BN Podcast Episode 15: Talkin’ Chicago Cubs Prospects with Baseball Prospectus’s Jason Parks

bnpodcastimagesmallIt’s the fifteenth episode of a super awesome podcast featuring me and Sahadev Sharma (and another guest!). You can listen to the podcast there below, or download it for later listening. You can also subscribe via iTunes. Here’s your iTunes link, and you can also find it by searching in the iTunes store. For those of you who use other feed-catching services, here’s the podcast feed. For those of you just tuning in who want to catch up on prior episodes, here’s the whole lot.

As always, you can send questions, comments, etc. to the official podcast email address (podcast AT bleachernation DOT com) if you want your thoughts included on a future show. Today’s email (alas, just one) hit on a very prescient topic: sleeper prospects.

And the question was prescient because the episode’s guest is the national prospect/player development writer at Baseball Prospectus, Jason Parks. You may know him more simply as “the really smart prospect dude at BP.” You may also know him as ProfessorParks on Twitter, and, if you don’t, you should give him a follow. He also used to do the wildly popular Up and In podcast with Kevin Goldstein, so he’s something of a titan in the field.

Jason was good enough to sit down with us for the better part of an hour to talk about all things Chicago Cubs prospects. We touch on how prospects are evaluated and ranked, the Baez/Almora debate, the value of a Logan Watkins, the future of Arodys Vizcaino’s arm, the future of Christian Villanueva’s bat, the young arms in the Cubs’ system, the possibility of a Cubs prospect rocketing up the rankings a la Oscar Tavares, developing prospects at certain positions, and much, much more.

Jason also expresses a deep fondness for Cincinnati chili and fedoras. Or the opposite of that. Sahadev and I hit on some of the latest news, Sahadev trolls TMZ, and we look back on the first 15 weeks of the podcast.

Enjoy:

written by

Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

more cubs news

Now We Know Why Ian Happ Was Removed Mid-game

In the top of the seventh inning of today's 8-3 win over the Miami Marlins, Alexander Canario trotted out to left field in place of Ian Happ. At first, we thought (or maybe just hoped) that Craig Counsell was giving...

Enhanced Box Score: Cubs 8, Marlins 3 – April 19, 2024

And just like that the Chicago Cubs are the first team in the NL Central to reach 12 wins! They're not technically in first place yet because the Brewers (11-6) have played fewer games, but we're talking about a matter...

Nico Hoerner and Dansby Swanson with Back-to-Back Slick Defensive Plays

With a lefty Marlins starter on the mound this afternoon, Nico Hoerner lead off today's game for the Chicago Cubs. And he did it in style, ripping a leadoff double to the left-center field wall, before coming into score a...

Pre-Gamin’: Marlins at Cubs – Lineups, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

*The Cubs were rained out yesterday, but today? Today, we've got a Friday 1:20 start at Wrigley Field, and that means all is right in the world. Before you take a look at the Cubs lineup against Miami, check out...

MLBits: The White Sox Might be the Worst Team Ever, What Games I’m Watching this Weekend, More

Happy Friday! Well, for everyone except for the pilots who were supposed to be manning the Colorado Rockies flight last week but instead allowed a member of the Rockies coaching staff to hop in the pilot's seat for a fun...

Can I Interest You in a Positive Injury-Update on Justin Steele?

Justin Steele, arguably the single most irreplaceable player on the Chicago Cubs 2024 roster, went down with a hamstring injury just 4.2 innings into his Opening Day start against the Rangers on March 28. In his place, the Cubs sixth...

FAA Reportedly Investigating How a Passenger on Colorado Rockies Team Flight Was Seen Accessing the Cockpit

If you do this job long enough, it's really wild to see the range of topics that can somehow become attached to sports. That is to say, I did not envision myself at some point writing about flight safety, cockpit...

Cubs Farm Report | April 19, 2024: Kevin Alcántara is Heating Up!

