Cubs Name Archer, Guyer Minor League Pitcher, Player Of Year

by Al Yellon on Sep 13, 2010 3:18 PM CDT in Chicago Cubs News

Brandon Guyer, Cubs Minor League Player of the Year. Photo courtesy of Roger C. Hoover and www.smokiesonradio.com

While Chris Archer and Brandon Guyer await the Southern League championship series between their Tennessee Smokies and the Jacksonville Suns, BCB congratulates them for being named Cubs Minor League Pitcher and Player of the Year. From the Cubs press release:

Guyer, 24, batted .344 (127-for-369) with 39 doubles, six triples, 13 homers, 58 RBI, 27 walks, 76 runs scored, 30 stolen bases (he was caught stealing just three times) and a .398 on-base percentage in 102 games for Double-A Tennessee. He led the Southern League in slugging percentage (.588), ranked second in batting average, third in doubles, fourth in extra-base hits (58) and fifth in on-base percentage and at-bats per home run (28.38).

A right-handed batter and fielder, Guyer was named Southern League Offensive Player of the Week for July 26-August 1, batting .524 (11-for-21) with eight runs, three doubles, a triple, a homer, eight RBI and two stolen bases during the stretch. Additionally, he recorded a season-high, 18-game hitting streak, July 26-August 18. He batted .471 (33-for-70) with nine doubles, five home runs, 21 runs scored and 24 RBI during the run.

A Southern League postseason All-Star, Guyer helped Tennessee to 86 regular season victories – the most in franchise history – and a post-season berth

In his fifth professional season, Archer combined to go 15-3 with a 2.34 ERA (37 ER/142.1 IP) in 28 games (27 starts) between Single-A Daytona and Tennessee, helping the Smokies to the Southern League North Division title. He struck out 149 batters in 142.1 innings of work compared to just 65 walks, and allowed just six home runs to the 590 batters he faced (one home run allowed every 98 batters faced).

Archer, 21, began the year with Daytona and went 7-1 with a 2.86 ERA (23 ER/72.1 IP) and 82 strikeouts in 15 games (14 starts). He won his final seven decisions (May 8-June 27), going 7-0 with a 1.86 ERA (11 ER/53.1 IP) and 62 strikeouts in 10 starts before his promotion to Double-A.

The 6-foot-3, 185-pounder made his Smokies debut July 2 and went 8-2 with a 1.80 ERA (14 ER/70.0 IP) and 67 strikeouts in 13 starts with Tennessee, limiting the opponent to a .198 batting average (48-for-242). He was named Southern League Pitcher of the Week for the week of July 19-25, going 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA (0 ER/11.1 IP) while walking five and fanning 11 in two starts during the period.

Archer tossed 31.1-consecutive innings without allowing an earned run to begin his Smokies’ career, July 2-31. After going 1-1 in his first two starts at the Double-A level, he won seven-consecutive decisions, July 14-August 21, posting a 1.84 ERA (9 ER/44.0 IP) and 42 strikeouts to go along with a 7-0 mark in eight starts.

Congratulations to both players -- we hope to see them at Wrigley Field soon.

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Comments

So will these guy contribute in the majors if so. When does it look like they will be called up?

We can't win at home. We can't win on the road. I just can't figure out where else to play!
-- Pat Williams

by Fat Punk Kicker on Sep 13, 2010 3:33 PM CDT reply actions

Not until next season

Archer will probably get a shot in ST, but I expect him to start the year in Iowa and then get a call when there is an injury if he’s doing well there.

Guyer is a tough guy to read. He’s extremely athletic and talented. He’s got the potential to be a 20/20 guy in the majors, although 15/30 is probably more likely. One thing he’s never been able to do though is stay healthy for an entire season. At least this year he didn’t have any major injuries, but he played the first half of the season through some nagging injuries and it showed. When healthy in the second half, there wasn’t a better hitter in all the minor leagues.

Guyer could be a solid starting RF in the majors. Or he might never get more than a cup of coffee here. I suppose that’s true of a lot of guys, but it’s really true of him.

by Josh Timmers on Sep 13, 2010 4:16 PM CDT up reply actions

Congrats to both players

Chris Archer looks like he could be a really good pitcher, which would make a nice return on investment for a very unpopular trade.

http://thefrustratedfan.blogspot.com/

by Jody Jody Davis on Sep 13, 2010 3:33 PM CDT reply actions

Archer may get a shot at next year's rotation.

He really does look good.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Sep 13, 2010 3:40 PM CDT up reply actions

Go Guyer!

Heck of a year. Would love to have a lead off hitter with those kind of numbers.

by Bradsbeard on Sep 13, 2010 3:35 PM CDT reply actions

Congrats guys!

Both very well deserving, great seasons by both. I’d like to see Guyer get a shot at a backup spot next year. With the loss of Nady, we’re left with Colvin, Soriano, Byrd, and Dome, and Colvin might see time at first. Maybe Guyer could earn a spot and get some PT, i think he could be every bit as good as Adduci and Fuld. And who knows, maybe he’s a late bloomer who may eventually be a starter.

by Dcr18 on Sep 13, 2010 3:36 PM CDT via mobile reply actions

I'd rather he get full time play in AA or AAA.

