Cub's Prospect Watch And Development Discussion Thread

[beckdawg]

[video=youtube;SK_fox6W5fk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SK_fox6W5fk[/video]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/scouting-the-top-2015-july-2nd-prospects/#comment-4788582

CF Starling Heredia may be the top prospect in this class and his price tag is rumored to be around $3.5 million, with multiple scouts mentioning the Cubs as the most interested team, though that isn’t a done deal by any means. Heredia hit some balls out to center field in BP and ran a 6.62 time in the 60, both plus tools to go with his plus bat speed. His speed plays down a bit in games right now, but it’s common for kids like this to get a little faster in the next few years.

He’s advanced at the plate for his age because, despite a leg kick some coaches would want to immediately tone down, Heredia does a good job staying balanced, keeping his head very still and tucking his hands in to get around on the inside pitch. His swing still breaks down in a couple game swings above, but some teenage toolsheds never show that level of feel for a swing, especially with that Manny Ramirez-style swing that’s so common on the island.

Heredia’s arm is solid average and he made a lot of contact in the games with an advanced approach compared to his peers in the same showcase. His body is close to maxed-out and he may lose a step, but Heredia has more than enough tools to profile as an everyday guy in a corner if that’s where he ends up.

I should note before the predictable flood of comments saying, “there’s no way this kid is that big and fast and 15-years-old” (probably with more spelling errors) that there is a very similar player to Heredia in the states by the name of Ronald Washington. Washington is the top prep prospect (if you can even say that) for the 2017 MLB Draft and has nearly the same mature frame and above average tools of Heredia. Their birthdays are less than a month apart, but no one is asking these questions about Washington, so you shouldn’t ask them about Heredia.

 

[CSF77]

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cub...as-advocates-for-bryant-on-opening-day-roster

Boras advocates for Bryant on opening day roster
November, 12, 2014
NOV 12
6:45
PM CT
Rogers By Jesse Rogers
ESPNChicago.com
Archive

PHOENIX – The agent for top Chicago Cubs prospect Kris Bryant is using the team’s own rhetoric in making the case for his client to be on the Cubs' Opening Day roster in 2015.

“As to whether or not Kris Bryant is on the Cubs -- and they are on record saying they are trying to win -- does it best help the Cubs win if he’s on the team for six months or for 5 1/2? Or 4 1/2?” Scott Boras asked rhetorically Wednesday at the general manager meetings in Arizona.

“The answer is, if you go back to most of those types of players -- think of Matt Wieters for example and many others -- these teams with that kind of rare talent, they immediately become a different dynamic because there just aren’t that many men that can do what Kris Bryant does in a uniform. Then you couple him with what benefit he would have with the players that would hit before and after him, it’s obviously a better team.”

Boras isn’t wrong about the franchise-changing ability a player like Bryant can bring to the table, but he dismissed the notion that’s it’s the system in place that hurts his client more than the team. If Bryant is in the majors in 2015 for 171 days or less of the approximate 183-day season, then he won’t become a free agent until after 2021. If he’s on the team for more than 171 days, he’ll hit the market a year earlier. That small difference probably isn’t going to make or break the season for the Cubs, but that year difference in free agency could mean a lot.

Boras passed the buck to the Cubs' new manager.

“I think that’s going to be a good question for Joe Maddon,” Boras said, smiling.

 

[SilenceS]

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cub...as-advocates-for-bryant-on-opening-day-roster

Boras advocates for Bryant on opening day roster
November, 12, 2014
NOV 12
6:45
PM CT
Rogers By Jesse Rogers
ESPNChicago.com
Archive

PHOENIX – The agent for top Chicago Cubs prospect Kris Bryant is using the team’s own rhetoric in making the case for his client to be on the Cubs' Opening Day roster in 2015.

“As to whether or not Kris Bryant is on the Cubs -- and they are on record saying they are trying to win -- does it best help the Cubs win if he’s on the team for six months or for 5 1/2? Or 4 1/2?” Scott Boras asked rhetorically Wednesday at the general manager meetings in Arizona.

“The answer is, if you go back to most of those types of players -- think of Matt Wieters for example and many others -- these teams with that kind of rare talent, they immediately become a different dynamic because there just aren’t that many men that can do what Kris Bryant does in a uniform. Then you couple him with what benefit he would have with the players that would hit before and after him, it’s obviously a better team.”

Boras isn’t wrong about the franchise-changing ability a player like Bryant can bring to the table, but he dismissed the notion that’s it’s the system in place that hurts his client more than the team. If Bryant is in the majors in 2015 for 171 days or less of the approximate 183-day season, then he won’t become a free agent until after 2021. If he’s on the team for more than 171 days, he’ll hit the market a year earlier. That small difference probably isn’t going to make or break the season for the Cubs, but that year difference in free agency could mean a lot.

Boras passed the buck to the Cubs' new manager.

“I think that’s going to be a good question for Joe Maddon,” Boras said, smiling.

