Baseball Prospectus Top 11 Cubs' Prospects

he's no matt antonelli...

So, do we see Castro and Lee simultaneously at AA for a significant stretch next year?

Lee is going to start at Daytona or Peoria and it's possible that Castro may never see AA again.

I s it just that Lee hasn't played at as many levels?

That and Lee's defense is less proven.

Am I right in assuming he starts next season in Daytona with the possibility of a promotion to Tennessee if he performs? That would put his optimistic ETA at September 2011, right?

Optimistic is that he starts at Tennessee at finishes the year in Chicago. High A or AA will probably depend on how well ST goes for him.

I think that Castro is considered the better prospect because they think that Lee will have little to no power, and Castro will have a little.

As far as Vitters is concerned, I hope that they start him in Daytona, but I am afraid that if he has a decent spring, they will move him to Tennessee.

Submitted by Charlie on Sun, 01/24/2010 - 5:25pm.
So, do we see Castro and Lee simultaneously at AA for a significant stretch next year?

And why is Lee a 4-star prospect and Castro a 5-star prospect if Lee is the true shortstop with elite speed and more plate discipline? Is it just that Lee hasn't played at as many levels? And if Castro doesn't have the potential of an impact player, why is he a 5-star prospect?

Good to hear that sort of gushing about Vitter's swing though. I think [hope] that his plate discipline will come around as he faces more challenging pitchers. Am I right in assuming he starts next season in Daytona with the possibility of a promotion to Tennessee if he performs? That would put his optimistic ETA at September 2011, right?

And how far are each of Jackson, Cashner, and Carpenter from contributing to the big league club? I guess those last two questions are mostly for AZ Phil.

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CHARLIE: I would say Andrew Cashner is closest to being MLB-ready. He showed in the AFL that he can get the better hitting prospects out. The main issue with Cashner is whether he will be a rotation starter or a reliever (8th inning set-up man or closer) at the big league level, because if he is used as a reliever he could be ready right away. If he continues to be developed as a starter, he probably won't be ready until 2011.

Cashner was (arguably) the #1 closer in college baseball at TCU in 2008, and the Cubs used him as a closer at Daytona in the FSL playoffs in September 2008 (where he was "lights out"). But then the Cubs moved him to the starting rotation at Daytona (and later Tennessee) in 2009 to get him more innings and to force him to develop and use his "secondary" stuff, and he continued to be a starter in the AFL post-2009, although he still throws too many pitches per inning because he doesn't throw strikes consistently. His best pitches are a 98 MPH four-seam fastball (96 MPH when he starts) and a killer hard-slider, but as a starter he has added a change-up (still very much a "work-in-progress") in addition to his two "out" pitches (but again, he adds about 2 MPH to his fastball when he knows he is going to throw just one inning and "let's it all hang-out"). So it might be better to have him stick with his dynamite fastball/slider combo and use him exclusively as a late-inning reliever.

Jay Jackson more fits the profile of a rotation starter, with a full-array of plus pitches and the stamina to go deep into games. He is also a good hitter and an athletic defender (he played CF at Furman on days he wasn't pitching) which probably would be more of an advantage if he starts than if he is used out of the bullpen. Jackson could be ready to pitch as a rotation starter in MLB sometime in 2010. He is (in my opinion) the Cubs #1 starting pitcher prospect (while Cashner is the Cubs #1 closer prospect).

Chris Carpenter is probably about a half-season behind Jackson and Cashner, but he should be ready to contend for a spot in the Cubs starting rotation sometime in 2011, although he might end up in the bullpen when he reaches MLB.

The thing to remember about Cashner, Jackson, and Carpenter (and this is true for Starlin Castro, too) is that if any of them are brought up to the big leagues in 2010 and then get optioned back to the minors sometime later in the season, they will get four minor league options, because Cashner, Jackson, and Carpenter (and Castro) have completed only one "full season" through the 2009 season. So the Cubs shouldn't hesitate to bring Cashner, Jackson, Carpenter, and/or Castro up to the big leagues this season if one or more of them earns a ticket to The Show and the Cubs believe they are ready to help the big club.

what's your second number denote?

I thought 5 star prospects...but no

Good to see he is courting that necessary fourth OF and veteran reliever.

Rob,

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