Minor League Musings

[Vinestal]

What kind of arm does Amaya have? does he throw out a lot of guys? Pop times?

[Regular Show]

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, me too. I've been on the Amaya bandwagon for a while. I'm happy, but we need to pump the brakes a little bit. His bat isn't that advanced (compared to the rest of his game).

 

He is very advanced defensively and I have no doubts about his play behind the plate.

 

Definitely the #1 prospect in the system for me.

[Post Count Padder]

I remember Brett at BN had a nice writeup on Amaya a year or two ago and I've kept an eye on him since. Glad to see his raking.

 

What are the thoughts on Ademan now? He's struggling at the plate but still has loads of potential and is young for the level, right?

[Bertz]

I remember Brett at BN had a nice writeup on Amaya a year or two ago and I've kept an eye on him since. Glad to see his raking.

 

What are the thoughts on Ademan now? He's struggling at the plate but still has loads of potential and is young for the level, right?

 

As a 19 year old shortstop in High A, the offensive bar could not be lower. So in that sense, his ~.650 OPS is actually pretty encouraging. For example, Gleyber Torres when we traded him was a 19 year old in High A slashing 275/.359/.433 and was pretty universally considered a Top 50 prospect.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

I remember Brett at BN had a nice writeup on Amaya a year or two ago and I've kept an eye on him since. Glad to see his raking.

 

What are the thoughts on Ademan now? He's struggling at the plate but still has loads of potential and is young for the level, right?

 

As a 19 year old shortstop in High A, the offensive bar could not be lower. So in that sense, his ~.650 OPS is actually pretty encouraging. For example, Gleyber Torres when we traded him was a 19 year old in High A slashing 275/.359/.433 and was pretty universally considered a Top 50 prospect.

 

I think people forget how bad a first half Torres had in 2016. I was convinced he was getting demoted to single-A until he turned it on the month before he was traded.

[PackLandVA]

And has turned it on once promoted to the Majors.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

What kind of arm does Amaya have? does he throw out a lot of guys? Pop times?

 

His arm is generally considered his best defensive asset. He threw out 29 of 70 guys last year (41%), down to 16 of 56 this year (29%) but he's been much better recently.

[chi89cubs]

Reivaj Garcia. Is it time to get excited? Top 10 prospect in system by end of year if not higher? Just went 2 for 3 in EXST game. In all mentions by AZPhil he has 5 hits from 11 AB's. 1K and 3 doubles. Sample size etc..... but still 16. Not 17 until August.

 

Strong games from Kelli, Sierra and Soto. Need AZL to just start. Between Eugene and AZL I have a list of about 20-25 interesting prospects, not including draftees, that I just want to get started.

[chi89cubs]

Below is definitely not exact but looked through all AZPhil mentions of a couple of hitting prospects. Huma, Verdugo and Diaz seemed to be doing well also.

 

 

[attachment=0]Capture.JPG[/attachment]

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Below is definitely not exact but looked through all AZPhil mentions of a couple of hitting prospects. Huma, Verdugo and Diaz seemed to be doing well also.

 

 

[attachment=0]Capture.JPG[/attachment]

 

Thanks for compiling that. The only problem is AZ Phil is only seeing and reporting stats on half the games now that there are two AZL teams. That said, half the stats are enough to think most of those guys should start in Eugene except for Velazquez (already at SB) and maybe Soto/Perez (catcher logjam).

 

Welcome to the board too!

[chi89cubs]

Below is definitely not exact but looked through all AZPhil mentions of a couple of hitting prospects. Huma, Verdugo and Diaz seemed to be doing well also.

 

 

[attachment=0]Capture.JPG[/attachment]

 

Thanks for compiling that. The only problem is AZ Phil is only seeing and reporting stats on half the games now that there are two AZL teams. That said, half the stats are enough to think most of those guys should start in Eugene except for Velazquez (already at SB) and maybe Soto/Perez (catcher logjam).

 

Welcome to the board too!

 

Thanks man. I've been here a while before I registered and probably same length again before I posted.

 

Very SSS on all of them. But interesting all the same. Just FYI that's Luis Vazquez not Velazquez in the image. Might do something similar for the pitching prospects.

 

[attachment=0]Capture.JPG[/attachment]

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Below is definitely not exact but looked through all AZPhil mentions of a couple of hitting prospects. Huma, Verdugo and Diaz seemed to be doing well also.

 

 

[attachment=0]Capture.JPG[/attachment]

 

Thanks for compiling that. The only problem is AZ Phil is only seeing and reporting stats on half the games now that there are two AZL teams. That said, half the stats are enough to think most of those guys should start in Eugene except for Velazquez (already at SB) and maybe Soto/Perez (catcher logjam).

 

Welcome to the board too!

 

Thanks man. I've been here a while before I registered and probably same length again before I posted.

 

Very SSS on all of them. But interesting all the same. Just FYI that's Luis Vazquez not Velazquez in the image. Might do something similar for the pitching prospects.

