MY 2012 TOP 10 PITCHING PROSPECTS
Okay, the other day I posted my personal top 10 hitting prospects in the Cubs system for 2012. Some of my choices were obvious and a couple were not. Logan Watkins is a young kid that is steadily progress and I think has the potential to be a valuable utility player in the major leagues someday. Anyway, I have prepared my top 10 pitching prospects for the Cubs and that was a little bit harder to do. In case you are interested, here is a link to the list I made last off-season.
http://strictlycubsbaseball.mlblogs.com/2010/11/24/my-top-10-cubs-pitching-prospects/
Please remember, these are just my personal picks. I combine some stats, experience, age(try to keep them under 25) and make my own list. Hope you enjoy!
1. Trey McNutt 22 RHP-SP McNutt is still young and pitched in AA Tennessee in 2011. He still has some progress to make, but I think he’s the best, young and experienced pitcher we have in our system.
2. Rafael Dolis 24 RHP-SP/RP Dolis is a big kid that converted from starter to reliever last season at AA Tennessee and had decent success. He posted a 3.22 ERA with 17 saves in 72.2 innings pitched. I ranked Dolis 6th last year when he was a full time starter. With his move to the bullpen I think he may have a better chance of getting called up sooner.
3. Jay Jackson 24 RHP-SP I ranked Jackson 2nd last year but he disappointed me with his performance at AAA Iowa. He pitched 146.2 innings but posted a 5.34 ERA. This was his second full season at Iowa and I anticipated he would have a much better season. If he can turn things around this year I think he can still make the big leagues.
4. Dillon Maples 19 RHP This kid was drafted last year and the Cubs were fortunate he signed. He had the chance to play football for the University of North Carolina, but instead opted to sign with the Cubs. He has a real high ceiling, but I anticipate him starting the season in A ball at Peoria or Boise.
5. Hayden Simpson 22 RHP-SP Simpson was drafted in 2010 and struggled in his first year of professional ball last season. 25 of his 27 appearances last year were starts so I think he will continue to work as a starter. I hope he improves this year.
6. Alberto Cabrera 23 RHP-SP The Cubs kept Cabrera on the 40 man roster for a reason. Cabrera pitched in AA Tennessee and AAA Iowa last season as a starter but struggled with a combined ERA of 6.16. I’m hoping he can turn things around in 2012 or make a successful switch to the bullpen. I had Cabrera ranked 7th last year and I still think he is young enough to become a solid pitcher.
7. Dae-Eun Rhee 22 RHP-SP/RP He had Tommy John surgery in 2009 and is finally turning into the pitcher I hope he can be. He pitched at high A Daytona last year and finished with a 4.02 ERA in 127.2 innings. I think he will start the year at AA Tennessee. I had him ranked 9th last year so I am hoping that he keeps improving.
8. Ben Wells 19 RHP-SP Wells was drafted in 2010 and pitched 77.1 innings at low A Boise in 2011. With his size and fastball I can see him being a front of the rotation pitcher or even a closer.
9. Austin Kirk 21 LHP-SP Drafted in 2009, Kirk is slowly working his way up the minor leagues. He started off in rookie ball, then low A Boise and A ball in Peoria. He spent all of 2011 in Peoria posting 4.29 ERA in 151 innings.
10. Jeffry Antigua 21 LHP-SP/RP I ranked Antigua 10th last year and decided to keep him in that position despite having other players equally worthy. He had decent success in 2011 at high A Daytona posting 2.92 ERA in 83.1 innings. I anticipate he will start the season in Daytona or Tennessee.
That’s my top 10. I left off several players based on age, experience and production. The guys that have me really excited are Wells, Kirk and Maples. I look for these guys to have great success in 2012.
Theo & Jed Hit a Homer!
This is a simple post. Just one quick topic. The Theo & Jed show have brought Kerry Wood back to the Cubs. Smart move guys!!!! Cubs fans want someone like Wood on the team. Fans of other teams may not understand how much love many Cubs fans have for Wood, but there is no doubt that he is probably the best liked player on the team currently.
So, with that said, Theo & Jed hit a homerun getting Woody back. If he were to go anywhere I would have wanted him in Cincinnati. I like what the Reds have to offer in 2012. But thank God he is still a Cub!
MY 2012 TOP 10 HITTING PROSPECTS
In November of 2010 I wrote a post of my personal top 10 minor league position players for 2011. Here’s a link to that post. http://strictlycubsbaseball.mlblogs.com/2010/11/10/my-top-10-future-cubs-position-players/
Here’s my new list of Top 10 Hitting Prospects for the Cubs in 2012. I base my rankings on stats, potential, age and level of minor league experience. This is just my opinion though.
