While the Chicago Cubs’ current on-field product may be lacking and lead to a few more seasons in the cellar of the NL Central, there is hope around the corner. Both Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer have already made it clear that they plan to build around Anthony Rizzo, Starlin Castro and Jeff Samardzija and have quietly added numerous pieces over the last year through trades and the draft. Their farm system is stacked with high-ceiling bats at premium positions; however, almost all of them, except for Brett Jackson, are still several years away from contributing at the big-league level. ...
In addition to the countless league-wide prospect rankings that I will be publishing this offseason, I will also be mixing in team-specific coverage with profiles on highly-regarded prospects as well as more all-encompassing analysis of prospect pools. Last week, I discussed how the Cubs’ farm system could have them in the playoff mix within the next five seasons. Well today, I thought I’d expand on those initial thoughts by breaking down the organization’s top 10 prospects with an emphasis on predicting each player’s respective estimated time of arrival (ETA) in the major leagues. So, here’s my take on the Chicago ...
After finishing the regular season well below .500 for the second consecutive year, the Chicago Cubs invested in their future by hiring Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer in October 2011. The move also ushered in a wave of much-needed change throughout the organization, and indicated that a lengthy and potentially arduous rebuilding process was now underway. However, simply knowing that Epstein and Hoyer were running the organization didn’t necessarily make the Cubs’ 101-loss season any easier to stomach.But thanks to a strong amateur draft in June and a few under-the-radar prospect acquisitions at the trade deadline, a new and improved ...
With only one game remaining in the 2012 season, an intriguing aspect of Major League Baseball’s new collective bargaining agreement will come into play for the first time. In addition to the team(s) who failed to sign their respective first-round draft pick, the bottom nine teams—as determined by overall record—will be awarded a protected first-round draft pick. So why is a protected draft pick such a big deal? Well, under the new CBA, the first 10 picks in the MLB First-Year Player Draft are all locked, essentially. Therefore, in an attempt to level the playing field, the bottom nine teams ...
Sitting in my friend’s basement on July 9, 2005, watching the Chicago Cubs play the then-Florida Marlins on Sunday Night Baseball, what transpired at the end that uneventful game is something that's as vivid now as it was then. Promoted from Double-A Tennessee two days earlier, Adam Greenberg was called upon in the ninth inning to make his first big league at-bat. The left-hander dug in the box against southpaw Valerio de los Santos, ready to make the most of the once-in-a-lifetime experience.However, the moment quickly went from sheer excitement to horror, as Greenberg was struck in the back of ...
Currently in the early stages of what will be a long rebuilding process, the Chicago Cubs currently own the second-worst record (55-87) in baseball, ahead of only the American League West-bound Houston Astros (45-97). However, the same lack of competitiveness has also allowed the organization to usher in a wave of prospects in 1B Anthony Rizzo, OF Brett Jackson and 3B Josh Vitters—all of whom ideally factor into the team’s the long-term plans. But of the three players, Rizzo is the only one to show consistency in the major leagues this season. That’s not to say that both Jackson and ...
With a little more than 12 hours remaining until the end of the Major League Baseball trade deadline, the Atlanta Braves acquired OF Reed Johnson and LHP Paul Maholm from the Chicago Cubs, adding depth to both their starting rotation and bench. In return, the Cubs received a pair of pitching prospects headlined by RHP Arodys Vizcaino, who underwent Tommy John surgery in March and has subsequently missed the entire 2012 season. Prior to the injury, though, Vizcaino, 21, was widely regarded as the Braves’ third-best prospect—and appeared on most writers’ Top 100 preseason rankings—behind fellow right-handers Julio Teheran and ...
After the Cubs’ weekend promotion of prospects Brett Jackson and Josh Vitters, the organization will seemingly have their future on display over the final two months of the season. After playing most of the season together at Triple-A, both will be united with slugging first baseman Anthony Rizzo, who has quickly become a dangerous presence in the heart of the batting order. Throughout baseball, there are bands of prospects beginning to reach major leagues; some organizations have promoted one player at a time as needed, while other teams, such as the Cubs, have waited until the timing seems right. This ...
On Monday afternoon, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reported that Jorge Soler agreed to a nine-year deal worth $30 million with the Chicago Cubs. It had long been rumored that the Cubs were the front-runners to land the 20-year-old Cuban outfielder, though other teams such as the New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox were also in the mix. But how does Soler compare to many of the other top outfield prospects in the game? The tool that makes him such an intriguing and highly coveted prospect is his raw power, which is a product of his plus ...
Position: RHP Height/Weight: 6’3”/180 lbs Bats/Throws: R/R Age: 21 College: Missouri State Year: JR Pierce Johnson hasn’t received the hype as the other right-handers cut from the same mold, largely a result of facing Missouri Valley Conference hitters on a weekly basis. His arsenal consists of an easy 91-96 mph fastball, a filthy slider that could already be considered a plus offering and an above-average change. He has simple mechanics and fluid arm action that profile well at the next level. His stats won’t wow you, but his ceiling is high. The only drawback with Johnson is his health, as he's overcome some type of ...
« Previous Page — Next Page »
