100 Wheels (on the road): Can you provide an appetizer on Kris Bryant before the main course is served on Wednesday?
Jason Parks: The playable power is obviously legit; could play to plus-plus, which means he could hit 35 bombs. But I think the swing and miss will be a bigger issue than some are suggesting, and that could limit some of the power. At the end of the day, I think he's a first-division right fielder with several all-star level seasons on the resume. I expect a lot of power but not a high average.
Tim (Wrigleyville): Will Kyle Hendricks be a GUY for the Cubs in the future?
Jason Parks: Not really. He will contribute, which is a developmental win. But he's not a top ten talent in their system and his long term future is more of a back-end type at best.
Kevin (Florida): How good can Javier Baez be in his prime and do you think he gets called up at some point this year?
Jason Parks: One front office source told me that thinks Baez has hall of fame potential. No don't go crazy with one projection, but if you really believe in the bat--meaning you think he will reach his offensive projections--35+ home runs is possible, all from a left-side of the diamond home. This is an extreme opinion, but not all that crazy when it comes to potential. Javier Baez could have a very special bat; the hand/eye, the bat speed, the raw strength are elite. If he puts it all together, he could be one of the best players in the game. If he stays healthy and consistent once he achieves that level, the hyperbole and hype of the present won't seem so crazy.
steve g (CA): Will Arismendy Alcantara crack your top 101? Is the power he showed last year real or more a product of the league he played in?
Jason Parks: Alcantara was ranked 83 on the BP 101 ( I think). I don't think he's going to be a big power bat at the major league level, but you can't sleep on his pop. Getting to watch his BP behind the cage really turned me on to his raw pop; quick path to the ball but excellent extension through it, which created loud contact. I was impressed with the player. It's been said before, but he really does remind me (and others) of Jose Reyes-light.
Scott (Lincolnshire): Cubs minor league system or Twins?
Jason Parks: Twins are the best system in baseball for me, with the Cubs coming in right behind them.
Mark (Nashville): If you did not assess position scarcity, base-running or defense, and were ranking prospect purely on their bat, would Dan Vogelbach be a top 10?
Jason Parks: Above Soler. Vogelbach can fucking hit.
Paul (Chicago): You're an admitted "ceiling" #slut, so does that mean Baez is the #2 prospect in the game right now?
Jason Parks: He's number four on my list, behind Buxton, Bogaerts, and Taveras.
Wrigleyvillenat (Chicago): What do you project for C.J. Edwards? Can he overcome "frame" and become top-of-rotation starter?
Jason Parks: I don't see a top-of-the-rotation starter, and that would be true even if he weighed more than 160 pounds. I like the arm; I really do. I know the kid. I've been around him since he signed, and I've seen him pitch countless times. I get it. I do. Its very loose and easy, and the fastball has serious pop to it. I like the CB, but its a better minor league pitch than it projects to be at the major league level, and I think his CH will be his best weapon to play off the fastball. He pitches with length and can maintain the stuff pretty well, but I don't see the type of physicality necessary for a heavy major league workload. That's the rub. He could be a very good late-innings reliever with a deep arsenal, and perhaps even a mid-rotation arm that just makes it work despite the physical concerns. But the top of the rotation talk is a dream that is based more on the stats than the scouting.
CJ (Land of Goldstein): A duder on ESPN recently put Eloy Jimenez at 10 on a Cubs prospect list. 10! So does that mean people have got to see him more since he signed? What do you know about him?
Jason Parks: I know a lot about him; I've seen him in workouts and game action. I wouldn't rank him in the Cubs top ten right now, though. That ranking has to be based on his signing bonus and pre-J2 hype, which is mostly the result of his power potential. He could/should get to that level, but he doesn't belong on that list now.
Wrigleyvillenat (Chicago): Have you seen Eloy Jimenez? Has anybody seen Eloy Jimenez? He is a tantalizing 17-year-old propsect at 6'4" 200 lbs. What is the word on EJ?
Jason Parks: yes; I've seen him. Big power; right field profile; strong arm; I think he sells out for power, so I question the hit tool and it could limit his playable power. I'm hesitant about the bat right now.
