2012 Chicago Cubs Consensus Top 31 Prospects

I accumulated a variety of sources and weighed each prospect based on where they were ranked by each list to come up with a top 31 list. This also includes links to all of the lists and a spreadsheet that contains all ranks for each player for each list.

3 months ago Chris St. John 19 comments 3 recs |

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I like this list, thanks for doing the work.

You have some non-Cubs on that list you’ll want to remove:

28 Ryan Flaherty 4
29 Marwin Gonzalez 1

I like the placement of almost everyone here – I’d probably swap Rizzo and Baez, and move Rhee and Golden up a bit, but other than that, no issues as all with how it turned out.

by bdlugz on Feb 14, 2012 10:09 AM CST reply actions

Thanks!

Got the list fixed and updated.

@stealofhome

by Chris St. John on Feb 14, 2012 10:21 AM CST up reply actions

Well, they're not guaranteed to not be Cubs this year

There’s a chance one or both get returned after Spring Training. However, I think TheJedi would be glad to take a lower-level minor leaguer (off the 40 man) in exchange for letting the other team keep each player.

by cubzfan on Feb 14, 2012 1:42 PM CST up reply actions

wouldn't surprise me

if they took one of them back, if they were offered. they’ve done a lot of moving around, trying to find stopgap upper level positional assets (Cardenas being the latest one, but signed Bianchi previously).

That said, I really don’t anticipate either back. Flaherty is in a good situation for him, as the Orioles can get him time at almost all corner spots, along with perhaps some time at 2nd. Gonzalez is in a bigger fight, and considering how raw his bat is, he’s a big question mark, but if Lowrie is at short, they’ll need a utility guy.

Of the two, I think I might prefer Gonzalez back (if I had to pick b/w them), though I ranked Flaherty quite a bit higher. Gonzalez is younger, has a bit more upside, was always a good athlete, and had some offensive skills in development. More importantly, he can handle shortstop.

by toonsterwu on Feb 22, 2012 10:18 AM CST up reply actions

Very Nice!

Thanks for putting this together. Rec’d

scoutingthesally.com scouting service $17.95. Very cool service check it out.

by cubsfan1 on Feb 14, 2012 11:11 AM CST reply actions

This is a great idea...

…and the list certainly rings true (or as true as any such list can).

"[The Cubs] have a very famous tradition in baseball, and it will be nice to be part of turning it around." ~ Jamie Quirk, Bench Coach

by daver on Feb 14, 2012 12:41 PM CST reply actions

Damn, good work, sir.

17'$ h4pp3n1n9!?!?!?

by lexmarklover on Feb 14, 2012 1:35 PM CST reply actions

The most fun part of this list

is how many different positions on the field are covered by our top prospects. I suppose that’s somewhat true for most teams, but it still bodes well for the future.

by cubzfan on Feb 14, 2012 1:43 PM CST reply actions

Is Hayden Simpson still in the organization?

I know he was ill for awhile. Haven’t heard much about the former #1 pick.

by Easy Ed on Feb 14, 2012 4:25 PM CST reply actions

Gets a complete do-over

Got mono right away after signing and lost a ton of weight. Couldn’t even grip a baseball, he was so weak. Got better, gained some weight back and debuted really well in Peoria until he fractured his pitching elbow (no idea how). He pitched through it all year, but it obviously was affecting his performance. His fastball, 94 mph in his debut, could barely hit 85 by the end of the year after his demotion to Arizona. He’s supposedly healthy for this year, so we should finally get an extended look at him.

by RynoRooter on Feb 14, 2012 4:38 PM CST up reply actions

This still burns me... a lot.

…until he fractured his pitching elbow (no idea how).

There are two levels of complete idiocy here. First is Hayden. Pitchers simply have to be smart enough to know the difference between “ouch” and pitching through soreness. If there’s no life on any of your pitches, it is the former… not the latter.

But I also put a whole bunch of this on the Cub organization. Surely they have radar guns in Peoria. As your #1 pick’s velocity continues to plummet… you have to get him to fess up to what doesn’t feel right, even if he says he’s fine. If he still won’t talk… you throw him in a MRI machine and hit at least the two big problem areas (shoulder & elbow). To see his velocity continue to drop and even as he’s regaining physical strength and not run tests is, in my opinion, borderline negligent.

"Stuff like this is why they should shut off the internet."

by Orval Overall on Dec 17, 2010 1:19 PM CST

by fsuapollo on Feb 14, 2012 5:34 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

As spring approaches it is anticipation time again.

Look forward to Rizzo, Szczur, Baez, etc.. But Simpson will be the one that will garner keen interest. Hope the guy bounces back.

by Grockcubs on Feb 14, 2012 7:52 PM CST up reply actions

Agreed.

I wish some budding beat reporter would grill…someone about this. Oneri Fleita, I presume? Simpson’s pitching coach in Peoria? Someone.

"[The Cubs] have a very famous tradition in baseball, and it will be nice to be part of turning it around." ~ Jamie Quirk, Bench Coach

by daver on Feb 15, 2012 11:33 AM CST up reply actions

Borderline negligent = Cubs' training staff performance over the past several years

Soriano’s knee in 2009, Ramirez’s thumb in 2010 – the list just goes on and on…..

by ClarkFan on Feb 15, 2012 12:57 PM CST up reply actions

Completely agree.

I think it has has been one of the under discussed aspects of the organization’s struggles. They simply have not done well in the medical department.

"Stuff like this is why they should shut off the internet."

by Orval Overall on Dec 17, 2010 1:19 PM CST

by fsuapollo on Feb 15, 2012 5:18 PM CST up reply actions

neither have the red sox

..oh crap

Just wee-un.

by jesus christos on Feb 15, 2012 5:23 PM CST up reply actions

I think the Cubs' performance has been a bit different

There have been a spate of mis-diagnoses or non-diagnoses which led to the team not shutting down guys who were hurt (Soriano, Ramirez. even Lee in 2010) or wildly missing on the time the injury would cost (Wells, Cashner). And that has been in the MLB club, where they presumably have their “best” people.

by ClarkFan on Feb 15, 2012 6:03 PM CST up reply actions

The latter part of that

is what I think of most, honestly.

I have trouble remembering the last time the club announced a player would be out X days / weeks… and then the player was out only that much time.

"Stuff like this is why they should shut off the internet."

by Orval Overall on Dec 17, 2010 1:19 PM CST

by fsuapollo on Feb 15, 2012 10:56 PM CST up reply actions

Can't really make a decision on him until he has a healthy season

I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren

by lookingdeadred on Feb 15, 2012 7:44 AM CST up reply actions