Cubs Farm System And Prospects Discussion Thread

[CSF77]

Found this to be a interesting read:

http://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cu...n-adbert-alzolay-kyle-hendricks-edwards-tseng

Line that caught my attention:

The plan is for Alzolay to begin the year with Triple-A Iowa and barring a setback or injury, the organization expects him to make his big-league debut at some point in 2018.

Now this is basically like skipping 1/2 a season of development on his timeline.

I got AAA at

Butler, 6-3 3.17 99.1 IP (Combined)

Mills, 2-0 3.21 ERA 14 IP

Tseng, 14-4 2.74 ERA 151.1 IP combined.

Underwood 13-7 4.43 ERA 138 IP

Alzolay: 7-4 2.99 ERA 114.1 IP

So this looks like Iowa/s starting 5 now with Hedges(Maybe), Morrison (maybe), Clifton (maybe). More likely they push:

Hatch: 5-11 4.04 ERA 124 IP
Steele: 6-7 2.92 ERA 98.2 IP
Rucker: 5-5 2.38 ERA 106 IP
Robinson: 9-9 2.21 ERA 126 IP

Oscar De La Cruz I'm not sure if they start at Tenn: 4-3 3.34 ERA in 56.2 IP injured. They may keep him at MB for the start of the season and let him progress.

I'm thinking there will be some bubble guys at each level. I'm not sure if they can correct Clifton. If so then I see him at Tenn starting off the season. Robinson I could see them using him as a Starter filler type and move him depending on team needs. Rucker is more advanced and he deserves to prove himself.

 

[beckdawg]

I don't have a baseball america account but what i surmise from twitter links to this article is the cubs are a favorite to sign Venezuelan RHP Richard Gallardo. He apparently was a dominant at the show case. That may not seem like anything worthy of getting worked up about but typically people know who are going to sign what prospects by this point. Teams basically have verbal agreements in place well before july 2nd.

https://t.co/ajhThpiMs9

 

[beckdawg]

As mentioned else where cubs top 30 is out on mlb.com

http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2018/?list=chc

Like on BAs top 10 Nelson Velazquez is #10. That is one hell of a 5th round pick. Cubs brass deserve a lot of credit for finding him that late. Other interesting guys jumping up include Miguel Amaya. He is #11. He wasn't on the list from 2017. David Bote at #15 also wasn't on the 2017 year end list though he's a bit more well known thanks to the AFL. I don't think Erich Uelmen was on the list. He shows up at #18. The run down on him compares him to Derek Lowe. Javier Assad(#24) and Brailyn Marquez(#27) I believe are both new to the list.

 

[beckdawg]

I don't have a baseball america account but what i surmise from twitter links to this article is the cubs are a favorite to sign Venezuelan RHP Richard Gallardo. He apparently was a dominant at the show case. That may not seem like anything worthy of getting worked up about but typically people know who are going to sign what prospects by this point. Teams basically have verbal agreements in place well before july 2nd.

https://t.co/ajhThpiMs9

Founds some video of the guy from one of fangraph's prospect guys

 

[CSF77]

The Cubs trimmed the spring roster to 49 players on Friday, assigning top prospects Adbert Alzolay, Oscar De La Cruz and Duane Underwood Jr. to Double-A Tennessee.

 

[beckdawg]

more IFA stuff from BA

Jose Lopez, Dominican Republic
Size: 5-10, 167, L-R
Trainer: Fausto Garcia
60 yards: 6.64 seconds
Games: 0-for-3, 3 BB, 2 SO

Lopez, linked to the Cubs and likely to sign for a bonus north of $1 million, looked better in several phases of the game compared to what he showed in November at the MLB Dominican national showcase. At the MLB international showcase, Lopez showed more speed, a stronger arm and better power.

Lopez is an athletic 16-year-old center fielder with plus speed and an above-average arm, strong tools to project at a premium position. What immediately jumps out about Lopez is his unorthodox swing. He loads up with a big hitch, starting his hands at his shoulder, dropping them just below his chest, then shooting back up to just over the top of his head. It’s a lot of extra movement to get started, something professional coaches will likely try to simplify. Lopez did have some problems with pitches on the inner third, and while his swing leaves him with some holes, he has quick bat speed and can drive the ball with authority when he’s in rhythm and on time, with an idea for working the count as well.

https://youtu.be/CfDFOvJMcG8

 

[beckdawg]

 

[beckdawg]

Interesting that Thompson and Lange are skipping A ball and going straight to A+. Also Ademan isn't going to see a full season at A either. That's pretty aggressive for a 19 year old.

