BA & BP's Cubs Top Prospect Lists

[SouthSideRyan]

campana?

 

Hilariously, yes.

[SouthSideRyan]

Marshall. Wells was the 2002 draft.

 

Marshall was '03 draft. There's a reason I cut it off at 8 drafts.

[jersey cubs fan]

campana?

 

Hilariously, yes.

 

I figured it would be somebody stupid since you were asking.

[Guest]

Marshall. Wells was the 2002 draft.

 

Marshall was '03 draft. There's a reason I cut it off at 8 drafts.

 

You said 8 years you jerk.

[SouthSideRyan]

Marshall. Wells was the 2002 draft.

 

Marshall was '03 draft. There's a reason I cut it off at 8 drafts.

 

You said 8 years you jerk.

 

November 14, 2003, idiot.

[Guest]

campana?

 

Hilariously, yes.

 

I figured it would be somebody stupid since you were asking.

That's why Barney was the first name that came to mind for me.

[Little Slide Rooter]

BEST

TOOLS

Best Hitter for Average: D.J. LeMahieu

Best Power Hitter: Dan Vogelbach

Best Strike-Zone Discipline: Matt Cerda

Fastest Baserunner: Matt Szczur

Best Athlete: Matt Szczur

Best Fastball: Rafael Dolis

Best Curveball: Trey McNutt

Best Slider: Kevin Rhoderick

Best Changeup: Dae-Eun Rhee

Best Control: Dallas Beeler

Best Defensive Catcher: Welington Castillo

Best Defensive Infielder: Elliot Soto

Best Infield Arm: Junior Lake

Best Defensive Outfielder: Jae-Hoon Ha

Best Outfield Arm: Anthony Giansanti

 

Most Chisseled Abs: Taiwan Easterling

Best Bedroom Eyes: Taiwan Easterling

Poutiest Lips: Taiwan Easterling

[Little Slide Rooter]

No DeVoss, Simpson or Ha

 

Nor Rhee. Dolis definitely doesn't belong in the top 10.

 

ETA: Why would Simpson even sniff the top 10? I don't think DeVoss is a top 20 prospect.

 

Personally, unless we're talking a guy with closer stuff I don't think a reliever should never be amongst your top 10.

 

If Rhee can build on the 2nd half of 2010, I expect him to be on the midseason lists.

 

I also think that Struck should be given some consideration. Had he not been catapulted to AAA as quickly as he was, he may very well have made the list.

[davell]

I don't have Castillo or Dolis in ny current top 10 either and Maples hovers right around 10 himself. But, our system currently has a ton of guys you could make the case for, to being included at the back end of the top 10. Personally, Candelario is in mine and while it's extremely early, I think he'll be in everyone's top 5 this time next year. Golden, Struck, LeMahieu, Rhee, Wells, Ha, and Flaherty could all make a top 10 list from different "experts" this offseason. But, after seeing who BA has in our top 10, I'm going to agree with Toonster and figure we're outside of the top 20 right now, system wise, by BA's rankings anyway.

[Guest]

I'll post some selected chat questions after I get out of work.

[toonsterwu]

Here's the thought running through my mind - I wonder how Epstein/Hoyer would view the top 10. We know that BA's Top 10 lists heavily weigh in organizational voices, and as of now, most of those voices are from the old regime. I'd be curious how the new regime looked at things, but we probably won't know for awhile.

 

I guess the one I have the biggest problem with is Dolis. I am okay enough with the rest (think Castillo is a touch high, wouldn't put Lake or Vogelbach that high but can understand why someone might), but this seems to be heavily buying in that Dolis' can find consistency with his breaking ball. I mean, if he does, he's a late inning, possible closer type arm, but he hasn't shown it yet.

 

Oh, mildly surprised Rhoderick got the best slider nod. Didn't think it was that good.

[davell]

If Castillo is considered a future starting backstop, then I see why he's a potential top 10 guy for us. Mainly because most of our really intriguing guys are in the lower levels of our system. Dolis though? No clue, since he's mainly considered a setup guy at best, isn't he? Like Toonster said though, it'll definitely be interesting to see who Theo and the gang think highly of once they get a true handle on things.

[toonsterwu]

Well, if Dolis does get consistency on his breaking ball/slider, then he could be a closer-type of guy. He has good life on the 4-seamer, can run a good 2-seamer in there, and has a usable changeup, but he needs the slider to be consistently plus. The potential is there, though.

