Minor League Discussion & Boxes 5-29-13

[davell]

Point of note, I doubt this year's IFA class helps the Cubs top 30 lists this coming offseason. Few 16 or 17-year old Latin American prospects make a dent on top prospect lists before playing a single professional game.

 

Eh, the top guys make them. Barreto was 13th for the Jays this year, Beras was 18th for the Rangers, Mujica was 23rd for Tampa, Gohara was 12th for the Mariners, Cabrera was 12th for the Giants. Probably a few more hit lists immediately as well. If we actually do sign the top 2 IFA's this year(as rumored), I could see BA putting them both in or around our top 15.

[toonsterwu]

Toonster, not sure why you said its "not pretty" after 7 or so. Especially since we're likely 6 deep in top 100 types at this point. Vizcaino being hurt still sucks, but there's no issue with having him in your top 10 obviously. Paniagua has talent too, we've just been held up from seeing it obviously. Won't surprise me if we don't see him hit full season ball this year based on his late start.

 

The rest is iffy, sure. But its no more iffy than most orgs and there's not nearly as much depth to choose from in most orgs either. I think my post may top 10 would look like this.....

 

1 Soler

2 Baez

3 Almora

4 Johnson

5 Alcantara

6 Vogelbach

7 Vizcaino

8 Candelario

9 Paniagua

10 Szczur

 

With Underwood, Contreras, Brett, Villanueva, Underwood, Hendricks, Amaya, Maples, Lake, and Torreyes being 11-20(likely close to that order for me)

 

The system is easily top 10 currently and will get a giant bump from trades, the draft, and IFA very soon. I'll be extremely surprised if we're not a top 5 system by August 1st.

 

6 deep in the top 100? I've been pushing for Alcantara, but uh ... I don't even think I can see him top 100 ... as of this moment in time. I think Johnson has to do well in A+ to crack the top 100.

 

That said, I said it wasn't pretty because the list of names and their performances to date haven't been ... pretty. You have injuries (Vizcaino ... and his future as a starter has to be a ton more debatable now simply from a timeline perspective), disappearances (Paniagua), inconsistency (Candelario would fall in this group), and very limited upside (Szczur). There's definitely talent, no doubt about that, but no one's really pushed forward after the top 6 guys (and I think most of us agree with the top 6 guys).

 

I think, thinking about it some more, I'd probably go with Alberto Cabrera in the top 10 as of now, but I still don't really buy him as a starter. Odd, he's a guy I like, but I have such a tough time pushing him.

[jersey cubs fan]

The system is easily top 10 currently and will get a giant bump from trades, the draft, and IFA very soon. I'll be extremely surprised if we're not a top 5 system by August 1st.

 

Point of note, I doubt this year's IFA class helps the Cubs top 30 lists this coming offseason. Few 16 or 17-year old Latin American prospects make a dent on top prospect lists before playing a single professional game.

 

Not even top 30? Sure they aren't going into your top 10 but the guys at the second half of your top 30 are nobodies anyway. Why wouldn't a highly touted IFA vault up to their level?

[rawaction]

Pierce Johnson isn't that far from the top 3 IMO. There's a gap no doubt but not a huge one, especially since he's been the most consistently successful other than Soler over the last 12 months. I'd still have Vogelbach over Alcantara and Vizcaino in the top 7 somewhere.

[davell]

Toonster, I'm pretty sure when asked if he thought Alcantara was a top 100 guy, Law said "probably". This was prior to his latest hot streak too. I feel comfortable with adding Johnson and Vogelbach as well, due to whats looking to be an extraordinarily high group of gradutions this year.(most still eligible at this exact point and time, but are heading towards graduation soon)

[toonsterwu]

Toonster, I'm pretty sure when asked if he thought Alcantara was a top 100 guy, Law said "probably". This was prior to his latest hot streak too. I feel comfortable with adding Johnson and Vogelbach as well, due to whats looking to be an extraordinarily high group of gradutions this year.(most still eligible at this exact point and time, but are heading towards graduation soon)

 

Vogelbach is always going to be a tough crack for top 100's, simply because the bar will be higher because of the position.