I don’t think sitting him on a bench in the majors is the way to go.

by bdlugz on Sep 14, 2010 9:32 AM CDT up reply actions

Beat Jacksonville!

It would be nice to see a Cubs AA team beat Jacksonville for the Southern League title. It’s going to be interesting to see how Archer and Guyer do in spring training next season.

"The big possums walk late." - Harry Caray

by memphiscub on Sep 13, 2010 3:56 PM CDT reply actions

Congrats to both.

And, for anyone who’s wondering, I just checked Guyer’s minor league page and he’s never played first base. :-|

Contributing Editor, SB Nation Chicago. Please follow us on Twitter!

by daver on Sep 13, 2010 4:09 PM CDT reply actions

He's not a first baseman

He’s a right fielder who can play a little center.

And as Al can remember, he’s already hit a home run at Wrigley Field.

by Josh Timmers on Sep 13, 2010 4:17 PM CDT up reply actions

For the Peoria Chiefs?

"The big possums walk late." - Harry Caray

by memphiscub on Sep 13, 2010 4:18 PM CDT up reply actions

Correct!

In 2008.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Sep 13, 2010 4:23 PM CDT up reply actions

Road to Wrigley in 2011?

Do you think there be a Road to Wrigley game in 2011 following the poor attendance of this season’s game?

"The big possums walk late." - Harry Caray

by memphiscub on Sep 13, 2010 4:37 PM CDT up reply actions

Good question.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Sep 13, 2010 4:49 PM CDT up reply actions

So just to throw this out there...

…do you think there’s an even remote chance the Cubs would consider converting him to a first baseman? Doing so may mitigate some of his injury issues and I’m guessing he’d instantly be the top 1B prospect in the system, no?

Contributing Editor, SB Nation Chicago. Please follow us on Twitter!

by daver on Sep 14, 2010 1:51 PM CDT up reply actions

Yeah

but he’s a good defensive corner outfielder. It’s the same issue as Colvin—since a lot of his value is in his defense, moving him to first base devalues him. And I don’t think he’d hit enough for the Cubs to be happy with him at first base—again, the same issue as Colvin.

The injury take is an interesting thought—that he can’t stay healthy running into outfield walls so put him at first base. If I were convinced he’d hit enough, I might consider it.

I still think the Cubs are going to sign Adam Dunn. I also think Josh Vitters is the #1 first baseman prospect in the system.

by Josh Timmers on Sep 14, 2010 3:31 PM CDT up reply actions

Yeah, I feel Dunn is pretty likely, too.

Well, if the Cubs sign the Big Donkey to a three-year deal, that would mean Vitters would be around 23-24 by the time that deal was up, I believe. So Josh could slip right into the first base position at that point, no?

Contributing Editor, SB Nation Chicago. Please follow us on Twitter!

by daver on Sep 15, 2010 9:22 AM CDT up reply actions

But

he is a right handed RF who could platoon in right with either Fukudome or Colvin next year.

by Bradsbeard on Sep 13, 2010 4:28 PM CDT up reply actions

Colvin......

by TJ11 on Sep 13, 2010 4:42 PM CDT up reply actions

Hmmm...

If they could deal Kosuke, a Colvin/Guyer platoon would be interesting to say the least.

Contributing Editor, SB Nation Chicago. Please follow us on Twitter!

by daver on Sep 14, 2010 1:49 PM CDT up reply actions

Congrats to both guys!

A lovely story:

One day, long, long ago, there lived a woman who didn't whine, nag or bitch. That would be me....

But that was a long time ago and it was just that one day.

The end

by sue369 on Sep 13, 2010 4:46 PM CDT reply actions

Where is Guyer ranked?

Among our prospects? I follow fairly closely and haven’t heard him touted that much. Sounds like good backup candidate for 2011 if we can dump Dome.

Archer better than Coleman or Wells (2010) I hope…need front-end guys, got plenty of back-of-rotation guys (Silva, Coleman, Wells, Gorzo).

by QuincyCub on Sep 13, 2010 9:01 PM CDT reply actions

re:

I was pretty high on him after a relatively solid 2008 season and had him in my top 20, IIRC (maybe even top 15, have to go back and check). Then, he was pushed to AA (fair enough move considering age) and struggled, before rebounding in A+ a bit. I’m pretty sure he was on some top 30 lists of Cubs prospects from some Cubs minor league followers (he was on my last list I did for last year). The bigger issue was his lack of power. He could stopgap in CF, but he’s more a corner OF, and he really didn’t have enough power to really consider him as a top prospect.

Guyer did have raw athletic tools, and spent the offseason working on getting some power out of it. He’s still more a guy who projects to have gap power, maybe 15-20 HR’s if all goes well. The comp I’ve made for him for several years is still Eric Byrnes – a solid, hustle guy, decent-solid defensively but goes all out, flashes some power and some speed. A potentially solid 4th OF type, potentially passable starter type. I hope for better, obviously.

Archer, if he pans out, is a potential “2” type of guy. Unlike Coleman and Wells, he has two plus pitches, a mid-90’s fb with movement and a plus slider, and he also has a changeup and curveball. The changeup needs some work for him to really take another step forward, but his biggest challenge is improved control.

by toonsterwu on Sep 13, 2010 10:26 PM CDT up reply actions