Minor League Musings

[imb]

18 minutes ago, TomtheBombadil said:

Sounds like I helped some folks out with good advice 

sounds like you got caught in yet another self-serving lie

[Tim]

1 hour ago, TomtheBombadil said:

You brought a receipt with BJ Murray at 5, not 2, relying as always on the advantage of my unpopularity or whatever rather than reality as always. Funny thing is I can actually guess what you were going for: Cole Mathis was my #2 prospect after the draft, but he’s a little too hot a name rn to call that out rotfl you guys are a treat 

I said "#2 or thereabouts" or something to that effect. I stand by it. Do you still think he's a better prospect that everyone else I listed in that post? 

Also...Literally nobody is saying that every prospect you like is trash.

[Jason Ross]

I'll give Tom a slight out - I wasn't here yet in 2023, and I probably would have given Franklin a token top-20 vote. I'm a self-admitted Kohl Franklin-truther and someone who has always believed there's an upside there. I loved the frame, the mechanics and the changeup. The TJS...bummer. 

Now, where I think I'll differ (vastly) from Tom is that knowing Kohl has been a bit of a pet project of mine. It's cool when others don't see it. I just can't quit him. 

[We Got The Whole 9]

Tom your constant iconoclasm is just exhausting and the way you comport yourself as actually the only one who really knows what he's talking about and not just some automaton is extremely unbecoming of a human being.

[Tim]

1 hour ago, TomtheBombadil said:

Did you…list anyone?

Do you just not read the parts of posts you don't like? Here is the list:

 

Quote

Sorry, you had him at #5, ahead of:
 

• Caissie
• Shaw
• Ballesteros
• Alcantara (whom you had #11 behind both Valdez & Gallardo, too)
• Ben Brown
• Triantos

 

[Jason Ross]

42 minutes ago, TomtheBombadil said:

I appreciate it 1908 but generally speaking Franklin was a relatively massive post-pandemic hit in all the Cubs circles including here. It’s less not initially seeing potential, I liked Franklin plenty as a draft pick and pre-pandemic (alot of the same stuff: twitchy with room to bulk up, feel for changeup, MLer uncle, healthy arm) if wasn’t quite as high as the wider internet Cubs prospecting comm on the Eugene performance, noted missing his HS senior season to a hip injury. This isn’t even really to pick on him so specifically, very possible to have a career after TJ

I’d even say Franklin impressed me more pre-pandemic than Hearn. Not even sure I saw Hearn as a prospect until maybe summer 2022 

I actually liked him more post-pandemic. He came back throwing harder than previous and had bulked up. Add that with a changeup and the physicality and the mentality of a dude, with real flashes? Yeah I think it's cool to admit there's a fun outcome there. As a pitcher, there's always lots of arm risk, and then you add in being a prospect...it was risky. I admit I'm still a wee excited about him. Enough that I got a little jazzed today to see him on the Iowa IL as opposed to Knoxville because I'd like to see him in Iowa with statcast data and one step away from the Show. Yeah, I'm a sicko. 

But I know he's probably never getting there. Pitchers can still pop mid-late-20's, so maybe he'll get a moment in the sun, or he'll have some crazy rebirth as a late inning guy. But I think deep down I know, and probably have always known. We all get irrational about guys. I think it makes it more fun.

[Jason Ross]

3 minutes ago, TomtheBombadil said:

 

Ah, I was wholly unimpessed by the velo jump and found him still not physical enough. Strength and conditioning on the mound between missing the HS senior/draft season 2018 and pandemic 2020 was not there in a sea of players who only missed one of those and not for a then more recent injury, was my immediate post-pandemic refrain. The velo jump was fine if not unexpected since he had room, time, resources in a world “everyone” throws hard if not harder, but he had no idea what to do with it once back and little feel for spin esp with power, often just loopy stuff

I find his path very relevant towards my expectations for 2.0: initial optimism becomes tons of click inducing hype (Franklin hitting 100 that first spring bullpen was big stuff in online Cubs prospecting cirtles) probably the kid is caught off guard by, initial struggles that maybe last years leading to reputation and earning potential ruin, with lots of luck an extremely cheap career revival even way post-hype in whatever capacity is available for those moments, even more luck one ML FA run. It’d be cool to see more of these guys pursue international opps but the international system’s not really designed for mobility and opportunity to workers womp womp

Yeah, outside of the 60-65 grade change (flashed 70, IMO) and the fastball, everything else was flashy. Sometimes the breaking stuff was there, other times it was loopy. 

