12 replies to this topic

[X the cubs fan]

Cubs Top 50 prospects in my opinion.

1: Javier Baez (eta:September 2013)
2: Jorge Soler (eta:2014)
3: Albert Almora (eta:2014)
4: Dan Vogelbach (eta:2015)
5: Arodys Vizcaino (eta: 2013)
6: Brett Jackson (eta:2013)
7: Christian Villanueva (eta:2015)
8: Dillon Maples (eta: 2014)
9: Pierce Jackson (eta: 2015)
10: Jeimer Candelario (2015)

11: Junior Lake(2014)
12: Duane Underwood (2016)
13: Josh Vitters (2013)
14: Gioskar Amaya ( 2015)
15: Matt Sczur (2014)
16: Juan Carlos Panigua (2015)
17: Paul Blackburn (2014)
18: Marco Hernandez (2015)
19: Arismendy Alcantra (2015)
20: Barret Loux (2013)

21: Logan Watkins (2014)
22: Ryan McNeil (2016)
23: Kyle Hendricks (2014)
24: Ronald Torreyes (2015)
25: Trey McNutt (2014)
26: Michael Jensen (2015)
27: Ben Wells
28: Tony Zych
29: Robert Whitenack
30: Chris Rusin

31: Stephen Bruno (2016)
32: Nick Struck (2014)
33: Alberto Cabrera (2013)
34: Marcelo Carreno (2015)
35: Ja Hoon Ha (2015)
36: Jose Arias (2016)
37: Shawnon Dunston Jr (2016)
38: Brookes Raley (2013)
39: Trey Martin (2016)
40: Daury Torrez

41: Carlos A. Rodriguez
42: Ronny Acala
43: Jenner Emeterio
44: Jeffery Baez
45: Rock Shoulders
46: Reggie Golden
47: Kevin Encarnacion
48: Zac Rosscup
49: Nefali Rosario
50: Trevor Gretzy

[Cerambam]

The top 7 seem to be very defined. I've seen a lot of lists that vary, but the top 7 here seem to be pretty set. I would probably move vitters up a bit, but as everyone around these parts knows, once we get past the top of the list the remaining 8,9-15 are very debatable.

[chirogerg1]

I still don't see how people see greatness in Candelario. He's a guy that will probably have to move to first, that can't run well, hasn't shown HR power consistently, and is not exceptional at getting on base. In my opinion, Gioskar Amaya is a much, much better prospect, as he has much better speed and on base skills in addition to almost identical power. I can't really see how Reggie Golden is so low on your list. He was a near-consensus Cubs Top 10 guy just a year ago. I realize there is a possibility that he will never make it after his injury, but ACL repair has a fairly high recovery rate now (see Adrian Peterson, Jamaal Charles, and Derrick Rose). Golden is the same kind of player as Soler, but with an inferior hit tool and slightly less power. I like where you have Underwood: I really think he can be good. I also think Struck should be a touch higher. I also don't really agree with your ETAs. I think the Cubs would be mad to give Baez any significant time in the bigs (even in September), considering he's never played in AA.

Good news for the Cubs! Mayo ranked Baez as the #16 prospect in baseball! Almora comes in at 39 and Soler 42. Unfortunately, Vizcaino and Jackson dropped out of the Top 100.

[ChicagoCubsTalk]

Man does it feel nice to have all these great prospects. I cannot wait for the future!!!

[ced landrum]

I still don't see how people see greatness in Candelario. He's a guy that will probably have to move to first, that can't run well, hasn't shown HR power consistently, and is not exceptional at getting on base.

Here is why people like Jeimer. He was 18 years old and first time playing in the states. While most of those guys play in Mesa, he was in Boise. He may have to move to 1st base eventually, but he might not too. I think people think that because of how thick he is in the trunk, but if he stays fit he can stay at 3rd. Now as far as having a good eye, I think he was a little overblown when playing in the DL, but he still walked at a healthy rate this past year. As for the power, that will come.

