Minor League Musings

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Brailyn was number 1 on BA’s Hot Sheet: https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/top-mlb-prospects-hot-sheet-72919/?utm_source=BAPR&utm_medium=email

 

1. Brailyn Marquez, LHP, Cubs

Team: Low Class A South Bend (Midwest)

Age: 20

Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 14 SO

 

The Scoop: The unquestioned best pitching prospect in the Cubs’ system, Marquez put together his best start as a pro on July 25. The lefthander set a career high with 14 strikeouts, doing so in part with a fastball that touched as high as 101 mph. The start continued a stellar July in which Marquez has whiffed 33 batters in 21.1 innings. He’s also allowed just one home run since May 1. (JN)

[We Got The Whole 9]

Anyone know anything about Kevin Ginkel? This is a dude in the DBacks system and hes been a guy who generally posts 35ish K-BB%. Hes 25 and this year hes pitched 32 innings between AA/AAA and has 60 Ks to just 11 walks. Why haven't they brought him up yet? He has to be in their immediate plans right? His K9 at AAA is just below 20 right now. Hes a flyball pitcher but damn his numbers are insane. I'm surprised he hasnt gotten the call yet.

[Edith Cox]

Trent Giambrone, Pedro Martinez and James Norwood were all placed or put back into the Cubs Top-30 list on MLB.com. They gave Martinez a 55 grade on hit, run and arm.

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

They gave Martinez a 55 grade on hit, run and arm.

I'm sure if Martinez was involved in a hit and run you'd get REALLY excited about him.

[Edith Cox]

I'm sure if Martinez was involved in a hit and run you'd get REALLY excited about him.

 

Mad-Libs

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Trent Giambrone, Pedro Martinez and James Norwood were all placed or put back into the Cubs Top-30 list on MLB.com. They gave Martinez a 55 grade on hit, run and arm.

 

Worth checking out the full list which was updated last week. I’m guessing the new guys were added after the trade deadline: http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2019?list=chc

 

1. Hoerner

2. Amaya

3. Davis

4. Márquez

5. Alzolay

6. Roederer

7. Jensen

8. Ademan

9. Short

10. Strumpf

 

They didn’t forget Christopher Morel (14) like BA did.

 

According to their rankings, Yovannt Cruz had been shut down previously with mild tendinitis.

[Donzo]

Yeah, Giambrone, Martinex and Norwood weren't in the top 30 when the list was recently updated. With three top 30 prospects (Lange, Richan and Hatch) getting traded, it opened up three spots. Giambone, Martinez and Norwood are back in... What's really good about the recent update is not just the updated rankings. The scouting reports are also updated!

 

I'm starting to like the pitching on the list. In the last couple years the Cubs have transformed the pitching prospects from a general group of soft tossers to a bunch of power arms. The top guys, and even the fringe guys, mostly project as power arms.

 

Back to the trades. I like how the Cubs traded Lange, Richan and Hatch rather than something like Thompson, De La Cruz and Norwood. Ditch the 93mph FB guys, keep the 99mph FB guys... =D>

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

 

Back to the trades. I like how the Cubs traded Lange, Richan and Hatch rather than something like Thompson, De La Cruz and Norwood. Ditch the 93mph FB guys, keep the 99mph FB guys... =D>

https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/cubs-oscar-de-la-cruz-designated-for-assignment/

[CaliforniaRaisin]

New MLB Pipeline midseason top 30 prospects: http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2019?list=chc

 

They also rated Hoerner at 50 and Amaya at 91 in their midseason top 100.

 

Brennen Davis was in the 5 who just missed BA’s top 100:

 

 

The next five guys I would put on the list are Tigers left-hander Tarrik Skubal, Dodgers right-hander Josiah Gray, Indians shortstop Tyler Freeman, Cubs outfielder Brennen Davis and Rays catcher Ronaldo Hernandez. The two pitchers are both 2018 Draft picks who have dominated while speeding to Double-A, pounding the strike zone, hitting 97 mph with their fastballs and flashing plus breaking stuff. Davis is another 2018 draftee, a quality athlete with 30-30 upside and a bat

 

I could see the Cubs having a chance at 4 top 100 prospects on some lists. Hoerner is the only lock but Amaya, Davis and Márquez should be in consideration for most lists.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Yeah, Giambrone, Martinex and Norwood weren't in the top 30 when the list was recently updated. With three top 30 prospects (Lange, Richan and Hatch) getting traded, it opened up three spots. Giambone, Martinez and Norwood are back in... What's really good about the recent update is not just the updated rankings. The scouting reports are also updated!

 

I'm starting to like the pitching on the list. In the last couple years the Cubs have transformed the pitching prospects from a general group of soft tossers to a bunch of power arms. The top guys, and even the fringe guys, mostly project as power arms.

 

Back to the trades. I like how the Cubs traded Lange, Richan and Hatch rather than something like Thompson, De La Cruz and Norwood. Ditch the 93mph FB guys, keep the 99mph FB guys... =D>

 

ODLC’s days of hitting 99 are history. Even as a reliever, he’s more 92-96.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

BA released their midseason top 30 prospects for all teams. The Cubs: https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/chicago-cubs-2019-top-30-mlb-prospects-midseason-update/

 

1. Nico Hoerner

2. Miguel Amaya

3. Brennon Davis

4. Adbert Alzolay

5. Brailyn Márquez

6. Cole Roederer

7. Chase Strumpf

8. Ryan Jensen

9. Ethan Hearn

10 Ryan Gallardo

 

Only glaring omission I saw in the top 30 was no Christopher Morel.

 

BA updated their top 30 with Richan and Lange gone. They added Chris Clarke and Yohendrick Piñango at 29 and 30.

 

Still no Christopher Morel but they do have Mark Zagunis at 20.

