CaliforniaRaisin

During Spring Training, MLB prospects played some sort of expo game vs. Team Italy. They liked what they saw from him with the bat and the glove, and inked him. Cool. Thanks for sharing that. I wonder why he was playing in Italy? Much better leagues that pay more with a chance to be seen by scouts. No one scouts baseball players playing in Italy lol. His story is so wild. I'm guessing Europe was the only place he could get paid to play baseball (or best paid for it). He struggled in the minors (was teammates with the likes of Francisco Lindor, Jose Ramirez and Tyler Naquin in 2012-13), was cut in 2013, left affiliated ball before being spotted in the Cubs this spring. Glad he found himself on the right side of the 2016 World Series.

3 expected Cubs are in the MLB Pipeline's top 30 2019-20 IFAs: http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2019?list=int 6. Ronnier Quintero, C, Dominican Republic 11. Kevin Made, SS, Venezuela 30. Brayan Altuve, C, Venezuela There are blurbs for each of those three in the link. There are also a few other prospects not linked to any teams yet.

Box Scores: Iowa lost 2-1 Box Score Tennessee won 6-5 Box Score Myrtle Beach won 4-2 Box Score South Bend won 2-1 Box Score

https://www.thecubreporter.com/05062019/keprelian-throws-three-shutout-innings-cubs-riverview#comments

Box Scores: Iowa won 6-5 Box Score Tennessee lost 8-5 Box Score Myrtle Beach won 4-3 Box Score South Bend lost 8-5 Box Score

Robel is 26. He probably needs to get the bump to AAA.

Box Scores: Iowa won 6-3 Box Score LF D. Dewees 2/4, 2B (2), HBP CF I. Happ 1/5, R SS A. Russell 1/5, K 2B T. Giambrone 0/4 SP C. Rea 5.2 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 6-2 GO-FO, 86-51 pitches-strikes RP X. Cedeño 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 0-1 GO-FO, 11-4 pitches-strikes -r ehab RP B. Duensing 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 3-0 GO-FO RP R. Rosario 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 2-0 GO-FO RP R. Wick 1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 1-0 GO-FO Tennessee lost 3-2 Box Score SS V. Machin 1/3, RBI, BB 1B J. Young 0/4, 2 K 2B R. Garcia 1/4, RBI, BB 3B PJ Higgins 0/4, 2 K C J. Pereda 0/4, BB, 2 K SP T. Miller 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K, 6-4 GO-FO RP M. Rondón 2 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 3-2 GO-FO Myrtle Beach had the day off South Bend threw a combined no-hitter and won 2-0 Box Score DH-LF DJ Artis 0/3, 2 K C V. Caratini 1/2, K, 2B (1) - rehab CF C. Roederer 1/3, 2B (7) LF-CF N. Velázquez 0/3, K SS A. Weber 0/2, R, BB, K, E (10, fielding) 1B T. Durna 1/3, R, HR (1), 2 RBI RF J. Sierra 0/3 3B C. Morel 0/3, K, E (6, throw) SP D. Casey 7 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K, 5-7 GO-FO RP P. Remy 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 2-1 GO-FO

I don't think Happ is close to ready, unfortunately. He's showing improvement of late, but it's not like he's been raking for an extended period of time. That's what I would like to see before he's called up. If he can keep up what he's shown in the last 9 games (including this one) thru the rest of May, then he will have convinced me. I have no idea, of course, what keys the Cubs are looking for. I'm just going off of overall production. I'm in agreement that I'd like Almora to spend some time in Iowa next, though, assuming he doesn't get hot. It's only his last 10 games/41 PA but Happ has been OPSing .924 over that time (.303/.439/.485) with a 7.5% K% and a 17.5% BB%. I'd rather have him up over Almora or Zagunis.

