Minor League Musings

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

PCA is the only Cub minor leaguer going to LA.

 

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I mentioned the trade stuff in Transactions, but Sharma's live chat today had some prospect stuff too.

 

Who’s one under the radar prospect in the org you know the FO secretly loves?

 

Sharma: Had someone tell me that Moises Ballesteros has the second-sweetest left-handed swing behind PCA in the org. Also, he's not under the radar because he's last year's first-round pick, but I would absolutely ignore Jordan Wicks' ERA. His peripherals are insane. They've really helped his breaking balls and he's now missing bats and still has his top-tier command. I'd expect a promotion to Double A soon, meaning a 2023 debut sometime in the middle of the season wouldn't be crazy.

 

Players that need to be protected for the Rule 5 draft seems deeper this year. There could be roughly 8-10 player that you could deserve to protected. Do you see some players getting a call up this year or deal with the roster crunch in November?

 

Sharma: I think we'll see a lot of guys up after the deadline, yes. I also think perhaps some trades will be necessary early in the winter to clear up the 40-man stuff if guys continue to look good. I'm sure the AFL will help them make some decisions.

 

After the mass exodus that was the trade deadline last year, we saw a lot of new faces. With the looming trade deadline, should we expect to see some newer call ups that aren’t on the 40 man? Bryce Ball, Chase Strumpf, Darius Hill, and bullpen guys like Ben Leeper, Cayne Ueckert? A lot of these guys are coming up on rule 5 so doing the due diligence to see what the farm has would make sense. Also what is the word in Marquez?

 

Sharma: Just answered a similar question and yes, I'd expect a lot of those names you mentioned to be added, particularly the last three names. No word on Marquez, not sure exactly what's up there but I don't believe we're very close to seeing him on a mound competitively.

 

What are the FO’s thoughts on Matt Mervis at this point?

 

Sharma: Hearing good things. Multiple people in this chat keep asking about a 1B of the future. I think they need to add one this offseason, but perhaps long-term Mervis is that guy. He's opened some eyes for sure though.

 

Hi Sahadev. What's the organization's thoughts on Darius Hill? The Cubs really need another left-handed bat and all Darius has done this year is hit. I know he doesn't have tremendous power, but he still has an OPS at Iowa around .940 and I think he is Rule 5 eligible.

 

Sharma: I think he's impressed enough that we'll see him post trade deadline. Don't know it for sure, but it makes a lot of sense if Ortega is moved.

[craig]

BA’s prospect hot sheet for the 20 hottest minor leaguers in baseball:

 

18. Anderson Espinoza, RHP, Cubs

Team: Double-A Tennessee (League)

Age: 24

 

Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 SO, 0 HR

 

The Scoop: Espinoza’s first big league callup in May was heartwarming, but he hadn’t actually pitched well this season. That changed last week. Espinoza pitched five no-hit innings against Rocket City on June 28 in his best start of the season and followed with a scoreless inning of relief at Birmingham on July 4. It was his first sustained success of the year after he entered the week with a 7.87 ERA for the Smokies. Espinoza still has a long way to go to reclaim his former top prospect status, but his week was a step in the right direction. (KG).

...

 

I kinda feel like BA can't forget it's former "top prospect" rating.

 

I suspect lots of guys could post an effective 7K 5-inning outing like Espinoza had without getting on the hot sheet. But given their former ranking, I think one sharp game catches their attention.

 

Would like to see him stack some good games. Would be fun if he somehow emerged, for sure. But poor control and a mediocre fastball makes it variably unlikely.

[CubinNY]

I know I'm not the first person on the bandwagon, but if I'm betting on futures, I'm betting long on Matt Mevis. All he's done is hit.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Yes!!!!!

 

[Bertz]

Yes!!!!!

