Minor League Predictions Thread

[davell]

1. Cubs have Ademan and Lange on most prospect lists at the end of the year. Little, Rodriguez(IFA signing) and Amaya make at least one list. System firmly back in middle of the pack territory, as a whole.

 

2. Maples and Alzolay both pitch some impactful major league innings.

 

3. De la Cruz gets moved to the pen and shows serious potential as a back end reliever. Expected to be impact guy for 2019.

 

4. Cubs draft a hitter in the 1st and 2nd round in the draft, pitching with both supplemental picks and thru out the rest of the first 10 rounds.

 

5. Cubs trade Zagunis and Mills to help come up with the IFA money for Rodriguez.(who gets 3 mill)

 

6. David Bote gets 100+ ML AB's.

 

7. Brailyn Marquez is firmly inside our top 10 after the season.

 

8. Jared Young and Erich Uelmen finish the year in MB and very strongly, at that.

 

9. Fernando Kelli and Didier Vargas are the 2 guys in Arizona that generate the most buzz.

 

10. Nelson Velázquez continues to show light tower power, finishing in SB for 30 games.

[Donzo]

Good predictions... It's early, but they all look OK to good.

[CubsWin]

Over the last several seasons, the Cubs have done a good job of producing legit prospects from out of the woodwork.

 

In 2015, 10th rounder Ryan Williams went 14-3 with a 2.16 ERA skipping High-A and dominating AA in his 1st full professional season and, of course, who can forget the magical emergence of Willson Contreras who hit .333/.413/.478 with almost as many walks as Ks. Contreras was basically an afterthought to everyone except the late John Arguello at that time. His previous best line was .248/.320/.423 two years earlier in Low-A Kane County.

 

In 2016, 18th rounder David Bote slashed a surprising .337/.410/.518 for Myrtle Beach, 12th rounder Trevor Clifton had his coming out party and 9th rounder James Farris established himself after allowing 48 hits and 17 walks against 74 Ks in 66 innings in High-A and AA. For those that don't remember, Farris was traded that winter for Eddie Butler.

 

Last year, unheralded IFA Adbert Alzolay worked his way into our hearts, and the all-but-forgotten Dillon Maples came back from the dead to place himself squarely on the prospect map. I guess you could say Michael Rucker had a mini-breakout, as well.

 

So... Who's it gonna be this year?

 

AZ Phil has his money on Eddy Martinez, and I agree. Though less forgotten, Bailey Clark looks like this year's version of Dillon Maples. I also think James Norwood might emerge.

 

Who are your breakout candidates?

[CubsWin]

Tyson Miller as a breakout pitching prospect?

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Who are your breakout candidates?

 

From the not very obscure candidates:

 

Miguel Amaya, Cory Abbott and Erling Moreno (whoops) were my picks.

[CubsWin]

Who are your breakout candidates?

 

From the not very obscure candidates:

 

Miguel Amaya, Cory Abbott and Erling Moreno (whoops) were my picks.

Fair enough. Any out of the woodwork, unexpected guys you like?

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Who are your breakout candidates?

 

From the not very obscure candidates:

 

Miguel Amaya, Cory Abbott and Erling Moreno (whoops) were my picks.

Fair enough. Any out of the woodwork, unexpected guys you like?

 

Kevonte Mitchell. I've predicted a breakout for him for like 3 straight years, maybe I'll eventually get it right.

 

I also thought one of the many Latin American middle infielders in A-ball (Narea, Peguero, Monasterio or Perlaza) would separate from the pack and establish themselves as future big league utility guy/2nd division second baseman.

 

I thought Peyton Remy and Tyler Thomas might break out as a relievers and move quickly through the system. But Remy is stuck in Extended and Thomas is starting for South Bend.

 

Not sure how out of the woodwork those guys are for your taste.

[CubsWin]

 

From the not very obscure candidates:

 

Miguel Amaya, Cory Abbott and Erling Moreno (whoops) were my picks.

Fair enough. Any out of the woodwork, unexpected guys you like?

 

Kevonte Mitchell. I've predicted a breakout for him for like 3 straight years, maybe I'll eventually get it right.

 

I also thought one of the many Latin American middle infielders in A-ball (Narea, Peguero, Monasterio or Perlaza) would separate from the pack and establish themselves as future big league utility guy/2nd division second baseman.

 

I thought Peyton Remy and Tyler Thomas might break out as a relievers and move quickly through the system. But Remy is stuck in Extended and Thomas is starting for South Bend.

 

Not sure how out of the woodwork those guys are for your taste.

I'd say they all qualify. Mitchell's your raw toolsy prospect who can pop unexpectedly after some years of marinating. Thomas is off to a surprisingly good start as a starter (didn't see that coming) in full season. He was just a 7th rounder. The Cubs of late have had a long list of young, lean, slap-hitting MIFs like you listed of which the only one with a claim to any sort of pedigree would be Perlaza but he's been bad for two years now, so yeah, they all count.

 

The Cubs have been drafting college control artists with some size the last couple of seasons who could surprise (Robinson, Rucker, Morrison, etc.). Last year's version was 11th rounder Rollie Lacy who is off to a great start this year for South Bend.