NEWSLETTER
Another updated midseason top Cubs prospect list for you to consume this afternoon, as the crew at MLB Pipeline has reset their team lists following the draft, the Trade Deadline, and a big chunk of the minor league season.
Once again, as we are increasingly seeing with these lists: the Cubs have incredible depth – there are so many legit prospects who don’t even make these lists – but the impact at the top is sorely lacking. That’s why you see the other thing on these lists: an almost random ordering of the prospects after Brennen Davis at the top. When you’re a huge upside 19-year-old in Complex Ball, suffice to say that different services might have wildly different opinions about you – and when there are a lot of similar types? The rankings get really crazy in the ordering.
Which is not to say there aren’t things you can take away from the Pipeline update, like their obvious affection for the Cubs’ top two draft picks, and their full buy-in on D.J. Herz. I also like to see Kevin Made getting some love, because it’s become a little too easy to forget about him among the many other very young positional prospects.
Make sure to head over to Pipeline to see the updated scouting reports and get to know the prospects a little better. The list:
1. Brennen Davis, OF
2. Brailyn Marquez, LHP
3. Cristian Hernandez, SS
4. Miguel Amaya, C
5. Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF
6. Jordan Wicks, LHP
7. Ed Howard, SS
8. Reggie Preciado, SS
9. Owen Caissie, OF
10. Kohl Franklin, RHP
11. James Triantos, SS
12. Alexander Canario, OF
13. D.J. Herz, LHP
14. Caleb Kilian, RHP
15. Ryan Jensen, RHP
16. Kevin Alcantara, OF
17. Kevin Made, SS
18. Yohendrick Pinango, OF
19. Justin Steele, LHP
20. Alexander Vizcaino, RHP
21. Christopher Morel, UTL
22. Christian Franklin, OF
23. Greg Deichmann, OF
24. Chase Strumpf, 2B
25. Cole Roederer, OF
26. Chris Clarke, RHP
27. Jordan Nwogu, OF
28. Manny Rodriguez, RHP
29. Pablo Aliendo, C
30. Riley Thompson, RHP
A little taste from the scouting reports, since I shouted out Made getting some love. He was the Cubs’ second-biggest IFA signing in 2019 behind Ronnier Quintero, and he is described as being perhaps the second best defensive shortstop in the minors behind his teammate Ed Howard. Here’s a portion of the report on Made:
Made makes consistent line-drive contact to all fields with a quick right-handed swing. He has a more advanced approach and better feel for the barrel than most 18-year-olds. While he’ll always be a hit-over-power guy, his hitting ability, bat speed and projectable strength should translate into 15 or more homers per season.
Presently a solid runner, Made could have plus speed once he’s fully developed physically. He has the actions and instincts to play a quality shortstop and his tools will enable him to play all over the diamond as needed. His arm earns well above-average grades from some evaluators and plays better than its pure strength because he gets rid of the ball quickly and with impressive accuracy.
Any 18-year-old playing full-season ball is doing something impressive, and although the walks and power are almost entirely absent from his game so far (what do you expect!), you love to see a strikeout rate at just 21.7%, and a barrel-to-ball/speed combo that has allowed him a .346 BABIP.
And how about this? Over the past month, now that he’s had some time to adjust to such an aggressive assignment, he’s hit .337/.344/.446 (114 wRC+). That’s some compelling stuff from a good defensive shortstop who is just 18 and in full-season ball. Maybe we don’t give Made *enough* love.
