John Sickels' 2013 Cubs top 20 prospects

[Eamus Cubs]

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2012/...pects-for-2013

This was posted on twitter by Cliff Lippert, but I thought I'd pass it along as there is some pretty good stuff here. If this has been posted elsewhere already then, mods, please feel free to delete.

[JBears79]

Love this quote in there

I knew the Cubs system had improved a lot over the last year or two, but I don't think I truly grasped the amount of depth they've developed (especially at the lower levels) until I got into the analysis.

I'm actually kind of surprised that Almora wasn't an A as well. I know it's a SSS but everything you here about him is that he will be a good player in the MLB.

[SenorGato]

Initial thoughts from there:

Thoughts...

- Not sure I agree with the straight A on Baez. Sheffield destroys him as far as plate discipline is concerned.

- Vogelbach over Vizcaino at 4 is aggressive and I like it. Vizcaino to me gets a little overrated because he’s the only upper level pitching prospect who seems to be any good and can be a starter in 2013.

- I think both Hernandez and Candelario are better prospects than Amaya and Paniagua is a better pitching prospect than Maples. All three could fly up next year.

- Question: At this stage in their careers, Lee or Hernandez as a SS prospect?

- Pierce Johnson is way more interesting to me as a late inning power arm in the mold of a David Robertson than as a starter. His injury history is deeeeep like the ocean and my soul.

- Christian Villanueva is my AA or higher breakout candidate for 2013.

- Personally lean Underwood over Maples, but not sure 2012/2013 is the year that this is an issue

[SenorGato]

Love this quote in there



I'm actually kind of surprised that Almora wasn't an A as well. I know it's a SSS but everything you here about him is that he will be a good player in the MLB.

Sickels is stingy with the A's. It's impressive he gave one to Baez at all, and probably it was a reach to do so.

[Silent]

Sounds like we have a bright future ahead of us and did u see what he said about voglebach

[Knuckles]

The future is certainly brighter now than it has been in quite some time

[gaughan333]

Yeah, he's real high on vogelbach

[TimbrH2001]

Lists like this really give you some perspective on the talent sitting on the farm. I like what I read. Exciting to know we will only add to this list come Sickels' 2014 top 20 list.

[Chi-Town Cubs25]

I love how he mentions Sheffield, Sosa, and Fielder as comps. It would be amazing to have three players of their caliber on the same team.

[KyleJRM]

The future is certainly brighter now than it has been in quite some time

We had the No. 8 farm system like 3 or 4 years ago.

[SenorGato]

We had the No. 8 farm system like 3 or 4 years ago.

Actually IIRC it was there right before the Garza trade, which was only 2 years ago.

[StrandedCub]

Yeah that was the Castro, Vitters, Hak-Ju Lee, and Chris Archer time I think.

[Knuckles]

We were 14 going into last year and 16 the year before that according to Baseball America. Like the article says the depth of our system is greatly improved. Not to mention the young guys at the MLB level who should be contributors for a long time.

[SenorGato]

The 14 was after the Garza trade IIRC, which is what got them there out of the top 10. I'll try to find someplace but this one I remember...The whole Garza thing after the trade was just ridiculous, and it's the thing that started me thinking "ah, so that's why Hendry was allowed to GM for a while."

Baseball America's annual farm system rankings are out, with a few changes from their 2011 Handbook due to the Matt Garza trade. The Rays' haul pushed them to #2 over the Braves, while the Cubs' losses knocked them from #8 to #16.

http://www.cubsstats.com/2011/03/cub...oubles-in.html

[KyleJRM]

I guess "a long time" is relative, but it really hasn't been that long since the Cubs had a good system.