[Brian]

TOP PROSPECTS
OF THE DECADE 
Year Player, Position 2011 Org. 
2002 Mark Prior, rhp Yankees 
2003 Hee Seop Choi, 1b Kia (Korea) 
2004 Angel Guzman, rhp Cubs 
2005 Brian Dopirak, 1b Astros 
2006 Felix Pie, of Orioles 
2007 Felix Pie, of Orioles 
2008 Josh Vitters, 3b Cubs 
2009 Josh Vitters, 3b Cubs 
2010 Starlin Castro, ss Cubs 
2011 Chris Archer, rhp Rays 

TOP DRAFT PICKS
OF THE DECADE 
Year Player, Position 2011 Org. 
2002 Bobby Brownlie, rhp Out of baseball 
2003 Ryan Harvey, of Red Sox 
2004 Grant Johnson, rhp (2nd round) Out of baseball 
2005 Mark Pawelek, lhp Out of baseball 
2006 Tyler Colvin, of Cubs 
2007 Josh Vitters, 3b Cubs 
2008 Andrew Cashner, rhp Cubs 
2009 Brett Jackson, of Cubs 
2010 Hayden Simpson, rhp Cubs 
2011 Javier Baez, ss Cubs  

This is why the Cubs are where they are, not boogeyman long-term contracts.

 

To make this list worse I looked into it and you can probably add out of baseball to Harvey and Dope. Harvey didn't play at all in '11 and Dope was released by the Astros in June

[imb]

BEST

TOOLS

Best Hitter for Average: D.J. LeMahieu

Best Power Hitter: Dan Vogelbach

Best Strike-Zone Discipline: Matt Cerda

Fastest Baserunner: Matt Szczur

Best Athlete: Matt Szczur

Best Fastball: Rafael Dolis

Best Curveball: Trey McNutt

Best Slider: Kevin Rhoderick

Best Changeup: Dae-Eun Rhee

Best Control: Dallas Beeler

Best Defensive Catcher: Welington Castillo

Best Defensive Infielder: Elliot Soto

Best Infield Arm: Junior Lake

Best Defensive Outfielder: Jae-Hoon Ha

Best Outfield Arm: Anthony Giansanti

 

Most Chisseled Abs: Taiwan Easterling

Best Bedroom Eyes: Taiwan Easterling

Poutiest Lips: Taiwan Easterling

 

Hahahahahaha

[Guest]

@Jaypers413 (IL): What have you heard about international 3B prospect Jeimer Candelario? Did he make your top 30?

 

Jim Callis: Very promising switch-hitting bat. A long ways away, but he could be a plus hitter with at least average power. He will have to work hard to avoid a move to first base, however. He's in the middle of the 11-30 range.

 

Barry (Atlanta GA): Did SS Marco Hernandez come close?

 

Jim Callis: He wasn't one of the 15 or so players I considered for the Top 10, but he is in the next group after them. I'd just like to see him play higher than Rookie ball before I go crazy on him. He's a promising hitter with the tools to stay at shortstop. We'll know a lot more once he plays in Class A in 2012.

 

Mike (Chicago): With a new emphasis on the farm system, do you think the cubs will still scout the Pacific Rim still, also have they signed anybody recently from the Pacific Rim that has promise since the players they have signed have had mixed results?

 

Jim Callis: I believe the Cubs will remain active all over the globe. They're pleased with several international prospects, including Pacific Rim signees such as righthander Dae-Eun Rhee and outfielders Jae-Hoon Ha and Pin-Chieh Chen.

 

Warren (Texas): How does Dae-Eun Rhee profile as a prospect after 2011? I thought he might be in the Top 10, and was a little surprised he wasn't. Approximately where did he fall in the Cubs Top 30? Thanks for the chat.

 

Jim Callis: He was a Top 10 candidate who just missed. His stuff really bounced back by the end of 2011, looks like he has put the Tommy John surgery fully behind him and has a chance to be a No. 3 starter.

 

Ben (Leland Grove): How many of the top 10 do you anticipate will make the top 100?

 

Jim Callis: Jackson, Baez, Szczur. That might be it.

 

JD (AZ): Jim, will Pin-Chieh Chen figure into the Cubs top 30 and does he have a big enough bat to man a corner OF spot?

 

Jim Callis: Right now, he's in my just-missed group. The Cubs have a middle-of-the-pack farm system, but if we went 50 deep, they'd have one of the best 31-50 groups in the game. Chen is a slappy hitter without a lot of physical strength or projection, so he's going to have to stick in center to make it.

 

Jon (Peoria): How does Jae-Hoon Ha compare with Jackson and Sczcur among CF prospects?

 

Jim Callis: Right now, he's the best defender of the three but lacks their offensive upside. Jackson has more power and basestealing savvy, while Szczur is a better pure hitter and has more speed.

 

Bob (Mundelein, IL): Is Hayden Simpson worthy of being in the top 30 after the year he had?

 

Jim Callis: He's going to make the Top 30 because I think he has to get a mulligan for 2011, when he pitched with a stress reaction and a small tear in his elbow, both of which have healed. I'd describe him as another draftee that the Cubs were higher on than the majority of clubs. Really don't know what to make of him until we see a fully healthy Simpson in pro ball.

 

Bob (Mundelein, IL): As a follow-up to your response to my question about Simpson earlier, when did the Cubs find out that he had issues with his elbow? It seems like they should have shut him down when he struggled in the MWL and didn't show nearly the same stuff he had in college. Is this expected to just be a minor issue?