As for Golden, he and Jeimer are great comparisons. Both are good young guys who have thicker lower halves. Both will have to work really hard to stay fit. Both have power potential, but didn't show much of it in Boise. The only advantage Golden had on Jeimer was triples. Otherwise Jeimer had a higher avg and OBP.

I am trying to remember exactly but I think like Jeimer, Golden slowed down at the end of the year. Something to keep in mind with young guys who aren't used to the grind of playing so many games and the travel.

So if Golden was a guy who was considered a top 10ish prospect then Jeimer is right there with him.

What should be fun is that they should be on the same team together next year in Kane County which should be a loaded team.

[ced landrum]

8: Dillon Maples (eta: 2014)

Great job putting the list together. It takes a lot of work to do something like that. I don't agree with all of the choices, but people wouldn't agree with all mine either. The one thing that stood out to me was Maples ETA. I think your ETA is too aggressive. He hasn't pitched above Mesa yet. So I think this next year if he made it to Kane County that would be good. So in 2014 he probably will be pitching Daytona or Tenn. as a 22 year old if the Cubs were super aggressive.

[Spriggs]

Does anyone know anything about the Cuban pitcher in the Cubs system, Carlos Martinez? I've seen his name also appear as Carlos Martinez-Pumarino. He's about 21 or so and in the games I saw him pitch in the Arizona League in 2012 - was absolutely dominating. He's a great big kid who they listed as 6'4", and looked every bit of that. I never see his name on any of these lists and I never hear his name discussed. Does he have another name or something? Was he considered old and too experienced for the AZL? He sure seemed to be lighting up the guns at Hohokam last year.

[Cubbie Blues]

Here is his Fangraphs page. It doesn't show much but what it does show looks good. Looks like he was in rookie ball.

[ced landrum]

Does anyone know anything about the Cuban pitcher in the Cubs system, Carlos Martinez? I've seen his name also appear as Carlos Martinez-Pumarino. He's about 21 or so and in the games I saw him pitch in the Arizona League in 2012 - was absolutely dominating. He's a great big kid who they listed as 6'4", and looked every bit of that. I never see his name on any of these lists and I never hear his name discussed. Does he have another name or something? Was he considered old and too experienced for the AZL? He sure seemed to be lighting up the guns at Hohokam last year.

He was too old for the league for sure, but his numbers jump out for sure. I was keeping an eye on him last season as he was a pretty unheralded signing. The problem with some of the Cuban players is that we just don't know anything about them because of the hushness of their government. I think his placement this year will say a lot about him as a prospect.

[Spriggs]

Thanks for the info.

[Spriggs]

Just wanted to share a couple interesting tidbits with fellow BN'ers. A couple days ago, I had the thrill of chatting with my childhood (and current) hero, Billy Williams after practice at Hohokam. Since I see him working with some of the hitters, I asked him about who he liked of all the young guys coming up in the system. He immediately responded, "Junior Lake, the kid is going to make a big impact soon." He went on to say how he has progressed in the last year or so. Then he said something like "And of course, there's that Baez kid, but he has to make a few changes first..."

Last week, I chatted with Bill Buckner (who was signing autographs at Fergie's table at Hohokam). Asked him who he liked from Boise last year and he said something funny like "it would be easier to say who I didn't like". He went on to say some really nice things about Amaya, who he said he thought had a real good chance of being a big league starter in a few years, and also about Candelario, but added they were both all a long way off. He really digs Almora.

In talking about his job (which he loves) Billy Buck said he is mostly all about reminding hitters about the basics and keeping them from getting into bad habits. He also said something interesting about strikeouts and how he wished he wasn't so focused on NOT striking out during his career. He would go about hitting a little differently now, a little more patiently.

A couple of really nice guys!

[Morken]

Thanks for the information, Spriggs.

It's interesting to hear what a few former Cubs - and really good hitters in their own regard - think about current Cubs' prospects.

[Brett]

Great stuff, Spriggs. Thanks for sharing that.