DaDeacs
Dickie Hemric
Its early and the Cubs suck, but Im bored, so a quick recap of the Big 3 trades from last year.
Anthony Rizzo for Kevin Alcantara and Alexander Vizcaino
- Alcantara is a couple months shy of 20 years old, playing in Myrtle (Low A) and putting up really solid numbers for a 19 year old in a pitchers league. He has shown pop, speed and the ability to get on base. His defense has been sluggish and he is striking out at a pretty hefty clip, but neither of those are super concerning at this stage. He is #7 in the Cubs org according to the MLB, #3 according to the Marquee team and #2 on Fangraphs. He has a ton of potential and looks like he has a decent shot of moving up to High A before the end of the season. He is closer to 2 than 7 with his projectable tools, but likely closer to 7 than 2 with his performance so far. Should be a real guy in the system and likely major leagurer in 3 years.
- Vizcaino hasn't suited up for the Cubs yet and is questionable if/when he will - was supposed to be a starter with the Yanks, but likely will be a reliever once he makes his debut in the Cubs org. He is already 25, pretty old for a prospect, but the Yanks seemed to think he was worth a 40 man spot, so maybe there is something there, but who knows. #10 from Fangraphs and #18 from Marquee - unranked from the MLB.
Javier Baez for Pete Crow-Armstrong
There isn't much PCA hasn't done so far. He was known as a gold glove caliber CF, but more a slap hitter at the plate - his big question mark was if he could hit enough and find some pop to make it. Whatever he was looking for, he has found it - OPSing over 1.000 at Myrtle, he has hit 4 HRs in his first 27 games and his OBP is over .450. With the way he can field, would not be surprised to see him continue to move up quickly if his bat can keep progressing. Just hitting 20 years old, he has rapidly rising star tattooed on his butt, would not be surprised to see him hit Top 100 lists at midseason, assuming this isn't a SSS fluke. Looking like he could be a Nico Hoerner-type hitter, 15-20 HR potential, bat for a high average, get on base and be a stud in the field. Ranked #13 in Fangraphs (hit tool was not projectable), #6 by the MLB and #2 by Marquee.
Kris Bryant for Caleb Kilian and Alexander Canario
- If it's not PCA, its Caleb Killian as the fastest riser in the system. He is lighting up Iowa, sub 2 ERA in 7 starts, 10+ K/9 - only allowed 1 HR across all 7 starts. He's a super old prospect, he'll be 25 in a couple of weeks and having already spent 5 years in the minors - but he is coming into his own and being projected as a middle of the rotation starter (he was thought to be a tweener or long reliever when the Cubs picked him up). He was mainly a sinker ball pitcher, went into the pitch lab for the Cubs and they added a 4 seamer and a curve and he has been outstanding. Expecting him to hit Cubs roster at some point this season and, hopefully, stay up and not sit on the Iowa shuttle. #4 on the MLB rankings, #9 from Marquee and #7 from Fangraphs - if he isn't called up soon and still on the midseason prospect rankings, expecting him to move up a bit.
- Probably should have gone through this before just typing, but Canario is also a potentially fast riser, starting the season off on fire. He got called up from High A South Bend to AA Tennessee after only 27 games, where he hit 7 HRs and OPS'd almost .950. Canario just turned 22 and the pop off his bat is strong - 16 HRs in 66 total games at High-A. His first few games at AA aren't off to the best start, as he is 5/28 with no XBHs and 10 Ks - but expecting this to turn around. His HRs are mammoth shots, has crazy power - has a bit of speed and he can also play all 3 OF positions, but likely ends up a COF at the MLB level. His K rate has ballooned this year, almost to 35%, which might be the only thing holding him back from a more rapid progression. #18 from the MLB, #10 from Marquee and #14 from Fangraphs - with the promotion to AA already, he should move up, assuming he doesn't bomb out completely in Tennessee
All in all, pretty great return for 3 dudes on their contract year, regardless of their value to the team. They helped to stabilize and already growing farm system - Cubs aren't top 5 yet, probably not even top 10, even with all the likely promotions, but getting closer - and all the ratings I am seeing is that the Cubs system has had the most positive movement so far this season. Would not be surprised to see the Cubs get a 3rd or even 4th player in most top 100 lists.
