Jump to content
North Side Baseball

Minor League Musings

Little Slide Rooter
 Share
imb MVP

imb

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
the problem i have with vlad (as much as it can be a problem) is that he looks like miguel cabrera, only he's 19 and he reminds me of 31 year old miguel cabrera
  • Replies 3.8k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Cubswin11 All-Star

Cubswin11

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
the problem i have with vlad (as much as it can be a problem) is that he looks like miguel cabrera, only he's 19 and he reminds me of 31 year old miguel cabrera

I saw a highlight of him the other night and my god that dude is THICK

Regular Show ACL Cubs

Regular Show

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
the problem i have with vlad (as much as it can be a problem) is that he looks like miguel cabrera, only he's 19 and he reminds me of 31 year old miguel cabrera

 

Yeah, his body doesn't look like the body of a top prospect. I mean he isn't Pablo Sandoval either. His defense is okay at 3B right now, but I bet he moves over to 1B at some point just like Miguel Cabrera. The bat is pretty special (easily the best hitter in the minors right now).

David GOAT

David

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
Heyward

 

Corey Patterson missed this conversion by one year.

 

i wonder if corey patterson turns out any differently with 2018 cubs level minor league player development vs the disaster that the organization was 20 years ago, which was still a relative disaster compared to the rest of the league

Cubswin11 All-Star

Cubswin11

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
Heyward

 

Corey Patterson missed this conversion by one year.

 

i wonder if corey patterson turns out any differently with 2018 cubs level minor league player development vs the disaster that the organization was 20 years ago, which was still a relative disaster compared to the rest of the league

Definitely and to a lesser degree even Vitters (if the hand eye coordination stuff was true).

Regular Show ACL Cubs

Regular Show

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted

 

Corey Patterson missed this conversion by one year.

 

i wonder if corey patterson turns out any differently with 2018 cubs level minor league player development vs the disaster that the organization was 20 years ago, which was still a relative disaster compared to the rest of the league

Definitely and to a lesser degree even Vitters (if the hand eye coordination stuff was true).

 

I think Vitters busts no matter what. This Cubs FO had the chance to work with him and see if they could unlock some hidden potential. I mean Vitters is struggling in Independent League baseball so I think his skills eroded and that no one could fix him/properly develop him.

 

I think if Theo and Jed were here for the 2007 MLB draft I have zero doubt in my mind we avoid Vitters and take Matt Wieters.

  • 2 weeks later...
CaliforniaRaisin GOAT

CaliforniaRaisin

Community Moderator
Posted
Posted

Keegan Thompson made this week’s BA Hot Sheet: https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/prospect-hot-sheet-52818/

 

11. Keegan Thompson, RHP, Cubs

Team: high Class A Myrtle Beach (Carolina)

Age: 23

Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 SO

 

The Scoop: A 2017 third-rounder from Auburn, Thompson has the pitchability to move quickly, and that’s exactly what he’s done this year by jumping to the Carolina League. He ranks among the league leaders in walk rate (1.7 per nine innings) and WHIP (1.08). Thompson’s stuff plays up because of his feel, and he projects as a back-of-the-rotation starter with average velocity, a nice changeup and two distinct breaking pitches. (ME)

Hrubes20 Draft Eligible

Hrubes20

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
Keegan Thompson made this week’s BA Hot Sheet: https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/prospect-hot-sheet-52818/

 

11. Keegan Thompson, RHP, Cubs

Team: high Class A Myrtle Beach (Carolina)

Age: 23

Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 SO

 

The Scoop: A 2017 third-rounder from Auburn, Thompson has the pitchability to move quickly, and that’s exactly what he’s done this year by jumping to the Carolina League. He ranks among the league leaders in walk rate (1.7 per nine innings) and WHIP (1.08). Thompson’s stuff plays up because of his feel, and he projects as a back-of-the-rotation starter with average velocity, a nice changeup and two distinct breaking pitches. (ME)

 

He will be an interesting one to follow. Usually guys with his mediocre stuff induce alot of groundballs to maintain good results. Thompson throws very few of them.

