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Eric Mack

Highlighting top Cubs prospects for '09

By | Senior Fantasy Writer


We are breaking down the top five prospects for each organization for 2009, taking into consideration: games, at-bats, innings and major-league service time. We expect these players to have rookie status remaining heading into next year.

According to MLB rules: "A player shall be considered a rookie unless, during a previous season or seasons, he has (a) exceeded 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched in the major leagues; or (b) accumulated more than 45 days on the active roster of a major league club or clubs during the period of 25-player limit (excluding time in the military service and time on the disabled list)."

Note: Statistics are those at each stop in the minors this season and age represents how old they will be on opening day 2009.

Chicago Cubs

The Cubs arguably had the deepest team in the major leagues last season and they have a healthy set of prospects on the way. That combination makes them an elite contender and at an extremely dangerous boil on the Hot Stove this winter. If they choose to go for broke, you could see the Cubs in the bidding for every significant piece on the market. We say this after they dealt a nice collection of farmhands for the likes of Rich Harden at the trade deadline.

1. RH SP Jeff Samardzija, 24

There is no longer any doubt the former Notre Dame product made the right decision to become a pitcher instead of a first-round NFL Draft pick. He will serve a significant role for the Cubs in the rotation or as a setup man if he is not a leading bargaining chip for the likes of a Jake Peavy this winter.

Level W L ERA G GS CG SHO SV IP H R ER HR BB SO GO/AO BAA
Double-A 3 5 4.86 16 15 0 0 0 76 71 43 41 6 42 44 0.64 .252
Triple-A 4 1 3.13 6 6 1 0 0 37 1/3 32 13 13 5 16 40 1.39 .241
Totals 7 6 4.29 22 21 1 0 0 113 1/3 103 56 54 11 58 84 0.80 .248
Majors 1 0 2.28 26 0 0 0 1 27 2/3 24 12 7 0 15 25 0.97 .226

2. SP Donald Veal, 24

This lefty was a bit wild this season and in the Arizona Fall League, but if he can harness his stuff, he will be a solid big league starter. The Cubs won't have room for him in 2009, but he could come on nicely with some seasoning and development of command.

Level W L ERA G GS CG SHO SV IP H R ER HR BB SO GO/AO BAA
Double-A 5 10 4.52 29 29 0 0 0 145 1/3 150 89 73 19 81 123 1.18 .276

3. SP Mitch Atkins, 23

Atkins was a 17-game winner who went an astounding 8-1 in Triple-A. Despite a high ERA, he was still tough to hit. He walked a lot of batters late in the season, so he will get a full season in Triple-A -- especially behind the deep crop of pitchers the Cubs already have in the pipeline.

Level W L ERA G GS CG SHO SV IP H R ER HR BB SO GO/AO BAA
Double-A 9 6 3.76 18 18 0 0 0 110 107 58 46 14 27 88 0.97 .250
Triple-A 8 1 4.47 10 10 0 0 0 54 1/3 48 29 27 11 23 44 0.60 .236
Totals 17 7 4.00 28 28 0 0 0 164 1/3 155 87 73 25 50 132 0.83 .246

4. 1B Micah Hoffpauir, 29

If you looked just at his numbers and his clutch hits for the Cubs down the stretch, you would consider Hoffpauir an elite Fantasy product, but his age makes him a late-bloomer and unlikely to project as an everyday big leaguer. He would be a lot more useful to the Cubs and Fantasy owners as an outfielder, but you would have had to figure that would have happened already. The power potential cannot be completely dismissed, though.

Level AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB BB SO SB CS OBP SLUG OPS
Triple-A .362 71 290 63 105 34 2 25 100 218 17 46 2 0 .393 .752 1.145
Majors .342 33 73 14 25 8 0 2 8 39 6 24 1 0 .400 .534 .934

5. 3B Josh Vitters, 19

Vitters didn't have the homer totals you would like to see out of an early first-round pick (2007), but look at that OPS in his first full pro season. Vitters has a very high ceiling, but he is still years away from realizing his true potential and impacting Fantasy leagues.

Level AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB BB SO SB CS OBP SLUG OPS
Low A .214 4 14 1 3 3 0 0 1 6 0 5 0 0 .214 .429 .643
Low A .328 61 259 38 85 25 2 5 37 129 13 45 1 3 .365 .498 .863
Totals .322 65 273 39 88 28 2 5 38 135 13 50 1 3 .357 .495 .852

Best of the rest: OF Tyler Colvin, C Luis Bautista, RP Kevin Hart, 2B Tony Thomas, C Jake Fox, C Steve Clevenger, SP Mark Holliman, SP Andrew Cashner, SP Dae-Eun Rhee, SP Robert Hernandez, OF Josh Kroeger, 2B Nate Spears, SP Larry Suarez, 2B Starlin Castro, SS Junior Lake, SP Alex Maestri, RP Bill Petrick, OF Kyler Burke, OF Doug Deeds, SS Ryan Flaherty, C/1B Blake Lalli, OF Sam Fuld, OF James Adduci, SP Aaron Shafer, SP Chris Carpenter, OF Matt Cerda, C Welington Castillo, RP Jose Ascanio, RP Carmen Pignatiello, SP Ryan Acosta, RP Rocky Roquet, RP Jeremy Papelbon, RP Casey Lambert, SP James Russell, RP Adam Harben, SS Darwin Barney, 3B Josh Lansford, OF Ryan Harvey, RP Mark Pawelek and SP Chris Huseby.

