Cubs Top Prospect Watch
There were not any changes with the Top Prospect Watch this week. Concerns remain about Dylan Cease and Eloy Jimenez as two of the best young players in the system left games with injuries this past week.
Gleyber Torres came within a home run of a cycle on Monday night as his stats for the season look better by the day. Torres has performed much better than most realize after a slow start to the season. Torres is hitting .337/.413/.474 with eight doubles, a triple and a home run for a .887 in his last 24 games.
Dan Vogelbach had a four-hit game Monday in Iowa’s loss and hit his 16th home run on the season. Vogelbach is now batting .318/.425/.548 with 18 doubles, two triples and 16 home runs for a .972 OPS on the season as his name continues to surface as one of the players the Cubs could trade for pitching.
Here then, is how the top prospects have fared this season, or since their recent promotions:
- Dylan Cease (RHP) – 1-0 in five starts with a 3.32 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 19 hits, eight earned runs, eight walks, 23 strikeouts in 21.2 innings (Short-Season Eugene Emeralds)
- Ian Happ (2B/OF) – .318/.347/.455/.802, six doubles, two home runs, four walks, 14 strikeouts, 88 at-bats, 11 RBI, three stolen bases (Double-A Tennessee Smokies)
- Bryan Hudson (LHP) – 1-2 in five starts with a 3.74 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 15 hits, nine earned runs, 15 walks, 11 strikeouts in 21.2 innings (Short-Season Eugene Emeralds)
- Eloy Jimenez (OF) – .331/.370/.520/.890, 29 doubles, a triple, 10 home runs, 20 walks, 78 strikeouts, 323 at-bats, 59 RBI, six stolen bases (Low-A South Bend Cubs)
- Eddy Julio Martinez (OF) – .261/.340/.393/.733, 19 doubles, a triple, seven home runs, 36 walks, 77 strikeouts, 318 at-bats, 48 RBI, six stolen bases (Low-A South Bend Cubs)
- Billy McKinney (OF) – .258/.363/.330/.692, 12 doubles, three triples, a home run, 47 walks, 67 strikeouts, 291 at-bats, 31 RBI, two stolen bases (Double-A Tennessee Smokies)
- Carson Sands (LHP) – 7-2 in 14 starts with a 4.66 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 61 hits, 34 earned runs, 34 walks, 39 strikeouts in 65.2 innings (Low-A South Bend Cubs)
- Gleyber Torres (SS) – .275/.356/.435/.791, 22 doubles, three triples, nine home runs, 40 walks, 86 strikeouts, 345 at-bats, 46 RBI, 18 stolen bases (High-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans)
- Jen-Ho Tseng (RHP) – 5-3 in 13 starts with a 3.31 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 65 hits, 24 earned runs, 20 walks, 43 strikeouts in 65.1 innings (Double-A Tennessee Smokies)
- D.J. Wilson (OF) – .160/.288/.245/.533, three doubles, one triple, one home run, 15 walks, 27 strikeouts, 94 at-bats, nine stolen bases (Short-Season Eugene Emeralds)
All statistics are of end of play Monday, July 18
Wild Card
There was a consensus this week among the CCO’s readers, choosing to nominate Eugene Emeralds pitcher Jesus Castillo as the “wild card” prospect. To find out more about nominating a wild card for next week, see below.
- Jesus Castillo (RHP) – 2-2 in five starts with a 2.92 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 19 hits, eight earned runs, six walks, 31 strikeouts in 24.2 innings (Short-Season Eugene Emeralds)
Nominate a Wild Card
The Top Prospect Watch is taking weekly nominations for a “wild card” player to be followed on a one week basis. Cast your votes in the comments section, and the player with the most votes will be part of the Top Prospect Watch next week.