ChinMusic22
Feb 6th 2007, 10:08 am
There's some interesting stuff here about some future Cubs...
Courtesy of "Baseball America Prospect Handbook 2007"
2006
Best Pro Debut: OF Tyler Colvin (1) was a surprise as the 13th overall pick, then went out and hit .268 with 11 homers and 12 steals to earn top-prospect recognition in the Northwest League. RHP Jeremy Papelbon (19) made the NWL all-star team after going 4-0 with 50 strikeouts in 44 innings. OF Matt Camp (13) batted .289 with 22 steals and an NWL-high 87 hits, and looked good at second base in an instructional league.
Best Athlete: RHP Jeff Samardzija (5) is an all-America wide receiver who set Notre Dame records for receiptions (77) and touchdown catches (15) in 2005 and has definate NFL potential. If he stickswith baseball he'll collect a record $7.25 million bonus; if we walks, the Cubs are only out $250,000 at this point. In terms of athletism, Colvin has a chance to develop plus tools accross the board. OF Drew Rundle (14) has similar tools.
Best Pure Hitter: Colvin, with Rundle and OF Cliff Andersen (9) right behind him.
Best Raw Power: Both Colvin & Rundle have nice loft in their swings. Colvin has more projection then most college juniors, as he didn't turn 21 until September and is still growing into his 6-foot-3, 190-pound frame.
Fastest Runner: Andersen runs a 60 yard dash in 60 seconds and is a good all around athlete.
Best Defense Player: 3B Josh Lansford (6) has plus-plus arm strength, plus range and surprising agility for a 6-foot-2 220-pounder. he can get a little pull happy, but he can do damage at the plate as well.
Best Fastball: Samardzija has touched 99 a couple of times and usually pitches at 91-94 mph. he's expected to throw mid to upper 90's regularity. RHP Chris Huseby (11) barely pitched in the spring while coming back from 2005 Tommy John surgery but showed enough to get a $1.3 million bonus. throws 90-95 mph with good life. Fifth-year senior sign Rocky Roquet and fellow RHP's Michael Cooper (26) and Miguel Cuevas (36) can pitch into the mid-90's.
Best Breaking Ball: Either Huseby's or RHP Billy Muldowney's (8) curveball, both of which need more consistancy. There's more power to Huseby's hook.
Most Intriguing Backround: Lansford's father Carney won an American League batting title; his uncles Jody & Phil were former first-round picks; and his brother Jared was a second round choice by the Athletics in 2005. Papelbon's twin brother Josh signed with the Red Sox as a 48th-rounder in June, and their older brother Jonathan is an all-star with Boston. Cubs scouting director Tim Wilken drafted SS Matt Matulia's (24) brother John in 2005 while with the Devil Rays.
Closest To The Majors: There's a lot of upside but may not be a fast-track player in this draft. Pitching could come together quickly for Samardzija, but he still needs to work on his delivery and secondary pitches, Colvin needs at least two years in the minors before he'll be a finished product.
Best Late-Round Pick: Huseby & Rundle. Cooper & Cuevas required smaller investments.
The One Who Got Away: The Cubs lost the rights to four players, the best whom is offensive minded Clemsons 3B Marquez Smith (35).
Assessment: The cubs gave up their second- through fourth-round picks as free agent compensation, but they made up for it with Samardzija, Huseby, & Rundle. Wilken's drafts havethe best track record among current scouting directors, and this was a typical Wilkens effort with power pitchers and multi-tooled position players.
2005- Few lefties have arms to match Mark Pawelek (1) and Donald Veal (2), though they ahve rough edges to smooth out.
2004- The Cubs had no first-rounder and their top choice, RHP Grant Johnson (2), has been a $1.26 million bust. RHP Shawn Gallagher (12) and 2b Eric Patterson (8) are left to salvage this class.
2003- OF Ryan Harvey (1) is a high risk, high reward player whose future is still unclear. LHP Sean Marshall (6) was a nice find, but signing Tim Lincecum (48) would have been even nicer.