2008 rookies to exhaust eligibility: C Geovany Soto and OF Kosuke Fukudome.

Last year's top five here: C Soto, RP Hart, OF Eric Patterson (traded to OAK for Harden), SP Veal and OF Colvin.

You can e-mail Emack your Fantasy Baseball prospect questions to DMFantasyBaseball@cbs.com. Be sure to put Attn: Cubs prospects in the subject field. Please include your full name, hometown and state. Be aware, due to the large volume of submissions received, we cannot guarantee personal responses to all questions.

 
 
 
Player News
Roy Oswalt
Oswalt waiting to sign with Texas?
Roy Oswalt, SP, PHI
5:11 PM
News: The Cincinnati Enquirer reports Reds GM Walt Jocketty said he hasn't had contact with Roy Oswalt's agents in the last week, and Jocketty offered up his own opinion on the Oswalt sweepstakes. “I think he’s waiting for Texas to clear money,” Jocketty said.
Analysis: It's interesting to hear Jocketty say Oswalt wants to sign with Texas. At least it's a legit reason why the veteran right-hander hasn't signed with a team yet, despite being linked to the Reds and Cardinals. Oswalt is likely going to sign somewhere before the start of the 2012 season and should be in a rotation. Consider Oswalt more of a mid-to-late-round Fantasy pick on Draft Day. Don't forget about his chronic back problems.
Johan Santana
Santana looks 'great' playing catch
Johan Santana, SP, NYM
2:25 PM
News: The Wall Street Journal reports Mets SP Johan Santana (shoulder) played catch from 175 feet Monday. Manager Terry Collins said Santana looked "great" and he hopes the left-hander will throw off a mound by the end of the week.
Analysis: Collins' assessment of Santana sounds like cautious optimism. After all it was just catch. Santana has bigger hurdles to clear in hopes of pitching for the first time since the 2010 season. Santana is coming off a serious shoulder injury and who knows if he can return to the dominant arm he once was. Fantasy owners should bear in mind that Chien-Ming Wang, who underwent the same procedure, needed two years to make it back to the majors, so Santana could wind up providing far fewer than 25 starts -- which is the Mets' goal for the lefty this season. Because of the playing time risk, he is a late-round option in mixed leagues at best.
Ryan Braun
Braun ruling coming soon?
Ryan Braun, LF, MIL
1:51 PM
News: The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports there is no indication that a ruling will be announced Monday regarding Ryan Braun's appeal of a 50-game suspension for testing positive for a banned substance. It appears the recommended guideline for a ruling will be extended.
Analysis: The entire baseball world want this issue to be put to bed, but it seems we might have to wait a little longer for a ruling. The Brewers remain upbeat about Braun's situation, but only time will tell what happens. If Braun avoids a suspension, then he remains a first-round Fantasy pick. If he is suspended 50 games, then he is going to tumble down draft boards a bit, but Braun would still be an early-round Fantasy selection based on potential once he becomes active.
Seth Smith
Cespedes to bump Smith?
Seth Smith, RF, OAK
1:37 PM
News: Cuban defector Yoenis Cespedes and the Oakland Athletics have agreed to a $36 million, four-year contract. Agent Adam Katz confirmed Monday the sides had reached agreement, with details still to be finalized. Cespedes' arrival means the A's could eventually bump Seth Smith to designated hitter.
Analysis: We will have to wait and see what happens when Cespedes finally arrives at A's camp, but the speculation is that the A's outfield alignment will eventually be Josh Reddick in right field, Coco Crisp in center field and Cespedes in left, which is where Smith is currently penciled in as the starter. But the A's could use a rotation at DH, which would still allow Smith to see regular at-bats, if Cespedes doesn't have to begin the year in the minors, which remains an option as well. Smith struggles against left-handed pitchers, so he might still be in a platoon situation like he was with the Rockies. Smith remains more of a late-round Fantasy option on Draft Day.
Mike Napoli
Napoli's ankle still an issue
Mike Napoli, C, TEX
12:48 PM
News: ESPN.com reports Rangers catcher Mike Napoli said his injured left ankle is progressing, but he is still not 100 percent. Napoli turned his ankle in the World Series against the Cardinals last year. "I think I’m close," Napoli said. "I’m not really going to know until I get into the wear and tear of spring training and catching all the time. But I've been feeling good and getting better day by day." Napoli said he has been running on the ankle, and he is also hitting and throwing without pain. However, he is still concerned about how it will hold up with the constant squatting and baseball activity. "But I'm trying not to do that all the time so I'm not depending on that," Napoli said. "I'm working on getting my little muscles stronger."
