Community Prospect List - Cubs

1) vitters
2)castro
3)b.jackson
4)cashner
5)lee

Link. I’m happy with it, plus toonster participated in putting it together.

My Top 5

1) Vitters
2) Castro
3) Jay Jackson
4) Andrew Cashner
5) Brett Jackson

I’ll post a more detailed list once I get some time to add comments, grades, and the like.

with quick comments. Btw, cwhit, you’ve done a great job with this. Didn’t mean to push you on it.

1. Starlin Castro, B+. Even if he doesn’t hit the insane high end expectations, he’s still an intriguing shortstop if his glove is solid and he hits for enough contact. Definitely a lot of projection to go, but a lot of reason for excitement. There’s enough spec out there for me to think that the Cubs may call him up at midseason if he gets off to a strong start, even though I’d rather see him spend a whole year in the minors.

2. Josh Vitters, B. The ceiling is still too high for me to not give him another year to show improvement, but the concerns have always been there. Needs to see more pitches. Likely to start at A+ with a shot at AA late in the year.

3. Jay Jackson, B. I’m a fan, so maybe a bit biased, but I really like a lot of things about him. Low-mid 90’s FB, plus curve, solid slider usable change, no real mechanical issues. How serious are the walk issues? We’ll find out soon enough. Probably starts in Iowa and could be up at midseason in a pen role, potentially.

4. Andrew Cashner, B. He arguably has the highest ceiling of any arm in the system, and with that fastball/slider combination, all he needs is a passable change to have a shot as a start. Gotta work on that, along with slider consistency. That said, biggest issue as a starter is whether or not he can work deep, and hence, I wonder about him as a starter. I think the Cubs will play out this starting thing as long as possible, so look for him in AA to start.

5. Hak-Ju Lee, B-/B. Can’t figure out a grade. I was impressed with the advanced approach he showed (for his age). Loads of tools, potentially solid with the glove (I think an argument could be made that his defensive potential at short is higher than Castro’s). Should grow a bit more and add natural power in that regards, but to really bump up the power, he’d have to rework the swing, which I’d be wary of doing. AzPhil over at TCR has said he’s faster than Tony Campana … and if so, that’s plus-plus speed.

6. Brett Jackson, B-/B. I was okay with the pick when it was made, albeit with some concerns. That said, I wanted to see more ceiling in the system and I preferred Jackson to some of the other OF’s being mentioned (although not all) and thus was intrigued. I was impressed with the start, but still, I think BA’s love for him is ahead of the ability right now.

7. Chris Carpenter, B-/B. Another Cubs fan has made the argument that he has the best starting potential of our top 3 arms … and I think he has a case. With a strong low-mid 90’s FB with good movement, a good curve, and a solid change, the arsenal is there. It’s always been there – the durability was the question, and maybe a tinge of concern on the control.

8. Kyler Burke, C+/B-. Loved his year. Love his potential. Could be the prototypical power RF, with an excellent arm.

9. Ryan Flaherty, C+. He’s a bit old for A ball, but that’s because Daytona fell out of the race. The power and solid defense makes him an intriguing prospect, and the fact that he fixed his swing midseason shows me a good worker (as his history suggests). If he is strong next year, watch out.

10. Dae-Eun Rhee, *. Coming off TJ so hard to figure a grade. That said, he showed excellent flashes last year, with a good 3 pitch arsenal. Can he find his stuff again? And if so, can he be durable enough to last as a starter?

My BIG problem with the Cubbies system is that I think Jackson (control), Cashner (stamina, arsenal) and Carpenter (health) are all probably destined for the bullpen. Nothing wrong with power arms in the pen but I think only Jackson, of the three, is really likely to stay a starter.

I agree with Toonster…I don’t follow the hype on Jackson. I’m generally skeptical of college players that come out striking out that much.

1- Starlin Castro
2- Brett Jackson
3- Jay Jackson
4- Andrew Cashner
5- Josh Vitters
6- Chris Carpenter
7- Hak Ju Lee
8. Dae-Eun Rhee
9. Kyler Burke
10.John Gaub