#1. Anthony Rizzo, 22, 1B. The newly acquired lefty slugger has a lot of Cubs fans extremely excited. I didn’t like giving up Andrew Cashner in the trade to get him, but I like the upside that Rizzo has. He’s young and had great success at AAA last summer hitting .331 with 1.056 OPS, 26 HRs and 101 RBIs in only 356 at bats. He’s got a bright future ahead of him and his power should play well at Wrigley Field.
#2. Brett Jackson, 23, OF. I am really high on the guy! Jackson throws right and bats left. Between AA and AAA last year he managed to hit .274 with an .869 OPS, 20 HRs, 58 RBIs and 21 SBs in 431 at bats. He’s capable of playing all three outfield positions and reminds me a bit of Grady Sizemore. I had Jackson ranked second last year behind shortstop Hak-Ju Lee who was traded to the Rays for Matt Garza.
#3. Josh Vitters, 22, 3B. Vitters was drafted out of high school with lots of raw talent. The talent is still there, but he hasn’t progressed as quickly as some Cubs fans had hoped. Last summer he played in AA and managed to hit .283 with a .770 OPS, 14HRs, 81 RBIs in 449 at bats. He’s also played a little outfield and firstbase in the minor leagues and the Arizona Fall League. I anticipate him to start the season at AAA Iowa and play thirdbase. I ranked Vitters third last season as well and I still have faith that he will become an everyday player in the big leagues.
#4. Matt Szczur, 22, OF. This guys is an athlete! He played football at Villanova before choosing to be a full time baseball player with the Cubs. The right hander is capable of playing all three outfield positions and hit well last year in Peoria and Daytona. He combinded for a .293 average, .758 OPS, 10 HRs, 46 RBIs, 24 SBs in 447 at bats. I anticipate he will start the season in AA Tennessee. At least I hope he does. He has a ton of talent and I think he can move up the ladder quickly.
#5. Junior Lake, 21 (will be 22 in March), SS/3B. Lake is primarily a shortstop at this point, but may make the move to thirdbase if Josh Vitters moves to another position or is unable to progress any further. He put up decent numbers between high A Daytona and AA Tennessee. Here’s his combined stats. .279 average, .750 OPS, 12 HRs, 51 RBIs, 38 SBs in 445 at bats. I see him starting the year at AA and could quickly move up to AAA Iowa. Keep your eye on this kid!
#6. Welington Castillo, 24 (will be 25 in April), C. Here’s a guy that I like but is blocked by Geovany Soto at the catcher position. His minor league totals from last year were .286 average, .876 OPS, 16 HRs and 42 RBIs in 275 at bats. Very respectable numbers. I think he will be Soto’s backup this season. His age is a factor for me too. I am trying to keep the players I rank under the age of 25. That knocks out fellow catcher, Steve Clevenger who will be 26 in April. Last season I had Castillo ranked 4th, but he was stuck behind Soto and Koyie Hill. Hill is gone so I really think Castillo will make the big league team out of spring training.
#7. Logan Watkins, 22, 2B/SS. Here’s a guy that seems to not be on very many people’s radar, but I like him. He’s a light hitting lefty with tons of speed. He can play both middle infield positions and I think he’s even capable of playing in the outfield given his speed. His first season, 2008 was in the Rookie League. 2009 was in low A Boise. 2010 was A ball in Peoria and 2011 was high A in Daytona. He hit .281 last year with a .756 OPS, 12 Triples, 45 RBIs, 21 SBs in 441 at bats. I hope he keeps progressing. The Cubs could use his speed as a backup infielder. Watkins fell from 6th last year to 7th this year.
#8. Reggie Golden, 20, OF. Here is a real young kid with a high ceiling. He played at Boise in 2011 hitting .242, .752 OPS, 7 HRs, 39 RBIs, 5 SBs in 231 at bats. Golden turned down the opportunity to play baseball at the University of Alabama to play for the Cubs organization. I plan on keeping a close eye on Golden this year to see how he progresses.
#9. Javier Baez, 19, SS. This kid was drafted last year in the first round by the Cubs. It’s still way too early to know where this kid will play, but he projects as a shortstop or thirdbaseman. I am curious to see where the Cubs start him at this season and how he performs. I am guessing Boise or Peoria.
#10. Daniel Vogelbach, 19, 1B. This hoss was drafted last year as well. He’s supposed to possess a lot of power. I think he will start the year in Boise or Peoria just like Baez. He’s young and this will be his first full season in minor league baseball.
It was tough for me to choose only 10 players that I liked. Some of the guys that missed the cut were D.J. LeMahieu (#8 last year) who was traded to the Colorado Rockies in the Ian Stewart deal, Zeke DeVoss (drafted in 3rd round last year) and Ryan Flaherty (#7 last year, but will turn 26 in July). I really like DeVoss and contemplated leaving Castillo off the list this year and placing Zeke in his place. Last year, I gave an honorable mention to Darwin Barney and Tony Campana and both players made significant contributions to the big league team with Barney as the everyday secondbaseman.
