Fangraphs/BP/BA Cubs Top Prospects List

[Guest]

Apparently Badler has Schwarber as a top 20 overall. Can't find where he said it, just saw an exchange between Brett and him on Twitter.

 

Brett Taylor

‏@BleacherNation

@BenBadler Wow, Schwarber in the top 20? Is it based on a belief he may possibly stick behind the plate, or big belief in the bat? Both?

 

Ben Badler ‏@BenBadler 7m7 minutes ago

@BleacherNation Mostly the offensive game. Love everything he does at the plate.

 

It was in a story about where Moncada would rank amongst the top prospects in the game: http://www.baseballamerica.com/international/will-yoan-moncada-rank-top-100/

 

Badler lists the hitting prospects in alphabetical order there, so we won't know exactly where Schwarber is ranked in his top 20 until the Prospect Handbook comes out. But Badler is one of the people who contributes to the overall BA top 100 list, so that's nice. (Yes, he also has Bryant, Russell and Soler in his top 20.)

[SouthSideRyan]

So according to somebody on BN, the Cubs only have 4 prospects on Law's top 100.

 

1. Bryant

4. Russell

14. Soler

90. Schwarber

[Cubswin11]

I'm a little surprised he ranked Schwarber at all. Also a little weird he has us as the #1 system but none of the pitchers or even 1 of Almora/McKinney/Torres in at least the 75-100 range.

[sneakypower]

just a general comment, but going through his list, you get the impression he doesn't value MLB proximity one iota

[SouthSideRyan]

I'm a little surprised he ranked Schwarber at all. Also a little weird he has us as the #1 system but none of the pitchers or even 1 of Almora/McKinney/Torres in at least the 75-100 range.

 

He must really value high-end talent.

[Gilby]

Wow, Law's writeup on Bryant makes me giddy. According to the CCO, he mentioned a balanced, short swing (something I've never heard before about him), 400 obp potential (meaning he thinks Bryant can hit for some sort of average), and an MVP candidate in the not-too-distant future. Please be right.

[SABR Gamer]

Wow, Law's writeup on Bryant makes me giddy. According to the CCO, he mentioned a balanced, short swing (something I've never heard before about him), 400 obp potential (meaning he thinks Bryant can hit for some sort of average), and an MVP candidate in the not-too-distant future. Please be right.

 

Bryant:

Everyone is aware of Bryant by now, after his pro baseball-leading 43 home runs and a .325/.438/.661 line across two levels in his first full year in the minors. Bryant is the best prospect in baseball for 2015, a true middle-of-the-order bat who should be in the Cubs' Opening Day lineup for the next six-plus seasons.

 

Bryant was drafted late out of high school despite showing first-round abilities, matured quickly once he began playing at the University of San Diego and landed as the No. 2 pick in the 2013 draft. After he tore through the low levels of the minors that summer, the Cubs pushed him to Double-A to start the 2014 season and he proceeded to demolish the level in half a season before a promotion to Triple-A that saw him nearly repeat the performance against older competition.

 

Bryant's swing is very balanced, with a wide setup and good use of his lower half to generate power. While there were concerns when he was an amateur that his bat speed might not catch up to major league velocity, he really has had no problem with better stuff in the pros, probably because his eye is so good and his swing is very short from load to contact. He's a good enough athlete to be able to handle third base, although he'd probably be better defensively in right field with his plus arm and fewer quick-reaction plays to challenge him. Wherever he ends up, he has 30-homer, .400 OBP potential, and should challenge for MVP awards once he has a few years in the majors.

Edited January 29, 2015 by New York Cubs Fan

[SABR Gamer]

Russell:

His performance left behind in much of the publicity around more famous Cubs prospects, Russell continued to rake in 2014 once he recovered from an early-season hamstring tear, and he kept right on producing after he was the big piece going to Chicago in the Jeff Samardzija trade.

