Minor League Musings

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Eric Longenhagen[/url]"]Max Bain, RHP, Chicago Cubs

 

There are several pitchers in Cubs camp throwing much, much harder than before. I saw Richard Gallardo, Eury Ramos, Yovanny Cruz, Cayne Ueckert, Bryan Hudson, and Ben Leeper all touch at least 96 mph over the last couple of days. Among them is Max Bain, a 23-year-old Indy Ball signee who lost 50 pounds and found 10 mph during four months of intense training at Cressey Sports Performance. His fastball ranged from 94-98 during my look, mostly 96-98, and Bain held that deep into his start, likely the last bit of his minor league spring training run before heading to an affiliate. He’s not especially good at spinning the fastball but it does have angle that works at the top of the strike zone, and pairs well with Bain’s above-average, low-80s power curveball.

 

I also saw some plus, upper-80s slider/cutters that had versatile utility, either as a chase pitch off the plate or as a back-door offering. I think he’ll have to throw his breaking stuff for strikes to continue developing as a starter since the fastball command isn’t especially good, but there’s a starter’s build, repertoire depth, and in-game stamina here. The Cubs are finally developing pitching after their failure to do so probably curtailed their core’s window for contention.

[Post Count Padder]

Keegan Thompson getting the call-up.

[We Got The Whole 9]

horsefeathers man, our pitching has become very interesting and fun to follow but now our bats collectively aren't that great and I have questions about our development at the ML level also.

 

We are looking at a top 5 pick though. So that could be something great. I expect we'd take a hitter.

[CubsWin]

horsefeathers man, our pitching has become very interesting and fun to follow but now our bats collectively aren't that great and I have questions about our development at the ML level also.

 

We are looking at a top 5 pick though. So that could be something great. I expect we'd take a hitter.

I assume you're talking about the minor league bats, correct? If so, I'm missing what you're seeing (or not seeing...). Plenty of upside bats in the system. Most are in the lower levels, but, of course, they're led by Brennen Davis, Miguel Amaya and Chase Strumpf. The best of the lower level guys are pretty highly thought of with Cristian Hernandez, Ed Howard and Reggie Preciado.

 

Guys with a little less upside at the upper levels are Chris Morel and Cole Roederer. The list of 2nd tier bats at the lower levels is long. It includes Yeison Santana, Yohendrick Pinango, Kevin Made, Owen Caissie, Ismael Mena, Ronnier Quintero, Rafael Morel and more.

 

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding your post.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Chase Strumpf getting some love from BA:

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Brailyn had COVID before camp:

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

[Named After Maddux]

At this point it’s probably out there enough to discuss that Yovanny Cruz was hurt in his last spring training outing. He underwent surgery today (posted it on his Instagram). I’m not sure what surgery it was, but I suspect TJ. He had a forearm issue come up in that last outing. Before that Cruz was firing bullets all camp.

Hopefully he comes back healthy.

[Post Count Padder]

Our old pal Carl's Jr got called up by the Braves, gave up 3 runs in his first appearance and was promptly DFA'd.

 

RIP.

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

Our old pal Carl's Jr got called up by the Braves, gave up 3 runs in his first appearance and was promptly DFA'd.

 

RIP.

That's a shame. He used to be aces.

[Bertz]

https://twitter.com/drivelinebases/status/1391849156843429888?s=19

[CaliforniaRaisin]

[CaliforniaRaisin]

At this point it’s probably out there enough to discuss that Yovanny Cruz was hurt in his last spring training outing. He underwent surgery today (posted it on his Instagram). I’m not sure what surgery it was, but I suspect TJ. He had a forearm issue come up in that last outing. Before that Cruz was firing bullets all camp.

Hopefully he comes back healthy.

 

Bryan mentioned Yovanny too (and Luis Vázquez is injured too):

 

[Bear Cub]

Jeremiah Estrada is on the 60 day IL also according to AZ Phil's rosters.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Eric Longenhagen[/url]"]Max Bain, RHP, Chicago Cubs

 

There are several pitchers in Cubs camp throwing much, much harder than before. I saw Richard Gallardo, Eury Ramos, Yovanny Cruz, Cayne Ueckert, Bryan Hudson, and Ben Leeper all touch at least 96 mph over the last couple of days. Among them is Max Bain, a 23-year-old Indy Ball signee who lost 50 pounds and found 10 mph during four months of intense training at Cressey Sports Performance.

 

After two games at South Bend, Cayne Ueckert has been promoted to AA Tennessee.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Jeremiah Estrada is on the 60 day IL also according to AZ Phil's rosters.

 

He tweeted this today:

 

[Bertz]

 

It's not just Myrtle Beach that's been a total mess with the strikeouts

[Bertz]

 

It's not just Myrtle Beach that's been a total mess with the strikeouts

 

More

 

[d_money]

 

I'd say it's weird for me, an adult male in his 30s, to make these kind of comments about a teenager but it's just bro nonsense: Howard is literally built for stardom. There's so much room to fill out that upper half especially and he's already strong

Corey Patterson comes to mind. In fact , historically there are a lot of Howard’s out there that never reached expectations. It’s too early to tell.

