Farm System

[Kid]

The Cubs reacquired minor league OF Donnie Dewees from the Royals today in exchange for minor league P Stephen Ridings.

[jstraw]

BOOYA!

[rok]

I think we may see him fairly soon, if all goes right.



https://twitter.com/DEvanAltman/status/1...1515336706

[mrfelina]

Not this year though, right?

[rok]

https://twitter.com/mj_ernst/status/1114895251733385216

[Auz]

Great debut for Brailyn Marquez - 3.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7K

[funkster]

Finally, a legit pitching prospect.

[1060Ivy]

Finally, a legit pitching prospect.

 

Don't tempt the fates with praise regarding Cubs pitching prospects. 

[rok]

What's his MLB ETA and who will be the Cubs GM when he arrives?

[funkster]

Everyone calm down, the NSBB scouts have spoken.



Ernst's account is a little more glowing than I would give Marquez after watching the game. A lot of the strikes he recorded were fastballs out of the zone that were chased by Low-A hitters.



The upside is definitely there, and the inconsistency he showed is almost to be expected from a 20-year-old, but there was a wide gap from when he was on to when he wasn't. When he missed, he wasn't even close. He threw his change-up once which he will need if he's going to remain a starter as he approaches the bigs. And he definitely lost velocity on his FB after the 2nd inning, throwing mostly 91-92 in the 4th.



Again, this isn't out of the ordinary, but there's a LOT of development left for Brailyn before he becomes a viable major league pitcher. Now this was just his first start, and he isn't even fully stretched out yet, so a more fulsome picture will be available in May and beyond, but IF what I saw today is generally who he is right now, I wouldn't expect him to move quickly.



That said, when a player is this young, he's got time to refine and repeat his mechanics and build strength/stamina, so with the assumption he'll gain consistency over time, what I'm mostly looking for is how good is he when he's on. And he was really, really good when he was. The slider works well. When the FB was below the belt, it was controlled well, though I wouldn't say commanded. He threw plenty over the heart of the plate, but hard enough to where Low-A hitters couldn't catch up.



No reason to not be moderately excited about him, but (with the awareness that this was only his first start) he needs to gain quite a bit of consistency if he's going to be a top 100 prospect by season's end.

[1060Ivy]

So he probably won't win Cy Young this season but he's a lock in 2020? 

[rok]

My only wish is that his career is as successful as Chatwoods.

[VanSlawAndCottoCheese]

Everyone calm down, the NSBB scouts have spoken.



Ernst's account is a little more glowing than I would give Marquez after watching the game. A lot of the strikes he recorded were fastballs out of the zone that were chased by Low-A hitters.



The upside is definitely there, and the inconsistency he showed is almost to be expected from a 20-year-old, but there was a wide gap from when he was on to when he wasn't. When he missed, he wasn't even close. He threw his change-up once which he will need if he's going to remain a starter as he approaches the bigs. And he definitely lost velocity on his FB after the 2nd inning, throwing mostly 91-92 in the 4th.



Again, this isn't out of the ordinary, but there's a LOT of development left for Brailyn before he becomes a viable major league pitcher. Now this was just his first start, and he isn't even fully stretched out yet, so a more fulsome picture will be available in May and beyond, but IF what I saw today is generally who he is right now, I wouldn't expect him to move quickly.



That said, when a player is this young, he's got time to refine and repeat his mechanics and build strength/stamina, so with the assumption he'll gain consistency over time, what I'm mostly looking for is how good is he when he's on. And he was really, really good when he was. The slider works well. When the FB was below the belt, it was controlled well, though I wouldn't say commanded. He threw plenty over the heart of the plate, but hard enough to where Low-A hitters couldn't catch up.



No reason to not be moderately excited about him, but (with the awareness that this was only his first start) he needs to gain quite a bit of consistency if he's going to be a top 100 prospect by season's end.

 

No copy pasta, please, funk. It sets off my plagiarism sensors.

[funkster]

The Smokies starting rotation has been pretty good.  Thomas Hatch no hitter through 5.  Tyson Miller the night before went 5 IP, 6ks one walk.

[rok]

Wake me up in 2021.