 

Russell is a true shortstop with one of the best pure hit tools in the minors, both of which are a function of his outstanding hands, which are strong enough to produce hard contact yet smooth enough that he makes difficult plays look easy at short, whether it's a tough ground ball or a quick transfer on a 4-6-3 double-play turn. His swing did get a little longer in 2014, producing more power but also more ground ball contact, as he would get on top of balls he didn't square up. Russell always will face questions about his position because he's not a runner, but his footwork is more than adequate, and he has the hands and arm to be above-average there. Shortstops with the potential to hit .300-plus with double-digit homers are rare commodities -- Troy Tulowitzki was the only major leaguer to do it in 2014 -- which makes Russell's skill set extremely valuable.

 

Soler:

After a year and a half of good performance interrupted by numerous injuries that left him struggling to stay on the field, Soler reached the majors at the end of August and set expectations at an impossible level at least initially, going 10 for his first 19 with three bombs across five games. He scuffled the rest of the way as pitchers took advantage of his overaggressive approach, but the explosive bat speed and plus-plus raw power will still be enough to make him a star.

 

Soler has gotten much stronger since he first signed a nine-year, $30 million contract with the Cubs in 2012, retaining much of his athleticism but losing some running speed as he bulked up. He always had enormous power thanks to very rapid hand acceleration and a beautiful, rotational swing with long extension through contact. He has a right fielder's arm and the ability to be an average or better defender there, but for now his routes are a bit suspect and he'll need more work out there to avoid being the new Domonic Brown. Soler wasn't patient in the majors, but he had been so in the minors, and I expect that skill to return as he gains experience in the majors and stops trying to recreate what he did in those first five games. He projects as a 25-30 homer guy who hits .270-280 with a solid OBP and, we hope, average defense, which would make him maybe the Cubs' third- or fourth-best hitter in their suddenly loaded lineup.

 

Schwarber:

Schwarber was the fourth overall pick in the 2014 draft as a power-hitting catcher from Indiana University, then went and destroyed three different leagues after signing, ending the year in high-A just a few months out of college. Schwarber has very little chance to catch in the majors, as he's a poor receiver and is very muscular for the position, but his bat should make him a regular at another position, possibly first base, but most likely left field.

 

He has a chance to end up with a plus hit tool and plus power, showing much better plate discipline this summer than he did as an amateur, although his front side can get soft and he can be vulnerable to soft stuff away because his typical swing is so hard. If he hits .280 or so with a strong OBP and 25-30 homers, he'll be a good everyday player even if he ends up as a bad left fielder, and the Cubs certainly believe he has a chance to exceed even those marks.

[sneakypower]

for what little it's worth, Billy McKinney (19) was the youngest player to accrue 200 PA in the FSL and he posted .301/.390/.432 line; better than every prospect-age (21-22) player but Brandon Nimmo, Josh Bell, Dalton Pompey & Aaron Judge

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/minorleaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=10&qual=200&type=1&season=2014&team=0&players=0

 

12% BB, 20% K for a teenager in the FSL is like a Christian Yelich level for advanced approach

[Cubswin11]

When are we going to be doing our top 50 (or whatever) list?

[craig]

When are we going to be doing our top 50 (or whatever) list?

 

Yeah, that would be fun.

[TruffleShuffle]

Wow, Law's writeup on Bryant makes me giddy. According to the CCO, he mentioned a balanced, short swing (something I've never heard before about him), 400 obp potential (meaning he thinks Bryant can hit for some sort of average), and an MVP candidate in the not-too-distant future. Please be right.

 

looking at what bryant has done to minor league pitching since he was drafted makes me giddy.

[Tryptamine]

Here's Keith's full list and it's a bigger joke than I'd imagined. He has gone full blown Skip Bayless. No Luis Severino, No Steven Matz, No CJ Ewards, but Kyle Zimmer 160 1/3 innings over 3 years is still #25.