CaliforniaRaisin GOAT

CaliforniaRaisin

Community Moderator
Posted
Posted

Tyler Peyton has had a velocity spike this year:

 

Des Moines Register[/url]"]“Completely changed the landscape for his track and development,” Chicago Cubs Minor League Pitching Coordinator Brendan Sagara said. “Tyler’s doing really well. He’s been a huge surprise and a pleasant surprise, obviously. And he’s really helped himself so far with his early season development.”

 

...

 

Instead, the right-hander relied heavily on a sinker. His velocity was usually in the low 90s and would creep into the mid-90s every now and then during his first season of games with the Cubs in 2017.

 

But after the Cubs sent him to Class-A advanced Myrtle Beach to start this season, they started seeing a change in Peyton’s velocity.

 

“He actually went up there just to help,” Sagara said. “They had a need in the bullpen and he’s a guy that’s a reliable strike thrower. Well, all of a sudden, he’s throwing 95 miles per hour sinkers and hitting 96.”

CaliforniaRaisin GOAT

CaliforniaRaisin

Community Moderator
Posted
Posted
Can you post their writeups?

 

Fernando Kelli, OF, Cubs

Age: 19. B-T: B-R. Ht.: 6-0. Wt.: 180. Signed: Dominican Republic, 2016.

Kelli signed with the Cubs for $60,000 in January 2016, but he struggled during the 2016 season in his first run through the DSL. In 2017, Kelli fared much better, winning the DSL MVP award. Kelli is a premium athlete with ample quick-twitch and explosion. He’s a 70 runner with a quick burst in his first step, with his 58 stolen bases by far the most in the league (the next closest player stole 35 bases). Kelli’s speed translates into good range in center field and he used his slightly above-average arm effectively to lead the league with 13 outfield assists. Kelli has quick, strong hands and a sound swing, which helps him handle premium velocity effectively. While Kelli got himself into trouble in 2016 with a free-swinging approach, he became a more selective hitter in 2017, an adjustment that helped fuel his breakthrough. Kelli has a lively, athletic frame, but he isn’t that physical and doesn’t project to be a major power threat. He could hit 8-12 home runs with a bunch of doubles and triples.

 

Christopher Morel, SS, Cubs

Age: 18. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-0. Wt.: 160. Signed: Dominican Republic, 2015.

The rest of the players on this list check off boxes on both performance and tools. Morel’s resume lacks high-end performance, but he has promising projection at a premium position. When the Cubs went over their international bonus pool in 2015, Morel was one of their top acquisitions, signing for $800,000. Instead of playing in 2016, Morel missed the entire season after an off-field accident where he sliced one of the tendons close to his wrist in a broken glass door, an injury that required him to fly quickly to Chicago for surgery. Morel returned to the field last year and stood out defensively. He’s a plus runner with a plus arm, with all the actions and instincts to stick at the position. While Morel hit just .220 last year with a pull-heavy approach, he showed a good sense of the strike zone and power, with the lift in his swing to get to that power in games. Since the season ended, Morel has shown signs of trending in the right direction at the plate, performing well against older pitches. He speed makes him a basestealing threat, although he’s still learning how to pick his spots more effectively.

Tedward College Ball

Tedward

Verified Member
Posted
Posted

Amaya makes the BA Hot Sheet this week.

