Cubs Farm System And Prospects Discussion Thread

[CSF77]

Cease off the DL finally. Got 2 innings in.

 

[CSF77]

Adbert Alzolay: 7 IP 5 Hits. 2 BB, 6 SO no runs given up in a 2-0 shut out win. This kid maybe the best performer in the system right now.

6-1 2.83 ERA 70 IP, 7.07 H/9 2.31 BB/9, 8.61 SO/9

 

[beckdawg]

Man Charcer Burks is really under valued. He's hitting .310/.409/.455 in AA with 5 HRs and 9 steals in 200 ABs. Down side on him is I don't think he's much more than a LF. He's played a little CF but most of his innings are in LF.

 

[CSF77]

Man Charcer Burks is really under valued. He's hitting .310/.409/.455 in AA with 5 HRs and 9 steals in 200 ABs. Down side on him is I don't think he's much more than a LF. He's played a little CF but most of his innings are in LF.

20 HR in 1381 AB's. That is occasional power. Honestly if he was a SH his rankings would be higher. Seeing he is falling under the common RH corner OF he is not eye opening. He is like Zagnus in Iowa. Both are not huge power guys (9 from Zag is shocking) but both are good contact types. But both are limited to a power spot. If they were LH with h plus D you could justify it.

I don't expect much with him. Not a bad player but not really a desirable profile.

 

[beckdawg]

20 HR in 1381 AB's. That is occasional power. Honestly if he was a SH his rankings would be higher. Seeing he is falling under the common RH corner OF he is not eye opening. He is like Zagnus in Iowa. Both are not huge power guys (9 from Zag is shocking) but both are good contact types. But both are limited to a power spot. If they were LH with h plus D you could justify it.

I don't expect much with him. Not a bad player but not really a desirable profile.

Wouldn't read too much into the power right now. The first 700 or so PAs he didn't do much of anything but last year in A+ he had 11 HRs in 531 PAs and he's on a roughly similar pace this year. He's going to have below average power(probably a 45ish grade) but he does have gap power. He's a bit like Almora in that regard as like Almora he hits a lot of doubles(22 in 498 PAs at A, 28 in 531 at A+ and 12 thus far in AA over 235).

I'm not saying he should be a top 15 prospect but he should really be in the cubs top 30. At worst he'll be a valuable bench guy with a decent bat and some speed and the ability to play all 3 positions though as mentioned you ideal want him in a corner.

 

[CSF77]

Wouldn't read too much into the power right now. The first 700 or so PAs he didn't do much of anything but last year in A+ he had 11 HRs in 531 PAs and he's on a roughly similar pace this year. He's going to have below average power(probably a 45ish grade) but he does have gap power. He's a bit like Almora in that regard as like Almora he hits a lot of doubles(22 in 498 PAs at A, 28 in 531 at A+ and 12 thus far in AA over 235).

I'm not saying he should be a top 15 prospect but he should really be in the cubs top 30. At worst he'll be a valuable bench guy with a decent bat and some speed and the ability to play all 3 positions though as mentioned you ideal want him in a corner.

Almora plays plus D and is a CF first. That puts him ahead. I don't dislike him but his profile is too common. Good but not exciting.

 

[CSF77]

Hatch put up a eye opening performance. 8 IP of shut out ball. 7 K. 1BB. It seems like he finally is getting adjusted to the talent.

Clifton got hit by div leading Chattanooga. 6 IP 4 runs given up. 3 BB 5 SO. He was on a strong run to that point but he is going up against the div leader.

 

[beckdawg]

Looks like the cubs are being pretty crafty about IFA's. There's a rule that essentially let's them over pay the $300k limit they are stuck with by going after mexican league players since typically the club gets 75%. In other words, they can give a guy $300k and end up paying $1.2 mil. Word is they have done this with a pitcher.

Indeed, in a report at Baseball America, Badler writes that the Cubs appear set to sign the 17-year-old right-handed Serrano to a deal. Serrano, who’s 6’1″, has a fastball that sits in the low nineties, but has topped out at 94 MPH before, and a sharp-breaking curveball that could be a “future plus pitch.” There is a chance he ends up as a reliever, in Badler’s opinion, but that decision is still a long way’s off.

They are also supposedly front runners on the #30 guy on mlb.com's top IFAs Luis Verdugo

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 40 | Run: 45 | Arm: 60 | Field: 55
The top position prospect from Mexico, Verdugo is best known for his strong arm and defensive prowess in the middle of the diamond.

He's athletic with good instincts on both sides of the ball, but he is a below average runner right now. Verdugo is a contact hitter, shows a good bat path through the strike zone and puts the ball in play. However, the belief is that he could still improve on his overall hit tool and that he will once he enters a team's academy.

Verdugo has been praised for his solid defensive actions and footwork. He has quick hands and makes all of the plays. Scouts also like his makeup and maturity level.

Verdugo is trained by Diablos Rojos del Mexico in the Mexican League. The Cubs are the favorite to sign him.

 

[beckdawg]

I'm falling asleep so i'll miss a few of the results before the finish in particular Eugene's first game but just wanted to comment Steele looked good again but took a hard luck no decision

5 IP 4 hits 3 walks 0 ER 5 K's.

His 7.5 k/9 so far this year is lower than you'd like to see from a pitching prospect with his draft cred but I feel like a lot of that was early season issues. His last 6 starts have gone 5 k's, 8 k's, 3 k's, 7 k's, 5 k's, 6 k's over 34.2 or 8.82 k/9. His 3.4 bb/9 is also higher than you'd like to see but eh he's getting back on track I suppose.

