Cubs Farm System And Prospects Discussion Thread

[beckdawg]

Was listening to fangraphs prospect podcast and they brought up IFAs. Cubs still apparently have over $3 mil in IFA money they can spend. The talk started on the mesa brothers out of cuba the better of whom is compared to Almora. But they brought up another interesting idea I hadn't really thought about. It's possible some of the money not used by teams is ear marked for Mexican IFAs. MLB banned signing them while it investigated some sketchy stuff clubs were doing.

 

[beckdawg]

Daniel: Were there any exciting names in Cubs extended or AZL? Reivaj looks interesting (and not just b/c the of the name)

2:07
Eric A Longenhagen: Yes, Reivaj Garcia is good. Advanced bat, will probably stay at second base, was very young for the league and still performed. Could be a 6 bat with 4 power. I like Yovanny Cruz, too. Low-90s, t95, sink, good changeup. Luis Verdugo could be plus glove at short. The draft picks played well in AZL, too.


Anthony: What happened to Aramis Ademan?
2:13
Eric A Longenhagen: Nothing, I don’t think. Numbers weren’t great, but he was pushed pretty aggressively, tools are still fine.

Jeremy: Any thoughts on Brailyn Marquez?
2:35
Eric A Longenhagen: Sure. Mid-90s from the left side, 55 curveball, kind of a weird delivery but it works. He’s good.

Updated from fangraphs guy

 

[CSF77]

Updated from fangraphs guy

. Mid-90s from the left side, 55 curveball, kind of a weird delivery but it works. He’s good.

So Chris Sale old report?

 

[CSF77]

Was listening to fangraphs prospect podcast and they brought up IFAs. Cubs still apparently have over $3 mil in IFA money they can spend. The talk started on the mesa brothers out of cuba the better of whom is compared to Almora. But they brought up another interesting idea I hadn't really thought about. It's possible some of the money not used by teams is ear marked for Mexican IFAs. MLB banned signing them while it investigated some sketchy stuff clubs were doing.

Guess the Dodgers and Pads cryed mommy they are stealing our monopoly

 

[chibears55]

Nico Hoerner seems to be having a good AZL

Wonder if they try and fast track him for 2020, get him to AA and maybe AAA by end of the year

Only played 12 games this past year , got up to A ball

 

[CSF77]

Nico Hoerner seems to be having a good AZL

Wonder if they try and fast track him for 2020, get him to AA and maybe AAA by end of the year

Only played 12 games this past year , got up to A ball

He has 14 AB’s. I’m just glad that he is playing again right now

Honestly he should end up in MB and Tenn late season. Iowa 2020 and Sept call up if he doesn’t stall.

 

[CSF77]

Dakota Mekkes keeps impressing with his stats. His only plus pitch is his average fastball with "80 grade deception." Will he ever make it to the Cubs?
-- John D., Grand Rapids, Mich.

Mekkes, 23, did have impressive numbers this season, compiling a 0.81 ERA over 22 1/3 innings in 16 games at Double-A Tennessee and a 1.44 ERA over 31 1/3 innings in 25 games at Triple-A Iowa. Also worth noting is that he struck out 71 over 53 2/3 innings while walking 29. He needs to develop his other pitches. For those who don't know, he was the Cubs' 10th-round pick in the 2016 Draft.

 

[beckdawg]

Dakota Mekkes keeps impressing with his stats. His only plus pitch is his average fastball with "80 grade deception." Will he ever make it to the Cubs?
-- John D., Grand Rapids, Mich.

Mekkes, 23, did have impressive numbers this season, compiling a 0.81 ERA over 22 1/3 innings in 16 games at Double-A Tennessee and a 1.44 ERA over 31 1/3 innings in 25 games at Triple-A Iowa. Also worth noting is that he struck out 71 over 53 2/3 innings while walking 29. He needs to develop his other pitches. For those who don't know, he was the Cubs' 10th-round pick in the 2016 Draft.

It's more than just deception. He's so tall that the ball comes out of his hand a lot closer to the plate which makes the speed of his fastball play up.

