MLB Pipeline named its pitching and hitting prospects of the year for all 30 organizations on Thursday afternoon. And according to MLB Pipeline, RHP Ryan Williams is the Cubs’ pitching prospect of the year and C/OF Kyle Schwarber was the organization’s top hitting prospect.
Kyle Schwarber was tabbed as MLB Pipeline’s Position Player Prospect of the Year last week, so it comes as no surprise that Schwarber was named the Cubs top hitting prospect.
Ryan Williams had a breakout season pitching for Low-A South Bend and Double-A Tennessee. Williams was recently named The CCO’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year and he is a strong favorite to be the Cubs Minor League Pitcher of the Year.
Kyle Schwarber and Ryan Williams were teammates with the Smokies from June 3 to June 16.
Kyle Schwarber started the season with Double-A Tennessee and batted .320/.438/.579 with 10 doubles, a triple and 13 home runs for a 1.017 OPS in 58 games. Schwarber walked 42 times with 49 strikeouts in 243 plate appearances. Schwarber was named a Southern League All-Star before his call-up in June. Schwarber made his Major League debut instead of participating in the game.
Schwarber was 8-for-22 with a triple and a home run in his six-game pit stop in the majors. After reporting to Iowa, Schwarber hit .333/.403/.633 in 17 games with seven doubles, a triple and three home runs for a 1.036 OPS.
In 75 games for Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa, Schwarber hit .323/.430/.591 with 17 doubles, two triples, 16 home runs and a 1.022 OPS.
Since returning to the Cubs, Schwarber has hit .241/.347/.535 in 50 games with five doubles, 15 home runs and a .882 OPS.
Kyle Schwarber has batted .255/.351/.542 in 56 big league games with five doubles, one triple and 16 home runs for a .893 OPS.
The Cubs selected Ryan Williams in the 10th round of the 2014 draft. Williams was 4-1 in nine games, eight starts, for Low-A South Bend with a 1.17 ERA and 0.71 WHIP before earning a promotion to Double-A Tennessee.
With the Smokies, Ryan Williams posted a 10-2 record with a 2.76 ERA and 1.01 WHIP. Williams allowed 29 runs, 27 earned, on 73 hits with 16 walks and 61 strikeouts in 88 innings over 17 games, 16 starts.
In his first full season of pro ball, Ryan Williams was a combined 14-3 in 26 games, 24 starts, with a 2.16 ERA and 0.90 WHIP. Williams gave up 41 runs, 34 earned, on 109 hits with 18 walks and 98 strikeouts in 141 2/3 innings.
• MLB Pipeline’s Organizational Prospects of the Year for 2015