Top 20 Prospects: Chicago Cubs
1. Javier Baez, SS/3B, B+
Baez has the potential to stay at short, but it's unlikely that he'll end up there in the long run. He wasn't a favorite of mine going into the 2011 draft with a long swing and an unrefined approach. Regardless, he has excellent bat speed and potential to hit for both average and power with solid-average speed.
2. Jorge Soler, OF, B/B+
Soler, the recent signee from Cuba, has tons of upside. He's very, very raw and the comparisons to fellow Cuban Yoenis Cespedes are misguided, but Soler still presents a very intriguing power/speed combination.
3. Dillon Maples, RHP, B
Many project him as a back end reliever, but after seeing him in person at East Cobb in 2010, Maples has been a favorite of mine with both a plus fastball and breaking ball. He has not pitched yet in pro ball, but once he does, his stock will in all likelihood rise.
4. Albert Almora, OF, B
One of, if not the most polished high schooler in the 2012 draft, Almora does not have the upside of some of the other prospects in the system, but is more likely to reach his ceiling with a solid all-around game.
5. Matt Szczur, OF, B
Szczur still has a lot of raw home run power, but some of it has slipped this year and he is fairly old for a prospect. That being said, he still has all the tools offensively and defensively.
6. Arismendy Alcantara, SS, B-
Alcantara has always been regarded as a very good defensive shortstop, and he's starting to show the ability to hit this year in the tough FSL.
7. Jeimer Candelario, 3B, B-
Very young and unrefined, he's not anything to write home about defensively, but there's potential in the bat here with the chance for a dangerous power/average combination.
8. Dan Vogelbach, 1B, B-
The power first baseman type who will have to hit at every level to prove himself. He doesn’t have a good baseball body, ala Matt Adams, but if the bat is as good as Adams’ is (and it could have more power) he could be a very good big league slugger
9. Pierce Johnson, RHP, B-
A 2012 draftee, Johnson has good present stuff and is still projectable for a college arm. He could be a very good number 3 starter in the majors.
10. Junior Lake, SS, B-
Lake missed some time at the start of the season due to a back injury and isn’t the greatest defender to begin with, despite his outstanding throwing arm. The upside? If he can work past his strikeout troubles, there's an intriguing power/speed combo that could be valuable, especially if he is able to stay at short.
11. Ben Wells, RHP, C+
A 7th round pick in 2010, Wells shows plenty of potential and was very young for his class. His stuff is average, but he limits his walks and profiles as more of a back-end starter than anything else.
12. Jae-Hoon Ha, OF, C+
Ha has some gap power and is a solid hitter for average, but there's not power or speed to speak of here.
13. Zeke DeVoss, 2B, C+
DeVoss has excellent speed, walks a ton and shows some promising gap power. The downside? He strikes out too much to be a top of the order guy at this stage and will need to refine his approach in order to find a spot there at the next level.
14. Paul Blackburn, RHP, C+
Blackburn is a projectable righty from the 2012 draft with number 2 starter upside. He's more likely going to end up in the middle of a rotation, but his combination of good present command and physical projectability is one to watch.
15. Christian Villanueva, 3B C+
16. Trey McNutt, RHP, C+
Hampered by some injuries last year, McNutt basically lost that development time and looks like he’ll be more of a reliever going forward.
17. Duane Underwood, RHP, C+
Underwood is a classic high-risk/high reward type. He came into the draft with a lot of hype and fell off right before due to reports of poor performances and decreased velocity. He may have the highest ceiling for a pitcher in the system, but he has an extremely low floor.
18. Ronald Torreyes, 2B/SS, C+
Torreyes owns a classic, scrappy middle infield profile. He's very small and makes very good contact to go along with good speed and sure hands in the field. The downside? He doesn’t have much power and will have to play above his tools to succeed at the next level.
19. Reggie Golden, OF, C+
A 2nd round selection in 2010, Golden has all the tools but suffered a torn ACL earlier this year and has been out since early April. He's still very raw, but he's a prototypical toolsy outfielder.
20. Gioskar Amaya, INF, C+
Amaya can hit for average and has some speed to go along with solid-average defense. There's no power to speak of here, but there are some interesting skills.
21. Aaron Kurcz, RHP, C+
Kurcz converted to relief full time this year and he could be a good back end of the pen guy.
22. Marco Hernandez, SS, C+
Hernandez is solid defensively and there's a little bit of projection in the bat.