 

 

Him and Koen at MB next year will hopefully be pretty fun

[CaliforniaRaisin]

From BA’s list of 20 hottest prospects last week:

 

6. Yohendrick Pinango, OF, Cubs

Team: High-A South Bend (Midwest)

Age: 20

 

Why He’s Here: .482/.482/.741 (13-for-27), 4 R, 4 2B, 1 HR, 8 RBIs, 0 BB, 3 SO, 1-for-1 SB

 

The Scoop: Pinango continues to solidify himself as the best pure hitter in the Cubs system. The 20-year-old Venezuelan recorded multiple hits in five of his six games last week, including a pair of three-hit games and a 2-for-4 night with a double and a home run. The week extended his hitting streak to eight games and gave him 85 hits on the season, most on a talented South Bend team by a wide margin. (KG).

[Tryptamine]

From BA’s list of 20 hottest prospects last week:

 

6. Yohendrick Pinango, OF, Cubs

Team: High-A South Bend (Midwest)

Age: 20

 

Why He’s Here: .482/.482/.741 (13-for-27), 4 R, 4 2B, 1 HR, 8 RBIs, 0 BB, 3 SO, 1-for-1 SB

 

The Scoop: Pinango continues to solidify himself as the best pure hitter in the Cubs system. The 20-year-old Venezuelan recorded multiple hits in five of his six games last week, including a pair of three-hit games and a 2-for-4 night with a double and a home run. The week extended his hitting streak to eight games and gave him 85 hits on the season, most on a talented South Bend team by a wide margin. (KG).

 

I don't think Pinango gets enough love. His ISO has literally doubled and while it's not amazing, he's putting up a 114 wRC+ at A+ in his age 20 season. I don't know that he has any star power, but I could see him as good 4th OFer type or a a cheap 3rd OFer putting up 2-2.5fWAR seasons. If it carries over to AA this season, I think he has to be in the top 15.

[CubinNY]

From BA’s list of 20 hottest prospects last week:

 

6. Yohendrick Pinango, OF, Cubs

Team: High-A South Bend (Midwest)

Age: 20

 

Why He’s Here: .482/.482/.741 (13-for-27), 4 R, 4 2B, 1 HR, 8 RBIs, 0 BB, 3 SO, 1-for-1 SB

 

The Scoop: Pinango continues to solidify himself as the best pure hitter in the Cubs system. The 20-year-old Venezuelan recorded multiple hits in five of his six games last week, including a pair of three-hit games and a 2-for-4 night with a double and a home run. The week extended his hitting streak to eight games and gave him 85 hits on the season, most on a talented South Bend team by a wide margin. (KG).

 

I don't think Pinango gets enough love. His ISO has literally doubled and while it's not amazing, he's putting up a 114 wRC+ at A+ in his age 20 season. I don't know that he has any star power, but I could see him as good 4th OFer type or a a cheap 3rd OFer putting up 2-2.5fWAR seasons. If it carries over to AA this season, I think he has to be in the top 15.

He's a great trade candidate for when the Cubs start buying.

[Bertz]

From BA’s list of 20 hottest prospects last week:

 

 

I don't think Pinango gets enough love. His ISO has literally doubled and while it's not amazing, he's putting up a 114 wRC+ at A+ in his age 20 season. I don't know that he has any star power, but I could see him as good 4th OFer type or a a cheap 3rd OFer putting up 2-2.5fWAR seasons. If it carries over to AA this season, I think he has to be in the top 15.

He's a great trade candidate for when the Cubs start buying.

 

Yeah I tend to think Canario and Pinango are the most expendable guys on the farm among the top 30 types.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

I don't think Pinango gets enough love. His ISO has literally doubled and while it's not amazing, he's putting up a 114 wRC+ at A+ in his age 20 season. I don't know that he has any star power, but I could see him as good 4th OFer type or a a cheap 3rd OFer putting up 2-2.5fWAR seasons. If it carries over to AA this season, I think he has to be in the top 15.

He's a great trade candidate for when the Cubs start buying.

 

Yeah I tend to think Canario and Pinango are the most expendable guys on the farm among the top 30 types.

