Cubs Top 10 Prospects Review 8/11-8/17

Every Saturday The Big Guy will look at the week that was for the top ten Chicago Cubs prospects. With the Cubs in rebuild mode, we are keeping an eye on the youngsters bound for Wrigley. Our list is based on mlb.com‘s rankings, but adjusted for accuracy.

1. 

   Top prospect Javier Baez.

   Javier Baez, SS, Tennessee–Baez is on fire right now, hitting walk-off home runs in consecutive games for the AA Smokies. In six games, Baez was 10-22 with three doubles, three home runs, seven RBI and three walks. Since getting called up on July 6 he is batting .293/.355/.631 with 14 home runs. Perhaps most importantly he has improved his defense. His fielding percentage is up to .946 from .922 in A+.

2. Kris Bryant, 3B, Daytona–If only every week in the minors could be like Bryant’s. The second pick of this year’s draft started in A- Boise and ended in A+ Daytona. Bryant hit .458 in seven games this week, with two home runs and six RBI. With many of the Cubs prospects at least another year away from the big leagues, Bryant looks to be on the fast track to Wrigley. He will likely be the Opening Day third baseman next season.
3. Albert Almora, CF, Kane County–The 19-year-old first round pick from 2012 has not played since August 4 due to a hamstring issue. He is batting .329/.376/.466 on the year.
4. Jorge Soler, OF, Daytona–Soler has been out for the season since June with a stress fracture in his foot. He batted .280/.342/.464 with eight homers and 35 RBI.
5. Kyle Hendricks, SP, Iowa–This year’s star of the system, Hendricks made his second start in AAA this week. He went 5 IP, 4 ER, 8 H, 7 K, 3 BB. The fact that this was one of his worst outings of the year speaks to Hendricks’ dominance. In 138.1 IP this season he owns a 1.95 ERA. Don’t be surprised if Hendricks is the next Cubs prospect to earn a shot in the big leagues.
6. C.J. Edwards, SP, Daytona–Edwards went 5 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 3 K, 0 BB. The real jewel of the Matt Garza trade, Edwards has been excellent all year. In 108 innings, batters are hitting .175 against him with 142 strikeouts to 39 walks. Projections peg Edwards as a potential number four starter, but he looks capable of more.
7. Pierce Johnson, SP, Daytona–Johnson picked up his tenth win of the season this week when we threw 5.2 innings of shutout ball, scattering four hits and three walks between seven strikeouts. The 22-year-old righty has been masterful in A+ Daytona this year with a 2.16 ERA and 8.9 K/9. Through 111.1 IP this season he has a 2.75 ERA.
8. 

   Big Dan Vogelbach

   Dan Vogelbach, 1B, Daytona–Another talent in Daytona, Vogelbach earned his call-up on Tuesday. In eight games, he batted .346/.433/.500 with one home run and two RBI. He also picked up four walks. At 6’0″, 250 pounds, the round second-round pick from 2011 could be used as trade bait for an AL team in a year or two in exchange for an arm.

9. Mike Olt, 3B, Iowa–Olt was mired in a horrible year before he was sent to the Cubs in the Garza deal. Then things got bad. He went 2-22 this week with six strikeouts. With a .120 average since joining AAA Iowa, it seems like it might be best for Olt to simply shut it down for the rest of the year. Something interesting I just noticed on baseball-reference.com was that Olt had a home run and three RBI in each of his last two games in the Rangers organization. Those two games were against the Iowa Cubs.
10. Arismendy Alcantara, 2B, Tennessee–In five games the only Cub to play in this year’s Future’s Game went 2-17 with four walks. Tough week in a tough month; he is batting .207 without a home run over his last 24 games. Let’s hope this is just a bump in the road of what’s been an impressive season for the 21-year-old.