 

Jim Callis: Not until after the year. They say the elbow is fine now and he should be healthy in 2012.

 

BJP (Tulsa, OK - Tulsa (TUL)): What's the outlook for Dallas Beeler? Was he close to top 10?

 

Jim Callis: I like Beeler. He's maybe the best prospect in the system who has gotten almost no hype, and I considered him for the Top 10. If everything works out, he could be a No. 3 starter with a solid sinker/curve/changeup combo.

 

Jon (Peoria): How would you classify Jay Jackson's prospect status after the rough season he had in the PCL?

 

Jim Callis: Let me put it this way: He's not on the Top 30.

[davell]

Raisin, thanks for posting. Was there anything on Antigua or Burke that was answered? Cool to hear our depth is excellent. Now we can definitely concentrate on impact guys much more.

[Guest]

Raisin, thanks for posting. Was there anything on Antigua or Burke that was answered? Cool to hear our depth is excellent. Now we can definitely concentrate on impact guys much more.

 

Nah, there weren't any questions on them.

[Guest]

Raisin, thanks for posting. Was there anything on Antigua or Burke that was answered? Cool to hear our depth is excellent. Now we can definitely concentrate on impact guys much more.

 

Nah, there weren't any questions on them.

Callis did a shorter than normal chat for him.

 

I think we should ask him to do a separate chat here. :)

[Outshined_One]

The Cubs have a middle-of-the-pack farm system, but if we went 50 deep, they'd have one of the best 31-50 groups in the game.

 

I love seeing that. This team has some tremendous depth and a ton of sleeper candidates in the lower levels. If things go right next season, we might have ourselves a Top 5 system once again.

[toonsterwu]

Thanks for the post Raisin.

 

Hmm ... this isn't the first time that I've heard someone definitively say that Ha is a better defensive player than Szczur, but it is the most public one. I'm mildly intrigued with his remarks about Ha in that question - it seems to say that he doesn't have the ceiling of Jackson and Szczur in specific categories, but it doesn't seem to address whether or not he has a better blend of skills. I say this as someone who is decidedly mixed on Ha, but the response seems limited to portraying the answer he wants to suggest, but if he had said that Ha was better than Jackson with his hit "tool", and had more power than Szczur, along with being the better defensive CF, well, no one would argue that either.

 

Also, a guy entering AA with a chance to be a No. 3 starter (Rhee) is behind a borderline closer? I gave up my BA subscription, but I'd be dang intrigued to find out what they wrote about Dolis. If they had concerns about Rhee's ceiling, then okay, I can understand apprehension, but it doesn't seem like they have concerns about Rhee's ceiling.

 

As for the answers on Hernandez and Candelario, I still submit that I think there's a level of draft pick bias involved. To suggest that neither guy is a top 15 candidate (said Candelario was middle of the 11-30 group, and that Hernandez wasn't one of the 15 he thought about for the top 10) seems to belie the scouting reports that BA put out in reference to these guys, particularly the reports they put out on Hernandez, which are as strong as some of the stuff put out there on some top draftees, guys who will rate far higher. Doesn't mean I can't see the case for these guys out of the top 10 - I can, just think there's a level of draft pick bias.

[Guest]

Alright everyone, gather up your questions! I emailed Jim Callis to ask if he'd do a chat or a Q&A and he replied that the Q&A format would fit a lot better with his schedule. If everyone could post their questions here in the thread, I'll compile the list and get it sent off to him.

 

He said he'd need a couple days to respond. I'll then edit and put into an article. :good:

[UMFan83]

You are the man Tim! I don't have a question but looking forward to reading the answers.

[CUBZ99]

Alright everyone, gather up your questions! I emailed Jim Callis to ask if he'd do a chat or a Q&A and he replied that the Q&A format would fit a lot better with his schedule. If everyone could post their questions here in the thread, I'll compile the list and get it sent off to him.

 

He said he'd need a couple days to respond. I'll then edit and put into an article. :good:

 

Sweet.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Alright everyone, gather up your questions! I emailed Jim Callis to ask if he'd do a chat or a Q&A and he replied that the Q&A format would fit a lot better with his schedule. If everyone could post their questions here in the thread, I'll compile the list and get it sent off to him.

 

He said he'd need a couple days to respond. I'll then edit and put into an article. :good:

 

My questions:

 

 

Can you give us more about how Dolis comped to Marmol, especially given the difference in K rates?

 

If you had to put the Cubs' prospects into tiers, where would you put the divisions?

 

To what would you attribute the Cubs' poor performance from first round draft picks since Prior?

 

Where do you see Wellington Castillo's ceiling?

 

What are your thoughts on the reports that the pre-Epstein Cubs organization was behind the times and undermanned?

 

How much value is there in a deep prospect pool such as the Cubs'?