Minor League Musings

[CaliforniaRaisin]

https://twitter.com/kohlrf/status/1395535001081446403?s=21

 

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

Poop. The Rich Hill curve was more than enough, but that clinches it. I have a new fav prospect.

[craig]

....I'll just mention a bit. McAvene has a serious arm injury. No surgery last I heard, but it was significant. And that's a massive bummer since he's already a TJS survivor and was a probable reliever already. I hope that he gets a chance to just let it eat out of the pen.

I don't have a ton of info on Thompson, but it sounds like he'll be playing in about month.

 

Thanks Greg. Helpful to know. Interesting that they're hoping McAvene can recover without surgery. Of course, often that means you try it for a coule of months, hope it works, but then do the surgery later. If so, that might mean next year lost too, so that would be three straight years with no pitching. Hopefully the guy bounces back eventually.

 

I'd just assumed Thompson was serious and would be a surgery guy. *IF* he's actually back in a month, and able to get into pitching shape by July, he could still get some box-score action this summer.

[craig]

...Arizona Phil lists Clarke, Bigge, Burgmann and Schlaffer as healthy and at Extended Spring Training (FYI - this is a great link that is updated frequently): https://www.thecubreporter.com/cubs-organizational-depth-chart...

 

Thanks, cal, at two levels. Didn't realize that Phil updated that list, relative to spring training type lists. Helpful resource for future, thanks for the link!

 

Nice news that Clarke, Burgmann, Bigge, and Schlaffer all list as being healthy.

 

Schlaffer was a guy I'm very interested in. Interesting, and disappointing I guess, that Phil lists him as a reliever.

[Bear Cub]

In AZ Phil, I trust!

[CaliforniaRaisin]

A Cubs prospect made the BA Hot Sheet this week at 20:

 

No. 20 Nelson Velazquez, OF, Cubs

Team: High-A South Bend (Central)

Age: 22

Why He’s Here: .600/.619/.650 (12-for-20), 2 R, 1 2B, 6 RBIs, 1 BB, 7 SO, 1-for-1 SB

 

The Scoop: Velazquez struggled to turn his tools into production his first two seasons but appeared to break through in 2019. The coronavirus pandemic wiped out the 2020 season and prevented him from building on that campaign, but he appears to have picked up where he left off in 2021. Velazquez has multiple hits in five of the seven games he has started this season, including a 4-for-4 night against Dayton on May 18 last week. Though he hasn’t tapped into his plus raw power yet, his 14-to-28 start to the year is remarkable regardless of anything else. (KG)

 

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/hot-sheet-baseballs-20-hottest-prospects-from-the-past-week-52421/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Bailey Clark retired:

 

[We Got The Whole 9]

Late to the game here but I just discovered there is a team called the Rocket City Trash Pandas and I want a hat or something. So I Google to see how long they've been in existence and come across articles talking about how their merch has blown up so apparently I am not the only one. The logo is nutty but dope.

 

It'll be great if Trout plays for them on his rehab assignment to get a shirsey maybe.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

[CubsWin]

From the 5/28 Fangraphs chat:

 

Guest: A certain other American site recently added Cubs SS Cristian Hernandez to their Top 100. Is there remotely enough information on recent IFA guys who’ve yet to play an affiliated game to make that sort of judgment?

 

Eric A Longenhagen: Sure, you’re talking about a guy who has been seen a ton in general (though, Cubs Extended games don’t start until June 6th or something like that) and it’s easy to make apples-to-apples comparisons between guys like Hernandez and HS shortstops atop this year’s draft, and have pretty accurate feel for where the J2 kids belong. That’s not to say Hernandez might flop. Like anyone who put Puason in their 100 did so too early and is getting burnt now.

 

Guest: Sergio Alcantara is only 24 and pairing a 30.2% LD% with a 22.7% walk rate, and even showing a little more HR power in AAA. Any noticeable changes there to suggest he could be more than a MI depth guy?

 

Eric A Longenhagen: Have been as high as a 45 on him before, has a rocket arm. Don’t think he’s more than a low-end bench piece, though.

[Thurman Merman]

I just watched Jeffrey Baez play for the Kane county cougars. That is all.

[Donzo]

It's still a little early to be definitively singing the praises of the Cubs pitching development infrastructure, but the returns thus far sure look promising.

 

In the majors, Alzolay rebuilt his repertoire in a matter of weeks last season and is now flourishing. Dillon Maples rebuilt his delivery, and he's put up his best K/BB% since 2017 in AA and his best WHIP of his pro career so far. Tommy Nance was signed out of the Indy leagues and has been developed into an effective (and thus far dominant) major league reliever. Justin Steele looks like he's a legit major leaguer, and Keegan Thompson has been passable to date.

 

But it's the early looks at minor leaguers that are even more encouraging to me. Cam Sanders and DJ Herz are in the midst of what look like breakout seasons. Sanders' K% has gone from 19.6% in Low-A in 2019 to 28.4% in AA while his walk rate has dropped from 12.4% to 9.5% and his BAA from an already really good .194 to an even better .179. Herz has gone from an 8th rounder with upside to proving it in Low-A as a 20-year-old.

 

A group of 8 relief prospects have taken big steps forward. 2019 27th rounder Cayne Ueckert, who is dominating AA, is the biggest revelation, while Eury Ramos and Ethan Roberts (who've been on the radar) have taken clear steps forward. Converted CFer Brandon Hughes has emerged in High-A, while 2020 UDFAs Ben Leeper in AA and Joe Nahas, Bailey Reid and Scott Kobos in Low-A have all gotten off to better than expected starts to their pro careers.

