It’s time for the third month of the Cublogoverse Chicago Cubs Prospect Poll. With the help of some of your favorite other Cubs blogs, we’ve put together a poll – not unlike a college football or college basketball poll – ranking the top Chicago Cubs prospects. With several blogs in tow for the poll, it is likely to be a more distilled – and more accurate – ranking of the Cubs prospects than the rankings you see in the various prospect services.
And without further back-patting, here is the third installment, and second in-season version, of the poll (player, position, current level, and rank in last month’s poll):
- Josh Vitters, 3B, A (1)
- Jeff Samardzija, SP, AAA/MLB (2)
- Andrew Cashner, SP/RP, High A (4)
- Jay Jackson, SP, AA (9)
- Ryan Flaherty, SS, A (3)
- Tony Thomas, 2B, AA (10)
- Hak Ju-Lee, SS, Low A, (7)
- Starlin Castro, SS, High A (11)
- Tyler Colvin, OF, AA (6)
- Jake Fox, 1B, AAA (8)
- Casey Coleman, SP, AA (NR)
- Steven Clevenger, C, AAA (NR)
- Kevin Hart, SP/RP, AAA/MLB (NR)
- Jose Ascanio, RP, AAA/MLB (12)
- Darwin Barney, SS, AA (NR)
Others receiving votes: Welington Castillo, Dae-Eun Rhee, Jeff Stevens, Mitch Atkins, Brandon Guyer, Kyler Burke, Alex Maestri, Jovan Rosa, Chris Carpenter, John Gaub, Chris Archer, Blake Parker, Josh Harrison, and 2009 number one pick Brett Jackson.
The obvious huge move is the complete dropping of Welington Castillo from the poll. A truly poor 2009 has seen the catching prospect move steadily down, and he’s now nowhere to be found. Has he been replaced in the minds of the voters by AAA catcher Steve Clevenger? He’s exploded onto the scene – not unlike a certain Cubs catcher that preceded him – with a gigantic start to the year in AA, and a promotion to AAA Iowa. He started slow in Iowa, but is riding a 10-game hitting streak.
Starting pitcher Jay Jackson also makes a huge leap up the poll after turning his season around. After a slow start that saw his ERA balloon to near double-digits, Jackson is now rolling and dealing. Tony Thomas and Starlin Castro also make substantial moves up the poll this month.
Josh Vitters was a unanimous number 1, once again. No real surprise there as he’s done little but impress.
Casey Coleman is making quite an impression in his first full season in minor league ball, having kept his ERA south of 3.00 virtually all year.
Ryan Flaherty continues to get huge love in the poll despite doing little on the field to deserve it. We blogger-scouts must love his “projectable frame.” Or something.
Thanks to Bleed Cubbie Blue, Chicago Cubs Online, Cubs f/x, View from the Bleachers, and The Cub Reporter for participating. And a huge thanks to Tim Souers at Cubby-Blue for the ridiculously awesome logo for the poll.