 

1. Kris Bryant 3B Chicago Cubs

2. Byron Buxton CF Minnesota Twins

3. Carlos Correa SS Houston Astros

4. Addison Russell SS Chicago Cubs

5. Corey Seager SS/3B Los Angeles Dodgers

6. Francisco Lindor SS Cleveland Indians

7. J.P. Crawford SS Philadelphia Phillies

8. Lucas Giolito RP Washington Nationals

9. Julio Urias LHP Los Angeles Dodgers

10. Blake Swihart C Boston Red Sox

11. Joey Gallo 3B Texas Rangers

12. Carlos Rodon LHP Chicago White Sox

13. Tyler Glasnow RHP Pittsburgh Pirates

14. Jorge Soler RF Chicago Cubs

15. Miguel Sano 3B Minnesota Twins

16. Hunter Harvey RHP Baltimore Orioles

17. Noah Syndergaard RHP New York Mets

18. Daniel Norris LHP Toronto Blue Jays

19. Braden Shipley RHP Arizona Diamondbacks

20. Henry Owens LHP Boston Red Sox

21. Archie Bradley RHP Arizona Diamondbacks

22. Jon Gray RHP Colorado Rockies

23. Aaron Judge OF New York Yankees

24. Jose Peraza SS/2B Atlanta Braves

25. Kyle Zimmer RHP Kansas City Royals

26. Dylan Bundy RHP Baltimore Orioles

27. David Dahl OF Colorado Rockies

28. Joc Pederson OF Los Angeles Dodgers

29. Eduardo Rodriguez LHP Boston Red Sox

30. Alex Meyer RHP Minnesota Twins

31. Nomar Mazara OF Texas Rangers

32. Austin Meadows OF Pittsburgh Pirates

33. Eddie Butler RHP Colorado Rockies

34. Tyler Kolek RHP Miami Marlins

35. Jorge Alfaro C Texas Rangers

36. Jameson Taillon RHP Pittsburgh Pirates

37. Aaron Blair RHP Arizona Diamondbacks

38. Raul Mondesi Jr. SS Kansas City Royals

39. Hunter Renfroe OF San Diego Padres

40. Jesse Winker LF Cincinnati Reds

41. Michael Conforto LF New York Mets

42. Dalton Pompey CF Toronto Blue Jays

43. Nick Gordon SS Minnesota Twins

44. Mark Appel RHP Houston Astros

45. Kevin Plawecki C New York Mets

46. Andrew Susac C San Francisco Giants

47. Mike Foltynewicz RHP Atlanta Braves

48. Sean Newcomb LHP Los Angeles Angels

49. Robert Stephenson RHP Cincinnati Reds

50. Ryan McMahon 3B Colorado Rockies

51. Aaron Sanchez RHP Toronto Blue Jays

52. Jake Thompson RHP Texas Rangers

53. Kohl Stewart RHP Minnesota Twins

54. Orlando Arcia SS Milwaukee Brewers

55. Rafael Devers 3B Boston Red Sox

56. Vincent Velasquez RHP Houston Astros

57. Aaron Nola RHP Philadelphia Phillies

58. Andrew Heaney LHP Los Angeles Angels

59. Alex Jackson RF Seattle Mariners

60. Josh Bell OF Pittsburgh Pirates

61. D. J. Peterson 1B Seattle Mariners

62. Stephen Piscotty OF St. Louis Cardinals

63. Joe Ross RHP Washington Nationals

64. Marco Gonzales LHP St. Louis Cardinals

65. Dominic Smith 1B New York Mets

66. Ozhaino Albies SS Atlanta Braves

67. Tim Anderson SS Chicago White Sox

68. Raimel Tapia OF Colorado Rockies

69. Amed Rosario SS New York Mets

70. Manuel Margot CF Boston Red Sox

71. Michael Taylor CF Washington Nationals

72. J.T. Realmuto C Miami Marlins

73. Colin Moran 3B Houston Astros

74. Austin Hedges C San Diego Padres

75. Reynaldo Lopez RHP Washington Nationals

76. Brett Phillips OF Houston Astros

77. Alex Reyes RHP St. Louis Cardinals

78. Justin O'Conner C Tampa Bay Rays

79. Grant Holmes RHP Los Angeles Dodgers

80. Greg Bird 1B New York Yankees

81. Matt Olson 1B Oakland Athletics

82. Tyrell Jenkins RHP Atlanta Braves

83. Daniel Robertson SS Tampa Bay Rays

84. Brad Zimmer CF Cleveland Indians

85. Derek Hill CF Detroit Tigers

86. Alex "Chi Chi" Gonzalez RHP Texas Rangers

87. Rob Kaminsky LHP St. Louis Cardinals

88. Trea Turner SS Washington Nationals

89. Alen Hanson 2B/SS Pittsburgh Pirates

90. Kyle Schwarber C Chicago Cubs

91. Brandon Nimmo OF New York Mets

92. Clint Frazier OF Cleveland Indians