Anthony Rizzo for Kevin Alcantara and Alexander Vizcaino
- Alcantara is a couple months shy of 20 years old, playing in Myrtle (Low A) and putting up really solid numbers for a 19 year old in a pitchers league. He has shown pop, speed and the ability to get on base. His defense has been sluggish and he is striking out at a pretty hefty clip, but neither of those are super concerning at this stage. He is #7 in the Cubs org according to the MLB, #3 according to the Marquee team and #2 on Fangraphs. He has a ton of potential and looks like he has a decent shot of moving up to High A before the end of the season. He is closer to 2 than 7 with his projectable tools, but likely closer to 7 than 2 with his performance so far. Should be a real guy in the system and likely major leagurer in 3 years.
- Vizcaino hasn't suited up for the Cubs yet and is questionable if/when he will - was supposed to be a starter with the Yanks, but likely will be a reliever once he makes his debut in the Cubs org. He is already 25, pretty old for a prospect, but the Yanks seemed to think he was worth a 40 man spot, so maybe there is something there, but who knows. #10 from Fangraphs and #18 from Marquee - unranked from the MLB.
Javier Baez for Pete Crow-Armstrong
There isn't much PCA hasn't done so far. He was known as a gold glove caliber CF, but more a slap hitter at the plate - his big question mark was if he could hit enough and find some pop to make it. Whatever he was looking for, he has found it - OPSing over 1.000 at Myrtle, he has hit 4 HRs in his first 27 games and his OBP is over .450. With the way he can field, would not be surprised to see him continue to move up quickly if his bat can keep progressing. Just hitting 20 years old, he has rapidly rising star tattooed on his butt, would not be surprised to see him hit Top 100 lists at midseason, assuming this isn't a SSS fluke. Looking like he could be a Nico Hoerner-type hitter, 15-20 HR potential, bat for a high average, get on base and be a stud in the field. Ranked #13 in Fangraphs (hit tool was not projectable), #6 by the MLB and #2 by Marquee.
Kris Bryant for Caleb Kilian and Alexander Canario
- If it's not PCA, its Caleb Killian as the fastest riser in the system. He is lighting up Iowa, sub 2 ERA in 7 starts, 10+ K/9 - only allowed 1 HR across all 7 starts. He's a super old prospect, he'll be 25 in a couple of weeks and having already spent 5 years in the minors - but he is coming into his own and being projected as a middle of the rotation starter (he was thought to be a tweener or long reliever when the Cubs picked him up). He was mainly a sinker ball pitcher, went into the pitch lab for the Cubs and they added a 4 seamer and a curve and he has been outstanding. Expecting him to hit Cubs roster at some point this season and, hopefully, stay up and not sit on the Iowa shuttle. #4 on the MLB rankings, #9 from Marquee and #7 from Fangraphs - if he isn't called up soon and still on the midseason prospect rankings, expecting him to move up a bit.
- Probably should have gone through this before just typing, but Canario is also a potentially fast riser, starting the season off on fire. He got called up from High A South Bend to AA Tennessee after only 27 games, where he hit 7 HRs and OPS'd almost .950. Canario just turned 22 and the pop off his bat is strong - 16 HRs in 66 total games at High-A. His first few games at AA aren't off to the best start, as he is 5/28 with no XBHs and 10 Ks - but expecting this to turn around. His HRs are mammoth shots, has crazy power - has a bit of speed and he can also play all 3 OF positions, but likely ends up a COF at the MLB level. His K rate has ballooned this year, almost to 35%, which might be the only thing holding him back from a more rapid progression. #18 from the MLB, #10 from Marquee and #14 from Fangraphs - with the promotion to AA already, he should move up, assuming he doesn't bomb out completely in Tennessee
All in all, pretty great return for 3 dudes on their contract year, regardless of their value to the team. They helped to stabilize and already growing farm system - Cubs aren't top 5 yet, probably not even top 10, even with all the likely promotions, but getting closer - and all the ratings I am seeing is that the Cubs system has had the most positive movement so far this season. Would not be surprised to see the Cubs get a 3rd or even 4th player in most top 100 lists.
