This year’s minor league season felt more like an endurance contest than a baseball season, with the sheer number of injuries always at a completely staggering volume. While I think Brennen Davis and D.J. Herz were no-doubter selections for Player and Pitcher of the Year, respectively, I wanted to go one level deeper and construct 25-man All-Star rosters from the Cubs minor league system. I considered only what was done within the minors, and in trying to reward players for that endurance, gave a small bump to full-season players over short-season players when the value was close.
Congratulations are in order to all the Cubs minor leaguers for their hustle in what had to be one of the more unique minor league seasons ever!
Onto the 2021 Bleacher Nation Cubs All-System Team:
Lineup
Catcher: Moises Ballesteros | DSL
Numbers: .266/.396/.390, 187 PA, 128 wRC+, 6 SB.
First Base: Jared Young | Double-A / Triple-A
Numbers: .290/.361/.471, 285 PA, 128 wRC+, 4 SB.
Second Base: Abiatal Avelino | Triple-A
Numbers: .266/.347/.376, 433 PA, 98 wRC+, 16 SB.
Shortstop: Pedro Ramirez | DSL
Numbers: .359/.417/.503, 216 PA, 155 wRC+, 9 SB.
Third Base: Christopher Morel | Double-A / Triple-A
Numbers: .223/.303/.427, 456 PA, 100 wRC+, 18 SB.
Outfield: Brennen Davis | High-A / Double-A / Triple-A
Numbers: .260/.375/.494, 416 PA, 141 wRC+, 8 SB.
Outfield: Nelson Velazquez | High-A / Double-A
Numbers: .270/.333/.496, 425 PA, 122 wRC+, 17 SB.
Outfield: Yonathan Perlaza | High-A
Numbers: .280/.350/.479, 404 PA, 123 wRC+, 6 SB.
Designated Hitter: Owen Caissie | ACL / Low-A
Numbers: .302/.434/.489, 226 PA, 148 wRC+, 1 SB.
Bench
Catcher: Bryce Windham | High-A
Numbers: .276/.362/.395, 214 PA, 111 wRC+, 4 SB.
Infielder: James Triantos | ACL
Numbers: .327/.376/.594, 109 PA, 143 wRC+, 3 SB.
Outfielder: Michael Hermosillo | Triple-A
Numbers: .306/.446/.592, 186 PA, 178 wRC+, 8 SB.
Starters
D.J. Herz | LHP | Low-A / High-A
Numbers: 81.2 IP, 42 H, 3.31 ERA, 44 BB, 131 K, 7 HR-A.
Ryan Jensen | RHP | High-A / Double-A
Numbers: 80 IP, 56 H, 4.16 ERA, 31 BB, 90 K, 10 HR-A.
Matt Swarmer | RHP | Double-A / Triple-A
Numbers: 112.2 IP, 104 H, 4.79 ERA, 36 BB, 120 K, 22 HR-A.
Derek Casey | RHP | High-A
Numbers: 58.1 IP, 56 H, 3.24 ERA, 20 BB, 73 K, 2 HR-A.
Joe Nahas | RHP | Low-A / High-A / Double-A
Numbers: 92.2 IP, 93 H, 4.27 ERA, 32 BB, 89 K, 17 HR-A.
Relievers
Ben Leeper | RHP | Double-A / Triple-A
Numbers: 35 IP, 15 H, 1.29 ERA, 13 BB, 53 K, 2 HR-A.
Scott Kobos | LHP | All 4 full-season affiliates
Numbers: 33 IP, 18 H, 2.18 ERA, 17 BB, 50 K, 1 HR-A.
Cayne Ueckert | RHP | High-A / Double-A
Numbers: 31 IP, 13 H, 1.45 ERA, 12 BB, 37 K, 3 HR-A.
Danis Correa | RHP | Low-A / High-A
Numbers: 37 IP, 21 H, 1.95 ERA, 18 BB, 60 K, 0 HR-A.
Brandon Hughes | LHP | High-A / Double-A
Numbers: 42 IP, 31 H, 1.71 ERA, 17 BB, 60 K, 4 HR-A.
Ethan Roberts | RHP | Double-A / Triple-A
Numbers: 54 IP, 35 H, 3.00 ERA, 17 BB, 72 K, 2 HR-A.
Scott Effross | RHP | Double-A / Triple-A
Numbers: 60.2 IP, 44 H, 3.41 ERA, 15 BB, 66 K, 8 HR-A.
Gabriel Jaramillo | RHP | Low-A / High-A
Numbers: 44 IP, 28 H, 2.45 ERA, 21 BB, 53 K, 2 HR-A.
Second Team
Lineup: Miguel Fabrizio, Alfonso Rivas, Chase Strumpf, Cristian Hernández, Reginald Preciado, Trayce Thompson, Kevin Alcantara, Jordan Nwogu, Nelson Maldonado.
Bench: Wally Soto, Delvin Zinn, Juan Mora, Yohendrick Pinango.
Starters: Luis Devers, Enmanuel De La Cruz, Richard Gallardo, Carlos Garcia, Luis Lugo.
Relievers: Manuel Rodriguez, Jeremiah Estrada, Oliver Roque, Brendon Little, Jake Jewell, Bailey Reid, Tyler Santana, Andricson Salvador.
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On a personal note, I just want to thank everyone for following along this year. Hopefully you enjoyed some of the changes we made to how we followed along (the Five Stars format), and hopefully you found a new player to root for. Feel free to let me know what we can do better at!
And Jed or Crane or Tom, if you’re reading this (you’re not): please pay these guys better next year. For Spring Training, for Instructs and mini-camps, and for the regular season (injured or not). Better housing, better food, all of it. Be the leaders on this issue.
