Jason Ross

Different body types, but Hope reminds me a bit of Brennen Davis in some ways. Highly athletic HS OF'er, has power, more toolsy than finished on draft day, but also moving faster than people thought. They'll assuredly prove to be different types of players in the long run, but just an observation.

On one hand, I'm excited. That's exciting. On the other hand, I live in the Eastern time zone, this game is in the Mountain time zone, and I have to work tomorrow. I request hardship and need the MLB to move the start time up at least an hour.

I'm in the school of being slow with prospect ranking unless there's just a major change in something. I'll say that I think it was silly to drop Alcantara based off a month or two of PA's, but I'd be similarly careful of a prospect who's having a nice two months. There are times in which above-and-beyond performance, or some sort of talent jump/decline requires an introspective re-eval, but generally speaking, I like a cautious and patient approach to re-ranking. In the end, I think this all just comes down to me really hating prospect ranking the traditional #1-100 way anyways, but now isn't the time for me to go on an "old-man-yells-at-cloud" style rant, so I'll just leave it at that.

Not surprised the Cubs are interested. Good pitcher, exciting upside, right age.

I don't think it's just the rain, but the colder climate as well. But like I said, we'll see! I just wouldn't be surprised at all to see him get the MB treatment like Horton, and it won't be because the Cubs don't think he's "not ready" but just being overly careful. The Cubs love to be cautious with MiLB arms (which isn't a bad thing; Wicks is proving with the Cubs that caution in the MiLB doesn't necessarily equate to being unable to throw more, or more often).

For me, I'd categorize it as a "polish" and not a "worry". The good news is that regardless of the current K numbers, Wicks is doing two things that are incredibly important: 1. He's not walking hitters. 2. He's got a 48.5% GB% What's really great is that he's showing that command we all had known he had. I'm not convinced he's going to keep a >2.00 BB/9, but a ~2.5 BB/9 is probably on the table as a best-case-outcome. The GB% should be expected. Fangraphs did a study in 2019 looking at what metrics correlate most to MLB data, and GB% was one of the highest for pitchers. That should make sense as a pitcher's pitch mix doesn't magically change when they jump a level. Wicks, a very strong change up, a good cut fastball, and a decent curve, all of which should induce GB's. So far, he's been a GB machine, printing GBs and he's consistently shown the ability to get 45-47% ground ball rates in the MiLB. For comparison, a 47% GB% would be 13th best of any qualified SP in the MLB today. If we start to see the O-swing% turn into more K's, then I think Jordan Wicks is going to be a very good pitcher, and likely a traditional "FIP beater" profile. If some of the above changes, I'd be a bit more worried about the strikeouts, but for now, it's just a place to polish up. Even as is, Wicks is carrying himself far more than just a rookie on the mound. I think part of it might be tunneling, I think part of it is just Wicks settling in. As you stated, the o-swing% is really good right now, so he's doing something right. It could just be a sequencing thing, or just something that will round into form with a larger sample.

Yeah, he's certainly my least favorite of the fill-ins in the booth. He never shuts up.

We'll see. I think he's ready to see South Bend, but the Cubs are really cautious with their arms. Myrtle is much kinder on the weather in April than South Bend. The Cubs kept Cade Horton, a year removed from TJS in Myrtle largely for that reason in April, and Gray is sitting in a similar spot in his return from TJS. Whether or not he's in Myrtle or South Bend to start, I'm sure he'll be in South Bend by May 1st and those ~4 starts probably don't move the needle in either direction for his development. He's had a really nice year and it's good to see the post-draft hype Gray was getting heading into 2022 (and pre-TJS) was founded. He's an exciting arm to have in our system, for sure.

I wonder how much of that becomes fatigue when people rank prospects. Whether it's subconscious or not, the Cubs have had a lot of really fun prospects have some fun seasons (especially early on). Add in the draft, and it almost feels like "Well, we already have a handful of Cubs on our top-100 lists..." and someone like Alcantara gets left off.