93. Rio Ruiz 3B Atlanta Braves

94. Spencer Adams RHP Chicago White Sox

95. Franklin Barreto SS Oakland Athletics

96. Luis Ortiz RHP Texas Rangers

97. Jose Berrios RHP Minnesota Twins

98. A.J. Cole RHP Washington Nationals

99. Kyle Freeland LHP Colorado Rockies

100. Max Fried LHP Atlanta Brave

[imb]

Wow, Law's writeup on Bryant makes me giddy. According to the CCO, he mentioned a balanced, short swing (something I've never heard before about him), 400 obp potential (meaning he thinks Bryant can hit for some sort of average), and an MVP candidate in the not-too-distant future. Please be right.

 

looking at what bryant has done to minor league pitching since he was drafted makes me giddy.

 

My favorite part was in the Corey Seager writeup, where Law says that Kyle Seager is a top 20 major leaguer, and Corey has the potential to be "much better." And we have two guys ranked ahead of Corey!

[abuck1220]

i'd say this exchange sums keith law up pretty well:

 

 

Jesse Ellsworth ‏@jessellsworth · 20h20 hours ago

@keithlaw you're stats are wrong for Miguel Sano. You only included his Double A stats. He hit 16 homers in high A before promotion

 

keithlawVerified account

‏@keithlaw @jessellsworth i am not responsible for any of that, and it's "your."

 

Jesse Ellsworth ‏@jessellsworth · 20h20 hours ago

@keithlaw just trying to help you out. Thanks for the classy response. And PS it has your name to it so YOU are responsible. Jerk

 

Jesse Ellsworth ‏@jessellsworth · 20h20 hours ago

@keithlaw I apologize for my grammar I'm not a writer. I do however value correct stats from a "senior baseball analyst"

 

keithlaw ‏@keithlaw · 19h19 hours ago

@jessellsworth again, nothing to do with me. I write the content. I don't handle stats, formatting, headlines, or photos.

 

Jesse Ellsworth ‏@jessellsworth · 19h19 hours ago

@keithlaw mistake u make is thinking its not ur responsibility. If it were me Id make sure anything I put my name to is right. Grammar aside

 

keithlaw ‏@keithlaw · 19h19 hours ago

@jessellsworth Go get a job in publishing and then get back to me.

 

makes mistake, blames someone else, is a smug dick, condescendingly corrects guy's grammar. all that's missing is some pretentious food talk.

[imb]

he probably learned that deft maneuver from one of his board games

[BrockLanders]

I know it's nitpicking, but in the team rankings, Law writes "Their front three prospects are the strongest in the game" about the Dodgers.

 

And yet,

 

1. Bryant

4. Russell

14. Soler

 

5. Seager

9. Urias

28. Pederson

[SouthSideRyan]

Maybe he meant deadlift

[imb]

god i would love it if law got into crossfit

[Sammy Sofa]

Maybe he meant deadlift

 

Slab Bulkhead

[Bilbo161]

I know it's nitpicking, but in the team rankings, Law writes "Their front three prospects are the strongest in the game" about the Dodgers.

 

And yet,

 

1. Bryant

4. Russell

14. Soler

 

5. Seager

9. Urias

28. Pederson

 

I think this is telling. Law is all about "his" opinion. He doesn't care if its accurate or not. Its all just about him because he knows better than anyone else. How dare anyone correct him!

[Bilbo161]

When are we going to be doing our top 50 (or whatever) list?

 

I'm up for that.

[sneakypower]

it's only fun if we can include Baez and i can bury him in Daniel Lockhart territory

[Bilbo161]

it's only fun if we can include Baez and i can bury him in Daniel Lockhart territory

 

Now that was cold. :)

[Clem Fandango]

Maybe he meant deadlift

 

Slab Bulkhead

Big McLargehuge