MLB Pipeline is rolling out its rankings of the top 10 prospects by position, and a familiar name checked in at No. 3 in its ranking of the best young catchers in the game, Kyle Schwarber.
The Cubs first round pick from last June’s Draft impressed at the plate during his pro debut. Schwarber ripped up the Northwest and Midwest Leagues before finishing his season with the Daytona Cubs. In 72 games, Kyle Schwarber batted .344/.428/.634 with 18 doubles, two triples, 18 home runs and a 1.061 OPS.
The Indiana University product caught only 20 games while lining up in left field for 36 games. After impressing the Cubs’ brass during fall instructs, the organization views Kyle Schwarber as a catcher moving forward and he is slated to begin the year with High-A Myrtle Beach but could begin the 2015 season as the backstop for Double-A Tennessee.
Kyle Schwarber admitted last Sunday during the Down on the Farm session at the convention that he learned how to catch from watching games on television.
“As it turns out I was doing a lot of things wrong. Luckily, I got a crash course when I was at Kane County how to catch. You know what, it totally flipped right there. It made sense. I got it. So then I went to instructs and we kind of slowed it down and made sure I got it. It was really fun. I love catching. You have to like the position to be there and if you don’t like it, you’re not going to have success back there.”
Kyle Schwarber worked with Mark Johnson and Tim Cossins, the Cubs’ minor league catching instructor, during fall instructs.
Schwarber wants to catch and has a passion for the position. And reportedly the work ethic to make the necessary improvements to be a big league catcher.
If Kyle Schwarber can stick at catcher, MLB Pipeline thinks the combination with his offense could make him a superstar. And if he has to move to left field, Schwarber should still make an impact offensively and help the Cubs win games.
MLB Pipeline ranked Kyle Schwarber behind Blake Swihart (Red Sox) and Jorge Alfaro (Rangers) and in front of Padres’ Austin Hedges.
- MLB Pipeline – Top 10 Catchers
- MLB Pipeline – Top 10 Right-Handed Pitchers
- MLB Pipeline – Top 10 Left-Handed Pitchers
Ben Badler’s Top Prospect List
In a report focused on INF Yoan Moncada and where he could rank among the top 100 prospects in the game. Baseball America’s Ben Badler posted an alphabetical list of his top 15 position prospects in the game … and Kyle Schwarber is among four Cubs prospects that will be ranked in the first 20 of his top 50 prospect list when it comes out in Baseball America’s Prospect Handbook.
Badler did not unveil the exact order of his top 20 ranking, but it will include Kris Bryant, Addison Russell, Jorge Soler and Kyle Schwarber.
Arguably if Addison Russell, Jorge Soler and Kyle Schwarber were not in the same system as Kris Bryant, all three would be the top prospect in another organization.