Minor League Musings

[Bertz]

Nothing results wise at Iowa says he's any better than he was prior to this year.  

There might be stuff they like from a pitch design standpoint I'm not seeing though.  He also shortened up to one inning in Saturday and got 5 whiffs, so a breadcrumb of something interesting happening.

He does require a 40 man move though, so not sure what that would be.  Morgan to the 60 Day?

[Hrubes20]

Ballesteros is still Baby Panda for me.  Such an easy comp, given the bodies, but the bats aren't all that disimilar.  Tons of contact.  Decent if unspectacular walk rates.  Middling power.  Sandoval had 2 really good MLB seasons,  and it's no coincidence that they were the years he hit 25 and 23 bombs.  Never hit over 16 in any other year.  

[Jason Ross]

1 hour ago, Bertz said:

Nothing results wise at Iowa says he's any better than he was prior to this year.  

There might be stuff they like from a pitch design standpoint I'm not seeing though.  He also shortened up to one inning in Saturday and got 5 whiffs, so a breadcrumb of something interesting happening.

He does require a 40 man move though, so not sure what that would be.  Morgan to the 60 Day?

Morgan or Assad to the 60 feels like what's coming down the pipeline.

But I agree. There's nothing in the profile I can find interesting despite the arm slot change. I really like the arm slot change for Colin Rea. I don't think there will be similar results for Flexen.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

2 hours ago, Bertz said:

Nothing results wise at Iowa says he's any better than he was prior to this year.  

There might be stuff they like from a pitch design standpoint I'm not seeing though.  He also shortened up to one inning in Saturday and got 5 whiffs, so a breadcrumb of something interesting happening.

He does require a 40 man move though, so not sure what that would be.  Morgan to the 60 Day?

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

https://www.thecubreporter.com/comment/284263#comment-284263

Quote

Yander Maria is in the EXST Cubs Pitchers Rehab Group. He did throw in games in Minor League Camp (Spring Training) in March, but not since then (not even “live” BP). He was considered to be the Cubs #1 2024 DSL pitching prospect.  

Besides Maria, other pitchers assigned to the ACL Cubs who threw in Spring Training games but have not thrown in Extended Spring Training games are RHP Thomas Mangus (April TJS) and RHP Ben Johnson (???). Also, Daniel Avitia (on ACL Cubs Full-Season IL) had TJS during the off season, and David Bracho's right lower leg is in a cast. (Bracho is on the ACL Cubs 60-day IL). 

Also, South Bend RHRP Jose Romero had TJS a couple of weeks ago. 

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

https://www.thecubreporter.com/comment/284298#comment-284298

Quote

RHP Rowell Arroyo, RHP Fred Fajardo, RHP Jhon Rosario, and RHP Geovanny Vasquez have been moved up to Mesa from the Cubs Dominican Academy, although these moves are for the ACL (Opening Day is this coming Saturday 5/3). Too late for Extended Spring Training. 

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Birdsell playing catch!

 

[Jason Ross]

Ivan Brethowr made BA's recent "10 Hitters Who Stood Out in April" article.

[JBears79]

17 hours ago, CaliforniaRaisin said:

Birdsell playing catch!

 

Hope he's back and starting where he left off last season. I had him picked to make quite a few starts this year pre injury. 

[allen6510w]

Players off to a good start, a LF, and a wRC+ darling with no power. 

[allen6510w]

29 minutes ago, TomtheBombadil said:

Reasons I’m liking Carter Trice over Brethowr among 22 YO SB hitters:

- Better approach (fewer GBs, more flyballs, fewer Ks)

- Better power (notably Trice played the CCBL from 18-20 in a world most maybe see it at 20, hit 9 HRs with a .189 IsoSLG, went to the AFL at 20 as a then shiny new catcher convert flashed some power, currently .197 IsoSLG to .156)

Wouldn’t be surprised if the former 2B offered a little more defensive versatility and baserunning

 

Yes, Carter has a wRC+ of 115 and an impressive K/W ratio.  I'm curious how well he looks in CF. 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

14 hours ago, TomtheBombadil said:

ACL starts on Saturday:

https://www.mlb.com/milb/news/prospects-to-watch-in-rookie-level-complex-leagues-2025?t=mlb-pipeline-coverage

These horsefeathers clowns love bringing up the signing bonus. Every single prospect mentioned is tied to their bonus lol what a present what a future 

https://www.milb.com/arizona-complex

The league’s homepage lists Derniche Valdez and Ronny Cruz as the 16th and 17th most notable prospects in the league on OD

 

And Ronny Cruz made BA's 10 ACL prospects to watch: https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/10-arizona-complex-league-prospects-to-watch-in-2025/

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Brody McCullough throwing live BP:

 

[Bertz]

Caissie's backslide on contact rate has been one of the biggest bummers this minor league season, but it has come with him juicing his hard hit rate AND slashing his GB rate, hence all the barrels.

[We Got The Whole 9]

1 hour ago, Bertz said:

Caissie's backslide on contact rate has been one of the biggest bummers this minor league season, but it has come with him juicing his hard hit rate AND slashing his GB rate, hence all the barrels.

He's feeling like a guy who will take 2-3 seasons to hit above-average. I'm really skeptical of the overall value he will provide. 

[mul21]

2 minutes ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

He's feeling like a guy who will take 2-3 seasons to hit above-average. I'm really skeptical of the overall value he will provide. 

Same.  Kinda why I want them to get Tucker taken care of so he can be traded for a big arm.

Edited May 6, 2025 by mul21

[Outshined_One]

17 minutes ago, mul21 said:

Same.  Kinda why I want them to get Tucker taken care of so he can be traded for a big arm.

I'm actually okay with the developmental path he and Alcantara are currently following, even if certain people were calling for both to be on the opening day roster.  There's no urgency to call either up this season if the OF remains healthy, meaning they can fine-tune their approaches and start every day, and also meaning they can be used as trade bait if needed at the deadline or in the offseason to fill whatever holes are needed, particularly if the Cubs extend Tucker and/or Happ.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Erian Rodríguez on a rehab assignment!

[Jason Ross]

Good to see Rodriguez back! I was excited about him pre-season. 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/ranking-the-20-hottest-mlb-prospects-hot-sheet-5-12-25/

[JBears79]

Wiggins and Rojas should both be moving up a level here soon. 

[allen6510w]

Random notes:

Brethowr falls off list after posting 0.129 BA in the last 10 days.  

Ethan Hearn is playing as much 1B as C. 

Chase Strumpf has a 0.311 ISO at Iowa

Parker Chavers had a good 10-day period in a backup role at AA (6/15 with 3 walks) 

Alexey Lumpuy was 2/27 with 14 strike outs in low-A 

Also, as a DH,  Cole Mathis has a 0.216 BA but a 0.186 ISO in low-A. 

 

...

 

 

Edited May 12, 2025 by allen6510w

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

On 5/1/2025 at 3:10 PM, CaliforniaRaisin said:

Birdsell playing catch!