Minor League Discussion & Boxes, 8-19-18

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Box Scores:

 

Iowa lost game one 5-0 (7 innings) Box Score

 

Iowa lost game two 5-2 (7 innings) Box Score

 

Tennessee won 3-1 Box Score

 

Myrtle Beach won 5-4 Box Score

 

South Bend won 3-0 Box Score

 

Eugene in progress Box Score

 

AZL Cubs 1 had the day off

 

AZL Cubs 2 in progress Box Score

 

DSL Cubs 1 had the day off

 

DSL Cubs 2 had the day off

[Bear Cub]

Go Yu, stay healthy.

[toonsterwu]

Swarmer has to be one of the favorites as of now for MiLB pitcher of the year. It's an impressive run he's put together in AA, and it seems like the scouting reports in AA are holding from Myrtle, which is one of those things you always hope for, but don't always get. Going to be interesting to see where people place him at year's end. Sounds like 50/55's across the board, with the fastball playing up because of the delivery, plus strong command. Puts him on the fringes of a mid-rotation ceiling, which is plenty good, but what's always fascinating after a breakout year is whether or not they can hold it the next year. That said, this doesn't feel like Ryan Williams/Duncan Robinson, both solid guys. Swarmer's stuff is a notch better.

 

Steele's also got to be in that ... group of interesting arms to follow. If that velocity holds, he's going to be fascinating next year.

 

edit: Haven't really paid attention, but never noticed that the last mlbpipeline update didn't include Swarmer, and they slapped 50's on Cory Abbott. Maybe I'm being a bit generous for Swarmer, although it sure sounds like he's at least got one or two 50's.

Edited August 19, 2018 by toonsterwu

[CubsWin]

Go Yu, stay healthy.

He didn't. Left after just one inning...

[toonsterwu]

Is it injury? I would guess, without checking right now, that they just wanted him to get an inning of work in.

[CubsWin]

Is it injury? I would guess, without checking right now, that they just wanted him to get an inning of work in.

He came out for the 2nd inning and left the mound with the trainer before the inning started.

[CubsWin]

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[CubsWin]

AA and AAA are clearly the proving grounds for a minor league pitcher. Not only are the Carolina League and Midwest League historically friendlier to pitchers, but logically it's easier to work your way through a line-up with weaker and less experienced hitters populating their 1-9s.

 

In that vein, there have been some positive developments amongst Cubs non-premier pitching prospects this year. Michael Rucker, Matt Swarmer (previously mentioned by toonster in this thread), Keegan Thompson and to a lesser extent Duncan Robinson have all held their own in AA. Trevor Clifton put up great numbers in Tennessee earlier this season and earned a promotion to AAA where he's also held his own. He was also recently mentioned in a BA article about prospects who could help their teams in a playoff run.

 

7. Trevor Clifton, RHP, Cubs

 

Even with trade acquisitions of Cole Hamels (2-0, 1.00 ERA in three starts) and Jesse Chavez (1.84 ERA in 10 appearances) aiding the rotation and bullpen, respectively, the Cubs are still struggling to pitch as a whole. They are 9-8 with a 4.59 ERA since July 27—the day they acquired Hamels—and are allowing more than one hit per inning. The physical Clifton touches 95 mph as a starter, and he’s handled himself well in Triple-A with a 3.69 ERA in 11 appearances (nine starts). While Clifton won’t be the sole solution, he certainly has the stuff and performance track record to help the Cubs in some capacity.

I don't see him being brought up with other options already on the 40-man, but hey, it's possible I guess. And then there's the ever enigmatic Duane Underwood.

 

The Cubs plan to develop pitching seems to be working albeit without any legit TOR candidates. Despite that, the AAA rotation next season should/could be entirely populated with decent homegrown options.

 

Alzolay, Clifton, Underwood, Swarmer, Rucker, Thompson and Robinson give the Cubs 7 options. Alzolay, with his time missed due to the lat injury this year, also is a candidate to start the season in the pen for Chicago, and, as we've seen, injuries and ineffectiveness can open a rotation spot at any time.