Also, while I mentioned it the Eugene team is going to be interesting to watch. Aramis Ademan, Miguel Amaya and Kwang-Min Kwon were all big bonus IFA at SS, C and LF respectively. Don't recognize any of the other names other than Connor Myers who's playing CF but those 3 should be interesting especially when they infuse some of the guys drafted. Also Javier Assad is starting tonight and he's worth watching. He had a 10.04 k/9 and a 3.11 bb/9 in 37.2 innings in mesa last year with a 2.87 ERA. Already has 2 K's through 1 as I write this.

 

[brett05]

Almora plays plus D and is a CF first. That puts him ahead. I don't dislike him but his profile is too common. Good but not exciting.

Almora isn't this year tho

 

[CSF77]

Almora isn't this year tho

Pretty sure he would start at CF for a few teams out there. Joe hasn't committed to him.

 

[CSF77]

Is Cease on a pitch limit? 48 pitches for 2.1 innings

 

[beckdawg]

Is Cease on a pitch limit? 48 pitches for 2.1 innings

Not sure but wouldn't surprise me if they slow rolled him coming off injury.

Also Micheal Rucker my dudes.... took the L but 6 innings 3 hits 1 ER 2 BB and 6 K's. This year he has 41 k's and 8 bb's in 30.1 innings. That's absurd. It's 12.16 k/9 and a 2.4 bb/9. He legitimately might be too advanced for A+. I don't know that they promote him right away given they've switched him to starting but I would be willing to bet he'd fair well against AA hitting right now. Much has been made about Adbert Alzolay's rise up rankings and deservedly so. But he's only at 8.61 k/9 and 2.31 bb/9 this year in A+. Other than Cease, De La Cruz and possibly Albertos Rucker is the pitcher I'm most excited about right now.

 

[CSF77]

He has already promoted this year. Even after the promotion he didn't see any fall off. He will be 24 in Apr next year and I agree that he is a candidate for mid season promotions.

 

[chibears55]

Other than Cease, De La Cruz and possibly Albertos Rucker is the pitcher I'm most excited about right now.

You should add Thomas Hatch to that list..

Thomas Hatch (High-A), last 5 starts: 0.89 ERA, 30.1 IP, 33 K, 7 BB, 24 H. Very dominant stretch. 3rd Rd pick '16.

Tseng and Clifton are looking pretty good in AA..

Which of these kids or others in system do you think has a legit shot if they continue progressing this year in going North out of ST or get a shot at some point during season next year

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[beckdawg]

You should add Thomas Hatch to that list..

Thomas Hatch (High-A), last 5 starts: 0.89 ERA, 30.1 IP, 33 K, 7 BB, 24 H. Very dominant stretch. 3rd Rd pick '16.

Tseng and Clifton are looking pretty good in AA..

Which of these kids or others in system do you think has a legit shot if they continue progressing this year in going North out of ST or get a shot at some point during season next year

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It's not that I'm down on Hatch. My point was more that I think Clifton and him may have less upside than what Rucker is showing right now. Clifton and Hatch to me look like they top out as #3 starters best case which obviously isn't bad. However, There's not a ton of guys in the minors who strike out 10+ k/9 like Rucker has. To put it into perspective here, Oscar De La Cruz has a 7.99 k/9 and 2.09 bb/9 in A+ as a 22 year old. Now De La Cruz is more projectable and as a former position player turned pitcher he's not as polished but Rucker is 23 and is at 11.42/2.77 in 3 starts in A+. He's also only given up 16 hits in 26 innings at A+.

Rucker is perhaps a little behind in terms of age/level. Most of the better college pitchers at 23 are in AA. But as mentioned I'd argue he is probably capable of getting AA batters out right now.

 

[CSF77]

It is harder to compar A+ pitchers to AA. Short term the pitcher has the advantage. Eventually the league adjusts.

Rucker is 23. Guys his age are at AA right now. So you can say he needs a bump but he is just been moved to the rotation and I'm expecting at least 6 games before they pull that deal.

I expect Tseng and Clifton promoted. To back fill they have been starting Pugliese on a BP day. I'm not sure what they vision with him. But Rucker is a natural promote with Azolay so it may be a mute point.

A ball Cease has been dinged and the rest are system fillers. So they may go by age

 

[CSF77]

Hatch IDK to be honest. It took a while to adjust to the league. It is hard to say if they let this run continue or promote and most likely struggle in AA for the season. Then come out strong in AA out of spring and then struggle in Iowa.

I guess it depends on his mental make up. If he needs to be constantly challenged then he would be the first promoted as more was invested into him then Rucker or Azolay. You could argue if DeLaCruz didn't hit the DL he would get the nod first.

As far as what they have:

Clifton: 3-4. Tseng: 4-5. DeLaCruz:2-3 Hatch: 3-4, Azolay: IDK if this is legit. Rucker: too early not enough data vs equal Comp.

Cease: 1-2. Only true TOR. Robinson: see Rucker. H/9/BB/9 best in system. Way older than comp

Honestly that is a legit rankings. The new kids we need to see live IMO

 

[beckdawg]

Rucker is 23. Guys his age are at AA right now

That's not 100% accurate. Average age for hitters in AA is 24.2. Average age for pitching is 24.3. So he'd be young on average just not super young like most top prospect when they reach AA. He's roughly average age of A+ right now. I think he's more than capable of pitching against AA hitting right now and if he were still pitching out of the pen I bet he'd be in AA. I think they are slow rolling him while he gets stretched out as a starter.

 

[CSF77]

H.S kid: 18-19 Eugene 20 SB, 21 MB, 22 Tenn, 23 Iowa. This is if he makes every step and doesn't stick in Azl his first year.

College senior: 22 most likely gets eug/SB year 1. 23 MB, 24 Tenn. that case yes that is the avg.