Minor League Musings

[CubsWin]

For those of you who go back a ways, former Cubs #1 prospect Felix Pie, who had been out of professional baseball since 2013, has resurfaced in the Mexican League at the age of 33. His slash through 82 AB is .354/.427/.659 with 5 HR, 10 2B, 12 K and 12 BB.

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

For those of you who go back a ways, former Cubs #1 prospect Felix Pie, who had been out of professional baseball since 2013, has resurfaced in the Mexican League at the age of 33. His slash through 82 AB is .354/.427/.659 with 5 HR, 10 2B, 12 K and 12 BB.

You are making me feel old.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

2:15

JG: Miguel Amaya’s bat in the early going has looked *very* promising from a statistical standpoint. Any intel on how legit the performance has been? He’s 19, in the MWL, and has already drawn praise for his glove. If the bat is already coming along, what kind of prospect are we potentially looking at in terms of FV?

2:17

Eric A Longenhagen: I shoved him way up the Cubs list for a reason. The offensive tools were just masked by the grind of catching last year. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/top-22-prospects-chicago-cubs

2:17

Eric A Longenhagen: Could be a 50 FV by the end of the year, more likely he’s a 45.

 

3:35

A Dead Avenger: Eric, have you heard great reports on Eury Ramos? AZPhil mentioned he’s throwing 95-97, with a plus CB, and a swing and miss change. Says he’s filled out now. Any words you’ve heard from the back fields?

3:36

Eric A Longenhagen: Haven’t seen him myself this spring but every time I’m there Phil is too so I buy that he’s throwing that hard and missing bats.

[Regular Show]

2:15

JG: Miguel Amaya’s bat in the early going has looked *very* promising from a statistical standpoint. Any intel on how legit the performance has been? He’s 19, in the MWL, and has already drawn praise for his glove. If the bat is already coming along, what kind of prospect are we potentially looking at in terms of FV?

2:17

Eric A Longenhagen: I shoved him way up the Cubs list for a reason. The offensive tools were just masked by the grind of catching last year. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/top-22-prospects-chicago-cubs

2:17

Eric A Longenhagen: Could be a 50 FV by the end of the year, more likely he’s a 45.

 

So Miguel Amaya is doing this well with the bat and is so young with great tools and he could only be a 50 FV by the end of the year? Seriously?

 

http://p1.pstatp.com/large/2ee30001b5a77ca32781

[Transmogrified Tiger]

On that scale you basically need to be a Top 10 overall prospect to be an OFP 60, so moving Amaya to a 50 with plenty of time for him to go higher does make some sense, even if it underscores the absurdity of the scale.

[davell]

W 50 would put him somewhere in the top 100.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

W 50 would put him somewhere in the top 100.

 

Possibly. The first 50 FV prospect in their current top 100 is the #43 overall prospect but the rest of their top 100 are all 50s and some non-top 100s (including Ademan and Alzolay) are also 50s.

 

That said, Amaya will be a shoe-in top 100 prospect by end of season if he maintains an .800 OPS/decent plate discipline at age 19, considering his potential to be a future above average defender. Possibly even a top 50 prospect.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Jeffrey Báez and Matt Swarmer were the April Cubs Minor League Player of the Month and Pitcher of the Month, respectively.

[CubsWin]

Jeffrey Báez and Matt Swarmer were the April Cubs Minor League Player of the Month and Pitcher of the Month, respectively.

That's as it should be.

 

...And woefully underwhelming.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Chad Hockin had TJS.

[Regular Show]

Chad Hockin had TJS.

 

That sucks. I thought he would move quickly as a late-inning reliever.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Oscar de la Cruz is the first Cub prospect to make BA’s weekly Hot Sheets this year:

 

14. Oscar De La Cruz, RHP, Cubs

Team: Double-A Tennessee (Southern)

Age: 23

Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 5.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 10 SO, 3 BB, 0 HR

 

The Scoop: De La Cruz’s problems have never revolved around his stuff, but rather staying healthy long enough to use that stuff to make a difference. He’s had a rough go of it so far this year in his first taste of the upper levels, but his most recent start was a gem. His 10 strikeouts represented his third time in double digits and just the second start in which he didn’t allow an earned run. (JN)

 

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/top-mlb-prospects-hot-sheet-5718/

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Nate Pearson was hit by a line drive on his throwing elbow in his season debut today. Broken ulna.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