I've watched a bunch of SB. I'll also say this; it's really hard to gauge catching defense from MiLB streams if you're sitting at home. If you're lucky they're actually showing a behind-the-pitcher POV, and even then, you're lucky if the stream quality is above "guy with an outdated iPhone and a hotspot". I'll also say it's way too soon to tell for a handful of factors: the first being that in the next few years, I expect some form of automated ball-strike calling system to make its way to the MLB (probably similar to the MiLB "challenge" system we're seeing) which should change the math on pitch framing. The second is that there seems to be a bit of a "catcher revolution" going on defensively league wide, some teams are just...better at it than others. Milwaukee has been a hotbed for basically taking horsefeathers defensive catchers and turning them into pitch framing mavens; they've done it time and time again recently. Eventually, those techniques are going to make their way out into the bigger world. We've seen guys with awkward body types, like Alejandro Kirk, succeed, and I wonder how much of Ballesteros' being a good/bad catcher are people just saying "someone who looks like that can't do that". Defensive scouting of the MiLB is pretty hit and miss. Albert Almora was considered a 60-65 grade fielder and he was blow average. Javy Baez was considered to have to move off SS and he was great. With baseball savant and all of the amazing statcast data we get, MLB defensive metrics are jumping leaps and bounds. Catching has always been behind even the other advanced defensive metrics as a position (UZR, DRS. etc) so I wonder if that's going to change things as well. Long way to go on Big Mo. I'm really excited overall, though. Turn some of those doubles into home runs as he adds strength and experience, and he may hit so well that anything he does behind the plate is just a bonus.

horsefeathers you Cuas. Why has he been allowed to throw 30 pitches?

Well..this has been less than optimal. Please get out of here with the lead.

Sut drives me insane.

Happy to be wrong. Totally agree, PCA in the defense is better. He was pretty nonchalant about grabbing a glove but looking back they did the mid-inning salute so thats probably what I read as nonchalant. He knew he had time

Just by the way he was acting in the dugout, it didn't seem like.he was coming back out. Tauchman PH for Wisdom, so I bet Candy takes 1b and PCA takes the rest of the night off.

That Jordan Wicks guy is a bulldog. Glad to see him succeed.

In a perfect world you'd like a few more swings and misses. But it's a rookie, on the road at Coors and he's starting to get more and more ground balls. All in all, a good 5 innings from Wicks yet again.

That's exciting.

Absolutely blistering end to the season. I'd be shocked if he's not on the train to Tennessee with Big Mo and James Triantos.

Yeah, Verdugo has moved into "backpocket/dark horse" for 2024 category for me. He's a tad old, but nothing crazy at 22. He's a premium position player (though probably moves). He's got good contact rates and showing XBH power. Put him in Tennessee, maybe these last 2 months were a "light switch" and we'll see if the Cubs get a free prospect out of thin air that no one had on their bingo card. Worst case, it's just another pop-up prospect. It remains the most likely outcome, sadly. But hey, weirder things have happened and there's been at least some love thrown Verdugo's way in the past, so it's not insane.