Boras is a scum bag. But, he is very good at what he does.

 

[JZsportsfan]

Baseball Prospectus Post-2014 Top Prospect List

1. SS Addison Russell
2. 3B Kris Bryant
3. OF Jorge Soler
4. OF Albert Almora
5. C Kyle Schwarber
6. OF Billy McKinney
7. RHP Pierce Johnson
8. SS Gleyber Torres
9. 1B Dan Vogelbach
10. LHP Carson Sands

Very deep list. Cool to see Sands make it on there, along with Torres. Would be interesting to read why Russell is above Bryant, but I cannot read the site, members only

 

[brett05]

Soler shouldn't be on the list. He's not going to the minors unless it is a re-hab assignment.

 

[The Bandit]

Soler shouldn't be on the list. He's not going to the minors unless it is a re-hab assignment.

Doesn't have the time yet.

sent from Jimmer range using Tapatalk

 

[JZsportsfan]

Soler shouldn't be on the list. He's not going to the minors unless it is a re-hab assignment.

I think the minimum PA is 120 so Soler is technically still a prospect for about 8 games

 

[brett05]

I understand why they did it. They shouldn't have for the reason I gave.

 

[TL1961]

I understand why they did it. They shouldn't have for the reason I gave.

They had to determine a cutoff, and they did. Soler was on the "prospect" side of that line due to number of AB's, just like Taveras was last year, and many more guys.

They can't evaluate every guy differently and make assumptions based on whether they think a guy will go to minors. They based it on MLB AB's. Not an issue.

 

[CSF77]

I think the minimum PA is 120 so Soler is technically still a prospect for about 8 games

He was signed to a major league deal. It made sense to promote him. There is no time clock with him. Except he can opt for arb. when that window comes up. Still he is making 2,667,000 per right now. Silly to pay a guy to play AAA that much.

 

[TL1961]

The REAL story is that the Cubs own the MiLB Player of the Year, and Baseball prospectus believes Russell is an even better prospect.

A nice problem to have!

 

[chibears55]

The REAL story is that the Cubs own the MiLB Player of the Year, and Baseball prospectus believes Russell is an even better prospect.

A nice problem to have!

why are we arguing about minor league rankings and wheather or not soler belongs.. i mean who really cares

 

[JZsportsfan]

He was signed to a major league deal. It made sense to promote him. There is no time clock with him. Except he can opt for arb. when that window comes up. Still he is making 2,667,000 per right now. Silly to pay a guy to play AAA that much.

Yeah I expect him to play in the majors from the start. Just saying it will take about 8 games for him to reach the minimum PA's to pass the prospect classification

 

[brett05]

They had to determine a cutoff, and they did. Soler was on the "prospect" side of that line due to number of AB's, just like Taveras was last year, and many more guys.

They can't evaluate every guy differently and make assumptions based on whether they think a guy will go to minors. They based it on MLB AB's. Not an issue.

Actually they could but hey float your boat how you want

 

[TL1961]

He was signed to a major league deal. It made sense to promote him. There is no time clock with him. Except he can opt for arb. when that window comes up. Still he is making 2,667,000 per right now. Silly to pay a guy to play AAA that much.

This has nothing to do with anyone suggesting he will be in the minors or should be.

 

[TL1961]

Actually they could but hey float your boat how you want

Maybe we can determine eligibility for rookie of the yer and ERA title on a case by case basis then, also.

Stop using actual AB's, games played and IP.

Hell even a batting title can become subjective. Who "looked better".

It'll be like Dancing With The Stars.

 

[Parade_Rain]

Common sense FTL.

 

[CSF77]

This has nothing to do with anyone suggesting he will be in the minors or should be.

Means a whole lot when you think about it. He is making 2.7 mil regardless where he plays. He has no time clock over his head. Guys like Baez or Alcantara are making much less. They could just treat them like they did Rizzo and regain control over them for another year.

Soler's only hitch is he can opt for arb when it comes up. If he is not established he can just sit in his deal. If he has blossomed he can gamble for a raise. Not really game changing.

 

[TL1961]

Means a whole lot when you think about it. He is making 2.7 mil regardless where he plays. He has no time clock over his head. Guys like Baez or Alcantara are making much less. They could just treat them like they did Rizzo and regain control over them for another year.

Soler's only hitch is he can opt for arb when it comes up. If he is not established he can just sit in his deal. If he has blossomed he can gamble for a raise. Not really game changing.

Nobody is argung whether Soler's contract situation is meaningful. It is.

The discussion was about BP's prospect list, and why Soler was still listed as a "prospect".

Nobody was suggesting he should be in the minors or discussing his contract.

 

[CSF77]

Nobody is argung whether Soler's contract situation is meaningful. It is.

The discussion was about BP's prospect list, and why Soler was still listed as a "prospect".

Nobody was suggesting he should be in the minors or discussing his contract.

I wouldn't list him as a prospect anymore.