[Bertz]

[Bertz]

 

Reinforcements are coming

[craig]

I've probably missed this, but have you guys tracked down a bunch of the pitchers?

 

Braylin: came in out of shape; had Covid, either before or after he came; want to bring him along slowly given his complex delivery and control challenges, and probably given the stress that his high velocity probably causes. So no necessary long-term health/arm concerns.

 

Franklin: Had an injury of some sort. Has been throwing again? No surgery or anything major. Was fine as of last fall, because Dorey was still free to talk enthusiastically about him back in January. Expectation is that he's had a setback, but with no necessary long-term issues?

 

McAvene: 60-Day DL, per AZ Phil. Anybody know why, or if it will be a surgery or not?

 

Cruz and Patterson are surgeries, we know that.

 

Clark? Bigge? Brugman? Tyler Schlafer?

[Bertz]

I've probably missed this, but have you guys tracked down a bunch of the pitchers?

 

Braylin: came in out of shape; had Covid, either before or after he came; want to bring him along slowly given his complex delivery and control challenges, and probably given the stress that his high velocity probably causes. So no necessary long-term health/arm concerns.

 

Franklin: Had an injury of some sort. Has been throwing again? No surgery or anything major. Was fine as of last fall, because Dorey was still free to talk enthusiastically about him back in January. Expectation is that he's had a setback, but with no necessary long-term issues?

 

McAvene: 60-Day DL, per AZ Phil. Anybody know why, or if it will be a surgery or not?

 

Cruz and Patterson are surgeries, we know that.

 

Clark? Bigge? Brugman? Tyler Schlafer?

 

I saw one of the BN people grab a quote (I think from Dorey?) that they've slow-played everyone who got COVID during the last year, even if timing-wide it didn't directly affect their intake. I think it was something to do with the heart/cardio complications some people get on the side. So go guys like Franklin who are just a few weeks behind and we never heard about an injury, that's a possibility.

 

I'm most curious about Brendon Little, since he was ramped up and letting it rip in ST but I never saw anything about an injury.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

I've probably missed this, but have you guys tracked down a bunch of the pitchers?

 

Braylin: came in out of shape; had Covid, either before or after he came; want to bring him along slowly given his complex delivery and control challenges, and probably given the stress that his high velocity probably causes. So no necessary long-term health/arm concerns.

 

Franklin: Had an injury of some sort. Has been throwing again? No surgery or anything major. Was fine as of last fall, because Dorey was still free to talk enthusiastically about him back in January. Expectation is that he's had a setback, but with no necessary long-term issues?

 

McAvene: 60-Day DL, per AZ Phil. Anybody know why, or if it will be a surgery or not?

 

Cruz and Patterson are surgeries, we know that.

 

Clark? Bigge? Brugman? Tyler Schlafer?

 

Bertz posted a tweet from earlier today on the previous page of Kohl Franklin pitching to Brennen Davis which I presume is in Mesa so I think he's probably pretty close to heading to Myrtle Beach or South Bend.

 

Arizona Phil lists Clarke, Bigge, Burgmann and Schlaffer as healthy and at Extended Spring Training (FYI - this is a great link that is updated frequently): https://www.thecubreporter.com/cubs-organizational-depth-chart.

 

From the same link, these are the injured rehabbers in Mesa:

 

James Bourque ®, Kohl Franklin ®, Brendon Little (L), Michael McAvene ®, Jack Patterson (L), C. D. Pelham (L), Nicholas Padilla ®, Aneuris Rosario ®, Jerrick Suiter (R - ex-1B), Riley Thompson ®, and Joe Wieland ®

 

Named After Maddux probably has better info on McAvene and Riley Thompson. Hopefully he sees this and can add any color he knows.

 

Brailyn is listed as on the Developmental List which means he's actually working in the lab and not rehabbing.

[Named After Maddux]

 

Arizona Phil lists Clarke, Bigge, Burgmann and Schlaffer as healthy and at Extended Spring Training (FYI - this is a great link that is updated frequently): https://www.thecubreporter.com/cubs-organizational-depth-chart.

 

From the same link, these are the injured rehabbers in Mesa:

 

James Bourque ®, Kohl Franklin ®, Brendon Little (L), Michael McAvene ®, Jack Patterson (L), C. D. Pelham (L), Nicholas Padilla ®, Aneuris Rosario ®, Jerrick Suiter (R - ex-1B), Riley Thompson ®, and Joe Wieland ®

 

Named After Maddux probably has better info on McAvene and Riley Thompson. Hopefully he sees this and can add any color he knows.

 

Brailyn is listed as on the Developmental List which means he's actually working in the lab and not rehabbing.

 

I'll just mention a bit. McAvene has a serious arm injury. No surgery last I heard, but it was significant. And that's a massive bummer since he's already a TJS survivor and was a probable reliever already. I hope that he gets a chance to just let it eat out of the pen.

I don't have a ton of info on Thompson, but it sounds like he'll be playing in about month.