Cubs Farm System And Prospects Discussion Thread

[beckdawg]

MLB.com's top 30 cubs prospects is out

http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2016?list=chc

 

[beckdawg]

If Cease's body doesn't break down on him that kid could be scary..... this is from cubs den on his start today.

It was Dylan Cease who had scouts buzzing today. One scout had him sitting at 98 and another had him consistently at 96-99 mph. The curve flashed plus today as Cease snapped off several nasty ones. The change was fringy but at this point, he looks like he has the makings of two plus pitches, so all he needs is to upgrade that change to average for it to be effective.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

If Cease's body doesn't break down on him that kid could be scary..... this is from cubs den on his start today.

It's going to be interesting to watch him this year. He's going to start at South Bend but there's a real sense from scouts that he'll be in Myrtle Beach by the end of the year. Obviously he needs to work on his changeup but yeah, he could be scary. For selfish reasons I hope he does make it to the Pelicans this year as I travel through the Carolinas a lot on business and will make it a point to see him pitch in a live game.

The other thing in that piece, and in other pieces this spring, is how good Ian Happ is looking. If the Cubs do end up trading for pitching there will be a lot of options without decimating the system.

 

[Walker]

What’s this about the Cubs having some girl pitcher in a developmental league hideout? They say she just turned twenty, and dual armed. What? Ambidextrous? Some sort of freak. Clocks 95 either arm. Read on the internet she is the great granddaughter of Three Finger Brown, or something. Why can’t we find out more Cubs?

 

[SilenceS]

What’s this about the Cubs having some girl pitcher in a developmental league hideout? They say she just turned twenty, and dual armed. What? Ambidextrous? Some sort of freak. Clocks 95 either arm. Read on the internet she is the great granddaughter of Three Finger Brown, or something. Why can’t we find out more Cubs?

Welcome to the board, don't be weird!

 

[Diehardfan]

What’s this about the Cubs having some girl pitcher in a developmental league hideout? They say she just turned twenty, and dual armed. What? Ambidextrous? Some sort of freak. Clocks 95 either arm. Read on the internet she is the great granddaughter of Three Finger Brown, or something. Why can’t we find out more Cubs?

You know, I heard this as well and did a bit of research and discovered that the "hideout" is actually in New Mexico....it's called Area 51.

And here is a picture of her......

 

[beckdawg]

What’s this about the Cubs having some girl pitcher in a developmental league hideout? They say she just turned twenty, and dual armed. What? Ambidextrous? Some sort of freak. Clocks 95 either arm. Read on the internet she is the great granddaughter of Three Finger Brown, or something. Why can’t we find out more Cubs?

I am not sure if it's drugs you are on or drugs you need to be on here. But none of what you said is a thing. The only ambidextrous pitcher in pro baseball as far as I know pat venditte and he is neither a girl nor a cubs player. If this were an actual thing even as a terrible prospect a girl would be generating national headlines which it isn't.

 

[TYINY]

Um, why waste time even typing that?

What’s this about the Cubs having some girl pitcher in a developmental league hideout? They say she just turned twenty, and dual armed. What? Ambidextrous? Some sort of freak. Clocks 95 either arm. Read on the internet she is the great granddaughter of Three Finger Brown, or something. Why can’t we find out more Cubs?

 

[beckdawg]

John Arguello ‎@CubsDen
Cease sitting 98, touched 99.
3:08 PM - 26 Mar 2016

That's legitimately nuts. From what I've read his curve is also apparently very good. If he figures out a third pitch he's so exciting. I've also read that his fastball isn't just fast but it also has some nice movement.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

John Arguello ‎@CubsDen
Cease sitting 98, touched 99.
3:08 PM - 26 Mar 2016

That's legitimately nuts. From what I've read his curve is also apparently very good. If he figures out a third pitch he's so exciting. I've also read that his fastball isn't just fast but it also has some nice movement.

Scouts are drooling over this kid. He's a legitimate TOR type prospect.

 

[brett05]

Scouts are drooling over this kid. He's a legitimate TOR type prospect.

Is he? He seems like a spec the White Sox just traded to the Dodgers in Frankie Montas. Fringe type guy that could be a starter or a reliever.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

Is he? He seems like a spec the White Sox just traded to the Dodgers in Frankie Montas. Fringe type guy that could be a starter or a reliever.

Not from what I'm seeing from scouts since he came back last year. If you remember this kid looked like a mid to high 1st round pick before he developed elbow problems in March 2014. The Cubs drafted him in the 6th knowing he'd require TJ but still paid him over slot $. He came back very strong in Arizona last fall and has been wowing everyone that's seen him this spring. If he can turn his changeup into a plus pitch he is absolutely a TOR prospect.

 

[beckdawg]

Is he? He seems like a spec the White Sox just traded to the Dodgers in Frankie Montas. Fringe type guy that could be a starter or a reliever.

Montas was a top 75 prospect IIRC. Edit: just looked it up, mlb.com had him at 95 to start this year. For what it's worth...

Montas
Fastball: 70 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45 | Overall: 55

Cease
Fastball: 70 | Curveball: 60 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 50

Generally speaking a top 100ish prospect is usually a #3ish. Cease isn't as far along and obviously when rankings came out he wasn't exactly known as he was still recovering which is likely why he's not top 100. The thing is if you read the report it says "He sits in the mid-90s with his heater." If he's now sitting at 98 that's a game changer especially when you consider his curve is supposedly 80. That contrast in speed is very hard to deal with.