 

This group is in some ways diverse and quite similar. They're all middling BOR/MIR prospects, but some may have a ceiling a tad higher. Some are more consistent than others. Some have better velocity/stuff. Consistency is important especially to a team that is in it's championship window. But having the stuff to get major league hitters out is also important. Do any of these guys have the ability to help the Cubs win? Outside of Alzolay, who do you see having the best chance to contribute to the Cubs in '19 or '20 in a meaningful way?

 

For me, that guy appears to be Matt Swarmer. What say you?

[CubsWin]

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[CubsWin]

Please don't anyone say anything about Justin Steele.

 

Oh, wait, I just did. Damn it! :banghead:

[CaliforniaRaisin]

DJ Artis leadoff HR for Eugene.

[CubsWin]

DJ Artis leadoff HR for Eugene.

A no-doubter after a patient 10-pitch at bat...

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[CaliforniaRaisin]

Yovanny Cruz starting for the AZL Cubs 2 tonight.

[toonsterwu]

Well, that sucks for Yu. But I do applaud that he seems proactive about it now. Gotta look long term with him, due to the contract.

 

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With the way he's eating solid innings, getting a healthy number of K's, and not giving up a lot of hits, I'm gonna be awfully surprised if Swarmer doesn't have 50's, if not better, on his report. It's enough of a sample size that you can't simply slap "SSS - lack of scouting report".

 

Unless he racks up too many innings that they want to shut him down (would be on the borderline ... he worked around 101 innings last year, is at 111 right now ... he's probably got 3 starts left, putting him around 130 for the year), I gotta think he's got to be an option to head to Arizona, unless there's other factors involved. Would be nice to see him there, even if it's for the likely short bursts.

[toonsterwu]

With Steele, I don't care all that much about the results (obviously positive results are better). I want to know what he was throwing. If he's hitting mid-90's with a power sinker as a starter ... and he finishes the year strong (and heads to Arizona) ... I'm not so sure he isn't top 5, and perhaps even top 3, in this system entering 2019.

 

My Zach Britton comparison would be a bit light if Justin is dialing up mid-90's on his sinker ... Zach never hit mid-90's as a starter.

 

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On Clifton, much as there are things that intrigue me about him as a starter, if push came to shove and he was in a fight for a rotation spot ... I'm fine moving him to the pen. I think that's probably his best future - his fastball/curve could perhaps play up out of the pen, and his command issues wouldn't be as big a problem.

 

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as an aside, I'm impressed with the early results from Riley Thompson at Eugene.

[Hrubes20]

DJ Artis leadoff HR for Eugene.

A no-doubter after a patient 10-pitch at bat...

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That's his 2nd HR in 7 games at Eugene after hitting only 4 in 58 games in college this year. First one was oppo, and that one was pulled. I like it. Can't help but see a potential Coco Crisp-type player if he can keep it up. Maybe more Rajai Davis, but you get the drift. 4th OFer type that wouldn't crap the bed if forced into a regular time role for awhile.

[Hrubes20]

Well, that sucks for Yu. But I do applaud that he seems proactive about it now. Gotta look long term with him, due to the contract.

 

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With the way he's eating solid innings, getting a healthy number of K's, and not giving up a lot of hits, I'm gonna be awfully surprised if Swarmer doesn't have 50's, if not better, on his report. It's enough of a sample size that you can't simply slap "SSS - lack of scouting report".

 

Unless he racks up too many innings that they want to shut him down (would be on the borderline ... he worked around 101 innings last year, is at 111 right now ... he's probably got 3 starts left, putting him around 130 for the year), I gotta think he's got to be an option to head to Arizona, unless there's other factors involved. Would be nice to see him there, even if it's for the likely short bursts.

 

Yeah, you could make the argument that his pitches are 55 across the board. That's on the high end for his fastball, but you could make the argument. It concerns me a bit though, that he's been such a flyball pitcher in his minor league career.