NEWSLETTER
MLB Pipeline has updated their Top 30 prospects list for the Cubs, and it does make for some interesting reading.
Jeimer Candelario takes the top spot on this list, followed by the injured Oscar De La Cruz and teenage flamethrower Jose Albertos. And then… well, take a look for yourself. I don’t want to spoil all of it for you.
But I will some.
Victor Caratini at number seven was a bit of a surprise (seems low – BA had him at number one, for what it’s worth) while Dillon Maples at 16 feels about right. I would hesitate to rank a definitely-pure-reliever guy like that any higher unless he was dead sure closer material, and Maples isn’t quite in that category. Duane Underwood at 19 is a serious vote of confidence in his raw stuff by the scouts; the results don’t justify a ranking even close to that right now.
I count five members of the 2017 draft class on this list, including both Alex Lange (5) and Brendon Little (6). Second rounder Cory Abbott slots in at 25, and third rounder Keegan Thompson at 23. Jeremiah Estrada, the high school pitcher who received the significantly over slot bonus in the sixth round, comes in at number 21.
As I said, the list makes for interesting reading and is well worth a slow and careful study (particularly the scouting grades). I can say with a very high amount of confidence, though, that the Top 40 will look rather different from this list when it comes out just after the trade deadline is past.
Triple A: Iowa Cubs
Iowa had the day off.
Double A: Tennessee Smokies
Tennessee had the day off.
High A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Carolina 12, Myrtle Beach 3 in six innings.
Rain finished the game short, just after the inning in which Carolina blew up for seven runs.
Low A: South Bend Cubs
Beloit 7, South Bend 6
This was a very even, very back and forth game. Until Beloit walked it off in the ninth.
Short Season A: Eugene Emeralds
Tri-City 9, Eugene 1
A sixth inning solo home run was all that stood between Eugene and being shutout.
Rookie: AZL Cubs
Cubs 2, Rangers 1
Cubs’ pitching piled up fourteen strikeouts.
Other Notes