 

Canario is expendable now with the 40-man crunch (and I’m just not that high on him).

[JeffH]

He's a great trade candidate for when the Cubs start buying.

 

Yeah I tend to think Canario and Pinango are the most expendable guys on the farm among the top 30 types.

 

Canario is expendable now with the 40-man crunch (and I’m just not that high on him).

 

I'm the opposite. I'm not trading Canario in any sort of "clear the decks" move. Way too much "boom" potential. I hold him until he busts. The minor trade assets that I miss out on are expendable for that trade-off.

[JeffH]

Good grief.

[Legendarystatus94]

 

Canario is expendable now with the 40-man crunch (and I’m just not that high on him).

 

I'm the opposite. I'm not trading Canario in any sort of "clear the decks" move. Way too much "boom" potential. I hold him until he busts. The minor trade assets that I miss out on are expendable for that trade-off.

 

Yeah, similar situation with Pinango. Neither does much in a trade, even a small one, are unlikely to be taken in the ML portion of the Rule 5, and could offer talented depth on an ideally much more star studded and expensive roster

 

Alcantara seems to be the most expendable of the top 30. He's super hyped and among the ancient order of Top 100 prospects, Rule 5 eligible IIRC, but very far from the MLs and behind both Davis and PCA on any CF/OF depth chart this year or next

No way they trade Alcantara. I know you’re not as high on him as others, but he’s shown so much flashes of star potential at just 19. He could always play DH.You find room for guys like that.

[We Got The Whole 9]

The most expendable of the top 30 is crazy pants horsefeathers to say. You want to say, most expendable of the top 10, make the argument; you won't find too many who agree, but whatever. Saying most expendable of the top 30 is simply a misuse of the term, expendable.

[Legendarystatus94]

^^ Sounds right to me

 

No way they trade Alcantara. I know you’re not as high on him as others, but he’s shown so much flashes of star potential at just 19. He could always play DH.You find room for guys like that.

 

I get that there's plenty to like but is being 19 year old in A ball hitting .268/.356/.475 with a 26% K rate really the standard? I feel like that won't work out great

It’s the overall potential and flashes of excellence that peak your interest. Like the 2 homer, 8 rbi game for instance. Even tonight, he had a really nice diving catch in the outfield. You bet on the tools with someone like him. It’s more than just the numbers. He’s definitely better than marisnick.

[Legendarystatus94]

It’s the overall potential and flashes of excellence that peak your interest. Like the 2 homer, 8 rbi game for instance. Even tonight, he had a really nice diving catch in the outfield. You bet on the tools with someone like him. It’s more than just the numbers. He’s definitely better than marisnick.

 

FTR Marisnick hit .320/.392/.496 (152 wRC+) with a sub-20% K rate in A ball as a 20 YO 3rd year pro (2nd full year) over 523 PAs. Alcantara's a 19 YO 4th year (3rd full) pro with a 128 wRC+, .268/.356/.475 triple slash...Alcantara seems like a great teammate, is right there with Crow-Armstrong as the best OF defender in the org and maybe even best overall defender, but needless to say I don't get what screams "definitely better" there. Two different styles of offense for sure, but not definitely better

His overall tools just stand out more. When you’re 6’6”, with the chance for average or above tools across the board that’s what stands out. Wouldn’t you say on the same side of the token that based off production, Cristian Hernandez is “expendable” too? His numbers are good, but they don’t necessarily jump out at you, especially so far this season. I wouldn’t trade him at all but with madrigal, hoerner and other young infielders you could make the same argument about him.

[sneakypower]

[attachment=0]howard-bling.JPG[/attachment]

[Legendarystatus94]

no

His overall tools just stand out more. When you’re 6’6”, with the chance for average or above tools across the board that’s what stands out. Wouldn’t you say on the same side of the token that based off production, Cristian Hernandez is “expendable” too? His numbers are good, but they don’t necessarily jump out at you, especially so far this season. I wouldn’t trade him at all but with madrigal, hoerner and other young infielders you could make the same argument about him.

