in full-season ball as a pen lefty. With the deep repetoire, I half-wonder if they ponder him for some rotation/piggyback work.

 

Although the long term goal would be a reliever, I think he will see time as a starter/piggyback role in the minors - at least next year. Mainly so he can get more innings. Obviously that's not set in stone, but from the conversations I've had with him, that's what it sounds like.

[scarey]

If they're having him work on a 4th pitch, isn't that an indicator that they are hoping he can be a starter?

[toonsterwu]

Well, not necessarily. Even for guys that the feel are destined for pen duty, the Cubs, under the current/former/whatever it is regime has always encouraged guys to work on extra pitches. It's a smart plan, but most guys destined for pen duty don't pick up that 3rd/4th pitch too well because they just don't use it that much.

 

Kyler's a unique situation. They probably want to get some ROI on him, so my guess is that they may push him somewhat (just a guess, I'm sure chatt would know better), so it wouldn't surprise me if he saw Daytona at some point early in 2012. That said, his raw stuff is pretty unique, as he (probably) has above average velo for a lefty starter, and as a pen arm, has power lefty potential. I mean, up and down the system, there are very few power lefty's in the Cubs system, so he's special in that regards (even Jeff Beliveau and John Gaub are more low 90's guys who might occasionally ramp it up, but typically lose something when they do). Kyler looks really fascinating right now, and let's hope all goes well on the developmental front.

[Guest]

Took this from the AFL thread:

 

I know it's not the exact proper location, but based on twitter, Charles Thomas is being sent to instructionals again this winter.

[Guest]

Arizona Phil has the complete roster. Some very interesting names making their pro debuts and some exciting guys making their U.S. debuts:

 

The Cub Reporter[/url]"]PITCHERS (24):

Jose Arias

* Kyler Burke (ex-OF)

* Frank Del Valle

Ian Dickson

Dustin Fitzgerald

David Henrie

Michael Jensen

Luis Liria

Dillon Maples

* Andrew McKirahan

Tarlandus Mitchell

Amaury Paulino

Felix Pena

Starling Peralta

* Christopher Pieters

Austin Reed

Jose Rosario

* Zac Rosscup

Alexander Santana

Tayler Scott

* Matt Spencer (ex-OF)

Larry Suarez

Charles Thomas (ex-3B)

Tony Zych

 

CATCHERS (7):

Yaniel Cabezas

# Micah Gibbs

* Rafael Lopez

# Mark Malave

Justin Marra

* Alberto Mineo

Neftali Rosario

 

INFIELDERS (10):

Luis Acosta

Javier Baez

# Jeimer Candelario

# Zeke DeVoss

Dustin Geiger

* Danny Lockhart

Carlos Penalver

# Rock Shoulders

* Rubi Silva

* Dan Vogelbach

 

OUTFIELDERS (6):

# Jeffrey Baez

Eliecer Bonne

* Shawon Dunston, Jr

Taiwan Easterling

Reggie Golden

* Garrett Schlecht

 

Yes, Matt Spencer is converting to pitcher.

 

The 47-man AZIL Cubs roster features eight players who will be making their professional debut, including 2011 11th round draft pick ($1.275M bonus) OF Shawon Dunston, Jr (Valley Christian HS - San Jose CA), 14th round draft pick ($2.5M bonus) RHP Dillon Maples (Pinecrest HS - Southern Pines, NC), 15th round draft pick catcher Justin Marra (Canadian Junior National Team), and 35th round draft pick RHP Ian Dickson (Lafayette College), recently-signed NDFA RHP David Henrie (Trinidad State JC), 16-year old switch-hitting $1.6M Venezuelan bonus baby catcher Mark Malave, 16-year old $1.1M Dominican bonus baby SS Luis Acosta, and 16-year old Curacao LHP Christopher Pieters ($350K bonus).

 

Another seven players will be making their U. S. debut, including DSL Cubs RHPs Jose Arias and Alexander Santana, 3B Jeimer Candelario, SS Carlos Penalver, and outfielders Jeffrey Baez and Eliecer Bonne (a 24-year old Cuban defector who signed with the Cubs this past spring), and 17-year old Italian catcher Alberto Mineo (who hit 270/333/338 in 31 games played at the MLB Australian Academy Program this past summer).

