Chicago Cubs Farm System Overview – 2010
Overview
It’s been a while since the Cubs’ farm system was something you could describe as strong. While the team has always some quality names at the top, they have rarely had quality depth. Just check last year’s list…the names fizzled out quickly after the first seven or eight prospects.
Slowly, but surely, the Cubs are building up the depth necessary to have sustained pipeline of talent. They’re still a long ways off, but they’re getting there.
The team has had varying degrees of success in the draft over the last few years. The team whiffed on their first round pick in 2006 with Tyler Colvin and Jeff Samardzija seems to be the only piece that could make semi-big impact at the big league level.
The 2007 draft was another mixed bag. Josh Vitters is a very good prospect, but has some red flags he carries with him. And after Vitters you get some very marginal prospects at best.
However, it was the 2008 draft that did a solid job of restocking the system. There aren’t any stars in that group, but there are a bunch of prospects that could be useful players at the Major League level. In that group you have Andrew Cashner, Ryan Flaherty, Chris Carpenter, Jay Jackson, Logan Watkins, and to a lesser extent Casey Coleman and Jeff Beliveau. The team also drafted Alex Wilson (Red Sox 2009 2nd round pick) and Sonny Gray (potential top-10 pick in the 2011 draft), but failed to sign both.
It’s a little early to say what the 2009 draft class will bring, but Brett Jackson has immediately become one of the Cubs’ top-5 prospects.
The Cubs haven’t had a huge presence in Latin America. They don’t typically drop big money to sign premium talent from the area and that has especially been true over the last decade. But of the money they have ponied up in recent years, it’s been well spent, with Starlin Castro being the main prize.
The team has expanded their reach into Korea by signing pitcher Dae-Hun Rhee and shortstop Hak-Ju Lee.
So it’s getting better in Chicago, but another strong draft or two would go a long way.
Cubs Top-15 Prospects
Key Links1. Starlin Castro | SS | Age – 20 | Grade – B+
2. Hak-Ju Lee | SS | Age – 19 | Grade – B
3. Brett Jackson | CF | Age – 21 | Grade – B
4. Josh Vitters | 3b | Age – 20 | Grade – B
5. Jay Jackson | RHP | Age – 22 | Grade – B/B-
6. Andrew Cashner | RHP | Age – 23 | Grade – B-
7. Chris Carpenter | RHP | Age – 24 | Grade – B-
8. Kyler Burke | OF | Age – 22 | Grade – B-
9. Ryan Flaherty | SS/2b | Age – 23 | Grade – B-/C+
10. D.J. LeMahieu | 2b | Age – 21 | Grade – B-/C+
11. Dae-Eun Rhee | RHP | Age – 21 | Grade – C+/B-
12. Logan Watkins | 2b | Age – 20 | Grade – C+
13. Chris Huseby | RHP | Age – 22 | Grade – C+
14. John Gaub | LHP | Age – 25 | Grade – C+
15. Chris Archer | RHP | Age – 21 | Grade – C+
› Prospect Primer (Grading Criteria Explained)
› Team Page Listings
› Index of 2010 Top-15 Prospect Lists
› Index of 2009 Top-15 Prospect Lists
Cubs Links
› Cubs Team Page
› 2009 Cubs Top Prospects, No’s 1 – 5
› 2009 Cubs Top Prospects, No’s 6 – 15