The first full week in September is also the last full week of Minor League Baseball to cover for the Chicago Cubs. South Bend has been eliminated, Tennessee punched their ticket, while Myrtle Beach and Iowa continue their seasons. Who finished the year strongly in South Bend? Who's headed to Tennessee? Let's recap the week with another session of hot or not. Iowa Cubs, AAA (2-4) Iowa has been in some rut over the last few weeks. Perhaps it's due to a handful of call-ups, but the Iowa Cubs last won a series in an early August set against the Omaha Storm Chasers. Iowa is now just .500 in the second half of the season after finishing with the second-best record in the first half. 🔥Pete Crow-Armstrong: 166 wRC+, 26.9% K%, 3.8% BB%, 2HR, 1 2B, 1 3B: A pretty strong week from Pete Crow-Armstrong all around. We can be a little nitpicky, as the walks still aren't great, and the K% is still a bit high (though down from recent results), but I'm willing to let that go in exchange for the easy power on display. Crow-Armstrong hit a grand slam as a part of a four-hit effort on Sunday. This may be the last MiLB update on PCA, as it was reported that he will be called up to Chicago on Monday. How much do we think we'll see of him? 🔥Matt Mervis: 154 wRC+, 20.8% K%, 20% BB%, 1 HR, 1 2B: How the Cubs handle the first base position this offseason will be one of the more intriguing storylines to follow, in my opinion. With two upcoming free agents in Cody Bellinger and Jeimer Candelario, who could handle the position, and internally, Matt Mervis, who's done nothing but hit AAA pitching, the Cubs have plenty of internal options (and a host of external as well). Mervis has done everything right since being sent back to Iowa. Do the Cubs give an earnest look at Matt Mervis again? Is he trade bait? Plenty of exciting Cubs baseball remains, but this winter will be quite interesting on the prospect front. 🥶Ben Brown: 2 IP, 1 K, 5 BB, 3 R, 3 ER: Well, that's not ideal. Ben Brown struggled with control this week as he works back from a lat injury that sidled him for most of August. Most of the "awful" numbers come from an outing in which Ben Brown walked three and gave up three earned, all while only getting a single out on August 6th, but even his more recent outing wasn't particularly great in that outing. Brown only got a single strikeout in just under two innings. Let's hope it's rust. 🥶Brennen Davis: -.14 wRC+, 33.3% K%, 4.4% BB%: Brennen Davis has had a few flash moments of quality at the plate since returning but has not had a great run overall. He's still at just 30 PAs in AAA, so it's not time to panic yet, but with only two weeks left in the AAA season, Davis' ability to finish the year strong is rapidly running out. Tennessee Smokies, AA (2-4) On the surface, a two-win week would offer little to celebrate. Still, a two-win week was exactly what the doctor ordered for the Smokies, as it represented just enough to clinch a playoff birth on tap before the playoffs is a last home series against Rocket City and, hopefully, a chance to get some reinforcements (more on this later) a bit of time to settle in before the playoffs. 🔥Brandon Birdsell: 5IP, 5 K, 1 BB, 0 R, 0 ER: Great start for the 2022 mid-round selection. Brandon Birdsell was a nice find for the Cubs out of Texas Tech at the time of the draft and has moved fairly quickly. I still wonder if Birdsell has enough juice to remain as an MLB starting option, if he'll be more of a Keegan Thompson swing-man, or if he'll be organizational up/down depth, but regardless, any of those outcomes will be useful from a 5th round selection. With only a handful of Tennessee starts, we may see him remain there at the start of 2024, but I expect he'll be on the MLB radar for spot starts come summer. 🔥Matt Shaw: 122 wRC+. 21.7% K%, 8.7% BB%, 2 HR, 2 2B: Don't let the .200 batting average fool you. Matt Shaw had another good week in Tennessee. We constantly asked, "Is Matt Shaw too good for South Bend?" and we might have to ask the same about Tennessee. He remains imposing in his first run in the professional ranks. Earlier this week, when asked who he tries to emulate, Matt Shaw mentioned that he tries to play like Dustin Pedroia, and frankly, the skillset matches up. 🥶Cole Roederer: 8 wRC+, 41% K%, 0% BB%: There was a time when Cole Roederer was a strong candidate for MiLB Comeback Player of the Year in the Cubs system, but his season has taken a sharp decline over the last two months. The K's are too frequent, and when he's not hitting home runs, he's not bringing enough value. His swing will always remain one of the prettiest you'll see around, but the results aren't there. 🥶Pablo Aliendo: 54 wRC+, 20% K%, 20% BB%, 1 3B: Pablo Aliendo was another player who started very strong but has had a rough last 30 days. Over his last 20 games, he's hitting just .156 with a 77 wRC+, and this last week isn't helping the cause. He's still got a nice 110 wRC+ for an AA catcher, so Aliendo isn't entirely off the radar, but for a breakout prospect, you'd like to see a stronger finish. South Bend Cubs, High A (5-1) South Bend may have been eliminated from the playoffs, but they certainly didn't let anything bring them down this week. The Cubs won 5 of 6 against Quad Cities, highlighted by a whopping 26-run effort on Wednesday. Many South Bend Cubs will likely get promoted to Tennessee for their playoff push. Moises Ballesteros has already reportedly gotten called up, and I'd bet to see Kevin Alcantara go up as well (and a few others to boot). 