Minor League Musings

[CaliforniaRaisin]

https://twitter.com/baseballamerica/status/1709214471158202691?s=46&t=W37ISIrjUHdGm-Y3K3j6Aw

[Bertz]

Have we gotten any sort of confirmation on whether Canario and/or Amaya got a 4th minor league option?  I know there is a carveout for guys who suffer major injuries, but I don't know the exact parameters.

I'd think particularly with the way the team treated Canario in September the org expects he'll get one, but I'm wondering if/when we'll get confirmation publicly.

[Tryptamine]

4 hours ago, TomtheBombadil said:

This video has 340 views and I’m prob 300 of them. Couldn’t articulate why but I’m impressed by the mechanical changes he’s made, also noticed that changeup at 1:10

Really seems to like that fastball up in the zone

[CubinNY]

I like the easy gas. 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[Bertz]

2 hours ago, CaliforniaRaisin said:

 

I don't know of a good leaderboard for 90th percentile exit velocity, but I'd guess that's still below MLB average.  Probably something like 20th or 30th percentile?  That said as a 20 year old that's going to naturally climb a bit more, probably get him within a stones throw of average.

Gotta say those Alex Bregman comps from draft time don't look too crazy, at least offensively.  Bregman was only ever a superstar level hitter thanks to the rabbit ball, but a ~125 wRC+ with a roughly 1:1 K:BB ratio would still be extremely fun to add to the lineup.

[Bertz]

This sucks.  The Cubs fandom has a lot of good prospect writers at this point but Bryan was either at or damn near the top of the list.

[Jason Ross]

Just now, Bertz said:

This sucks.  The Cubs fandom has a lot of good prospect writers at this point but Bryan was either at or damn near the top of the list.

Yeah, I'm a big Bryan Smith fan. 

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Really interesting Fangraphs interview with Luke Little: https://blogs.fangraphs.com/cubs-prospect-luke-little-is-a-large-southpaw-with-low-slot-sweep/

[CubinNY]

I really wanted the Cubs to draft Cam Collier instead of Horton in the 2022 draft.

last year Collier K'd 106 times in 111 games in low A ball. Granted he was just 19, but that is not good. He did walk 57 times. I'm going to follow him, but safe to say, right now,  I'm glad they drafted Horton. 

[Tryptamine]

4 hours ago, CubinNY said:

I really wanted the Cubs to draft Cam Collier instead of Horton in the 2022 draft.

last year Collier K'd 106 times in 111 games in low A ball. Granted he was just 19, but that is not good. He did walk 57 times. I'm going to follow him, but safe to say, right now,  I'm glad they drafted Horton. 

I was on team Brooks Lee, who has become a really good prospect. I was completely wrong on Cade Horton. 

[Cubs420psd]

8 hours ago, Tryptamine said:

I was on team Brooks Lee, who has become a really good prospect. I was completely wrong on Cade Horton. 

Lee was my guy too.

 

Like others, can't say I'm unhappy with Horton currently even with Lee being pretty good.

[Bertz]

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Quite a bit of Cubs love in here: Mayo picked PCA as his ROY and Callis picked Shaw as his fastest rising prospect in 2024 and the Cubs as having the best farm system in baseball by end of season (despite thinking PCA and Horton will graduate).

[Jason Ross]

MLB Execs voted PCA as best defensive player. Cade Horton as third best pitching prospect.

[Tryptamine]

2 hours ago, 1908_Cubs said:

MLB Execs voted PCA as best defensive player. Cade Horton as third best pitching prospect.

Skenes and Painter #1 and #2?

[Jason Ross]

6 hours ago, Tryptamine said:

Skenes and Painter #1 and #2?

Yep. Skenes with 59%, Painter with 12% and Horton with 7%. Above Jobe and Harrison at 5% each.

[craig]

On 12/24/2023 at 10:11 PM, TomtheBombadil said:

Breslow on developing command:

“It’s difficult to articulate how you improve command in the same way we can talk out improving velocity or pitch shape,” said Breslow. “I think command is something that takes more time; it’s something that compounds over time. But from a physical perspective, it’s providing immediate feedback on whether you accomplished a task, whether that’s throwing to a target or to strings. There are also mechanical markers that we’ve identified that are strongly correlated to command, and ensuring that we hit those benchmarks. And then, I think there is a mental component, a willingness to trust and to challenge the strike zone with your stuff.”

Time is something nobody but the league has so it’s probably smart to find some mechanical markers as we move into Future 2.0

This quote seemed interesting too:

 

Tom, I hadn't seen/noticed this post before.  those are some interesting thoughts from Breslow, and make good sense.  I think some of that is relevant to discussion we've had re Santy's wildness.  

Do you have a link to the full article, in case it has comments beyond those you quoted?  

The mechanical markers, I wonder how well the existing Cubs D+D guys are with those versus other orgs? 

The mental component, I think that's very relevant not only to minor-leaguer guys but also to big-league guys like Little and Palencia.  Obviously even Palencia can get hammered when they're sitting fastball and it's located badly, and Wesneski without location is HR-galore.  But I'm guessing that Palencia could benefit by trusting and challenging the strike zone more.  Both early in count, and when he occasionally gets ahead.  

[CubinNY]

Maybe I'm biased, but Skeens appears to me to be overhyped. 

[Jason Ross]

 

[Jason Ross]

The Cubs will sign SS, Fernando Cruz today, as IFA signings are now eligible to made public (shady non-sense, these things). He will be the only Cub IFA signing in the top-50 bonus' so expect it to be quite large. Cruz is considered on of the five best IFA prospects during this cycle.
 

EDIT: Of course it drops literally moments after my post. $4m. 

 

[Tim]

This guy sounds pretty interesting (quote from Bleacher Nation)...

Quote

 

Tantalizingly, Maria gets a sleeper nod from BA:

“Maria is a 6-foot-4 righthander who showed promising projection indicators early in the scouting process, reaching 89 mph with more physical upside and feel to spin. Now that his signing date has arrived, that physical projection is already starting to come to fruition. Maria has been up to 96 mph, with the potential for upper-90s velocity coming. He pairs it with a sharp, tight-spinning curveball that should be a swing-and-miss weapon.”

I found a clip of Maria on YouTube and he looks QUITE impressive (and the video indicates he only just turned 17(!) while touching 96 mph, good lord!😞

 

 

 

 

[CubinNY]

Lots to dream on. 

[Bertz]

Fangraphs now has Statcast data (plate discipline, velocity, etc.) for AAA players.  As Brad notes later in the thread right now I only see it for players who have also played in MLB, so guys like Busch/Morel/etc.  I'm hoping that is just a temporary thing as this is clearly WIP.