Minor League Discussion & Boxes, 4-20-18

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Box Scores:

 

Iowa won 7-1 Box Score

 

2B D. Bote 1/5, R, RBI, 2 K

1B E. Navarro 1/5, R, RBI, K

RF M. Zagunis 2/4, R, SB (1)

C T. Davis 0/3, BB

DH C. Gimenez 1/2, 2 R, RBI, BB, K

SP A. Alzolay 6 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 1 HR, 6-6 GO-FO, 75-50 pitches-strikes - season debut

RP R. Rosario 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 3-1 GO-FO

RP D. Maples 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 1-0 GO-FO

 

Tennessee lost 7-2 Box Score

 

SS Z. Short 0/4

CF C. Burks 1/4, K

3B J. Vosler 0/4

RF E. Martinez 1/3, R, HR (1), RBI, BB

C I. Rice 1/4; defense - 0/1 CS

SP M. Rucker 4.2 IP, 4 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 4-4 GO-FO, 79-49 pitches-strikes

 

Myrtle Beach won 7-1 Box score

 

2B A. Monasterio 1/4, RBI

C J. Pereda 2/4, 2 RBI; defense - 0/3 CS

1B A. Upshaw 1/2, R, HR (2), 3 RBI

SS A. Ademan 1/3, R, HBP

SP B. Hudson 5 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 7 K, 6-3 GO-FO, 91-53 pitches-strikes, balk, 2 E (2, fielding, throw)

RP J. Romero 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HBP, 0-2 GO-FO

 

South Bend lost 7-1 Box Score

 

2B J. Bethencourt 0/4, K, E (4, throw)

3B Y. Peguero 1/3, R, HR (1), RBI, 2 BB, E (2, fielding)

C M. Amaya 0/3, BB; defense - 0/7 CS

CF C. Singleton 0/4, 2 K

SS R. Narea 1/3, 2 E (4, throw, throw)

SP T. Thomas 5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 1 HBP, 7-5 GO-FO, 80-56 pitches-strikes

RP M. Rodriguez 2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 2-1 GO-FO

[Gilby]

At I-Cubs game. Alzolay 94-96 mph in first inning. Got a few weak swings at a mid 80s curve. I'm intrigued.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K on 45 pitches thus far for Adbert.

 

EDIT: 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K, 63-41 pitches-strikes

[Jaxbro]

4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K on 45 pitches thus far for Adbert.

 

EDIT: 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K, 63-41 pitches-strikes

Got the first out in the 6th then served up a homer and single. Finished the inning.

 

75 pitches, 50 strikes

[We Got The Whole 9]

Gave up a solo homer in the 6th but very economical with 75 pitches and 50 for strikes.

[craig]

Hudson with 7 K's. A Hudson who K'd people might start to be more interesting.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Today in Mesa: https://www.thecubreporter.com/04202018/cubs-use-three-run-third-edge-angels-diablo

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Des Moines Register[/url]"]"He was awesome," said Iowa manager Marty Pevey. "Dominating fastball, great ball speed and arm speed on his changeup and the making of a good breaking ball."

 

...

 

That was just about all Nashville could do against Alzolay, who attacked the zone with his fastball, changeup and curveball. His fastball topped out at 96 miles per hour while his breaking balls were clocked on the Principal Park videoboard gun in the low 80s.

 

"All my pitches were working for me," Alzolay said. "I was down in the zone mixing my pitches well."

[Donzo]

Nice night for Hudson, first bad game for Rucker in a awhile... Of course the highlight of the night was Alzolay.

 

I can't remember the last time the Cubs have had a starting pitching prospect this good in Iowa. Of course Hendricks is awesome, but he was a nice surprise; a B prospect that turned out great... As far as I can remember, Alzolay has to be the best staring pitching prospect in Iowa since Prior... Can that be right?

 

Prior only had like five starts in Iowa, so he'd barely count. If Prior doesn't count, then it goes all the way back to Wood... Amazing.

 

Disclaimer: Of course I'm not trying stating Alzolay is as good a prospect as Prior and Wood were. They were super star/franchise prospects, Alzolay is not that... Just thinking he's the first legit prospect with excellent stuff since those two.

[CubsWin]

Nice night for Hudson, first bad game for Rucker in a awhile... Of course the highlight of the night was Alzolay.

 

I can't remember the last time the Cubs have had a starting pitching prospect this good in Iowa. Of course Hendricks is awesome, but he was a nice surprise; a B prospect that turned out great... As far as I can remember, Alzolay has to be the best staring pitching prospect in Iowa since Prior... Can that be right?

 

Prior only had like five starts in Iowa, so he'd barely count. If Prior doesn't count, then it goes all the way back to Wood... Amazing.

 

Disclaimer: Of course I'm not trying stating Alzolay is as good a prospect as Prior and Wood were. They were super star/franchise prospects, Alzolay is not that... Just thinking he's the first legit prospect with excellent stuff since those two.

Yeah, with the injuries to Ryan Williams and Alec Mills last season, the Iowa rotation was made up exclusively by veteran minor league FAs until the arrival of Tseng in July. And it had largely been that way during the Theo/Jed regime as they rebuilt the pitching roster from the bottom up.

 

In terms of homegrown prospects who had a legit major league future at the time, you'd have to go all the way back to Jeff Samardzija in 2008-2010 and Rich Hill in 2005-2006.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Nice night for Hudson, first bad game for Rucker in a awhile... Of course the highlight of the night was Alzolay.

 

I can't remember the last time the Cubs have had a starting pitching prospect this good in Iowa. Of course Hendricks is awesome, but he was a nice surprise; a B prospect that turned out great... As far as I can remember, Alzolay has to be the best staring pitching prospect in Iowa since Prior... Can that be right?

 

Prior only had like five starts in Iowa, so he'd barely count. If Prior doesn't count, then it goes all the way back to Wood... Amazing.

 

Disclaimer: Of course I'm not trying stating Alzolay is as good a prospect as Prior and Wood were. They were super star/franchise prospects, Alzolay is not that... Just thinking he's the first legit prospect with excellent stuff since those two.

 

Rich Hill, Jeff Samardzija and Andrew Cashner all had nice runs at Iowa since Prior (admittedly Samardzija and Cashner didn’t last long at AAA before being called up).

[craig]

...Rich Hill, Jeff Samardzija and Andrew Cashner all had nice runs at Iowa since Prior (admittedly Samardzija and Cashner didn’t last long at AAA before being called up).

 

yeah, Hill put together some "wow" numbers at Iowa, and Cashner was viewed as a pretty high-ceiling, serious prospect at the time.

 

Not sure he ever pitched much at Iowa, but I recall Guzman being viewed as a really serious prospect, high-ceiling guy; I guess that was entering his AA season, though, and he didn't return to Iowa until a rehab (or two) later....

 

Couple other guys who weren't on the Cashner/Samardz/Hill level, maybe, much less Prior/Guzman/Wood/Cruz/Z, were Sergio Mitre and Todd Wellemeyer. I think Alzolay is viewed more highly, though, particularly in retrospect given the actual careers Mitre and Wellemeyer ended up having, and particularly if we see last-night's version of Alzolay very often going forward. If that's going to be even semi-frequent/normal, he'll have a chance to become viewed as a top-100 prospect, which I don't recall Mitre or Wellemeyer ever being perceived as.

[We Got The Whole 9]

https://www.milb.com/milb/news/chicago-cubs-adbert-alzolay-aces-triple-a-debut/c-273133844

 

Video of a 3 pitch swinging K (a curve and 2 FB) and the HR allowed inside link. Cubs really want him to work on his change and he said it was on point last night in any count to any sided hitter.