NEWSLETTER
In less than one week, minor league baseball will finallllly return. And as it does, I want to introduce a concept that will be a regular feature for me around here: trying to provide some context for what the action on the field means for the Cubs prospect rankings.
The February rankings were my best take at uncovering some of the differences we might expect as players take the field, but pretty much immediately once Spring Training began, I already wanted to make changes. That’d probably be true in any circumstance, but it’s especially true given how little information we’d had available on Cubs prospects for the previous year and a half heading into Spring Training.
Between seeing players from afar in Spring Training, talking to a few around it, and consuming any content coming from there, here are five changes I’d already feel some confidence in.
Max Bain is a Top 25 Cubs Prospect NOW
The secret (but not to BN readers!) is officially out on Max Bain, as national outlets like MLB Pipeline and Baseball Prospectus have discussed the early-2020 undrafted signee in the last week. Here’s what I know about the big right-hander: the Cubs are going to give Bain a try as a starter, he’s hit 99 mph during Spring Training (with the curveball entering the mid 80s and the cutter now in the low 90s), and the curveball is playing as a real plus pitch. This isn’t just a fun story anymore. Bain is rising up the Cubs prospect list weekly at this point.
I’ll stay vague and cautious and just say he’s definitely in the top 25 for now, but be warned that I won’t need to see very much with my own eyes to be much more aggressive with that number the next time we talk about it.
I’ve Have Chase Strumpf Up A Spot Or Two
Strumpf came in at the number nine spot in our February rankings, and I’m afraid that doesn’t accurately reflect my optimism in the 23-year-old second baseman. Given the positive changes to his build that he showcased during big league Spring Training, and continued talk of advanced plate appearances, I will not be surprised if the 2019 second rounder wins the Cubs Minor League Player of the Year, or if he’s garnering top 100 consideration at season’s end. Looks like he will begin the season as the starting second baseman in High-A, but I think he’s in Tennessee before too long.
Chase Strumpf with the no-doubt HR! 👀💪🏻
(📸: @WatchMarquee) @CStrumpf pic.twitter.com/N6vNP1baaq
— Cubs Zone (@CubsZone) March 8, 2021
I’ve Been Swayed (Some) by the Yohendrick Pinango Hype
If there’s one specific ranking from February that I’d want back right now, it’s putting Yohendrick Pinango at 35. While I noted Pinango’s football player build in his write-up, I don’t think I gave it enough credence in considering his offensive upside. It also appears his polish has impressed the Cubs enough to get consideration for the Low-A outfield right out of the gate (he doesn’t turn 19 until next month); he might be the only member of the 2019 DSL Cubs to bypass the AZL completely and land on the Myrtle Beach roster next week.
While I still wouldn’t have the Venezuelan outfielder as high as Keith Law and Jim Callis have ranked him this offseason, when two guys I respect that much agree he should be higher than 35, I’m happy to reconsider.
Let’s Give Peyton Remy Some Respect
While the Cubs are still crossing their t’s with next week’s Opening Day rosters, I think there’s a good chance we see a surprise in the Double-A Tennessee rotation: 24-year-old Peyton Remy. This would mean a skip of High-A for the Colorado right-hander, and you can absolutely bet that he’s earned it. Remy, a 2017 17th rounder, is a pitch design aficionado, and I’m expecting both a bit more velocity and more breaking ball sharpness when he takes the mound versus what we saw in 2019. With a minor league career 2.92 ERA, 9.2 K/9 and 6.6 H/9, Remy’s numbers have always been there, it’s probably time for some heightened praise to go with it. I’m be thinking of him as a top 40 prospect in the system now.
Eury Ramos Should Have Been Honorable Mention
When you talk about 100 dang guys, you hate to miss someone that immediately shows up to camp popping 99 mph. Eury Ramos did an amazing job committing to the weight room since we last saw baseball, and he’s athletic enough that the extra muscle immediately translated to more fastball velocity. I’m expecting Ramos for two-inning stints in the High-A bullpen out of the gate, and whether the next step is a return to the rotation or a jump to Double-A Tennessee, either way he’s absolutely a prospect worth having on your follow list.