23. Tim Saunders, SS, C+
Saunders comes from Division III powerhouse Marietta and had absolutely ridiculous stats in 2012. Saunders is a favorite of ours and is a big time sleeper.
Baez has the potential to stay at short, but it's unlikely that he'll end up there in the long run. He wasn't a favorite of mine going into the 2011 draft with a long swing and an unrefined approach. Regardless, he has excellent bat speed and potential to hit for both average and power with solid-average speed.
2. Jorge Soler, OF, B/B+
Soler, the recent signee from Cuba, has tons of upside. He's very, very raw and the comparisons to fellow Cuban Yoenis Cespedes are misguided, but Soler still presents a very intriguing power/speed combination.
3. Dillon Maples, RHP, B
Many project him as a back end reliever, but after seeing him in person at East Cobb in 2010, Maples has been a favorite of mine with both a plus fastball and breaking ball. He has not pitched yet in pro ball, but once he does, his stock will in all likelihood rise.
4. Albert Almora, OF, B
One of, if not the most polished high schooler in the 2012 draft, Almora does not have the upside of some of the other prospects in the system, but is more likely to reach his ceiling with a solid all-around game.
5. Matt Szczur, OF, B
Szczur still has a lot of raw home run power, but some of it has slipped this year and he is fairly old for a prospect. That being said, he still has all the tools offensively and defensively.
6. Arismendy Alcantara, SS, B-
Alcantara has always been regarded as a very good defensive shortstop, and he's starting to show the ability to hit this year in the tough FSL.
7. Jeimer Candelario, 3B, B-
Very young and unrefined, he's not anything to write home about defensively, but there's potential in the bat here with the chance for a dangerous power/average combination.
8. Dan Vogelbach, 1B, B-
The power first baseman type who will have to hit at every level to prove himself. He doesn’t have a good baseball body, ala Matt Adams, but if the bat is as good as Adams’ is (and it could have more power) he could be a very good big league slugger
9. Pierce Johnson, RHP, B-
A 2012 draftee, Johnson has good present stuff and is still projectable for a college arm. He could be a very good number 3 starter in the majors.
10. Junior Lake, SS, B-
Lake missed some time at the start of the season due to a back injury and isn’t the greatest defender to begin with, despite his outstanding throwing arm. The upside? If he can work past his strikeout troubles, there's an intriguing power/speed combo that could be valuable, especially if he is able to stay at short.
11. Ben Wells, RHP, C+
A 7th round pick in 2010, Wells shows plenty of potential and was very young for his class. His stuff is average, but he limits his walks and profiles as more of a back-end starter than anything else.
12. Jae-Hoon Ha, OF, C+
Ha has some gap power and is a solid hitter for average, but there's not power or speed to speak of here.
13. Zeke DeVoss, 2B, C+
DeVoss has excellent speed, walks a ton and shows some promising gap power. The downside? He strikes out too much to be a top of the order guy at this stage and will need to refine his approach in order to find a spot there at the next level.
14. Paul Blackburn, RHP, C+
Blackburn is a projectable righty from the 2012 draft with number 2 starter upside. He's more likely going to end up in the middle of a rotation, but his combination of good present command and physical projectability is one to watch.
15. Christian Villanueva, 3B C+
16. Trey McNutt, RHP, C+
Hampered by some injuries last year, McNutt basically lost that development time and looks like he’ll be more of a reliever going forward.
17. Duane Underwood, RHP, C+
Underwood is a classic high-risk/high reward type. He came into the draft with a lot of hype and fell off right before due to reports of poor performances and decreased velocity. He may have the highest ceiling for a pitcher in the system, but he has an extremely low floor.
18. Ronald Torreyes, 2B/SS, C+
Torreyes owns a classic, scrappy middle infield profile. He's very small and makes very good contact to go along with good speed and sure hands in the field. The downside? He doesn’t have much power and will have to play above his tools to succeed at the next level.
19. Reggie Golden, OF, C+
A 2nd round selection in 2010, Golden has all the tools but suffered a torn ACL earlier this year and has been out since early April. He's still very raw, but he's a prototypical toolsy outfielder.
20. Gioskar Amaya, INF, C+
Amaya can hit for average and has some speed to go along with solid-average defense. There's no power to speak of here, but there are some interesting skills.
21. Aaron Kurcz, RHP, C+
Kurcz converted to relief full time this year and he could be a good back end of the pen guy.
22. Marco Hernandez, SS, C+
Hernandez is solid defensively and there's a little bit of projection in the bat.