Courtesy of "Baseball America Prospect Handbook 2007"
2006
Best Pro Debut: OF Tyler Colvin (1) was a surprise as the 13th overall pick, then went out and hit .268 with 11 homers and 12 steals to earn top-prospect recognition in the Northwest League. RHP Jeremy Papelbon (19) made the NWL all-star team after going 4-0 with 50 strikeouts in 44 innings. OF Matt Camp (13) batted .289 with 22 steals and an NWL-high 87 hits, and looked good at second base in an instructional league.
Best Athlete: RHP Jeff Samardzija (5) is an all-America wide receiver who set Notre Dame records for receiptions (77) and touchdown catches (15) in 2005 and has definate NFL potential. If he stickswith baseball he'll collect a record $7.25 million bonus; if we walks, the Cubs are only out $250,000 at this point. In terms of athletism, Colvin has a chance to develop plus tools accross the board. OF Drew Rundle (14) has similar tools.
Best Pure Hitter: Colvin, with Rundle and OF Cliff Andersen (9) right behind him.
Best Raw Power: Both Colvin & Rundle have nice loft in their swings. Colvin has more projection then most college juniors, as he didn't turn 21 until September and is still growing into his 6-foot-3, 190-pound frame.
Fastest Runner: Andersen runs a 60 yard dash in 60 seconds and is a good all around athlete.
Best Defense Player: 3B Josh Lansford (6) has plus-plus arm strength, plus range and surprising agility for a 6-foot-2 220-pounder. he can get a little pull happy, but he can do damage at the plate as well.
Best Fastball: Samardzija has touched 99 a couple of times and usually pitches at 91-94 mph. he's expected to throw mid to upper 90's regularity. RHP Chris Huseby (11) barely pitched in the spring while coming back from 2005 Tommy John surgery but showed enough to get a $1.3 million bonus. throws 90-95 mph with good life. Fifth-year senior sign Rocky Roquet and fellow RHP's Michael Cooper (26) and Miguel Cuevas (36) can pitch into the mid-90's.
Best Breaking Ball: Either Huseby's or RHP Billy Muldowney's (8) curveball, both of which need more consistancy. There's more power to Huseby's hook.
Most Intriguing Backround: Lansford's father Carney won an American League batting title; his uncles Jody & Phil were former first-round picks; and his brother Jared was a second round choice by the Athletics in 2005. Papelbon's twin brother Josh signed with the Red Sox as a 48th-rounder in June, and their older brother Jonathan is an all-star with Boston. Cubs scouting director Tim Wilken drafted SS Matt Matulia's (24) brother John in 2005 while with the Devil Rays.
Closest To The Majors: There's a lot of upside but may not be a fast-track player in this draft. Pitching could come together quickly for Samardzija, but he still needs to work on his delivery and secondary pitches, Colvin needs at least two years in the minors before he'll be a finished product.
Best Late-Round Pick: Huseby & Rundle. Cooper & Cuevas required smaller investments.
The One Who Got Away: The Cubs lost the rights to four players, the best whom is offensive minded Clemsons 3B Marquez Smith (35).
Assessment: The cubs gave up their second- through fourth-round picks as free agent compensation, but they made up for it with Samardzija, Huseby, & Rundle. Wilken's drafts havethe best track record among current scouting directors, and this was a typical Wilkens effort with power pitchers and multi-tooled position players.
2005- Few lefties have arms to match Mark Pawelek (1) and Donald Veal (2), though they ahve rough edges to smooth out.
2004- The Cubs had no first-rounder and their top choice, RHP Grant Johnson (2), has been a $1.26 million bust. RHP Shawn Gallagher (12) and 2b Eric Patterson (8) are left to salvage this class.
2003- OF Ryan Harvey (1) is a high risk, high reward player whose future is still unclear. LHP Sean Marshall (6) was a nice find, but signing Tim Lincecum (48) would have been even nicer.