CaliforniaRaisin

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Feels like epidemic this year in the minors.

Yep. He went to the Padres the pick after Almora. He and Giolito were HS teammates and both expected to go in the top 10 before Giolito blew his arm out. They were also HS teammates with current Cardinal Jack Flaherty. Doubt you cared about all that but whatever.

Oh, that’s another interesting prep hitting prospect, as long as there are no character concerns (after his brother stabbed a guy as a prank).

So at our pick (#24) I just don't think there will be a college bat that's better than the other prospects available at that point. India is too high now, and I don't like Eierman or Hoerner that much. Larnach will probably be selected before their pick too. I think the clear strength of this draft is pitching so you have to take advantage of that. I want them to target a good high school bat as well, but get away from taking the great athlete/raw baseball skills type player. Well yeah, I'm not taking a guy just to mark off my list. That IS my preference, no matter where we pick in ANY draft. In this one, I hate saying pitching looks to be where the strength is, where we're at, but it likely is..... But, if any of Scott, Turang, or Larnach are available at 24, I'm taking them. And I'm not opposed to taking Walker, Hannah, or Groshans either. Although I'd want a discount on Walker or Hanna, to throw at a pitcher next round. I’d take Casas at 24 too, if he’s available.

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/victor-mesa-the-best-cuban-prospect-since-yoan-moncada-brings-elite-talent-to-mlb-clubs/ Badler compared him to Victor Robles, though cautioned Victor Victor Mesa isn’t a top 10 prospect like Robles yet because of Robles’ success at AA. Badler did say he’d be a top 10 pick if he were in this year’s draft, possibly even pushing close to 1.1. He has the ability to play at high-A or AA. But he has bad timing to his potential bonus earnings:

Box Scores: Iowa won 4-3 (12 innings) on a walk off Ryan Court single Box Score 1B E. Navarro 1/4, R, BB, 2 K LF B. Rademacher 0/3, R, BB C C. Gimenez 1/4, R, 2B (5), 2 RBI, K; defense: 2/5 CS SP L. Farrell 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K, 4-3 GO-FO, 65-39 pitches-strikes RP S. Simmons 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 1-0 GO-FO RP D. Maples 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 2-0 GO-FO RP C. Mazzoni 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 2-0 GO-FO Tennessee lost 9-5 Box Score CF-LF C. Burks 1/3, R, 2 BB, K, CS (3), 2 E (5, fielding, fielding) LF Je. Báez 0/3, K RF E. Martinez 1/3, R, 2B (6), BB C I. Rice 2/4, 2 R, 2B (5), HR (1), 3 RBI, K 2B V. Machin 0/4 - AA debut SP T. Clifton 5 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 1 HBP, 3 WP, 3-4 GO-FO, 93-64 pitches-strikes RP R. McNeil 2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 3-0 GO-FO - season debut Myrtle Beach lost 3-1 Box Score 2B A. Monasterio 0/4, BB, 2 K C PJ Higgins 1/3, BB, K; defense: E (2, throw), 1/3 CS 3B W. Galindo 1/4, 2 K DH J. Pereda 0/3, BB, K LF K. Mitchell 0/4, K, E (2, fielding) 1B A. Upshaw 1/4, 2 K SS A. Ademan 1/4, R, K, SB (3) SP A. Lange 5 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 8-4 GO-FO, 72-40 pitches-strikes RP B. Clark 3 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 1 HR, 2-2 GO-FO, 58-36 pitches-strikes South Bend lost 7-0 Box Score CF C. Singleton 0/4, K SS J. Bethencourt 0/4, E (9, fielding) 1B J. Young 2/4, 2B (6), E (4, fielding) 3B A. Filiere 1/4, E (8, fielding) C M. Amaya 2/4, K DH N. Velázquez 0/3, BB RF B. Hughes 1/4, 3 K 2B R. Narea 2/4, 2B (6), K, SB (1) SP B. Little 6 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 2 HR, 9-5 GO-FO - all 5 runs scored in the 6th inning

Goodness that was a quick hook on Chatwood.