[Regular Show]

I just came across this website and it's pretty awesome. I'm sure most of us can't keep up with all the young players coming up in MLB. This site gives a pretty good scouting report for every player making their MLB debut. I can't post the full name of the site because it contains the 'F-word' in it lol. Highly recommend checking it out:

 

 

[tweet]

[/tweet]

 

[Splendid Splinter]

Where does Vlad Jr. rank among prospects of the 21st century? He's hitting .397/.447/.645 with an 8.5% K rate and almost 10% BB rate in 142 AA PAs this year. His $3.9 million bonus is the second highest for a 16 YO ever behind Michael Ynoa, easily the highest since the new IFA rules.

 

He's in the same convo as Trout/Harper IMO. Then again... it's a short list of teenage prospects who raked in AA or higher. Who else would there be in the 21st century?

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Where does Vlad Jr. rank among prospects of the 21st century? He's hitting .397/.447/.645 with an 8.5% K rate and almost 10% BB rate in 142 AA PAs this year. His $3.9 million bonus is the second highest for a 16 YO ever behind Michael Ynoa, easily the highest since the new IFA rules.

 

He's in the same convo as Trout/Harper IMO. Then again... it's a short list of teenage prospects who raked in AA or higher. Who else would there be in the 21st century?

 

Miguel Cabrera.

[Splendid Splinter]

Where does Vlad Jr. rank among prospects of the 21st century? He's hitting .397/.447/.645 with an 8.5% K rate and almost 10% BB rate in 142 AA PAs this year. His $3.9 million bonus is the second highest for a 16 YO ever behind Michael Ynoa, easily the highest since the new IFA rules.

 

He's in the same convo as Trout/Harper IMO. Then again... it's a short list of teenage prospects who raked in AA or higher. Who else would there be in the 21st century?

 

Miguel Cabrera.

 

He was 20 in AA when he broke out and his age 17-19 seasons weren't all that spectacular. At least compared to the 3 mentioned above. I keep forgetting that Miggy is only 1 year older than me so he was in the 21st century. I was thinking he was like 38.

[Tim]

Heyward

[We Got The Whole 9]

Acuna

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Acuna

 

Acuña was actually the first I thought of but he didn’t have the slugging that Vlad Jr does at AA. But yeah, he absolutely belongs in any convo about best prospects this century.

[JennieGarthAlgar]

wasnt Andruw Jones hitting homeruns in the World Series at age 19 or something? I assume his AA numbers mustve been OK

[Bobson Dugnutt]

wasnt Andruw Jones hitting homeruns in the World Series at age 19 or something? I assume his AA numbers mustve been OK

 

last century though

[Tim]

Where does Vlad Jr. rank among prospects of the 21st century? He's hitting .397/.447/.645 with an 8.5% K rate and almost 10% BB rate in 142 AA PAs this year. His $3.9 million bonus is the second highest for a 16 YO ever behind Michael Ynoa, easily the highest since the new IFA rules.

 

He's in the same convo as Trout/Harper IMO. Then again... it's a short list of teenage prospects who raked in AA or higher. Who else would there be in the 21st century?

You're asking a different question than Tom. If the question is about who was a better prospect as a teenager, the list is very, very short. If the question is who was a better prospect overall, then it is more open. I think that at least Bryant and Strasburg should be added to the overall list.

[Hrubes20]

Where does Vlad Jr. rank among prospects of the 21st century? He's hitting .397/.447/.645 with an 8.5% K rate and almost 10% BB rate in 142 AA PAs this year. His $3.9 million bonus is the second highest for a 16 YO ever behind Michael Ynoa, easily the highest since the new IFA rules.

 

He's in the same convo as Trout/Harper IMO. Then again... it's a short list of teenage prospects who raked in AA or higher. Who else would there be in the 21st century?

You're asking a different question than Tom. If the question is about who was a better prospect as a teenager, the list is very, very short. If the question is who was a better prospect overall, then it is more open. I think that at least Bryant and Strasburg should be added to the overall list.

 

Vlad Jr.'s bat looks fantastic. It could be something really special. But don't let it overshadow the fact that he won't be providing any defensive or baserunning value. Guys like Trout/Harper/KB/Correa/etc all have well-rounded games and were better overall prospets. But pure offensive ability? Give me Vlad Jr. over pretty much everyone.