[Brian]

Has any news come out about Davis outside of him going on IL?

[CaliforniaRaisin]

[CubsWin]

Overall, I disagree with Callis about a lack of pitching depth, though it has been hurt by injury and poor performance of late by Miller. Also, much of the depth is in the lower levels so that can inform his opinion as well. Plus, he's a national prospect commentator and you can't expect him to know everybody in every system. If he's only considering guys in AAA and AA, I get it.

 

After the top 4 of Hoerner, Amaya, Marquez and Davis, none of the pitching prospects are TOR quality (though some may become that - Jensen), but Alzolay, Miller and Abbott are all in the upper levels and have a good chance of being major league contributors. That's three.

 

Injuries have impacted the next wave of Steele and Thompson, but they each provide depth at the AA level when healthy. They've been injured much of the year so I don't blame Callis for not considering them. 2017 4th rounder Erich Uelman had a great July and was recently promoted to AA. I'm not quite ready to include him on this list, but he can force his way on if he does well in Tennessee the rest of the year. All 3 of these are iffy due to injury/history of performance, but I'll say that's 2 more.

 

After that, though, there are some interesting depth arms. Jack Patterson's FB may sit 92-93 (not bad for a lefty starter), but his curve ball is legit, and you can't disregard his numbers (34 consecutive innings without an earned run, .164 BAA, more Ks than IP, 2-to-1 ground out rate). Riley Thompson has put himself on the prospect map and with Little doing above average and Cam Sanders hitting high 90s and progressing (.104 BAA, 0.65 WHIP, 0.90 ERA in July), that's 4 more depth prospects.

 

Kohl Franklin has been good in the NWL and consistently good at that, never allowing more than 1 ER in any start all season. 1st rounder Ryan Jensen has joined Franklin in Eugene and is pitching very well. And then there's Gallardo who is very far away in both performance (though he was perfect in his last 3 inning start) and proximity, but I think it's fair to include him in any Cub-centric (maybe not national) prospect assessment of Cub pitching depth.

 

That's 12 names (not including Uelman) who I think all have a good chance and being major league contributors (Alzolay, Miller, Abbott) or developing into that kind of prospect. As pitching depth goes, I'd say that's at least on par with other teams ranked in the middle third of minor league organizations.

[PackLandVA]

So Oscar De La Cruz was DFA. How is that the same or different than if a MLBer is DFA? Any shot he remains with the Cubs or is it basically over?

[CubsWin]

Given that pitchers make up 17 or 19 guys on their updated Cubs top 30, I wonder if the depth knock is as much about the top as the bottom. After Marquez, there's injuries to Alzolay (who himself only ever made BP's top 100 after 2017) and Steele, the depantsing of Miller in AAA, Abbott's filler, and then the Jensen/Thompson/Gallardo/Franklin/Cruz/etc crowd has barely pitched at all as pros among their ranked guys. I would think from a guy coming with a national perspective that his idea of "no depth" starts with the top three ranked arms consisting of Marquez, a 4th season pro only now maybe a top 100 guy, a currently injured again guy who wasn't widely considered a top 100, and a guy with maybe a dozen pro innings

I disagree that Abbott's filler (though that may come down to semantics based on what you mean) but, it seems like were on the same page. That's pretty much what I said in my post.

 

I thought Marquez is a 5th season pro. Isn't he?

[CubsWin]

I thought Marquez is a 5th season pro. Isn't he?

 

4th full year, 4th season, 5th year in the org

Gotcha. Thanks!

[Post Count Padder]

Oscar de la Cruz cleared waivers. We get to keep him for now. I'd imagine he's Rule 5 eligible.

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

Oscar de la Cruz cleared waivers. We get to keep him for now. I'd imagine he's Rule 5 eligible.

Mildly surprising.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Brailyn's second consecutive week on the Hot Sheet. This time, he fell from 1 to 2:

 

2. Brailyn Marquez, LHP, Cubs

Team: Low Class A South Bend (Midwest)

Age: 20

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

 

The Scoop: Marquez just keeps on humming along, as this marks his second consecutive week near the top of Hot Sheet. In that time, the 20-year-old lefthander with the triple-digit heat has made two starts and struck out 22 batters while allowing just one hit and one walk over 12 innings. It's hard to be much more dominant than that. (JN)

 

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/top-mlb-prospects-hot-sheet-8519/

[CaliforniaRaisin]

[jersey cubs fan]

Patterson was promoted to AA after just 5 A+ starts? That's kind of wild.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Getting some intense Michael Rucker vibes with Patterson.

[CubsWin]

Patterson was promoted to AA after just 5 A+ starts? That's kind of wild.

It is, in a vacuum.

 

But after not giving up an earned run in those 5 starts (and only 1 run in total), it was pretty clear he wasn't being challenged in High-A. If you want to find out what the guy truly is capable of and/or expose what he needs to work on (the whole point is development after all), it makes more sense.

 

The FB is 92-93 (not bad for a lefty starter) and he controls it well. I'm no expert, but from watching his games, the curve looks really good and is clearly his strikeout pitch. I suspect he'll need to command his FB not just control it to succeed in the upper levels. That and possibly develop a better change up.

 

I'm intrigued to see what he does in AA.

[CubsWin]

Getting some intense Michael Rucker vibes with Patterson.

Yeah, he's definitely a prove it at every level type of prospect.

 

At this point, I think he's a two-pitch pitcher like Rucker (FB and curve), but the curve might be more versatile than Rucker's. He's able to shape it in a couple of different ways. That seems to keep hitters off balance and guessing at his average FB. It's difficult to tell, but he might have a curve, a slurve and a slider. His ability, at least in High-A, to get swings and misses on his breaking balls was impressive. His consistency was an asset as well.

 

We'll see...