Who is the Cubs #8 Prospect?

[A New Era]

I voted Olt simply because a guy who has a chance to impact the 2014 season (yes I know he has many doubters) is way more valuable to me than a DH power bat who's power hasn't completely shown up yet. Vogelbach has the chance to really raise his value significantly by the end of the year, but Olt simply has more now value. To me anyways, I'm still high on him and have faith in a return to form.

[Bilbo161]

I went Vogelbach, Olt, Candelario. It was close for me. Vogs seems to have more potential at the plate due to the power from the left side. If Kruk could play 1st base so can Vogelbach. He is a fail safe for Rizzo or some real good trade bait. Olt? I'm giving the benefit o the doubt on the injury recovery. Candelario needs to start showing more power but the potential is still there. Great plate approach.

[WrigleyField 22]

I went Vogelbach and Olt.

 

Also while I'm not too close to voting for him yet I think Vitters should get added to the polls soon. He's right around that big mess of prospects in the teen range for me.

[craig]

Lots of good posts. Vogelbach seems like he may just be a true-blue hitter who happens to have serious power as well, and in a game where scoring is getting more difficult that could be a very valuable guy. Whether as DH for us (I hope), in trade, or as a Rizzo replacement, he may give us some good value. .

 

But, as has been noted he really wasn't that great offensively last year. Didn't hit for great average, most of the hits he got were singles, and he didn't reach 20 HR's.

 

Obviously the development of his defense, whether it's awful or acceptably anti-awful, will matter a lot.

 

But I think it really comes down to the power. Does he really have awesome power? Or as a short guy with short levers, is he a strong guy but without natural lift and without exceptional game HR power? The same defense/BABIP/BB/K guy looks a whole lot different with 30HR norm than with 18HR norm.

[rawaction]

But I think it really comes down to the power. Does he really have awesome power? Or as a short guy with short levers, is he a strong guy but without natural lift and without exceptional game HR power? The same defense/BABIP/BB/K guy looks a whole lot different with 30HR norm than with 18HR norm.

 

No, he has great power. Hit 17 HRs in 245 ABs in 2012. 10 for Boise in 143 ABs. That's big time power for a 19 year old in his 1st serious professional season (he did have 24 ABs in 2011). Not sure what happened in 2013 (almost exact same number of doubles and HRs as 2012, with twice the PAs), but there's plenty of reason to believe the power will come back. Still, even it doesn't, a guy who hits .290 ish with 18 HRs, and walks in 13% of his PAs is a really good baseball player still. John Kruk vs. Prince Fielder.

[weis21]

But I think it really comes down to the power. Does he really have awesome power? Or as a short guy with short levers, is he a strong guy but without natural lift and without exceptional game HR power? The same defense/BABIP/BB/K guy looks a whole lot different with 30HR norm than with 18HR norm.

 

No, he has great power. Hit 17 HRs in 245 ABs in 2012. 10 for Boise in 143 ABs. That's big time power for a 19 year old in his 1st serious professional season (he did have 24 ABs in 2011). Not sure what happened in 2013 (almost exact same number of doubles and HRs as 2012, with twice the PAs), but there's plenty of reason to believe the power will come back. Still, even it doesn't, a guy who hits .290 ish with 18 HRs, and walks in 13% of his PAs is a really good baseball player still. John Kruk vs. Prince Fielder.

Davell mentioned earlier in this thread the FO wanted him to work on going the other way last season. That could account for most - if not all - of the discrepancy.

 

 

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