 

17. Miguel Amaya, C, Cubs

Team: Low Class A South Bend (Midwest)

Age: 19

Why He’s Here: .438/.571/.875 (7-for-16), 4 R, 1 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBIs, 5 BB, 5 SO

 

The Scoop: The Cubs signed Amaya for $1 million out of Panama when he was 16 in 2015, but his performance the last two years did little to distinguish him as a prospect. That’s changed. Amaya is batting .295/.382/.518, showcasing a promising balance of hitting ability and power for a young catcher. (BB)

Tedward College Ball

Tedward

Verified Member
Posted
Posted

More accolades on Amaya from a recent Jeff Passan prospect report... seems like we may have a new #1 prospect by seasons end

 

. Miguel Amaya, C, Chicago Cubs (Low-A): One scout said he’s the best player in the Midwest League. Another said he’s one of the five best catching prospects in baseball. For an organization in need of a talent infusion, Amaya and Jhonny Pereda, his High-A counterpart, provide a big boost. Amaya’s defense is superlative, and after a couple years of struggles with the bat, his power has unlocked this year. For a kid young enough to have braces – he’s 19 – that’s a very, very good sign.
CaliforniaRaisin GOAT

CaliforniaRaisin

Community Moderator
Posted
Posted
More accolades on Amaya from a recent Jeff Passan prospect report... seems like we may have a new #1 prospect by seasons end

 

. Miguel Amaya, C, Chicago Cubs (Low-A): One scout said he’s the best player in the Midwest League. Another said he’s one of the five best catching prospects in baseball. For an organization in need of a talent infusion, Amaya and Jhonny Pereda, his High-A counterpart, provide a big boost. Amaya’s defense is superlative, and after a couple years of struggles with the bat, his power has unlocked this year. For a kid young enough to have braces – he’s 19 – that’s a very, very good sign.

 

I think he's already the org's #1 prospect but if he's going to be around a .900 OPS all season with his defensive reputation and age related to league, he's on his way to being a top 50 prospect in baseball. Maybe top 25.

Bertz Knoxville Smokies

Bertz

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
More accolades on Amaya from a recent Jeff Passan prospect report... seems like we may have a new #1 prospect by seasons end

 

. Miguel Amaya, C, Chicago Cubs (Low-A): One scout said he’s the best player in the Midwest League. Another said he’s one of the five best catching prospects in baseball. For an organization in need of a talent infusion, Amaya and Jhonny Pereda, his High-A counterpart, provide a big boost. Amaya’s defense is superlative, and after a couple years of struggles with the bat, his power has unlocked this year. For a kid young enough to have braces – he’s 19 – that’s a very, very good sign.

 

I think he's already the org's #1 prospect but if he's going to be around a .900 OPS all season with his defensive reputation and age related to league, he's on his way to being a top 50 prospect in baseball. Maybe top 25.

 

Yeah, I think that if he keeps this up he will be will compare pretty favorable to Francisco Mejia at a similar point in his development. That's an elite guy.

 

I would say that we have a pretty clear top 3 of Amaya/Alzolay/Lange. After that I think is where you can go in different directions.

CaliforniaRaisin GOAT

CaliforniaRaisin

Community Moderator
Posted
Posted
More accolades on Amaya from a recent Jeff Passan prospect report... seems like we may have a new #1 prospect by seasons end

 

 

I think he's already the org's #1 prospect but if he's going to be around a .900 OPS all season with his defensive reputation and age related to league, he's on his way to being a top 50 prospect in baseball. Maybe top 25.

 

Yeah, I think that if he keeps this up he will be will compare pretty favorable to Francisco Mejia at a similar point in his development. That's an elite guy.

 

I would say that we have a pretty clear top 3 of Amaya/Alzolay/Lange. After that I think is where you can go in different directions.

 

I'd actually compare him favorably to the Dodgers' Keibert Ruiz at this time last year since he split his time between both A-ball levels at age 19 last year.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
The North Side Baseball Caretaker Fund
The North Side Baseball Caretaker Fund

You all care about this site. The next step is caring for it. We’re asking you to caretake this site so it can remain the premier Cubs community on the internet. Included with caretaking is ad-free browsing of North Side Baseball.

Become a Caretaker

  • Member Statistics

    6,793
    Total Members
    13,056
    Most Online
    Kevin OBrien
    Newest Member
    Kevin OBrien
    Joined
×
×
  • Create New...