Cubs Farm System And Prospects Discussion Thread

[CSF77]

They have done well with finding pitchablity guys which comes from drafting college arms. They were targeting HS arms in the early stages of this build and most have fallen short.

Johnson and Underwood were the 1st 2 arms taken and neither have panned out. But you look at some of the college arms and they have seen more success.

Now it could just be a learning curve thing and they are more advanced than the hitters. Which maybe a legit thing. But it also maybe just the fact that they max out the talent that they have vs relying on supposed potential

 

[CSF77]

I mentioned Swarmer earlier in the year. He was demoted to Eug and stretched out. Before he was a MR at SB.

Now the jump to AAA is pretty shocking. He is 23 So age wise he is where he needs to be.

But with them cutting Brooks maybe it is time that they start cleaning out all of the filler types in Iowa and start to fill it with viable long term pitching potentials.

Swarmer kinda came out of no where but Other guys that would be interesting to jump up would be Rucker and Robinson. Both of them really need higher competition vs development.

 

[beckdawg]

Now the jump to AAA is pretty shocking.

Not really. They to the best of my knowledge only promoted him because Iowa's bullpen is trashed right now. In the last 17 days they've played 19 games because of make up games. I doubt he stays long in AAA.

 

[beckdawg]

De La Cruz and Mills rehabed last night in mesa. Shame that it's so late in the year they wont get much more done.

 

[CSF77]

Winter league/fall

 

[beckdawg]

Keegan Thompson seems pretty legit. Coming into tonight he'd thrown 13 innings with 13 k's 4 walks 5 ER and 11 hits. Tonight he added 3 innings 2 hits 7k's and 0 ER so far after coming in the 5th after Albertos left(he also looked decent). Scouting on Thompson reminded me a bit of Hendricks though it appears his stuff was better.

 

[CSF77]

Mariners To Claim Jacob Hannemann
By Steve Adams | September 4, 2017 at 1:39pm CDT

The Mariners have claimed outfield prospect Jacob Hannemann off waivers from the Cubs, reports Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter). MLBTR had just reported that Hannemann would lose his 40-man roster spot, though it seems that his removal and subsequent placement on waivers was already in the works. He’ll land on Seattle’s 40-man roster.

The 26-year-old Hannemann has split the 2017 season between Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa, hitting considerably better at the more advanced of those two levels. Through 322 PAs with Iowa, Hannemann has slashed .265/.324/.404, though his rough stretch in Tennessee drags his cumulative batting line down to a less palatable .240/.312/.372.

Baseball America rated Hannemann as Chicago’s No. 23 prospect this past offseason, writing that he has 70-grade speed and is the “best athlete in the Cubs system.” However, he also has a fringy arm in the outfield, per their report, and has never demonstrated that much power in the minors.

Hannemann’s speed and defensive ability are traits that the Jerry Dipoto-led Mariners have prioritized, as evidenced by this regime’s acquisitions of players such as Jarrod Dyson, Mitch Haniger and Ben Gamel (among others). With that trio lining up for starting duties, plus Guillermo Heredia, Danny Valencia and Taylor Motter all representing outfield options on the bench, it’s not clear if Hannemann will receive the opportunity to join the Mariners as a September call-up. But, he was only just added to the Cubs’ 40-man roster this past winter, meaning he has two minor league options remaining and figures to compete for a job next spring.

 

[CSF77]

Cubs To Designate Jacob Hannemann, Select Contract Of Taylor Davis
By Steve Adams | September 4, 2017 at 1:15pm CDT

The Cubs are set to select the contract of catcher Taylor Davis and will designate minor league outfielder Jacob Hannemann for assignment to clear a roster spot, MLBTR has learned. Baseball America’s John Manuel first tweeted that Davis was going to be selected to the big league roster.

The 27-year-old Davis has gained some notoriety for his penchant for staring down television cameras at every opportunity (video link via Twitter), but he’s also had a fine season with Triple-A Iowa. In 406 plate appearances, he’s slashed .297/.357/.429 with six homers, 27 doubles and a triple to his credit thus far. Davis also has more than 800 innings of experience at first base and more than 200 innings at the hot corner over the past few years in the minors, so he can give the Cubs some versatility off the bench with expanded September rosters in place.