Box Scores: Iowa won 8-1 Box Score CF I. Happ 2/5, R, HR (4), RBI, K 2B A. Russell 2/5, R, HR (3), RBI, K 3B T. Giambrone 0/4, BB, SB (3) SS D. Machado 1/3, 2 R, HR (5), RBI, 2 BB C I. Rice 2/4, K SP M. Swarmer 5 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 4-3 GO-FO, 79-51 pitches-strikes RP X. Cedeño 0.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, ) K, 1-0 GO-FO, 18-12 pitches-strikes - rehab Tennessee lost 3-0 Box Score 2B V. Machin 1/3, BB, 2B (6) LF J. Young 0/3, 2 K, HBP 1B PJ Higgins 2/4 C J. Pereda 0/3, BB, K SS L. Vázquez 0/3, 2 K SP O. de la Cruz 5 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 5 K, 1 HBP, 2-5 GO-FO, 89-49 pitches-strikes, balk RP W. Short 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 1-0 GO-FO Myrtle Beach won 8-2 Box Score RF J. Herron 3/4, R, 2B (8), 2 RBI, K, CS (2) 2B C. Sepulveda 1/4, R, RBI, K 1B L. Reynolds 2/4, K SS A. Ademan 0/3, R, BB 3B Y. Peguero 0/4, K SP L. Lugo 5 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 4-6 GO-FO, 78-52 pitches-strikes RP B. Hecht 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K RP M. Rodríguez 1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K South Bend won 3-2 Box Score LF DJ Artis 1/2, 2 R, HR (1), 2 RBI, 2 BB CF C. Roederer 1/3, BB, 2 K, CS (2) DH A. Weber 0/4, RBI, K RF N. Velázquez 1/4, CS (3) 1B T. Durna 0/4 3B C. Morel 1/4, 2B (2) SP B. Márquez 4 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 7-1 GO-FO, 68-45 pitches, 2 E (2, throw, fielding) RP J. Patterson 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R< 0 BB, 3 K, 5-0 GO-FO

Nelson Velázquez home run.

Great company to be with. That time he got the first 18 right was so wild. I noticed there was no Jack Leiter in the first round. With his signability, Arizona is probably the only team that has a chance with him.

Box Scores: Iowa won 6-1 Box Score LF D. Dewees 3/5, R CF I. Happ 2/3, RBI, HBP, E (1, fielding) 2B A. Russell 1/4, RBI 1B T. Giambrone 2/3, R, 2 2B (10), RBI, 2 BB, K SS D. Machado 2/4, R, HR (4), RBI SP D. Underwood Jr 6.1 iP, 8 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, 5-4 GO-FO, 89-63 pitches-strikes RP C. Edwards Jr 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 3-1 GO-FO RP J. Norwood 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 2-1 GO-FO Tennessee won 6-3 Box Score 1B V. Machin 0/2, 2 BB LF J. Young 1/4, 3 RBI, K 3B R. Garcia 2/4, R, HR (6), 3 RBI C PJ Higgins 1/4, 2 K, CS (1) SS L. Vázquez 1/4, R, K SP C. Abbott 6.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 7 K, 1 HBP, 4-5 GO-FO, 96-67 pitches-strikes SP C. Brooks 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 0-0 GO-FO Myrtle Beach won 3-2 Box Score C M. Amaya 0/2, R, 2 BB, K RF J. Herron 0/3, R, BB 3B L. Reynolds 1/4, R, HR (1), 3 RBI, 2 K SS A. Ademan 0/2, BB, K SP A. Lange 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 7 K, 5-2 GO-FO, 72-40 pitches-strikes RP J. Stinnett 2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP, 5-1 GO-FO, 37-24 pitches-strikes - season debut South Bend lost 4-3 Box Score LF DJ Artis 1/5, RBI, 2 K, SB (8) CF C. Roederer 1/4, K, 2B (6) SS A. Weber 0/4, 3 K RF J. Sierra 0/4, 3 K, 2 E (4, fielding, throw) DH N. Velázquez 1/4, R, HR (1), RBI,3 K 1B T. Durna 1/4, 2 K 3B C. Morel 0/4, 2 K SP R. Thompson 5 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 1 WP, 4-3 GO-FO, 83-56 pitches-strikes RP J. Passantino 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 1-3 GO-FO

Today in Arizona: https://www.thecubreporter.com/05032019/dingcong-kelly-combo-too-much-cubs-fitch-park

The struggling Weber has a .996 OPS in his last 10 games.