 

[attachment=0]Capture.JPG[/attachment]

 

Woof, I don’t know why I misread that.

 

Would love to see the pitchers too if you have the time to put it together.

[chi89cubs]

 

Woof, I don’t know why I misread that.

 

Would love to see the pitchers too if you have the time to put it together.

 

Not sure how much use it is. AZPhil has stated Estrada, Ramos, Carrera, Marques and Correa will be Eugene starters.

 

Vargas, Guerrero, Bruzual etc only have 1 or 2 outings.

 

[attachment=0]Capture 2.JPG[/attachment]

[chi89cubs]

Update from AZPhil

 

AZPHIL - VIDEO: With Eugene and now two AZL Cubs teams, the Cubs really don't have to release anybody this year even after the draft picks start arriving. That doesn't mean nobody will get released, because you want players to compete without feeling like they have a free ride. But this season is one year when the Cubs really need "bodies" in the AZL.

 

You can probably tell from the EXST game box scores I post here who plays or pitches regularly and who are the back-up or second-tier guys. The best prospects start more often and hit higher in the batting order when they do play, while the others start less-often and usually come into games late (just like NRI guys in MLB Spring Training) or pitch fewer innings and/or more irregularly.

 

FWIW, the EXST Cubs top 15 prospects right now are fairly obvious: Christopher Morel (he's definitely been one of the top position-player prospects among players from ALL organizations in Cactus League EXST games and is also probably a Cubs organizational Top 10 prospect), Jonathan Soto (the #2 catching prospect in the organization behind Miguel Amaya and probably an overall Cubs organizational Top 15), Brailyn Marquez (very clearly the #1 pitching prospect at Cubs EXST and probably a Cubs Top 20 prospect), Luis Vazquez (Top 25), Fernando Kelli (Top 25), Luis Verdugo (Top 30), Henderson Perez (Top 30), Jeremiah Estrada (Top 30), Luis Diaz, Jonathan Sierra, Faustino Carrera, Abraham Rodriguez, Eury Ramos, Reivaj Garcia, and Orian Nunez (I would say probably in about that order).

 

What's somewhat interesting is that most of the top prospects at Cubs Extended Spring Training this year are position-player prospects rather than SP prospects.

[davell]

Slightly disappointed he has Garcia that low. But, he's got plenty of time to prove him wrong obviously. At any rate, I keep forgetting we've got Soto and Perez coming behind Amaya, which is pretty awesome.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Slightly disappointed he has Garcia that low. But, he's got plenty of time to prove him wrong obviously. At any rate, I keep forgetting we've got Soto and Perez coming behind Amaya, which is pretty awesome.

 

And Pereda one level ahead of Amaya.

[Regular Show]

Below is definitely not exact but looked through all AZPhil mentions of a couple of hitting prospects. Huma, Verdugo and Diaz seemed to be doing well also.

 

 

[attachment=0]Capture.JPG[/attachment]

 

Glad to see a new poster here. Welcome!

 

The pitcher I'm the highest on in the group you listed is Brailyn Marquez. I think he'll emerge as one of our top pitching prospects fairly soon.

[CubsWin]

Below is definitely not exact but looked through all AZPhil mentions of a couple of hitting prospects. Huma, Verdugo and Diaz seemed to be doing well also.

 

 

[attachment=0]Capture.JPG[/attachment]

 

Glad to see a new poster here. Welcome!

Yes, happy to have another voice!

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

Efren Navarro is going to Japan.

[Regular Show]

So I tried to find video of Dakota Mekkes pitching and there is hardly anything publicly available...

 

This is the only video I've seen so far:

[bbvideo=853,480]

[/bbvideo]

 

So I tried to take a screenshot right at the moment where he delivers the pitch out of his hand. The resolution sucks so it's hard to see the details, but you can see how far his stride goes. It doesn't seem like a crazy long extension to me, but he is a legit 6'7".

 

 

Here is a video showing the extension of Aroldis Chapman:

 

[bbvideo=853,480]https://www.mlb.com/video/statcast-chapmans-extension/c-260131983[/bbvideo]

 

It makes a big difference and we don't talk about it much. Mekkes is definitely special in this area.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Fangraphs released an updated top 131 prospects, including draft picks: https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-updated-top-131-prospect-rankings/

 

Aramis Ademan comes in at 103, Adbert Alzolay at 116. Both were honorable mentions in their preseason top 100. No other Cubs made the list.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

man, I miss the days when the cubs had like 6 of the top 10

 

[spoil]no I don't

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/assets/images/6/3/2/208012632/cuts/AP_16308197268313_774u2ez7_0pv4obf4.jpg[/spoil]

[Post Count Padder]

man, I miss the days when the cubs had like 6 of the top 10

 

[spoil]no I don't

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/assets/images/6/3/2/208012632/cuts/AP_16308197268313_774u2ez7_0pv4obf4.jpg[/spoil]

Same but also those guys are now our starting IF and OF so

[jersey cubs fan]