[toonsterwu]

I'm a bit surprised they moved Spencer to pitching. I thought he might've had a role on AAA's squad next season as a corner option guy. That said, his arm was always good (wasn't he a low 90's guy as a prep arm?). Will be interesting, but considering age, I'm not expecting too much.

 

Interesting to see Baez here along with Candelario and Penalver (amongst others).

[Rob]

That's actually a pretty stacked roster.

[KingKongvs.Godzilla]

That's actually a pretty stacked roster.

 

+1

 

I'm waiting to get high on Baez, another CF prospect.

 

There's even a couple pitchers, maybe even one with high upside as a starter. This system could use a couple more of those.

[Hrubes20]

I'm a bit surprised they moved Spencer to pitching. I thought he might've had a role on AAA's squad next season as a corner option guy. That said, his arm was always good (wasn't he a low 90's guy as a prep arm?). Will be interesting, but considering age, I'm not expecting too much.

 

Interesting to see Baez here along with Candelario and Penalver (amongst others).

 

I would have been more surprised had Baez NOT attended instructs. He was one of the best players in the DSL this year. He has tools coming out the wazoo.

 

What surprised me to see, was that Malave, Acosta and Pieters are attending. Not one of the biggish name LA signings last year attended. Also interesting that the 4th bigger LA signing, Ricardo Marcano, a Venezuelan 3B, isn't attending while the others are. It's likely an issue of PT for everyone, and I won't lose sleep over a 16 year old not playing in instructs, but it would have been nice to get a first glimpse of the kid.

[SouthSideRyan]

Too early to buy a Candelario shersey?

[Rob]

Too early to buy a Candelario shersey?

 

Too late. They're sold out.

[davell]

Instructs started today and some very encouraging results already. Dunston Jr had 2 hits, including a homer. Baez went 2 for 5. And Vogelbach had 2 hits as well, including a tape measure shot. Instructs are going to be very fun to follow this year.

[Vinestal]

according to his twitter, Rock Shoulders has a torn meniscus and will have surgery.

[Guest]

Instructs started today and some very encouraging results already. Dunston Jr had 2 hits, including a homer. Baez went 2 for 5. And Vogelbach had 2 hits as well, including a tape measure shot. Instructs are going to be very fun to follow this year.

 

http://www.thecubreporter.com/2011/09/23/dunston-vogelbach-lead-cubs-victory

[KingKongvs.Godzilla]

Which Baez went 2-5, the highly talented/tools laden first round pick or the highly talented/tools laden IFA?

 

Forget it just read....Didn't notice Austin Reed was involved in Fall Instructs, but I like it. That guy's stats seriously sucked this year, and it's good to see he opened up with a strong 1.1 (4 groundouts).

[Guest]

Arizona Phil on injuries at Instructs:

 

The Cub Reporter[/url]"]K-BANSAW: Ethan Elias, Scott Weismann, and Graham Hicks finished the season on the DL, and so they probably weren't cleared to participate in Instructs.

 

Same goes for A. J. Morris (post-2010 shoulder surgery rehab) and Arturo Maltos-Garcia (TJS).

 

On the other hand, Zac Rosscup and Tarlandus Mitchell are participating in Instructs, despite spending much of the 2011 season on the DL.

 

I don't know why Austin Urban is not active (or Trey Martin either). I do know that Trevor Gretzky and Blair Springfield aren't active because they are rehabbing torn labrums.

 

It is possible that one or more additional players could be added to the Cubs Instructs roster over the next couple of weeks. Usually Cubs players who are scheduled to play in the AFL work-out at Fitch Park for about week prior to the start of the AFL season, and it's possible that one or more of them could play in an Instructs game (as a tune-up) next week.

 

And you can figure that Rock Shoulders has been deleted from the Cubs Instructs active roster since he will be having knee surgery.

[Guest]

Cubs Instructs team lost 10-9 today but there are so many intriguing names who got some playing time: http://www.thecubreporter.com/2011/09/24/cub-rally-falls-short-papago-park

 

• Tarlandus Mitchell and Zac Rosscup each pitched for the first time in months.
  
• Jeffrey Baez made his U.S. debut, going 1/2 and playing in RF.
  
• Javier Baez was 1/3, Vogelbach was 2/3, Candelario was 1/4.
  
• Micah Gibbs and Javier Baez had doubles, Taiwan Easterling hit a triple.