23. Tim Saunders, SS, C+
Saunders comes from Division III powerhouse Marietta and had absolutely ridiculous stats in 2012. Saunders is a favorite of ours and is a big time sleeper.
2012 Draft Review: Chicago Cubs
Overall Draft Grade: B-
The Cubs balanced some polished selections at the top with some risky, high upside arms. Almora is a solid talent at number six and if everything goes well for him, he could be an impact player who does everything well. Johnson is a refined arm out of Missouri State who could see the middle of a rotation at the next level. After those two, Blackburn, Underwood, McNeil, Conway and Prieto are all power arms with big upside, but they each come with some significant risk. That's quite a few power arms to add to the Chicago system, and if one of two of them pan out, Epstein and Co. can consider this draft a success.
1st Round (6): Albert Almora, OF, Mater Academy (FL), 6'2", 180, R/R
Almora is a polished, all-around talent with great work ethic and the potential to be an impact outfielder at the next level. He's played for Team USA more than anyone in recent years and he does everything well on the field. He's got a shot at being an above-average hitter for both average and power and he can handle center field defensively. He's not a plus runner, but he has good instincts and uses them well.
The Cubs balanced some polished selections at the top with some risky, high upside arms. Almora is a solid talent at number six and if everything goes well for him, he could be an impact player who does everything well. Johnson is a refined arm out of Missouri State who could see the middle of a rotation at the next level. After those two, Blackburn, Underwood, McNeil, Conway and Prieto are all power arms with big upside, but they each come with some significant risk. That's quite a few power arms to add to the Chicago system, and if one of two of them pan out, Epstein and Co. can consider this draft a success.
1st Round (6): Albert Almora, OF, Mater Academy (FL), 6'2", 180, R/R
Almora is a polished, all-around talent with great work ethic and the potential to be an impact outfielder at the next level. He's played for Team USA more than anyone in recent years and he does everything well on the field. He's got a shot at being an above-average hitter for both average and power and he can handle center field defensively. He's not a plus runner, but he has good instincts and uses them well.
Supplemental Round (43): Pierce Johnson, RHP, Missouri State University (JR), 6'3", 175
Johnson is an intriguing college righty with a good three-pitch mix. His fastball sits in the 91-93 range and his curveball should be an above-average pitch at the next level. He also shows a change-up that has the potential to be average. Given his present stuff and ideal pitchers frame, Johnson profiles as a solid 3 starter at the next level.
Johnson is an intriguing college righty with a good three-pitch mix. His fastball sits in the 91-93 range and his curveball should be an above-average pitch at the next level. He also shows a change-up that has the potential to be average. Given his present stuff and ideal pitchers frame, Johnson profiles as a solid 3 starter at the next level.
Supplemental Round (56): Paul Blackburn, RHP, Heritage HS (CA), 6'2", 185
Blackburn provides an interesting combination of present stuff and projectability. His fastball sits in the low 90s and could add a tick or two of velocity as he fills out. He shows a good feel for pitching and a solid curveball for a high schooler. He could be a tough sign as his commitment to Arizona State is considered fairly strong.
2nd Round: (67): Duane Underwood, RHP, Pope HS (GA), 6'2", 205
Underwood was falling down some draft boards late but was initially considered a Top 50 talent. He's athletic on the mound and has a fastball that has touched as high as 98 mph. His secondary offerings are behind the fastball but show at least Major League average potential. Underwood has good presence on the mound and is decent value here.
Blackburn provides an interesting combination of present stuff and projectability. His fastball sits in the low 90s and could add a tick or two of velocity as he fills out. He shows a good feel for pitching and a solid curveball for a high schooler. He could be a tough sign as his commitment to Arizona State is considered fairly strong.
2nd Round: (67): Duane Underwood, RHP, Pope HS (GA), 6'2", 205
Underwood was falling down some draft boards late but was initially considered a Top 50 talent. He's athletic on the mound and has a fastball that has touched as high as 98 mph. His secondary offerings are behind the fastball but show at least Major League average potential. Underwood has good presence on the mound and is decent value here.
3rd Round (101): Ryan McNeil, RHP, Nipomo HS (CA), 6'3", 210
McNeil is a raw, projectable high school arm who wasn't on our radar before the draft. He needs plenty of refinement, but has a good fastball that sits in the low-90s and could even gain a tick or two more of velocity. His command and secondary stuff are way behind, and McNeil is definitely a risky selection here.