That’s it! My 2012 Top 10 Hitting Prospects for the Cubs.
Bringing Back Wood
For me, Theo Epstein & Jed Hoyer have 2 strikes against them when it comes to personnel moves this off-season. Strike one was not finding a job for Ryne Sandberg in the organization. Strike two was not finding a way to keep Greg Maddux in the organization. Now that the count is 0-2, I’m hoping they hit a homer and bring Kerry Wood back. From what I’ve read today, it appears they will. I understand that Theo & Jed are trying their best to build a winning franchise, but Ryno, Maddog or Woody would sure be nice to have in Cubbie blue.
Here’s hoping they get a deal done soon and move on to more pressing matters such as trading Alfonso Soriano.
Work In Progress
It’s obvious to most any Cubs fan or baseball fan, that the Chicago Cubs are a “Work In Progress” right now. Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer have made some moves that I do not necessarily like, but completely understand. Here’s a quick look at some of the moves made recently.
Trading Big Z for Chris Volstad. Excellent move! Yes, we ate an overwhelming majority of Zambrano’s contract, but at least we got a decent player in return. I give this one an A+!
Trading for Anthony Rizzo. I hated losing Cashner in this deal, but now we have our firstbaseman for the future. My grade=B+.
Trading Sean Marshall. I hated losing Marshall, but I like Travis Wood and think he will benefit us over the long run. B-.
Signing David DeJesus. I really like DeJesus and the amount of money we spent to get him. However, the Cubs are obviously in a rebuilding mode and signing a player over 30 doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me. I wouldn’t be surprised to see DeJesus traded before his contract is up. Grade=C+. (If the Cubs were a true playoff contender this year I would have given an “A”)
Signing Reed Johnson. See David DeJesus. We’ve got to see if guys like Brett Jackson can play. Our outfield is full of guys over 30 years of age…..Alfonso Soriano, Marlon Byrd, Reed Johnson & David DeJesus. I thought we were supposed to be rebuilding???
I know the Cubs will be making more moves before the season begins. I anticipate Theo & Jed to sign more pitchers, like Paul Maholm in addition to Sonnanstine and Corpas. I also see us trading Alfonso Soriano and maybe even Marlon Byrd. I hope we bring Kerry Wood back, but I keep reading that the Phillies have an interest in him now. Time will tell.
So far, Theo & Jed have been trying to load up on younger arms while aging our outfield. I cannot wait to see what moves they make next. Just think, our infield could be Josh Vitters at 3B, Starlin Castro at SS, Darwin Barney at 2B and Anthony Rizzo at 1B. That’s some young players to build your core around.
To be continued….
WISH LIST STUFF
Here is my old list.
1. Bring Sandberg back to the Cubs organization.
2. Hire a quality manager. We hired Dale Sveum.
3. Keep Greg Maddux in the front office.
4. Go after Prince Fielder. Sounds like it may happen. We may even go after Pujols.
5. Make offer to Aramis Ramirez (this one goes hand-in-hand with number 4 and I’ll explain later) Does not appear likely.
6. Trade Carlos Zambrano. (Even is he says it won’t happen again I know it will)
7. Trade Alfonso Soriano. Sounds like this could happen.
8. Sign Kerry Wood again or find him a job with the Cubs. Might happen.
9. Strengthen the pitching staff
And here is my new and improved wish list.
1. Sign Prince Fielder. He could be the center piece to build around.
2. Trade Carlos Zambrano to the Marlins.
3. Trade Alfonso Soriano to any AL team that will take him!
4. Sign Kerry Wood.
5. Sign either Paul Maholm or Edwin Jackson. We need pitching depth.
6. Wipe the slate clean, don’t sign Prince, trade Soriano & Zambrano. Then trade Matt Garza to the Reds or Rangers in a huge deal. Follow that up by trading away Marlon Byrd, Geovany Soto and Randy Wells too.
Whatever direction the Cubs decide to go I hope they start making moves soon. I just want to know what to expect for the next couple of seasons under Theo and Co..
RANTING ABOUT EVERYTHING
Well, last week was the Winter Meetings and there was one major surprise with Albert Pujols going out west to play for the Angels. It was a surprise to me personally because I really believed he would stay in St. Louis. What has surprised me even more is a lot of the hatred that has been directed at him since the announcement. If you don’t know, or remember, I live in Cardinals territory. I am surrounded by Cardinal fans everywhere I go. Over the last week I have read and heard some of the most ignorant comments that sports fans can make. Here’s just a few. “I hope Albert gets injured and never plays again”, “I wouldn’t urinate on him if he was on fire” and the worst of them all, “I hope Albert dies”……can you believe that? Listen, I understand the frustration and disappointment, but those comments are ridiculous! Hopefully, the hatred and initial shock will calm down and fans will remember that they were privileged to watch one of the greatest hitters in baseball for 11 seasons. That Albert was never in the news for DUIs, PEDs, beating women, not paying his taxes or anything bad like that. Remember the good that Albert did on the field and off the field and wish him well.