Y’all should like this:

Aramis Ademan went 3/5 with a triple plus a walk and a HBP in today's doubleheader. Jhonny Pereda went 3/6 with 2 doubles plus a walk. Pereda seems like the Cubs’ breakout position player prospect so far this season.

https://www.thecubreporter.com/comment/258573#comment-258573

In Arizona: https://www.thecubreporter.com/05152018/bumpy-rockie-road-salt-river-fields-cubs

Miguel Amaya hit home run #5. Oscar de la Cruz went 4 scoreless before 4 of the 5 guys he faced in the 5th scored. Dillon Maples has had consecutive rough outings.

Box Scores: Iowa had the day off Tennessee lost 8-6 Box Score CF C. Burks 3/5, 2 R, 2 2B (6), HR (2), 2 RBI, E (3, fielding) LF Je. Báez 2/5, 2 R, 2B (9), RBI, K, SB (10) SS Z. Short 1/5, 2B (10), RBI, K DH J. Vosler 1/5, R, 2B (6), RBI RF E. Martinez 2/4, 2B (5), RBI, K SP M. Rucker 5 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HBP, 5-6 GO-FO, 84-58 pitches-strikes RP C. Brooks 1 IP, 0 H, 0R , 0 BB, 0 K, 2-0 GO-FO Myrtle Beach lost game one 3-1 (7 innings) Box Score 2B A. Monasterio 1/4 C PJ Higgins 1/3; defense: 0/1 CS DH J. Pereda 1/3, R, 2B (2) 3B W. Galindo 0/3, K 1B T. Alamo 2/2, BB LF K. Mitchell 0/1, RBI, BB CF L. Ayala 0/3, K SS A. Ademan 0/2, BB, SB (2) SP T. Miller 5.2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 1 HBP, 7-3 GO-FO, 89-49 pitches-strikes Myrtle Beach won game two 10-1 (7 innings) Box Score 2B A. Monasterio 1/4, RBI C J. Pereda 2/3, 2 R, 2B (3), RBI, BB 3B W. Galindo 2/3, 2 R, 2B (8), RBI, BB DH T. Alamo 3/4, 2 R, 2 2B (6), 2 RBI, K RF L. Ayala 1/1, 2 RBI, BB, SB (1) 1B A. Upshaw 0/4 SS A. Ademan 3/3, 2 R, 3B (2), HBP SP B. Hudson 5 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 5 BB, 3 K, 1 HBP, 2 WP, 8-2 GO-FO, 92-44 pitches-strikes South Bend won game one 6-4 (12 innings) Box Score CF C. Singleton 1/3 R, outfield assist at third base 2B J. Bethencourt 1/6, K 1B J. Yong 0/5, BB 3B A. Filiere 1/5, r, RBI, 2 K C M. Amaya 1/4, BB DH N. Velázquez 2/5, RBI, 2 K RF B. Hughes 0/4, R, K, HBP SS R. Narea 0/4, R, BB, K SP J. Assad 7 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, 2 HBP, 11-0 GO-FO RP M. Rodriguez 3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 WP, 1-2 GO-FO South Bend lost game two 5-2 (7 innings) Box Score CF C. Singleton 2/4, R, 2B (5), 3B (1), RBI, K 3B J. Bethencourt 0/3, BB 1B J. Young 1/3, RBI DH A. Filiere 0/2, BB RF N. Velázquez 0/3, 2 K LF B. Hughes 1/3, K SS R. Narea 1/3, 2 K SP J. Camargo 4 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 1-3 GO-FO, 55-39 pitches-strikes RP J. Albertos 2 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 5 BB, 4 K, 1 WP, 1-0 GO-FO, 46-20 pitches-strikes

Patrick Mooney: Cubs Alter Draft Strategy in Wake of Trades

I say that about thinking Vasil likely needing TJS and then Kiley tweets this:

I suspect Denaburg and Vasil will need TJS once they’re pros. This mock has Mason Denaburg going to the Nationals at 27 (makes sense, this is the organization that drafted Giolito) and Mike Vasil 39 to Arizona. Ethan Hankins also fell to Colorado at 42 in this mock but he supposedly got a clean bill of health after shoulder “fatigue” (I’m not at all interested in picking an already-risky prep pitcher who has shoulder problems).