Hannemann, 26, has split the 2017 season between Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa, hitting considerably better at the more advanced of those two levels. Through 322 PAs with Iowa, Hannemann has slashed .265/.324/.404, though his rough stretch in Tennessee drags his cumulative batting line down to a less palatable .240/.312/.372. Baseball America rated Hannemann as Chicago’s No. 23 prospect this past offseason, writing that he has 70-grade speed and is the “best athlete in the Cubs system.” However, he also has a fringy arm in the outfield, per their report, and has never demonstrated that much power in the minors.

 

[beckdawg]

I don't get that at all. Did they really need to add another catcher?

 

[chibears55]

I don't get that at all. Did they really need to add another catcher?

Probably making sure they don't lose him via rule 5 or 6th year minor leaguer .. no ?

Rivera and Avila are FAs

So only catchers they have going into off season are Contreras and Caratini

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[CSF77]

Probably making sure they don't lose him via rule 5 or 6th year minor leaguer .. no ?

Rivera and Avila are FAs

So only catchers they have going into off season are Contreras and Caratini

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6 year minor league player. He should have allready going through the rule V issues. He does fit the back up catcher profile though. So-So power but his career slash is .284/.350/.416. So they could think of him as Contreras' back up and use Cartiani for trade weight. Cartini is more of a starting catcher prospect and should be a desired trade good for a team looking at a cost controlled starting catcher.

The only thing I'm thinking is Jacob Hannemann was too noodle armed for CF. With Happ and Almora entrenched there was no room for Jacob and was not worth holding a 40 man spot for. I thought it was for Tseng myself and seeing Jake go down for a hammy situation it would have been nice to give those starts missed to Tseng.

Word is now Jake may not even need a MRI and wont miss a start.

 

[beckdawg]

Probably making sure they don't lose him via rule 5 or 6th year minor leaguer .. no ?

Rivera and Avila are FAs

So only catchers they have going into off season are Contreras and Caratini

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I mean sure but they didn't have to do that now. They could have waited until the offseason and tried to move Hannemann if that was the play. There's a bit of gap between when he becomes a FA and when you can trade guys like Hannemann to free roster spots.

 

[chibears55]

I mean sure but they didn't have to do that now. They could have waited until the offseason and tried to move Hannemann if that was the play. There's a bit of gap between when he becomes a FA and when you can trade guys like Hannemann to free roster spots.

Who knows...

Maybe they wanted to him play at a major league level

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[DanTown]

I don't get that at all. Did they really need to add another catcher?

There's also probably the fact the Cubs didn't want Jacob on the ML roster at any point and if the Cubs face an injury to a C this week or next before Contreras comes back, they'd have only two C so the odds Davis is needed is lower but theoretically possible. Also, Davis plays multiple positions where as Hannemann is simply a OF. Finally, this could be professional courtesy to let Hannemann catch on somewhere else for the month when the Cubs knew they didn't want him in the organization any more.

 

[beckdawg]

Nelson Velazquez's rookie league play was pretty interesting. He was the cubs 5th round pick this year and the scouting on him was essentially a tools-y CF who was raw. He played 8 games in CF and 16 in LF. I'm not 100% sure but I think a lot of that had to do with more polished older guys(two of mesa's CF were 19 and the cubs drafted a 21 year old CF also). Probably wont know til next year for sure how likely he is to stick in CF but if he can I'm very intrigued. He hit .236/.333/.536 with 11.9%/31.0% bb/k rate and 8 HRs and 5 SB in 126 PAs. That's roughly equivalent to 41 HR and 26 SB over a 650 PA sample. I doubt he has that sort of power but even if you're only talking 25-30 HR power with 25ish SB out of a CF would be huge. Plus you have to imagine if he can steal 25 bases he has good range.

He's a long ways away and needs to iron out his k rate issues but for a 5th round pick there's a hell of a lot to like there.

 

[CSF77]

http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/251288648/oscar-de-la-cruz-to-play-for-mesa-solar-sox/

 

[beckdawg]

Keegan Thompson is starting for eugene tonight in the playoffs. He's been fantastic since being drafted. Really curious to see how he does. In 19 innings he has a 23 to 4 k to bb ratio. Me gusta.

 

[JP Hochbaum]

Gonna be exciting to see Tseng pitch tonight. He is really the very first of the in house pitching wave for starters.

 

[DanTown]

It's kind of surprising that Pierce Johnson was the guy they DFA'ed. Everything I read/saw of him in Iowa was increased velocity and strikeouts in the bullpen but if you're not in the majors at age 26 after being a college guy drafted five years ago, I guess it makes sense.

 

[CSF77]

Looks like David Bote is having a fun time in the AFL