Prospect season continues with Minor League Ball’s ranking of the top 20 players and John Sickels look at the Cubs system.
John Sickels thinks the Cubs probably have the best system in the game, and if it’s not No.1 it is a top two system in baseball.
Kris Bryant, Addison Russell and Jorge Soler are three of the top 10 prospects in the game according to Sickels with Kyle Schwarber not far behind.
Sickels pointed out that the depth and pitching in the system behind the more well-known names is rapidly improving.
John Sickels posted his ranking of the Cubs’ system two days before the trade with the Diamondbacks that included RHP Jefferson Mejia. Sickels ranked Mejia as the 20th best prospect in the system.
Sickels called Kris Bryant, Jorge Soler and Addison Russell a “special trio” and with Kyle Schwarber “this menacing quartet illustrates in microcosm how the Cubs have built their depth so quickly: with a combination of astute use of early draft picks, trades and aggressive mining of the international market.
C.J. Edwards, Albert Almora, Pierce Johnson, Billy McKinney, Duane Underwood and Jen-Ho Tseng followed “the menacing quartet” and rounded out the top 10 in Sickels’ ranking.
The system that is known for impact bats have nine pitching prospects mixed in Minor League Ball’s top 20 players in the organization.
Minor League Ball’s Top 20 Cubs Prospects for 2015
2014 Minor League Ball’s Ranking in Parenthesis (NA – not available, NR – not ranked)
Key – Player, Position, Minor League Ball Grade, 2014 Ranking
- Kris Bryant, 3B – A (2)
- Addison Russell, SS – A (NA)
- Jorge Soler, OF – A (4)
- Kyle Schwarber, C/OF – A- (NA)
- C.J. Edwards, RHP – B+ (5)
- Albert Almora, OF – B+ (3)
- Pierce Johnson, RHP – B (7)
- Billy McKinney, OF – B (NA)
- Duane Underwood, RHP – B- (NR)
- Jen-Ho Tseng, RHP – B- (NR)
- Gleyber Torres, SS – B- (NR)
- Carson Sands, LHP – B- (NA)
- Dan Vogelbach, 1B – B- (9)
- Eloy Jimenez, OF – C+ (NR)
- Victor Caratini, C – C+ (NA)
- Corey Black, RHP – C+ (17)
- Armando Rivero, RHP – C+ (NR)
- Jake Stinnett, RHP – C+ (NA)
- Mark Zagunis, C/OF – C+ (NA)
- Jefferson Mejia, RHP – C+ (NR)
Other Grade C+ Prospects
- Gioskar Amaya, 2B
- Jeffrey Baez, OF
- Dallas Beeler, RHP
- Paul Blackburn, RHP
- Jeimer Candelario, 3B
- Dylan Cease, RHP
- Jonathan Martinez, RHP
- Justin Steele, LHP
- Rob Zastryzny, LHP
Other Top Prospects
- Charcer Burks, OF
- Trevor Clifton, RHP
- Rashad Crawford, OF
- Shawon Dunston Jr., OF
- Jacob Hannemann, OF
- Marco Hernandez, SS
- Eric Jokisch, LHP
- Rafael Lopez, C
- Kevonte Mitchell, OF
- James Norwood, RHP
- Juan Carlos Paniagua, RHP
- Starling Peralta, RHP
- Bijan Rademacher, OF
- Donn Roach, RHP
- Matt Szczur, OF
- Daury Torres, RHP
- Christian Villanueva, 3B
John Sickels compared Kris Bryant’s bat to Jeff Bagwell and thinks he is the best prospect in the game. And Jorge Soler’s offense is legitimately as good as what he showed last year in a short-time in the majors. The concern with Soler and Addison Russell is keeping them healthy and on the field.
On the pitching side, C.J. Edwards could be a No. 2 or No. 3 starter in the big leagues if he can hold up to the workload. Pierce Johnson projects as a No. 3 starter along with Duane Underwood and Carson Sands.