 

[CSF77]

Just makes a avg fastball look plus. Working on off speed is very important

 

[CSF77]

Nico Hoerner, SS, Cubs' No. 6
The Cubs' 2018 first-rounder's inexperience has been a non-factor in the AFL, where he's hit .321 and looked like a player straight out of Double-A, and one possibly even on the cusp of the Majors. That's not to say that Hoerner will springboard up the ladder in such fashion in 2019 -- but he certainly could. At the plate, he has a knack for barreling the ball to all fields, can handle velocity and adjust to secondaries, and he has more juice in his bat than you'd expect. His arm stroke is a little stiff at shortstop, but it plays up because he creatively finds ways to achieve a good slot, has sound footwork and consistently follows his throws with his body. He's a very, very solid ballplayer.

 

[CSF77]

Makes you wonder if they toss him out in the OF some at AA.

 

[anotheridiot]

sounds more like add another to the list at 2B with that arm slot deal. Shorten most throws.

 

[CSF77]

sounds more like add another to the list at 2B with that arm slot deal. Shorten most throws.

Not sure if it is a arm strength issue. Sounds more like he looks stiff at SS but has good fundamentals

 

[beckdawg]

2:03
KW: What’s currently keeping you from hanging a 50 FV on Nico Hoerner? Would you need to see more power out of his bat to justify him inevitably moving to 2B?
2:03
Eric A Longenhagen: He might move up when we do the Cubs list
2:03
Eric A Longenhagen: The power he’s shown here in AZ has been surprising

from today's fangrpahs chat

 

[CSF77]

from today's fangrpahs chat

I’m pretty sure that Nico breaks the top 100 by mid. I’m also pretty sure that the Cubs hang him at SS as long as possible.

 

[CSF77]

Not shocking:

Brailyn Marquez, LHP, Cubs No. 4
The Cubs are in win-now mode, making it more probable that they'd part with a promising lefty who has made only two appearances in full-season ball. Marquez might have a higher ceiling than any pitcher in Chicago's system, reaching 98 mph with his fastball and flashing a plus curveball as a 19-year-old.

 

[beckdawg]

just and fyi, the fangraphs coverage of the cubs farm system should be out this week. They started with the NL central and the only 2 teams remaining are the cubs and cincy.

 

[CSF77]

weird" http://www.chicagonow.com/cubs-den/2018/12/cubs-in-the-off-season-leagues-week-8/

Australian Baseball League

Geelong-Korea

On Sunday, Geelong-Korea actually grabbed the early lead and put up a fight before being snowed under by Perth 9-5. Right Fielder Kwang-Min Kwon remained consistent as he went 1-for-3 with a double and an outfield assist in the loss. Perth 9 - Geelong 5


Geelong was able to record their second win of the season on Thursday when they made the most out of four hits to beat Melbourne 3-1. Kwang-Min Kwon got the Koreans off to a good start by belting a solo home run in the first inning as he was 1-for-3 with a walk in the game. Geelong 3 - Melbourne 1

It was back to the familiar on Friday as the Koreans were unable to keep their offense productive in a 4-1 loss to Melbourne. Geelong moved their best hitter, right fielder Kwang-Min Kwon, up to the third spot in the batting order and he responded by going 1-for-4 in the loss. Melbourne 4 - Geelong 1

Saturday night was “swing from the heels” night in Melbourne as the Aces and the Koreans combined for 28 hits in an 18-12 loss for Geelong. Kwang-Min Kwon tried to ignite a late inning rally as he went deep with a three-run homer in the seventh, going 1-for-4 in the game. Melbourne 18 - Geelong 12

 

[beckdawg]

https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/top-31-prospects-chicago-cubs/

 

[CSF77]

Sounds like Sale:

Name another teenage lefty who touches 99. As far as we know, this is the only one, meaning Marquez is perhaps the hardest-throwing teenage southpaw on the planet right now. He also has pretty advanced fastball command for someone with that kind of heat to go along with a 6.5% walk rate over his last 100 innings of work. His secondary stuff is pretty pedestrian, but everything of his plays up against left-handed hitters because Marquez has a weird, sawed off, low-slot arm action. He’ll need to develop better ways to deal with right-handed hitters, either via command or better secondary stuff, and ultimately Marquez projects as a no. 4 starter because one cannot live on velo alone, but the elite arm strength means his ceiling is higher than that if the Cubs can work some magic with his stuff.