Shewmake went 31 and Hoese 32 in this mock.

BA has a new mock draft out today:

Box Scores: Iowa won 9-1 Box Score LF D. Dewees 1/4, R, BB CF I. Happ 0/2, R, 3 BB, K SS A. Russell 1/4, 2 R, HR (2), 4 RBI, BB 3B T. Giambrone 0/4, K SP M. Montgomery 6 IP, 1 H, 1 ER< 2 BB, 3 K, 1 WP, 8-5 GO-FO, 76-45 pitches-strikes - rehab RP T. Collins 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 0-1 GO-FO RP D. Mekkes 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1-1 GO-FO RP R. Wick 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 2-0 GO-FO Tennessee lost 16-9 Box Score 1B V. Machin 3/5, 2 R, 2 2B (5), 2 RBI LF J. Young 3/4, 2 RBI, 2B (4), BB 3B R. Garcia 1/3, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K C J. Pereda 0/4, R, BB, K SS L. Vázquez 2/5, R, K SP T. Hatch 4 IP, 8 H, 8 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 5-0 GO-FO, 87-56 pitches-srtikes RP M. Rucker 2.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 1-0 GO-FO, 68-50 pitches-strikes Myrtle Beach won 12-2 Box Score C M. Amaya 2/5, 2 R, 2B (7) CF J. Herron 1/3, R, RBI, 2B (7), 2 BB 2B A. Ademan 2/4, R, RBI, K, CS (2) 3B Y. Peguero 2/4, 2 R, RBI, 2 K SP J. Assad 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K, 1 HBP, 7-6 GO-FO, 80-47 pitches-strikes South Bend lost 3-1 Box Score LF DJ Artis 0/3, BB, CS (3) CF C. Roederer 0/4, 2 K SS A. Weber 0/4, K DH J. Sierra 1/3, R RF N. Velázquez 1/3, 2B (8), 2 K 1B T. Durna 1/2, BB 3B C. Morel 0/3, K, E (5, fielding) SP F. Carrera 6 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 1 WP, 2 HR, 10-2 GO-FO, 86-54 pitches-strikes RP E. Roberts 2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 2-1 GO-FO

Seriously? We're talking about Dewees? If KC thought anything of him they wouldn't have traded him back to us for basically a non-prospect (Stephen Ridings) that I had to lookup just now lol. KC is rebuilding right now and wouldn't make this trade if they thought he was any good. He's nothing special and just part of our effort to bolster our depth at AA/AAA. I'm just saying that I don't like any of our options at CF (unless Heyward continues to wOBA over 400 and compensate for what looks like below-average defense; Almora can't get on base; Happ is not a natural there) and if he continues to hit and get on base at a high clip and Happ gets another chance and turns back into the hole that the league turned him into, then I would like to see Dewees get a look. I really don't care if teams have cast him aside. There are numerous examples of players bouncing around before they were given a shot and they have turned out successful careers at dirt-cheap cost. Think of guys like Muncy, Taylor, Beckham, Voit, etc etc I'm not clamoring for him but I will be watching to see if he maintains or maybe even improves as the year goes along. Dewees isn't that great in center.

https://www.milb.com/milb/news/chicago-cubs-prospect-tyson-miller-flirts-with-perfection/c-306767924?tcid=tw_article_306767924

Box Scores: Iowa won 8-6 Box Score Tennessee won game one 5-1 Box Score Tennessee won game two 5-2 Box Score Myrtle Beach lost 5-3 Box Score South Bend lost 10-1 Box Score

Nico up to 64 in BA’s revised top 100 list. Amaya remains unranked.

Box Scores: Iowa won game one 6-1 (7 innings) Box Score Iowa won game two 3-2 (7 innings) Box Score Tennessee won 3-2 (10 innings) Box Score Myrtle Beach lost 8-3 Box Score South Bend lost game one 2-1 (7 innings) Box Score South Bend won game two 2-0 (7 innings) Box Score

Ademan with a .926 OPS.