Minor League Discussion & Boxes, 8-14-19

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Box Scores:

 

Iowa had the day off

 

Tennessee lost 4-2 Box Score

 

Myrtle Beach lost 7-0 Box Score

 

South Bend won 6-1 Box Score

 

Eugene in progress Box Score

 

AZL Cubs 1 lost 5-4 Box Score

 

AZL Cubs 2 won 6-1 Box Score

 

DSL Cubs 1 won 8-7 Box Score

 

DSL Cubs 2 won 8-6 Box Score

[Brian]

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[Hrubes20]

 

 

I like that Jensen is managing the inevitable struggles within his outings well more often than not. Walked the bases loaded with no one out in the first giving up just a run and picking up a couple Ks to get out of it. Threw a couple shutout innings after with a couple Ks. Including NCAA he's at 112 IP / 3 HRs / 126 Ks / 89 Hs / 41 BBs / ~2.7 ERA...He's yet another pitcher in this system that seems ready to throw alot of good innings in High A next year, could get moved fast if he hits the ground running

 

There really should not be any inevitable struggles from a 1st round collegiate SP in short season ball. I realize the previous 1st round pitchers taken have set a very low bar, but even the 3rd and 4th rounders from this year have had zero issues at all in short season ball. Jensen's command is pretty terrible right now. Hopefully some tweaks can be identified at the pitching lab this offseason to get the command to even average. The stuff is at least legit, though.

[Hrubes20]

There really should not be any inevitable struggles from a 1st round collegiate SP in short season ball. I realize the previous 1st round pitchers taken have set a very low bar, but even the 3rd and 4th rounders from this year have had zero issues at all in short season ball. Jensen's command is pretty terrible right now. Hopefully some tweaks can be identified at the pitching lab this offseason to get the command to even average. The stuff is at least legit, though.

 

We could quibble about the significance of his walk totals in a dozen innings that might become twenty right out of the draft, but considering they're also accompanied by 0 HRs, 19 Ks, just 7 Hs, and a 2.25 ERA plus and outstanding draft season the situation is probably less dire than you're thinking.

 

His HR, K, H ratios plus his strong bottom line ru prevention in the 112 innings this year and even the dozen innings in pro ball don't suggest a command issue, in fact they suggest dominance, but the 41 walks (14 in 12) do suggest some control issues. Considering he's a 21 YO guy who throws really hard, just got drafted a couple months ago, and is throwing a new career high in innings this is not a weakness unique to Jensen even more guys who went on to become serious SPs. As far as I'm concerned he's nailed his job this year and set up a potentially loud first full season starting in High A. Scan the lines and no one matches his draft year dominance among college arms drafted by the Cubs, certainly none so high in the draft

 

Didn't I just say how low of a bar previous Cubs draft picks have set?

 

But watch him pitch. It's poor fastball command. He may have some control issue with the breaker as well, but he is throwing mostly fastballs. His stuff is really good, which is why the poor short season hitters are overmatched and haven't made good contact (a definite plus that was already mentioned). But the poor fastball command has already reared its head as a pro and some serious tweaks are in order or things will get ugly as he climbs the ladder.

[Bertz]

I tend to throw out whatever a college guy does the summer after being drafted, good or bad. On the one hand the Northwest league is a substantial step down from the SEC/PAC 10 so they should dominate, but on the other hand these guys are usually horsefeathering GASSED after having started their seasons in February.