Minor League Discussion & Boxes, 7-7-17

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Box Scores:

 

Iowa won 7-5 Box Score

 

Tennessee lost 6-1 Box Score

 

Myrtle Beach lost 8-3 Box Score

 

South Bend won 11-4 Box Score

 

Eugene won 5-2 Box Score

 

AZL Cubs have the day off

 

DSL Cubs 1 won 7-6 Box Score

 

DSL Cubs 2 won 7-3 Box Score

[CubsWin]

Posted yesterday by AZ Phil:

 

A flurry of roster moves in Cubs minor leagues today.

 

Besides RHSP Jose Albertos getting moved-up to Eugene from AZL Cubs, C Tyler Payne was moved up from Eugene to South Bend, RHSP Duncan Robinson was moved up from South Bend to Myrtle Beach, RHSP Adbert Alzolay was moved up from Myrtle Beach to Tennessee, and RHRP Justin Hancock was moved-up from Tennessee to Iowa.

 

Also, Iowa RHRP Conor Mullee and RHRP Andury Acevedo were released, and C-1B Michael Cruz was moved-down from South Bend to Eugene.

I knew about Alzolay, Robinson and Payne, but the Albertos promotion was news to me.

[CubsWin]

After starting his 0-for-17 in his first 4 professional games, DSL SS Christopher Morel has turned things around hitting .328/.446/.534 in 74 PAs with 4 doubles, a triple and 2 HRs along with a 13.5 K% and a 14.9 BB%. He's gotten on base in every game during that stretch except for two, and those were his first 2 games after missing 11 days with a slight injury. Morel started this season as a 17-year-old and turned 18 two weeks ago. He's listed at 6'0", 140 lbs. so he apparently has plenty of room to fill out his frame. AZ Phil reported that some Cubs brass said he reminded them of Starlin Castro.

 

I have no idea how he's looked defensively at SS, but of the 21 games he's played, 19 of them have been at short. The other 2 were at 3B. When he was signed in 2015, he was listed as a 3B.

 

He's worth watching.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Paredes hit a HR

 

Duncan Robinson had a middling first outing at Myrtle Beach, before yielding to his future self, Casey Bloomquist.

[TruffleShuffle]

Paredes hit a HR

 

Duncan Robinson had a middling first outing at Myrtle Beach, before yielding to his future self, Casey Bloomquist.

 

paredes hit a second home run.

 

eugene are facing an 18 year old pitcher named Henry Henry.

[CubsWin]

Make that 2 HRs for Paredes. Now up to 7 on the season. Not bad for an 18-year-old thru a little over half of his first year in full season ball.

[Donzo]

Another bad game for Clifton... :(

[davell]

Another bad game for Clifton... :(

 

What's sad is I was just happy he didn't walk anyone. Guess I prefer walks to the "meatball down the middle" approach that he took today evidently.

[CubsWin]

The at bat for Paredes 2nd HR was especially impressive. He gets down 0-2 in the count on consecutive above average curve balls. Lays off a fastball in the dirt. Fouls off 3 or 4 more curve balls (one of which he drilled down the RF line deep but foul). Then drives a fastball on the outer 3rd over the RF wall with two men on and two outs. He remained patient down in the count. Didn't over swing. Didn't chase. Stayed alive. Then got a pitch he could drive and didn't miss it.

 

At the same level and same age as Gleyber Torres, he's shown more power, the same walk rate and less swing and miss. He may not have as good a hit tool as Gleyber with an average that is currently 32 points lower, but Torres BABIP was 85 points higher (.373) so some luck may be involved there.

 

Where the two prospects differ is defensively. There's little doubt that Gleyber can be a major league caliber SS. Paredes is much slower and less athletic than Torres who was described as smooth and lithe in his actions even before he was signed. But Paredes isn't a butcher defensively. He's not flashy and lacks range, but he makes the plays in front of him. He's thus far proved to be a capable SS, though it might not be his ideal position when all is said and done.

 

Still, if his bat continues to shine relative to his age and level, keeping him at SS will only enhance his trade value as long as he remains average defensively.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Who the hell is Justin Hancock?

[Donzo]

Another bad game for Clifton... :(

 

What's sad is I was just happy he didn't walk anyone. Guess I prefer walks to the "meatball down the middle" approach that he took today evidently.

 

I'm there with ya... When I saw the high Ks and no BBs, from a prospect view point, I was kinda thinking it really wasn't all that bad of a start.

 

But, bad is bad... I couldn't spin away all those hits and runs.

[weis21]

Paredes hit a HR

 

Duncan Robinson had a middling first outing at Myrtle Beach, before yielding to his future self, Casey Bloomquist.

 

paredes hit a second home run.

 

eugene are facing an 18 year old pitcher named Henry Henry.

 

My son is destined to love this player

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Paredes hit a HR

 

Duncan Robinson had a middling first outing at Myrtle Beach, before yielding to his future self, Casey Bloomquist.

 

paredes hit a second home run.

 

eugene are facing an 18 year old pitcher named Henry Henry.

 

Reminds me of former minor league pitcher Jose Jose.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Spending time on A ball defense when people have enough trouble evaluating ML defense seems like a waste. Given how wrongly quick to move or just off defensively and even on body type scouts were with current Cubs (Bryant, Russell, Baez, and even probably the 40/70 Almora), especially at the early stages, how much does this Paredes defense stuff even weigh? The key is the bat. That's where the money is, that's how you get starting gigs for good teams.

 

In comparison to Torres at this stage offensively, albeit with maybe half the A ball PAs so far, Paredes is pretty much kicking his ass. He's striking out way less, he currently nearly doubles Torres' IsoSLG at the same stop, and nominally Paredes has more than doubled his HR total already. He also outperformed Torres in Rk ball. While Torres hit for a higher average at that individual level, Paredes' combo of contact and power there and throughout pro ball so far suggests everything from a better hit tool to better power to better approach. He even puts the cherry on top by knowing how to take a walk even now. Offensively, so far, we're basically looking at a guy who could be a complete hitter.

 

I definitely think he will draw interest in trade talks. Longenhagen already noted teams of all creeds noticed and ask about Paredes last year, as they should. For an 18 YO he's showing skills that suggest he might be a somebody in the league one day.

 

Similar to how you don't want to be too definitive about a hitter's defense in low-A, I think batting average carries more importance. Demonstrating the bat to ball to hit for a good average at that level helps portend that you won't see it erode to nothing at high levels. That's where the comparison to Torres falls off to me, he hit .293 at South Bend compared to .261 for Paredes, and Torres isn't a guy with a terrific hit tool either. That doesn't spell doom for Paredes, but it means he has more work to do before his current output portends a bright MLB future.

[davell]

I remember seeing quotes from Madison or McLeod mentioning they expected Paredes to struggle early on, due to the cold....In April, he went 18-81(.222) and since is 50-180(.278)

 

May be nothing, may be worth noting. At any rate, he's definitely hitting his stride, as an 18 year old in A Ball.