The link: https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/2018-mlb-mock-draft-v-2-0/ It’s a good read. I had it posted with a bad link, then forgot to put it back in, then I guess you posted it while I was redoing it lol. I'm not sure what I feel about Kowar. I like Walker. I also like quite a few of the HS Pitchers taken after us. But, it sounds like college is going to be our direction in the 1st. With the 2 comp picks, I really will be disappointed if we don't do one really huge, fun thing with a HS arm, or 2 Estrada type moves. We've got the overall budget to be very interesting. Yeah, with as many picks in the top 100 as they have, this mock seems to be going with the strategy of one overslot prep guy later. Hopefully that kid is more Cease and less Hudson. I’d rather take the high ceiling guy in the first when you have the most options. Interesting to see Rodriguez fall to 34 and Casas to 36 with no bonus demands or injuries. Vasil to 39 and Hankins 42 due to injury, Rocker to 38 due to bonus demands.

The link: https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/2018-mlb-mock-draft-v-2-0/ It’s a good read.

Acuña was actually the first I thought of but he didn’t have the slugging that Vlad Jr does at AA. But yeah, he absolutely belongs in any convo about best prospects this century.

Today in Arizona: https://www.thecubreporter.com/05142018/mora-same-cubs-hitters-fitch-park Manuel Rondón is done with his Extended Spring Training rehab and is off to South Bend.

He's in the same convo as Trout/Harper IMO. Then again... it's a short list of teenage prospects who raked in AA or higher. Who else would there be in the 21st century? Miguel Cabrera.

Meh.

Box Scores: Iowa lost 4-2 Box Score 1B E. Navarro 0/4, BB, 2 K C C. Gimenez 1/4, BB, 2 K; defense: PB (1), 1/1 CS RF B. Rademacher 2/4, K 2B C. Young 2/4, 2B (3), RBI SP A. Mills 5 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 6-1 GO-FO, 64-41 pitches-strikes RP R. Rosario 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 0-1 GO-FO RP D. Maples 1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 2-0 GO-FO Tennessee lost 11-3 Box Score LF C. Burks 1/3, R, 2 BB, SB (4), E (2, fielding) SS Z. Short 0/4, 3 K DH J. Vosler 0/3, BB RF Je. Báez 2/4, K, outfield assist at second base C I. Rice 0/3, R, BB; defense: 0/1 CS SP O. de la Cruz 4.1 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 2 HBP, 3-2 GO-FO, 92-58 pitches-strikes - all runs surrendered in the 5th inning RP J. Norwood 1.2, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 1 HBP, 1 WP, 1-1 GO-FO RP J. Stinnett 0.2 IP, 3 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 WP, 0-1 GO-FO Myrtle Beach PPD - Rain South Bend won 4-3 Box Score DH J. Bethencourt 0/3, BB, 2 K 1B J. Young 1/4, R, K 3B A. Filiere 2/4, R, 2B (12), K, E (7, throw) C M. Amaya 1/4, R, HR (5), RBI 2B Y. Peguero 0/4, K, E (4, fielding) RF N. Velázquez 0/4, 2 K LF B. Hughes 1/3, R, SB I8) SS R. Narea 1/3, RBI, K SP T. Thomas 6.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 1 WP, 7-5 GO-FO, 91-65 pitches-strikes RP M. Rondón 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 2-1 GO-FO, 32-20 pitches-strikes - 2018 season debut RP E. de los Rios 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 3-0 GO-FO