Minor League Musings

[We Got The Whole 9]

1 hour ago, Donzo said:

No, but it's different. Wiggins/Horton/Brown are young guys getting stretched out to new career highs. There's a process to that.

Boyd is a 34 year old veteran who has pitched 180 innings, but is in his first full season since TJS in 2023.  I believe he's 24+ months post surgery, this factors into into his recovery. So, for this situation I think the load managment is more designed on case by case basis rather than a specific formula for young guys increasing their innings year to year.

I believe he pitched in and around 60 innings in total (minors & MLB) last year; he's already well past 60 innings this year. All in all, he's looking at some down time as well. I just don't know what that'll look like.

 

I don't see how they'll be able to. He's too critical. Ride him til he breaks. 

[PackLandVA]

Looks like Ryan Jensen is back with the Cubs organization.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/ranking-the-20-hottest-mlb-prospects-hot-sheet-7-7-25/

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Since the Cubs never say anything, time to assume the worst 

[Jason Ross]

5 minutes ago, CaliforniaRaisin said:

Since the Cubs never say anything, time to assume the worst 

Well that is less than ideal. Hoping it's still just load management and an extended break. 

[Bertz]

8 minutes ago, CaliforniaRaisin said:

Since the Cubs never say anything, time to assume the worst 

This is so weird.  Jaxon's last start was 6/20, and it looks like Futures Game Rosters were announced on 6/30.  I would think if he got hurt in between he wouldn't have been announced to begin with? 

But with him being pulled It's hard to imagine anything but injury.  Hopefully it's something obnoxiously persistent but not scary, like Hodge's injury earlier in the year.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Guess it could still be load management and they want him to skip the game but get honored first. But that's a very glass half full view.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[Jason Ross]

1 hour ago, CaliforniaRaisin said:

Guess it could still be load management and they want him to skip the game but get honored first. But that's a very glass half full view.

Jordan Bastian is hearing it's load management. I think we're in the clear.

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Glad to finally have confirmation.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[muntjack]

Caissie

July 3   2 HR

July 4   3 hits  2B, BB

July 5   2 HR

July 6   3 hits 2B, BB

July 8   2 HR

 

Owen Cassie stan here,  but if he has 3 hits with a 2B and a BB tonight,  trade him cause he's playing with black magic. 

 

Edited July 9, 2025 by muntjack

[CubinNY]

I know they are managing Wiggins work, but could they also be sitting him for a possible trade after the ASB? Rojas was taken out and so was Alcantara. Maybe conspiracy theories have infecting my brain. 

[Jason Ross]

Just now, CubinNY said:

I know they are managing Wiggins work, but could they also be sitting him for a possible trade after the ASB? Rojas was taken out and so was Alcantara. Maybe conspiracy theories have infecting my brain. 

Probably a long shot, especially since Alcantara was announced as injury. Rojas sounds like he pissed off a manager and Wiggins has sat for two weeks. Teams would likely rather be at his starts if the Cubs were that close to moving him, not looking over May tape. 

Wiggins was gassed his last start. It was super hot, and he walked four, something he really hasnt done. During that game he matched, in just three months the, his total innings for the entire 2024 year. Year prior was coming back from TJS, so no innings. 

Just think its coincidence. Any trade is likely a post-ASB thing right now. Teams are scouting prospects for the draft Sunday night.

[craig]

Moises in a 26-way tie for 59th-85th in HR's in the International League. 

Most others have fewer AB's.  (part-time guys; missed games to injury; promoted from AA;  promoted to majors).  So his HR-rate is probably not as high as volume 59th-85th.  

Young-for-league is beautiful.  Declining in HR's, rather than increasing with age; declining in HR rather than increasing as he repeats a level, is not super beautiful.  

Maybe HR's just aren't going to be much of his game?  May need to live on his catching and BABIP?  Not many DH's don't hit HR's.   

Obviously development is not linear.  Maybe this year he's making good strides defensively?  Maybe next year he'll make HR strides?  

Or maybe this post will jinx him, and he'll hit a couple more this month?  

Edited July 10, 2025 by craig

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[Bertz]

3 hours ago, craig said:

Moises in a 26-way tie for 59th-85th in HR's in the International League. 

Most others have fewer AB's.  (part-time guys; missed games to injury; promoted from AA;  promoted to majors).  So his HR-rate is probably not as high as volume 59th-85th.  

Young-for-league is beautiful.  Declining in HR's, rather than increasing with age; declining in HR rather than increasing as he repeats a level, is not super beautiful.  

Maybe HR's just aren't going to be much of his game?  May need to live on his catching and BABIP?  Not many DH's don't hit HR's.   

Obviously development is not linear.  Maybe this year he's making good strides defensively?  Maybe next year he'll make HR strides?  

Or maybe this post will jinx him, and he'll hit a couple more this month?  

I think a couple things are true here with Moises

- The raw power is pretty firmly average, and at 5'8" that's probably not going anywhere.  That said some incremental improvements to his pull rate and GB rate should get him a little more over the fence production.  His statcast data isn't that far off of e.g. Josh Naylor

- The total offensive production on an age relative to league basis is incredible.  He's the 4th youngest player in AAA this year, and yet is rocking a ~85th percentile xwOBA

- His contact ability is superb, he looks like he should rock a sub 15% K rate long term

So I do think most of his ceiling is riding on him sticking behind the plate.  But the floor feels pretty high even as a 1B/DH, as I'm not sure there's more than a couple of bats in the minors who are more likely to be above average MLB hitters.

[Donzo]

On 7/8/2025 at 7:58 PM, CaliforniaRaisin said:

 

 

So, he'll start pitching again on the 19th and if all goes well he'll get nine or ten more starts this year... Sounds like a plan!

[CaliforniaRaisin]

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/ranking-the-10-hottest-mlb-prospects-hot-sheet-7-14-25/

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Was Freiker Betencourt an international signing of any note? Was looking at what the guys in the DSL were doing and the 17% walk rate and 13.8% K rate jumped out.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

14 hours ago, Tangled Up in Plaid said:

Was Freiker Betencourt an international signing of any note? Was looking at what the guys in the DSL were doing and the 17% walk rate and 13.8% K rate jumped out.

He wasn't. Always nice to see guys like become noticable.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Ryan Gallagher must have been promoted to Knoxville because he's listed as their Sunday starter.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

17-year old SS Juan Cabada and 18-year old LHP Frankelly Desis have made the DSL All-Star Game roster.

The game will be played tomorrow.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/ranking-the-10-hottest-mlb-prospects-hot-sheet-7-21-25/