I'll always stump for guys with stuff who can breakout. I'm an upside-guy when it comes to prospects, and I know that. Call it bias or whatever - I think we all have them and understanding that I think is the key to understanding ourselves. Franklin had that upside play. I'm always about taking guys with stuff and hoping you can work it the ifs and buts.

[InSeungHo]

Oh horsefeathers, I put Franklin at 14 in July 2023, my bad.

[Jason Ross]

 

[Bertz]

28 minutes ago, 1908_Cubs said:

 

Would love a couple of these A ball pitchers to pop.

[Jason Ross]

11 minutes ago, Bertz said:

Would love a couple of these A ball pitchers to pop.

I had Erian as my breakout P in the system. Nostradomas? Nah, just a regular man. 

(I'll delete this post in 2 months when I'm assuredly wrong)

[Bertz]

17 minutes ago, 1908_Cubs said:

I had Erian as my breakout P in the system. Nostradomas? Nah, just a regular man. 

(I'll delete this post in 2 months when I'm assuredly wrong)

If it makes you feel better I think Raisin's been on him since like last May, so we can blame him if things go south. 😉

[Jason Ross]

Just now, Bertz said:

If it makes you feel better I think Raisin's been on him since like last May, so we can blame him if things go south. 😉

Perfect! I love having a fall guy. 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Rojas getting healthy:

 

[allen6510w]

That's funny.  I just checked my list and I have Rodriguez #21 and Sanders #22.   I was pretty disappointed when I thought he was going to be moved to the bullpen earlier this spring.  I was surprised when he didn't get any prospect love and probably would have moved him down a few spots because of that ...  Sanders is #25 on BA's list.  Oft-injured McCullough is #23 on my list, with Sam Armstrong #26. 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

36 minutes ago, allen6510w said:

That's funny.  I just checked my list and I have Rodriguez #21 and Sanders #22.   I was pretty disappointed when I thought he was going to be moved to the bullpen earlier this spring.  I was surprised when he didn't get any prospect love and probably would have moved him down a few spots because of that ...  Sanders is #25 on BA's list.  Oft-injured McCullough is #23 on my list, with Sam Armstrong #26. 

Bryan Smith, Greg Huss and Greg Zumach all are pretty high on Erian too. I think they all had him in the teens.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[JunkyardWalrus]

46 minutes ago, CaliforniaRaisin said:

 

Does that seem like an exorbitant amount of injuries, or is it just me and seeing them all listed out like this. Curious how the Cubs rate as far as overall health, and staying off the IL compared to other orgs

Edited April 1, 2025 by JunkyardWalrus

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Tennessee's rotation, per Arizona Phil: https://www.thecubreporter.com/smokies-bid-adieu-riverview#comments

Quote

STARTING PITCHERS (alphabetical): Sam Armstrong, * Drew Gray, Nick Hull, Chris Kachmar, Will Sanders, and Jaxon Wiggins;  

 

[Jason Ross]

2 hours ago, CaliforniaRaisin said:

Tennessee's rotation, per Arizona Phil: https://www.thecubreporter.com/smokies-bid-adieu-riverview#comments

 

Makes Tennessee more interesting for sure with Armstrong, Gray, Wiggins and Sanders as all (varying degrees, mind you) MLB upside arms

[Post Count Padder]

2 hours ago, CaliforniaRaisin said:

Tennessee's rotation, per Arizona Phil: https://www.thecubreporter.com/smokies-bid-adieu-riverview#comments

 

This should be fun to watch. This will be a big year for Gray. And I am really hoping to see Wiggins break out. 

[Jason Ross]

5 hours ago, Post Count Padder said:

This should be fun to watch. This will be a big year for Gray. And I am really hoping to see Wiggins break out. 

I won't say it's likely, but I think there's a non-zero chance Wiggins gets innings with the Cubs in the BP this summer. There's enough stuff there that as the season goes on, and with attrition, it could happen.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Lumpuy skipping Mesa and Frisch being healthy are both fun.

[Jason Ross]

BA posted an article on 50 prospects who impressed during ST. Cristian Hernandez got on the 50-man-list proper, with a nice write up about how he's turning into a late bloomer and he's looking better and better against both velo and spin. Defensively looks like he should stick at SS. 

Also has blurbs about two in the "honorable mentions" section:

JP Wheat, 2022 draftee, has returned from TJS and is hitting 100mph 

Ronny Cruz, 2024 draftee, praised for plus raw power, swing plane and ability to hit fastball. Notes he's too aggressive still against spin and arm strength may move him from the left side of the infield to the right side later. 

[We Got The Whole 9]

The Astros have a pitching prospect with the last name Blubaugh. That's gonna make for some interesting announcer exchanges I'm sure.