 

[brett05]

Montas was a top 75 prospect IIRC. Edit: just looked it up, mlb.com had him at 95 to start this year. For what it's worth...

Montas
Fastball: 70 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45 | Overall: 55

Cease
Fastball: 70 | Curveball: 60 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 50

Generally speaking a top 100ish prospect is usually a #3ish. Cease isn't as far along and obviously when rankings came out he wasn't exactly known as he was still recovering which is likely why he's not top 100. The thing is if you read the report it says "He sits in the mid-90s with his heater." If he's now sitting at 98 that's a game changer especially when you consider his curve is supposedly 80. That contrast in speed is very hard to deal with.

All true, especially about the point TC made on taking a TJ guy. Without that third pitch I am just not sure he's a TOR is all. I think your numbers kinda indicate that.

 

[beckdawg]

All true, especially about the point TC made on taking a TJ guy. Without that third pitch I am just not sure he's a TOR is all. I think your numbers kinda indicate that.

The reports on his change up are that it's fringy at the moment but most think it will improve as he progresses and it's not a case where he wont have it. I've also read some think it doesn't even need to be particularly good with that difference in speed in between his fastball and his curve. He just needs one to be able to show people a third pitch.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

All true, especially about the point TC made on taking a TJ guy. Without that third pitch I am just not sure he's a TOR is all. I think your numbers kinda indicate that.

The fact that his change has been improving as has his command of his other 2 pitches. People that have seen him in the AFL and this spring are walking away impressed. Nothing is for sure but he has exceptional movement on his fastball and a good curve. I haven't heard if he'll stay in AZ for EST or start at South Bend but as that command improves and the changeup improves then he's likely to move fairly quickly through the system. This year is going to tell a lot of the tale.

Interesting that you brought up the Montas comparison though. I heard Steve Philips talking yesterday that had Montas not had the rib surgery he likely would have broken camp in the Dodgers rotation. Apparently the Dodgers braintrust of Andrew Friedman and his council of ex GM's are split on whether Montas' future is in the rotation or as the heir apparent to Kenly Jansen.

 

[Parade_Rain]

Montas was a top 75 prospect IIRC. Edit: just looked it up, mlb.com had him at 95 to start this year. For what it's worth...

Montas
Fastball: 70 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45 | Overall: 55

Cease
Fastball: 70 | Curveball: 60 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 50

Generally speaking a top 100ish prospect is usually a #3ish. Cease isn't as far along and obviously when rankings came out he wasn't exactly known as he was still recovering which is likely why he's not top 100. The thing is if you read the report it says "He sits in the mid-90s with his heater." If he's now sitting at 98 that's a game changer especially when you consider his curve is supposedly 80. That contrast in speed is very hard to deal with.

Those numbers are very odd. Cease ties Montas on FB, better breaking ball rating, better CU rating, better control rating and yet overall Montas has a better score? LOL.

 

[brett05]

The fact that his change has been improving as has his command of his other 2 pitches. People that have seen him in the AFL and this spring are walking away impressed. Nothing is for sure but he has exceptional movement on his fastball and a good curve. I haven't heard if he'll stay in AZ for EST or start at South Bend but as that command improves and the changeup improves then he's likely to move fairly quickly through the system. This year is going to tell a lot of the tale.

Interesting that you brought up the Montas comparison though. I heard Steve Philips talking yesterday that had Montas not had the rib surgery he likely would have broken camp in the Dodgers rotation. Apparently the Dodgers braintrust of Andrew Friedman and his council of ex GM's are split on whether Montas' future is in the rotation or as the heir apparent to Kenly Jansen.

He was a fringy guys with the White Sox too. Only guy the team may miss. Fortunately producing pitchers hasn't been a problem for the White Sox in decades. Offense well, let's just gloss over that shall we?

 

[beckdawg]

Those numbers are very odd. Cease ties Montas on FB, better breaking ball rating, better CU rating, better control rating and yet overall Montas has a better score? LOL.

He's closer to the majors and the rankings aren't present rankings but rather what they think he'll eventually be. Basically I'd say he probably has Cease in the top 150 if he had such ratings. McKinney is 88 and he's the cubs the cubs #6 prospect. Candelario is #7 but not top 100. And Cease is #8. I can see how it looks weird but if you follow the logic he probably used it's basically I think Cease might be really good but he's not really thrown since TJ surgery so he didn't put him on the top 100. Also for what it's worth, you generally don't see people in A- or lower ranked. Torres didn't show up last year on the top 100 until he started destroying A ball.

 

[beckdawg]

I haven't heard if he'll stay in AZ for EST or start at South Bend but as that command improves and the changeup improves then he's likely to move fairly quickly through the system. This year is going to tell a lot of the tale.

From what I've read they might start Cease in extended spring training and give him a bit of time to get his feet under him before sending him to South Bend. Most don't think they will wait til the summer for A-. That's more speculation than club sources though.

Edit: Also for what it's worth, for those in the chicago land area it might be worth a trip to south bend this year. That team is going to be stacked with interesting prospects.