 

And, of course, I'd be remiss not to mention that Jose Albertos is back and pitching well.

 

While it's already been an encouraging start to the long awaited 2021 season as far as the pitching development/lab goes, we've yet to see the first of Brailyn Marquez, Kohl Franklin and Chris Clarke. Plus, slower, but not completely discouraging starts, for Ryan Jensen, Burl Carraway and Max Bain have a chance to show further development in the coming months as well.

 

I can't wait to see what transpires...

 

Great post... I exported it to musings so it wouldn't get lost in game day thread.

 

The pitching lab has been as good and productive as one could hope.

[Post Count Padder]

Late to the game here but I just discovered there is a team called the Rocket City Trash Pandas and I want a hat or something. So I Google to see how long they've been in existence and come across articles talking about how their merch has blown up so apparently I am not the only one. The logo is nutty but dope.

 

It'll be great if Trout plays for them on his rehab assignment to get a shirsey maybe.

I just learned that Cubs icon Michael Wuertz is their pitching coach.

[We Got The Whole 9]

Late to the game here but I just discovered there is a team called the Rocket City Trash Pandas and I want a hat or something. So I Google to see how long they've been in existence and come across articles talking about how their merch has blown up so apparently I am not the only one. The logo is nutty but dope.

 

It'll be great if Trout plays for them on his rehab assignment to get a shirsey maybe.

I just learned that Cubs icon Michael Wuertz is their pitching coach.

Loved that guy for those couple years. That's pretty cool.

[Post Count Padder]

Late to the game here but I just discovered there is a team called the Rocket City Trash Pandas and I want a hat or something. So I Google to see how long they've been in existence and come across articles talking about how their merch has blown up so apparently I am not the only one. The logo is nutty but dope.

 

It'll be great if Trout plays for them on his rehab assignment to get a shirsey maybe.

I just learned that Cubs icon Michael Wuertz is their pitching coach.

Loved that guy for those couple years. That's pretty cool.

I vaguely recall the board losing its s--t when we traded him away and he then had a great season for the A's.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

Reports from Tennessee are that with a lineup decimated by injuries around him, Amaya has barely gotten a fastball to hit. That’s unusual in the Southern League, where hitters are actually often challenged with quality heat. Amaya has been pitched around for the most part, which is disappointing. But for what the Cubs prioritize across the minors — plate discipline, decision-making and doing damage on pitches in your zone — the young backstop is checking all the boxes.

 

Amaya is walking at nearly a 20 percent rate and not chasing. As players get healthy and quality hitters like Strumpf and top prospect Brennen Davis eventually make their way to the Smokies roster, Amaya should get more opportunities to hunt heaters in the zone.

 

Howard is currently out of the Class-A Myrtle Beach lineup with a lower-body muscle strain (he’s expected to return this week), and he has 25 strikeouts in his first 61 plate appearances. Scouts who saw him during the showcase circuit as an amateur noted the high swing-and-miss rate he displayed against top-flight pitching, and even some with the Cubs voiced those worries during the draft process. But the Cubs still see what they love about Howard and aren’t going to overreact a month into his professional career.

 

Howard would normally be the type of player the Cubs would hold back at extended spring training before sending him to short-season Eugene. But with the restructuring of the minors, they had a choice to either aggressively promote him or make him wait until June for the AZL season to begin.

 

The Cubs weighed their options and knew that with so much time away from game competition, the pitching talent at Low A would be far-and-away the best Howard had seen. Even with the slow start, the Cubs trust it was the right decision as they believe in his makeup.

 

While the strikeout numbers are high, the Cubs are seeing him put together solid plate appearances. If he were swinging and missing at pitches in the zone, that would be a major concern. But his in-zone contact rate has been strong as he learns to adjust to pitchers spinning pitches out of the zone.

[Bertz]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CPhWG_rgwYh/?utm_medium=copy_link

[CaliforniaRaisin]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CPhWG_rgwYh/?utm_medium=copy_link

 

Sounds like Americaan will replace him at high-A.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

[CubsWin]

Yeah, I'm excited to see what Benjamin Rodriguez will do this season. Reports had him hitting 98 off of flat ground a few months ago. He reported gaining an inch or two and something like 20 pounds (seemingly most/all of it muscle). And Longenhagen said to keep an eye on him 3 years ago when he was sitting 88-90 simply because of his projectable body and clean delivery.

 

I believe complex leagues start up in a little less than a month (June 28th? Someone check me on that if I'm wrong). Along with B-Rod, we'll finally get a look at pitchers Koen Moreno, Jeremiah Estrada, Tyler Schlaffer, Luke Little and Joel Machado and SS Reggie Preciado, CF Ismael Mena, RF Owen Caissie, INF Rafael Morel, C Ronnier Quintero and C Brayan Altuve,

 

Plus, hopefully, by that time, Marquez, Davis and Strumpf will be in AA and Kohl Franklin, Chris Clarke and Hunter Bigge will be in South Bend.

[Bertz]

 

A couple of these had trickled through over the last 48 hours but I don't think we knew about Albertos?

[Bertz]

 

Oh horsefeathers yeah Strumpf to Tennessee too

[Tim]

Tennessee just got a whole lot more interesting.

[Post Count Padder]

Hey remember Jose Albertos?

[CaliforniaRaisin]