The Iowa Cubs were rained out, but the rest of the farm was in action, and so was Kevin Alcántara, who picked up four hits and now has seven in his last three games as he breaks out of an...

It’s Not Kyle Hendricks Last Chance (But…), Ben Brown, Jameson Taillon, and Other Cubs Bullets

Well, the rain stole one from us yesterday, which is a blessing and a curse. On the bright side, the bullpen gets an extra day of rest (on top of the day Hayden Wesneski bought them). But on the flip...

The Chicago Cubs Are Not Stealing Bases So Far This Year

The Chicago Cubs are against theft. Of bases: https://twitter.com/codifybaseball/status/1781046629103231339 The Chicago Cubs this year have stolen just three bases, the fewest in all of baseball. Dansby Swanson has stolen two bases, Nick Madrigal has stolen one. That's it. I don't...

Latest News

Now We Know Why Ian Happ Was Removed Mid-game

In the top of the seventh inning of today's 8-3 win over the Miami Marlins, Alexander Canario trotted out to left field in place of Ian Happ. At first, we thought (or maybe just hoped) that Craig Counsell was giving...

Pre-Gamin’: Chicago Bulls at Miami Heat (6:00 CT), Projected Lineups, How to Watch, More

The Bulls and Heat go at it for the last spot in the NBA Playoffs. Let's get it. https://twitter.com/chicagobulls/status/1781299357574213738 Game Info Miami Heat at Chicago Bulls – 6:00 p.m. CT on ESPN (TV) and 670 The Score (Radio) Chicago Bulls Coby White...

Scottie Pippen’s Youngest Son Will Play at Michigan

A familiar last name will be in the Big Ten next season. Scottie Pippen's kid, Justin, has committed to the University of Michigan, according to Krysten Peek of Yahoo Sports. The youngest son of the Chicago Bulls legend, Pippen started...

Nico Hoerner and Dansby Swanson with Back-to-Back Slick Defensive Plays

With a lefty Marlins starter on the mound this afternoon, Nico Hoerner lead off today's game for the Chicago Cubs. And he did it in style, ripping a leadoff double to the left-center field wall, before coming into score a...

Enhanced Box Score: Cubs 8, Marlins 3 – April 19, 2024

And just like that the Chicago Cubs are the first team in the NL Central to reach 12 wins! They're not technically in first place yet because the Brewers (11-6) have played fewer games, but we're talking about a matter...

Blue Jays vs. Padres Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Friday, April 19, 2024

Following a two-homer game in a loss to the Yankees, Daulton Varsho leads the Toronto Blue Jays (10-9) into action as -112 favorites against the San Diego Padres (11-10). First pitch from PETCO Park at 9:40 PM ET on Friday,...

Diamondbacks vs. Giants Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Friday, April 19, 2024

Jung Hoo Lee will look to extend his 10-game hitting streak when the San Francisco Giants (9-11) take on the Arizona Diamondbacks (9-11). The Diamondbacks are listed as -123 favorites on the moneyline for the contest, which starts at 10:15...

Dodgers vs. Mets Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Friday, April 19, 2024

The New York Mets (10-8) will put their four-game win streak to the test when they visit the Los Angeles Dodgers (12-9) Friday at 10:10 PM ET on MLB Network. Bookmakers consider the Dodgers to be -201 favorites, while the...

Jonas Valančiūnas Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Kings – Friday, April 19, 2024

The New Orleans Pelicans face the Sacramento Kings at 9:30 PM ET on Friday, in the NBA Play-In Tournament, and one of the 3-pointer over/unders available for this matchup requires only one make from Jonas Valančiūnas.Jonas Valančiūnas' Three-Pointer Prop Odds...

Brandon Ingram Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Kings – Friday, April 19, 2024

Brandon Ingram must make two 3-pointers to beat his prop when the New Orleans Pelicans meet the Sacramento Kings on Friday at 9:30 PM ET, in the NBA Play-In Tournament.Brandon Ingram's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the KingsBrandon Ingram's over/under for...

more cubs news