 

[beckdawg]

Here's AA. Iowa doesn't have an image but it's on the milb team page.

 

[beckdawg]

MB played an exhibition game today and Lange pitched

5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, BB, 5 K. After the first inning, he yielded just one hit.

 

[CSF77]

So no Steele, Underwood or Alzolay?

And AA is over loaded.already:


De La Cruz
Hatch
Morrison
Rucker
Robinson
Clifton
Hedges

Sorry I’m not sure what they are doing honestly. Feels like they were trying to self develop and decided f-it. Sign Darvish and push the talent back a year to log jam

 

[beckdawg]

So no Steele, Underwood or Alzolay?

And AA is over loaded.already:


De La Cruz
Hatch
Morrison
Rucker
Robinson
Clifton
Hedges

Sorry I’m not sure what they are doing honestly. Feels like they were trying to self develop and decided f-it. Sign Darvish and push the talent back a year to log jam

Alzolay is delayed 2 weeks but likely to start in AAA. I don't remember the term they used but effectively he wasn't ready to start full season ball. Not sure on underwood/steele. Haven't heard anything about them.

 

[fatbeard]

So no Steele, Underwood or Alzolay?

And AA is over loaded.already:


De La Cruz
Hatch
Morrison
Rucker
Robinson
Clifton
Hedges

Sorry I’m not sure what they are doing honestly. Feels like they were trying to self develop and decided f-it. Sign Darvish and push the talent back a year to log jam

We already knew they never thought Darvish would be affordable. It changed their plans.

 

[CSF77]

Alzolay is delayed 2 weeks but likely to start in AAA. I don't remember the term they used but effectively he wasn't ready to start full season ball. Not sure on underwood/steele. Haven't heard anything about them.

https://www.mlb.com/cubs/news/cubs-send-three-top-prospects-to-double-a/c-268278256

 

[CSF77]

http://www.chicagonow.com/cubs-den/2018/04/minor-leagues-notes-opening-day-rosters-take-shape/

 

[CSF77]

So which pitcher breaks out this season? Callas is calling Hudson to do it this year. Up from 88 to 94 MPH and a true hammer.

I personally think it will be De La Cruz. I really think that he will come out with a vengeance after being injured last year. I believe that he will have something to prove at Tenn.

 

[beckdawg]

James Hilchen
@stadiumjwriter
Jen-Ho Tseng goes five innings, giving up 7 hits and 2 earned runs, walking 1 and striking out 7 in his first start for Iowa.

and such

 

[beckdawg]

Interesting pitching in south bend tonight.

Assad 5 IP 5k's 3 hits

Rollie Lacy 3 IP 1 hit 7 K's.

Lacy is someone I'm gonna keep an eye on. He was pretty middling his first two years at Creighton. His fresh year he was 5.69/2.66 k/bb per 9 with a 2.66 ERA. His soph year he was at 5.72/2.36 k/bb per 9 with a 3.15 ERA. His JR year his k rate spiked 8.42/1.83 k/bb per 9 with a 2.54 ERA. In his debut between Mesa/Eugene he pitched 29.1 IP with 8.3/1.2 k/bb per 9 and a 2.45 ERA. So, seeing him post that sorta debut in South Bend is worth noting. He might be this season's Rucker as a guy who starts out as a reliever and pitches his way to starter. He's got decent size(6-4) though he could probably do to add some muscle on his frame at 195lb. He's also apparently a bit of a ground ball specialist like many of the cubs draftees. If he keeps that sorta k rate up with a real good walk rate he's pretty interesting.

 

[beckdawg]

Good start from Tyson Miller in A+

5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, BB, 7 K.

He'd be another interesting guy to break through. Not sure if he has added some mph since being drafted but he was sitting around 93 when he was drafted and he has real good size(6' 5" / 200). His full season A debut was ok but nothing special. His k/bb per 9 was 7.38/2.83. Decent enough control but you'd like to see a bit better k rate. So seeing him with 7 in 5 innings is interesting.

 

[CSF77]

Rucker sits around 93 but has the best fastball command in the system. He has the highest floor going at AA.