Analysis: The Dallas Morning News reports GM Jon Daniels said exams by team physician Keith Meister said Napoli's ankle shows no structural damage, but Napoli is still experiencing soreness. "The fact he's still feeling it a few months later speaks to what he went through to play the rest of Game 6 and go back out for Game 7," Daniels said. "It was about as bad as it looked to the rest of us." You have to wonder if Napoli can't shake this injury if it will play into how much time he gets behind the plate. Nonetheless, if Napoli catches less that just means he will likely see more PT at DH and first base. The Rangers aren't going to take his bat out of the lineup. Napoli remains a top 5 Fantasy catcher on Draft Day.
Emilio Bonifacio
Bonifacio was always the choice in CF
Emilio Bonifacio, SS, MIA
5:28 PM
News: The news broke Monday that OF Yoenis Cespedes agreed to a four-year contract with the A's, turning down the Marlins offer. Cespedes signing with the A's means Emilio Bonifacio will start in center field for Miami. However, manager Ozzie Guillen said that was going to be the case all along. "Bonifacio would've have been my center fielder no matter if Cespedes was here," Guillen told 790 AM in Miami. "If Cespedes (came) to the Marlins, he would have had to make the ballclub."
Analysis: Finally, Guillen steps up in front of this situation and stands behind Bonifacio as an everyday player. He absolutely deserved it after the season he put together in 2011. The 26-year-old took a big step forward last year as both a hitter and a base-stealer and is a viable starter in mixed Fantasy leagues at either shortstop or third base. He's worth targeting with a middle-round pick on Draft Day.
Scott Rolen
Rolen 'swinging bat really well'
Scott Rolen, 3B, CIN
5:21 PM
News: The Cincinnati Enquirer reports Reds GM Walt Jocketty said 3B Scott Rolen (shoulder) should be full-go for the start of spring training. “I talked to his offseason trainer a 10 days or two weeks ago. He said Scott is 100 percent and swinging the bat really well," Jocketty said.
Analysis: Rolen had shoulder surgery in August and his recovery seems to be going well. While Jocketty expects Rolen to have a productive season, we have to look at the facts. He will be 37 years old in 2012 and hasn't played more than 133 games the last five seasons. Rolen will sit at times in 2012, whether it is by design or because of injury. He did hit 20 homers in 2010, but Fantasy owners can't bank on that come Draft Day. Rolen is at best a late-round, injury-risk Fantasy option.
Aroldis Chapman
Chapman 'healthy and feels good'
Aroldis Chapman, RP, CIN
5:18 PM
News: The Cincinnati Enquirer reports Reds GM Walt Jocketty said pitcher Aroldis Chapman is at the team's spring complex in Arizona and throwing. “He’s healthy and feels good,” Jocketty said.
Analysis: The plan is for the Reds to stretch out Chapman as a starter this spring. He isn't guaranteed a starting spot, but the Reds want to see if he can bring his electric stuff to the rotation. If Chapman can stretch out and utilize his 100 mph in the rotation, then he could end up as a very good Fantasy option. Chapman will be a player Fantasy owners will want to keep tabs on this spring. He has breakout appeal written all over him.
Ryan Kalish
Kalish not cleared to swing bat
Ryan Kalish, CF, BOS
4:41 PM
News: The Boston Globe reports Red Sox OF Ryan Kalish has arrived at the team's spring training complex in Fort Myers, Fla., and is working out. However, he hasn't been cleared to swing a bat as he recovers from shoulder surgery.
Analysis: Kalish isn't expected to join the MLB roster until later this summer, so this news isn't shocking. Kalish is still holding out hope to be ready by opening day, but he isn't counting on it. It's disappointing he has to deal with this injury since the Red Sox have an opening in right field, which Kalish would be competing for had he avoided surgery. Kalish could very well emerge as an everyday player once he is healthy, but consider Kalish more of a draft-and-stash option in AL-only formats on Draft Day.
Adrian Gonzalez
Gonzo trims down for 2012?
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, BOS
4:36 PM
News: The Boston Globe reports Red Sox 1B Adrian Gonzalez showed up to spring training on Monday, even though position players didn't have to report until Feb. 23. The paper notes that Gonzalez appears trimmer than he was at the end of the 2011 season.
Analysis: Perhaps Gonzalez wanted to get a bit more in shape for the 2012 season, but it's not like he had poor conditioning in 2011. He did pretty well in his first season with Boston, batting .338 with 27 homers and 117 RBI. He is only 29 years old and still has plenty of quality years left. Gonzalez remains an early-round Fantasy pick in all formats.
 
 
 
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