Who is the Cubs #31 prospect? (run-off)

[CaliforniaRaisin]

The poll will be open for 24 hours.

 

Results so far:

 

1. Javier Baez

2. Kris Bryant

3. Albert Almora

4. Jorge Soler

5. CJ Edwards

6. Arismendy Alcantara

7. Pierce Johnson

8. Daniel Vogelbach

9. Christian Villanueva

10. Jeimer Candelario

11. Mike Olt

12. Kyle Hendricks

13. Arodys Vizcaino

14. Paul Blackburn

15. Rob Zastryzny

16. Corey Black

17. Neil Ramirez

18. Eloy Jimenez

19. Josh Vitters

20. Ivan Pineyro

21. Armando Rivero

22. Dillon Maples

23. Duane Underwood

24. Willson Contreras

25. Tyler Skulina

26. Gleyber Torres

27. Shawon Dunston Jr

28. Jacob Hannemann

29. Jen-Ho Tseng

30. Juan Paniagua

[craig]

I wonder how this year will go for Bruno.

 

Q1: Did he have elbow surgery, or shoulder surgery? Was it regular old TJ?

 

Given that he's still wearing elbow brace and isn't allowed to toss overhand yet, I don't think he'll play in any competitive throwing box-score games for months. Second baseman has to make throws from a lot of directions and angles.

 

Given that minor-league teams carry 13 pitchers, I doubt they'll want to have a DH-only guy on a full-season squad. That would effectively limit the manager to having only one reserve catcher, one reserve infielder, and one reserve outfielder. So I expect he'll need to stay in Mesa for rehab until he's actually cleared to throw and play the infield.

 

I'm guessing that if things go very well, he might be able to start playing with the rookie-league team in Mesa when they open at the end of June? I hope. Might just be a rehab year, and return to playing real full-season games next season.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

I like Bruno, but Rosscup could be a dominant pen lefty in the major leagues this year and beyond. What would Bruno's absolute dream ceiling be? 2005-2007 Freddy Sanchez?

[Guest]

I like Bruno, but Rosscup could be a dominant pen lefty in the major leagues this year and beyond. What would Bruno's absolute dream ceiling be? 2005-2007 Freddy Sanchez?

 

Absolute dream ceiling? Well, Bruno hasn't had anyone prove they can get him out yet, so if he's the extreme exception where that ability continues to translate, you're talking about Pedroia level production. That's not at all likely, but the fact that his first 370 PAs haven't disqualified that outcome is worth noting.

[craig]

Rosscup for me. K's and anti-HR profile give him a reasonable chance to be effective at the major-league level for a long time.

 

Bruno's hit .360 at both small-sample stops, so I hope he's just a true-blue never-quit contact hitter. Defensively it was debatable whether he could be more than just a 2B before the injury. After arm surgery I think his chances of being able to throw well enough to play anything other than 2B/1B/DH probably haven't improved.

 

He's got little/no power, he's a low-walk guy, and he K's a fair bit thus far. His BABIP thus far is .443.

 

Hopefully the surgery will have worked 100%, that he'll be able to play reasonably big-league 2B/3B, maybe some SS and OF too, and be a super-utility guy. Hopefully the BABIP and average remain excellent, and eventually he settles into at least a reasonable amount of IsoP and IsoD.