2014 Regular Season Divisional Prospect News

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Jokisch goes the distance for Iowa

Cubs farmhand tosses three-hitter, first shutout since no-hitter

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Lively notches first Double-A win in style

Reds' No. 6 prospect takes no-hitter bid into eighth for Blue Wahoos

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Without best stuff, Glasnow rolls on

Pirates top prospect gets past struggles, hurls six scoreless innings

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Cubs' Edwards returns to Double-A action

Top-ranked pitcher in Chicago system back after right shoulder strain

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Pitcher upends Johnson's no-hit bid

No. 11 Cubs prospect triumphs, outdueling Stephenson for Smokies

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Baez belts two jacks in Iowa setback

Cubs' No. 2 prospect walks twice in first Triple-A multi-homer game

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Cubs to promote Baez from Triple-A Iowa

Chicago's No. 2 prospect started season slow, has turned on power

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Offensive Players of the Week

For the week ending Aug. 3

 

 

Pitchers of the Week

For the week ending Aug. 3

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After hot July, Soler keeps on slugging

Cubs No. 6 prospect homers, doubles, plates three for Triple-A Iowa

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Blaze's Wright flirts with no-hitter

Reds prospect loses bid, then shutout in eighth inning

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Giants' Dunnington, Reds' Mejia suspended

San Francisco Minor League right-hander, 23, to miss 50 games

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Parra, GCL Cardinals combine on no-hitter

Alexander pitches final two innings to seal Rookie-level club's win

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Glasnow strikes out 11 in two-hit gem

Top Pittsburgh prospect goes six innings, beats Jupiter for ninth win

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Schwarber homers, reaches base five times

Cubs first-round pick goes yard for 11th time since turning pro in June

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Corcino takes control for Blue Wahoos

No. 11 Reds prospect scatters four hits, walk in eight shutout frames

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Prospect Hot Sheet (Aug. 8): Bryant Bests Them All

August 8, 2014 by Staff Report

 

1. Kris Bryant, 3b, Cubs

Team: Triple-A Iowa (Pacific Coast)

Age: 22

Why He’s Here: .421/.607/.842 (8-for-19), 10 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBIs, 7 BB, 5 SO, 2-for-2 SB

 

The Scoop: Minor league managers at Double-A and Triple-A were so taken with Bryant that he claimed five categories on our annual Best Tools survey. That includes wins for best batting prospect, best power prospect, best defensive third baseman, best infield arm and most exciting player.

 

Bryant combines those raw tools with elite production, making him one of the game’s top prospects. He’s tied for the minor league lead with 37 home runs and leads the field outright with a .692 slugging percentage. He ranks second in the minors with 96 RBIs and a .448 on-base percentage—though we might consider the crown his because Athletics outfielder Boog Powell and his .453 OBP are suspended for the rest of the season. (Powell had not reached the necessary 378 plate appearances to qualify for percentage titles at the time of his suspension.)

 

2. Tyler Glasnow, rhp, Pirates

Team: high Class A Bradenton (Florida State)

Age: 20

Why He’s Here: 2-0, 0.00, 12 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 16 SO, 6 BB

 

The Scoop: Ho-hum, another dominant week for Glasnow, who is doing his best to ease Pirates’ fans pain over their loss of Jameson Taillon for the season. Armed with a mid-90s heater, a power curve and an improving changeup, the righthander has carved Florida State League hitters with ease. This week’s stats include a two-hit, 11-strikeout gem on Thursday and continue a trend of dominance. He’s strung together five straight starts with four or fewer hits allowed and has given up two or fewer earned runs in nine of his last 10 starts.

 

In The Team Photo

 

Taylor Williams, rhp, Brewers. Listed at a lean 5-foot-11, the 2013 fourth-rounder from Kent State nevertheless brings two plus pitches to the table with a mid-90s fastball and power slider. The Brewers let Williams dominate the low Class A Midwest League, which he led with a 2.36 ERA and 0.94 WHIP at the time they promoted him to high Class A Brevard County this week. He threw nine one-hit innings this week with 14 strikeouts and no walks over the course of two starts at two levels.

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Baseball America Prospect Hot Sheet Chat (Aug. 8) With Matt Eddy

 

Toucan Starkey (CT): Would you say Glasnow has vaulted his way to the #1 pitching prospect in baseball?

 

Matt Eddy: No, but I’d say he has moved up to No. 10, because that’s where he ranks among pitchers on our midseason Top 50.

Bono (Levine, NY): Achtung, Baby! Great pick for your favorite U2 song. Now, who's your favorite prospect that missed the midseason top 50?

 

Matt Eddy: That’s an easier question. As soon as I saw that Cardinals RF Stephen Piscotty had missed the cut, he shot right to the top of my, ahem, midseason 51-75 list. (Not such a snappy title, eh?) You can find such lists for four BA editors in the Midseason Prospect Update we published in July.

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Trade Central: Cubs Hope To Turn Around Turner

August 8, 2014 by Vince Lara-Cinisomo

 

The Cubs, who have several high-end position players in or near the majors, are checking every avenue for arms to join those position players.

 

To that end, they sent two pitchers on Friday to the Marlins for Jacob Turner, a righthander who’s still just 23 and was the No. 9 overall pick by the Tigers in 2009. Turner was a key part of the deal that sent Anibal Sanchez to Detroit in 2012 and it was surprising that the Marlins, despite the significant rise in Turner’s ERA this season, would jettison an inexpensive and young pitcher so quickly.

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No Brewers, no divisional prospects beyond struggling Reese McGuire of the Pirates.

 

2014 Low Class A Best Tools

August 8, 2014 by Staff Report

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Once again no Brewer prospects but loaded with Divisional mentions. You would think Arcia and Polanco are pretty close defensively for the FSL best SS.

 

2014 High Class A Best Tools

August 8, 2014 by Staff Report

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Exactly what you would think, worth a look. Luis Ortiz already promoted to LoA, a guy many of us liked early in the draft discussions

 

2014 First-Rounders So Far

August 7, 2014 by Vince Lara-Cinisomo

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Prince makes it as a baserunner, Ramirez as a defensive 1B, and D'Vo as a defensive CF. This list absolutely loaded with divisional prospects.

 

2014 Double-A Best Tools

August 7, 2014 by Staff Report

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Jimmy Nelson on the list multiple times as best pitching prospect and best breaking pitch. Once again loaded with divisional prospects.

 

2014 Triple-A Best Tools

August 6, 2014 by Staff Report

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Tyler Wagner! Tyler Glasnow of the Pirates and Jorge Soler of the Cubs also make the list.

 

All-Prospect Team: July Edition

August 5, 2014 by Matt Eddy

 

RHP Tyler Wagner • Brewers

High Class A Brevard County (Florida State)

 

More pitchability than raw stuff, Wagner allowed just three runs in five July starts by din of three average-to-a-tick-above pitches and good control. As the month closed, the 2012 fourth-rounder from Utah led the Florida State League in ERA (1.53) and ranked third in WHIP (1.04) and opponent average (.211).

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What To Expect: Cubs 2B/SS Javier Baez

August 4, 2014 by Vince Lara-Cinisomo