4th Round (134): Josh Conway, RHP, Coastal Carolina University (JR), 6'1", 175
Conway had Tommy John fairly recently, but he's got big upside and was touching the mid-90s with his fastball before the injury. He's a project who will have to spend the first part of his professional career rehabbing, but he has a power slider to go along with the fastball which, if healthy, allows him to profile as a big power arm at the next level.
5th Round (164): Anthony Prieto, LHP, Americas HS (TX), 5'11", 170
Upside arms is the theme here, and if Preito was 6'3", 215, there would be a lot more buzz about him. Regardless, he's a power arm with a fastball that was touching the 94-95 range at time. He's not the biggest guy, but Prieto has arm strength that obviously intrigued the Cubs here.
6th Round (194): Trey Lang, RHP, Gateway CC (AZ), 6'3", 225
7th Round (224): Stephen Bruno, 3B, Virginia University (JR), 5'9", 175
8th Round (254): Michael Heesch, LHP, University of South Carolina Beaufort (SR), 6'5"
9th Round (284): Chadd Krist, C, University of California (SR), 5'11", 190
10th Round (314): Chad Martin, RHP, Indiana University (SR), 6'7", 230
Notable Later Round Selections
Round 25: Rhett Wiseman, OF, Buckingham Browne & Nicols HS (MA)
Round 32: Timothy Saunders, SS, Marietta College (OH)
McNeil is a raw, projectable high school arm who wasn't on our radar before the draft. He needs plenty of refinement, but has a good fastball that sits in the low-90s and could even gain a tick or two more of velocity. His command and secondary stuff are way behind, and McNeil is definitely a risky selection here.
4th Round (134): Josh Conway, RHP, Coastal Carolina University (JR), 6'1", 175
Conway had Tommy John fairly recently, but he's got big upside and was touching the mid-90s with his fastball before the injury. He's a project who will have to spend the first part of his professional career rehabbing, but he has a power slider to go along with the fastball which, if healthy, allows him to profile as a big power arm at the next level.
5th Round (164): Anthony Prieto, LHP, Americas HS (TX), 5'11", 170
Upside arms is the theme here, and if Preito was 6'3", 215, there would be a lot more buzz about him. Regardless, he's a power arm with a fastball that was touching the 94-95 range at time. He's not the biggest guy, but Prieto has arm strength that obviously intrigued the Cubs here.
6th Round (194): Trey Lang, RHP, Gateway CC (AZ), 6'3", 225
7th Round (224): Stephen Bruno, 3B, Virginia University (JR), 5'9", 175
8th Round (254): Michael Heesch, LHP, University of South Carolina Beaufort (SR), 6'5"
9th Round (284): Chadd Krist, C, University of California (SR), 5'11", 190
10th Round (314): Chad Martin, RHP, Indiana University (SR), 6'7", 230
Notable Later Round Selections
Round 25: Rhett Wiseman, OF, Buckingham Browne & Nicols HS (MA)
Round 32: Timothy Saunders, SS, Marietta College (OH)
Cubs Draft Strategy: An Overview
In 2011, the Cubs drafted 12 high school players in the first 15 rounds and spent quite a bit of money in the process. This year, even with $7.933 million to spread over 12 selections before the end of round 10, things will have to change if they want to remain within the guidelines. With new GM Jed Hoyer and President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein, we have no doubts that the Cubs will have another good draft, as the Padres (Hoyer’s former organization) and Red Sox (Epstein’s former organization) have been very successful at accumulating premium minor league talent throughout the years. Obviously this is a new regime and thus we cannot say for certain which way the Cubs will go this year in the draft, as the Red Sox have always been pretty balanced between high school and college, and the Padres have tended to go for more upside prep talent.
Regardless, it’s a safe bet that the Cubs draft is one of the year’s most successful, or at least one of the most intriguing. Chicago is in an interesting position with the 6th overall pick and will most likely take the best player available at that point. If Puerto Rican SS/3B Carlos Correa is available, he will most likely be taken there, and we had RHP Kyle Zimmer in that slot in our mock.
Mock Draft Selection: Kyle Zimmer, RHP, University of San Francisco
Regardless, it’s a safe bet that the Cubs draft is one of the year’s most successful, or at least one of the most intriguing. Chicago is in an interesting position with the 6th overall pick and will most likely take the best player available at that point. If Puerto Rican SS/3B Carlos Correa is available, he will most likely be taken there, and we had RHP Kyle Zimmer in that slot in our mock.
Mock Draft Selection: Kyle Zimmer, RHP, University of San Francisco
Coming soon to the Cubs Team Page:Top 20 Prospects List
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