 

Marisnick's listed 6'4" 220 today, a long time excellent defensive CF, and that 2011 season made him MLB.com's 58th ranked prospect entering 2012. 3rd round pick out of HS, he had tools...Both are glove and slug type prospects, Alcantrara's slug a little more literal (and therefore potentially Valuable) in that there's more HR potential...but yeah..."definitely better" is a big stretch here still. It's not exactly an insulting comparison! Marisnick's nearly a decade MLer with double digit WAR, a ring, plenty of playoff experience, has secured FA deals in increasingly unfriendly conditions for an Aging player, etc

 

Expendable isn't the word I'd use but yeah, Hernandez would never be untouchable so much as expensive. Honestly my dream Hernandez scenario has always been becoming high enough ranked to headline a Juan Soto (or another superstar) trade. The way I see it, The Man did the kid dirty and trumped up ARod/Machado nonsense to ease Cubs fans into rebuild mode (never too hard to do?) as the 2020 team got tanked by definitely no shenanigans. I'd trade Alcantara+ for Luis Castillo this deadline if possible

Not this deadline. The Cubs are literally going nowhere this year and are going to be sellers. They should try to acquire even more prospect talent. Marisnick didn’t seem like a good comparison just cause he’s a career .227 hitter at the big league level and I could see more from Alcantara at that level.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

[craig]

...Marisnick's listed 6'4" 220 today, a long time excellent defensive CF, and that 2011 season made him MLB.com's 58th ranked prospect entering 2012. 3rd round pick out of HS, he had tools.......

 

Marisnick was an excellent prospect. There are many excellent prospects who don't turn out; and others who turn out very well. With Alcantara, we don't know now, for sure there is a chance that for such a long guy with such long levers, that big-league pitchers will eat him up. But there is also a chance that he will be VERY good. Too soon to know either way. That's life with prospects. Rebuilding always has an element of luck, you need some favorable outcomes on uncertain prospects.

[Bertz]

 

If Pete Crow-Armstrong hits it big, I hope the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia gang lets him appropriate the Fight Milk logo. A former Mets first-round pick who was regarded highly enough to fetch Javier Báez and a Trevor Williams throw-in on his own, ZiPS had little to say about him earlier this year given PCA’s brief professional history. After hitting .321/.389/.546 at two levels to go along with 19 stolen bases and credible defense in center field, ZiPS has a lot more to talk about now. There’s still a ways to go until he’s in the majors, but his top comp list has all sorts of fun names, including Carlos Gómez, Ray Lankford, Rondell White, and Marquis Grissom, among others. Crow-Armstrong’s plate discipline has suffered a bit since being promoted, but I wouldn’t worry too much about it, considering that he’s still slugging above .500; players hitting well are incentivized to be aggressive.

 

Check out the projections in the article,. PCA projects as a low-end regular NEXT YEAR. That's insanity for a guy with ~300 plate appearances in A Ball.

[PackLandVA]

 

....... and credible defense in center field, ZiPS has a lot more to talk about now. .

 

Check out the projections in the article,. PCA projects as a low-end regular NEXT YEAR. That's insanity for a guy with ~300 plate appearances in A Ball.

 

 

I thought PCA was a plus defender. "Credible" sounds like his defense is being a bit minimized.

[Named After Maddux]

 

....... and credible defense in center field, ZiPS has a lot more to talk about now. .

 

Check out the projections in the article,. PCA projects as a low-end regular NEXT YEAR. That's insanity for a guy with ~300 plate appearances in A Ball.

 

 

I thought PCA was a plus defender. "Credible" sounds like his defense is being a bit minimized.

 

Perhaps Dan ZiPS meant “incredible” and his Grammarly didn’t catch it.

[Bertz]

 

It happened! I think this might mean he'll start Sunday too