Top Fantasy Prospects List 52. Starlin Castro, SS, Cubs Cubs manager Lou Piniella has already said that if Ryan Theriot is out for a good amount of time this year due to injury, Castro would get the call. Likewise, if the Jeff Baker/Mike Fontenot platoon doesn't work out at second base this season, Castro could be asked to step in at short and slide Theriot to second. Either way, Castro, who turns 20 later this month, is firmly on the Cubs' radar screen this season. He reached Double-A late last year, and was impressive in the Arizona Fall League. He has hit .301 in his three-year career in the minors but has remained a bit under the radar because he has slugged just .393. Don't be fooled, though; he's still maturing physically, and his strong hands and wrists will eventually allow him to drive the ball with authority once he fully develops. Castro has an advanced bat and approach for his age, and plenty of bat speed. He's also a 60 defender on the 20-80 scouting scale with a 70 arm, which would give him some value to the Cubs right away in that capacity. We'll have to wait a bit for the full package to develop with Castro, but get in on the ground floor. Despite 28 steals last season, his speed is average at best, meaning the stolen bases might not follow him to the majors. Still, he's one to watch this season to see how quickly his offensive game develops. 54. Jay Jackson, SP, Cubs This 22-year-old right-hander will compete for a spot in the back of the Cubs' rotation. He features four pitches, primarily a low-90s fastball with movement and a slider with short strike-zone bite. His curve is a solid pitch with a distinctly different break, and the key is developing his changeup to give him something to stay off the barrel against lefties. When he's on, he can make batters miss, and he keeps his mistakes down in the zone. Even if he starts at Triple-A, he has a chance to get a long look for the Cubs this season, given some of the question marks they have regarding their rotation. 69. Blake Parker, RP, Cubs There was some offseason buzz that should Carlos Marmol falter, Parker might be able to put himself in the mix for saves in Wrigley later this season. The converted catcher has been pitching full-time for less than three pro seasons, but he advanced all the way to Triple-A last year, registering 22 saves and 58 strikeouts in 51 innings for Iowa. His bread and butter is the natural sink on his fastball, which he uses to rack up a ton of ground balls and keep the ball in the park, and he'll touch 95 mph at times. Parker's other two pitches, a slider and a changeup, are still works in progress. His slider still slurves a bit too much and is inconsistent at this point. Also, there's a good amount of effort in his delivery, and he doesn't always finish it well, with a tendency to overthrow. His overall command is still a work in progress, but he's someone to keep an eye on thanks to that heavy ball and how far he has managed to progress in such a short time pitching.
