P Daniel McDaniel
P Mitch Atkins
P Justin Berg
P David Cales
P Su-Ming Jung
P Tzu-An Wang
P Yao-Lin Wang
P Larry Suarez
IF Ping-Chieh Chen
OF Sam Fuld

Also, don’t forget about the players acquired from Oakland (P Jeff Gray, OF Matt Spencer, P Ronny Morla)

is probably Kyung-Min Na. Depending on the information you’ve gathered, I’d put either

Dan McDaniel - He’ll probably get a rotation look again next year, but unless his velo picks back up a bit, he’ll likely head back to the pen where his stuff plays better and his fb velo is a bit better.

Larry Suarez - I have mixed feelings about him, but there’s still enough intrigue with his potential.

Actually, I’d probably put Tzu-An Wang up there, but I don’t know what sort of information you’ve gathered on international kids, but I’m fascinated by Wang’s potential, considering he only picked up baseball a few years ago, and considering he’s taller than most Asian pitchers that come abroad (along with his good athleticism - former bball guy).

That said, at first glance, awesome job John. I really wouldn’t complain if you didn’t make any changes to the 40 you’ve picked. I’ll take a look at my own top 50 list later to see if any names popped up that O_O didn’t cover.

Oh .. .Cales is interesting. A pen arm, probably middle relief, but Cubs are supposedly high on this former White Sox fan.

A lot of tough calls to make, so I really won’t complain any which way, but the initial list looks rather solid.

I guess … some of the youngsters, like Sergio Burruel and Wes Darvill are guys that intrigue me, but I don’t know who I’d replace. I guessI don’t really see the point of discussing Tony Thomas anymore, considering his offensive and defensive limitations, so that might be one guy that could be replaced (not saying Burruel and Darvill should be the guys jumping in, just thinking out loud).

Actually, I wouldn’t be all that hurt if you removed Junior Lake. For all the tools he has, I’m very lukewarm on him. Poor reports out there, along with his average performance. In terms of a top 40 Cubs prospect list, I certainly wouldn’t put Junior Lake on it. Every organization has raw, young, upside guys. For example, Marwin Gonzalez has a nice toolset but hasn’t done enough. Junior hasn’t done anything yet to suggest that he’ll move forward, and there’s some other intriguing guys to discuss.

Yeah, at first glance, those are the two guys (Tony Thomas and Junior Lake) that I would take off, but there’s a case to be made for those two as well.

I see you took Chirinos off. I would’ve sort been interested in your take, but it’s understandable.

that I haven’t mentioned and besides the ones that O_O has suggested above.

Jon Nagel - Big, 2-seamer guy has a good frame but needs to polish the rest of his arsenal.

Scott Maine - Received in the Heilman trade, he looks ready to help soon as a pen arm.

Rebel Ridling - Raw power, but inconsistent. Fields the position well. Was obviously old for Low A.

Craig Muschko - Average arsenal, but performed real well once he got in there, and he may get a rotation look in AA with his excellent control.

No real easy decision, but I say

Swap out

Tony Thomas - At this point, he is what he is. He’s inconsistent offensively. Strikes out too much and doesn’t have enough power to compensate. Skillset is more a top of the order bat, but he’s also an average base runner. Average fielder at best. Still has a slim shot at putting it together, but I think he can be taken off.

Junior Lake - I’m actually quite intrigued with him still, but if this is a top 40 prospect list, I’ve got a hard time seeing Lake, who still has to figure out a defensive position (although should be able to stick somewhere in the infield). Sure, he has power potential, and good speed, but the swing needs work and his discipline is almost Viterian. I’ve got a tough time justifying him in the top 40.

Jose Valdez - I’m intrigued with the guy, but there’s physical maturation to go, and his bat is fringy right now.

James Adduci - I really like him … but his ceiling is probably lower than Fuld’s (IMO).

I’d replace those three with

Jon Nagel
Rebel Ridling

and two more. .. not sure, Maine/Muschko/Wang/Suarez/Atkins/McDaniel all could go in there. I think I’d lean Maine and Muschko, but you could go the potential route with Wang/Suarez.

Hasn’t pitched much, but there’s probably enough info out there on him for him to make the list, I would think anyway. He’s gotta have something, considering the Cubs gave him over 500,000 in 2008. I’d drop Parisi or Beliveau to put him on there personally.

If you get a chance, I’m curious at why guys like Tony Thomas, Junior Lake, Jose Valdez stayed on the list. Adduci I can sort of understand, but his ceiling is rather low as well. Thomas really doesn’t project as more than organizational filler at this moment, and while Lake and Valdez are both intriguing and have tools, they are the typical C level guys with some upside and a lot to prove.

I don’t really have an issue with it, because at the end, we’re talking C level guys at the moment, but a guy like Jon Nagel seems to be safer than Lake/Valdez while also having some good potential. A guy like Tzu-An Wang seems to have a far greater ceiling. Same goes for Larry Suarez. A guy like Scott Maine would seem more likely to help in the immediate future (and you gave him a C last year and he had a solid year). Rebel Ridling might be Ryan Norwood-ish, and he is older, but he does have some potential (besides an awesome name). There’s just so much risk with Lake, and so much unknown with Valdez. I know there were some very positive reports on Lake, and he could play a premium position. But I don’t see the great separation betwen say, Junior Lake and Nelson Perez at the moment, and Perez offers something the system lacks (power). Not that I think Perez will make it … I wouldn’t put him on a top 40 either.

I’m just a bit curious on thought process for the back end.