 

As for Alcantara, can I buy him top 100 at year's end? Yes. I wouldn't go there yet, though. But that's me. Perhaps others who have seen him more this year would, but it feels like the bat is going to have to play, as it does feel like he'll need to move off short eventually. If the bat has to play, then I want to make sure that this isn't simply a really nice hot streak for him, and that he can show a measure of consistency (at least, if we're going to judge him as a possible top 100). I don't need him to keep up the power he's shown in May to put him in the top 100.

 

There's no doubt he's close, as a young middle infielder with offensive potential. Maybe my bar is too high.

 

____

 

As for Johnson, if we "broke" a list now, sure, he'd probably be top 100. If he goes to A+ and does well, he's probably top 70 or so. If he flounders ... then I think we're looking at a bit more debate. A long way to go, though.

[Guest]

The system is easily top 10 currently and will get a giant bump from trades, the draft, and IFA very soon. I'll be extremely surprised if we're not a top 5 system by August 1st.

 

Point of note, I doubt this year's IFA class helps the Cubs top 30 lists this coming offseason. Few 16 or 17-year old Latin American prospects make a dent on top prospect lists before playing a single professional game.

 

Not even top 30? Sure they aren't going into your top 10 but the guys at the second half of your top 30 are nobodies anyway. Why wouldn't a highly touted IFA vault up to their level?

 

Apparently the top guys have been making the back of BA's top 30, per davell's post. I'd disagree with rating 16-year olds who (in most cases) won't play in the US for another year that highly, but that's me.

[ctcf]

Reggie Golden is in the KC lineup tonight, batting 8th and playing RF

[ctcf]

Pierce is rolling so far. 1 H, 1 BB, 3 K thru 3

[TruffleShuffle]

is yao-lin wang a prospect? he's had good K rates the last 2-3 years. don't know much about his stuff though. seems like he's been doing most of his work in relief.

[ctcf]

Despite getting into a little trouble in the 5th after allowing 2 hits, Pierce strikes out the side to get out of it.

 

5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K

 

Move him up.

[Cubswin11]

Despite getting into a little trouble in the 5th after allowing 2 hits, Pierce strikes out the side to get out of it.

 

5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K

 

Move him up.

Is that probably it for him for the night? PC has to be decently high with 6k's, 3h, and a bb

[ctcf]

Despite getting into a little trouble in the 5th after allowing 2 hits, Pierce strikes out the side to get out of it.

 

5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K

 

Move him up.

Is that probably it for him for the night? PC has to be decently high with 6k's, 3h, and a bb

 

I'd imagine so.

 

Edit: Nevermind, he's out for the 6th.

[TruffleShuffle]

brett jackson 0-3 with 3 strikeouts. :x

[Guest]

Is Almora playing?

[TruffleShuffle]

Is Almora playing?

 

no

[Guest]

Is Almora playing?

 

He is not.

 

Golden with a walk and a K for his full season debut so far.

[davell]

brett jackson 0-3 with 3 strikeouts. :x

 

damnit

[TruffleShuffle]

final line for pierce johnson was 5.2 ip, 4 h, 1 r, 1 bb, 7 k, 1 hr.

 

also, jonathon singleton hit his second home run in as many games against kane county. i assume he's in the MWL on some kind of rehab assignment since he's a really good prospect and posted an ops near .900 in AA last year.

[Guest]

Johnson now with 60 K, 15 BB, & 2 HR in 53 IP.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Hurry up and bump him to Daytona before the monsoons start.

[ScrubMD]

Does Johnson have a ceiling of a 2-3 or is he an ace if all goes right?

[davell]

final line for pierce johnson was 5.2 ip, 4 h, 1 r, 1 bb, 7 k, 1 hr.

 

also, jonathon singleton hit his second home run in as many games against kane county. i assume he's in the MWL on some kind of rehab assignment since he's a really good prospect and posted an ops near .900 in AA last year.

 

He's just been reinstated from a steroid suspension.

[davell]

Does Johnson have a ceiling of a 2-3 or is he an ace if all goes right?

If all goes right, he's a 2/3. Back end of the pen type if he can't stay healthy as a starter.

[ctcf]

Does Johnson have a ceiling of a 2-3 or is he an ace if all goes right?

If all goes right, he's a 2/3. Back end of the pen type if he can't stay healthy as a starter.

 

This.