Now, on to more important issues. The Cubs are still in need of several players in my opinion. We have no one at either corner infield spot in my opinion. I understand that Ian Stewart is slated to be our new third baseman, but I’m not sold on him at this point. We better hope that Josh Vitters is capable of playing in the big leagues if Stewart cannot hit in 2012. We also have an opportunity to sign Prince Fielder to play first base if we chose to. I think that we should sign him and build our lineup around the left-handed slugger.
Aramis Ramirez has left us for the Milwaukee Brewers. I hope he stays healthy and plays well for the Brewers….except when he faces the Cubs. Best wishes Aramis. You will be missed by this Cubs fan.
I am excited for Angels fans with the arrivals of C.J. Wilson and Pujols. With the current lineup they have and young players such as Trumbo, Trout and Conger, I would be elated at the change of a World Series championship in Anaheim soon. Also, I would consider trading Trout and Conger for David Wright. Just a thought.
Speaking of David Wright, I think a lot of teams should be pursuing him right now. He would be a great fit on a lot of teams. Heck, I even believe he would be the perfect fit for the St. Louis Cardinals. Move Freese to first base and have Wright at third. I’m sure a package deal involving Shelby Miller and Zach Cox could be a great starting point to get a deal done.
Another trade idea I have for an opposing team involves the Cincinnati Reds. Trade Yonder Alonso! He’s a stud with the stick and needs to stay at first base. I’m thinking Ricky Romero, Gio Gonzalez or James Shields. The Reds have a real good shot at winning the NL Central in 2012 with the loss of Pujols by the Cards and potential loss of Prince Fielder by the Brewers. Make the move Walt and get your team into the post-season next year.
I was shocked at the news of Ryan Braun failing a drug test. I really want to believe him and I hope he is exonerated. However, if it is proven that he really cheated…..well, I really don’t know what to say about that.
How about Tim Tebow?!!?! I’ve learned to turn his games on with less than 8 minutes remaining so I don’t have to suffer through the first 3 1/2 quarters. He keeps getting the job done and I wish him well. I really hope he guides the Broncos to the playoffs. Now, if only my Cowboys could learn how to win instead of giving games away.
SANTO
There’s not a lot to be said that hasn’t already be said or written. Ron Santo will finally be a member of the Hall of Fame. It’s a shame it took this long for him to get in. It’s a bitter-sweet moment for the Santo family and Cubs fans. But in the end, he belongs in the Hall and he’s finally going to be there.
Winter Meetings Almost Here!
I am getting excited! The anticipation is almost like a child waiting for Christmas morning so they can open their presents. Next week’s Winter Meetings have gotten me excited as they do every year. However, this year I expect the Cubs to really be active. I am betting on trades and free agent signings to happen with Theo at the helm. I’m still aggravated that he allowed Greg Maddux to leave and that he didn’t bring back Ryne Sandberg. However, if he can put together a winning team all will be forgiven.
The acquisition of David DeJesus was a great signing. It was an inexpensive move as well. Now we need to strengthen our pitching staff, find a left handed slugger (Prince…maybe) and make some trades.
Speaking of trades, I would love to see the Cubs trade Alfonso Soriano and Carlos Zambrano. I doubt we will be able to trade both of these players, but I think we can swap at least one of them. I’m betting that Soriano may be playing for another team in 2012 and it will most likely be in the AL.
I’ve also read that the Cubs may shop Matt Garza around. I really, really like Garza. However, if we are able to get a bountiful return for him then I have no problem letting him go. I don’t see Theo and Hoyer accepting a trade for him without getting 4-5 minor league players in return.
Next week is kind of like a holiday for me. I am a baseball nerd who loves this part of the off-season and cannot wait for it to begin.
UPDATING MY WISH LIST
At the beginning of November I created my wish list for the Cubs this off-season. Here it is and along with a few changes.
1. Bring Sandberg back to the Cubs organization.
2. Hire a quality manager. We hired Dale Sveum.
3. Keep Greg Maddux in the front office.
4. Go after Prince Fielder. Sounds like it may happen. We may even go after Pujols.
5. Make offer to Aramis Ramirez (this one goes hand-in-hand with number 4 and I’ll explain later) Does not appear likely.
6. Trade Carlos Zambrano. (Even is he says it won’t happen again I know it will)
7. Trade Alfonso Soriano. Sounds like this could happen.
8. Sign Kerry Wood again or find him a job with the Cubs. Might happen.
9. Strengthen the pitching staff
So two of my wish’s have already been rejected. However, the Cubs may pursue Pujols or Fielder which is a good thing.
strictlycubsbaseball
Recent Comments