🔥Kevin Alcantara: 304 wRC+, 13.6% K%, 13.6% BB%, 1 HR, 4 2b: There really may not have been a player in the entirety of the MiLB who had a better week than Kevin Alcantara did. In what may have been his last week in high-A, Alcantara took no prisoners, hitting over .500, barely striking out, and picking up five extra-base hits. In weeks like this, you remember what kind of upside Kevin has. 🔥Moises Ballesteros: 190 wRC+, 4.5% K%, 13.6% BB%, 1 HR, 1 2B: No, I didn't transpose his walk and strikeout numbers; Moises Ballesteros only struck out a single time this week, compared to three walks. Yes, this also means "Big Mo" hit more extra-base hits than strikeouts. Look for Mo in the Tennessee section starting next week as he helps the Smokies hopefully capture a Southern League title. 🔥James Triantos: 151 wRC+, 0% K%, 7.7% BB%, 1 3B: I also didn't mess up any numbers for James Triantos before you asked. James was able to avoid striking out all week, much like the aforementioned Moises Ballesteros. I'm unsure if he'll get the bump to Tennessee right now or if his season will be over. Regardless, his season in High-A will end with a cumulative 115 wRC+ and a miniscule K% of 10.6%. I still need to see more extra-base hits and power, but his bat-to-ball skill is unrivaled right now. 🔥Luis Verdugo: 327 wRC+, 11.1% K%, 14.8% BB%, 2 HR, 5 2b: Talk about a late-season breakout for Luis Verdugo! Since July 1st, Verdugo has a 162 wRC+, a K% of 12.1%, has hit seven home runs with 16 doubles, and has looked like a different hitter. He's been a mainstay of the "hot" category, and there's some helium here for a 23-year-old who will be in Tennessee to start next season. He remains Rule 5 eligible, but I don't think he'll be picked. Keep an eye on him as a sleeper in 2024 to make the Cubs if these last two months were a light switch and something's changed. 😟Michael Arias: 2.1 IP, 5 K, 5 BB, 0 R, 0 ER: Michael Arias came out of Sunday's game with an apparent injury. Prior to being hurt, Arias was kind of all over the place, with five strikeouts and five walks, but the concern here is the injury. Arias had a great season, all things considered, so I'm a little worried that it could all be undone with a bad injury. Let's hope he's healthy, can get some good work over the offseason, and then go full bore next year. Myrtle Beach Pelicans, Low-A (4-2) The Myrtle Beach Pelicans finished off their last week of the regular season, winning four of six at home against Columbia, capping off their regular season on a high note. Hopefully, the momentum will carry them into the week, as they play three games (if necessary) against Charleston, the first on the road and the last two at home. 🔥Jackson Ferris: 5 IP, 6 K, 1 BB, 0 R, 0 ER: Fresh off one of his worst starts on the season, Jackson Ferris bounced back with five strong innings. Throwing 56 innings in his first season as a professional, Ferris finished with a K/9 over 12 and a 3.60 xFIP on the season. If there's some polish, it's on being more deliberate and consistent in the zone. He's just 19; there's some funk there, and the arrow is pointing in the right direction. 🔥Brian Kalmer: 271 wRC+, 16.7 K%, 4.2 BB%, 3 HR, 2 2B: I have no idea if Brian Kalmer will continue to be this good in the future, but the present is really fun. He's also learning, as his K%, which used to be in the "danger zone," has dropped to 20%. I have no complaints about his first stint. His age says we should expect him to be better than Low-A, but he literally finishes with a WRC+ of 200, and I'm not entirely sure that's just age. 🔥Jonathon Long: 127 wRC+, 21.7 K%, 9.1% BB%, 2 HR, 1 2B: Again, ignore the .200 batting average Jonathon Long had and focus on the .371 wOBA and the 127 wRC+. Like Brian Kalmer, Long is probably too old and good for Myrtle Beach, but they also put up eye-popping numbers. Kalmer has overshadowed him, but that has less to do with Long and more with Kalmer. 🔥Drew Gray; 3 IP, 5 K, 2 BB, 1 R, 1 ER: Drew Gray has been lights out recently, with 22 strikeouts in just ten innings. The Tommy John surgery seems quite successful, and the young left-handed pitcher finished 2023 off wonderfully. I wonder if he'll start in Myrtle for a month like Cade Horton to protect his arm or just go straight to South Bend? 🥶Luis Rujano: 1 IP, 1 K, 2 BB, 2 R, 2 ER: Not a super strong finish for Luis Rujano, but a great season nonetheless. He's made himself interesting enough that an early season 2024 call-up to South Bend, or even a South Bend start, is on the table. Either way, for a pitcher who reportedly only had a fastball this time last year, he's had a wonderful season. I've got some hopes that Rujano can eventually end up in an MLB rotation. View full article

I don't think he'll sit like Canario...but I don't think he'll play much at all. I expect it'll be defense late in games, pinch running, etc, especially after Ross' comments. I would be fine to see him play over Tauchman on a few occasions to begin with, personally (who's been pretty brutal for a while, and I had been kind of waiting for the clock to strike midnight on) and maybe getting more time after. I could also be fine if this means more Bellinger in CF, and Candelario/Madrigal more in the infield. PCA can help the Cubs win games and I hope they use him as such.

Yes. South Bend is eliminated, and they have no more regular season games, so probably a handful of people will go up.

Suzuki again haha. I guess they just had to tweak him to make him into the greatest hitter the MLB has ever seen.