His name is Carl Edwards, Jr.
That is what will be on his Hall of Fame plaque, my friends!

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Host of the weekly "We Fish ASA" podcast
Weekly columnist for the Northwest Herald
Bi-monthly columnist for Illinois Outdoor News magazine
Former host of The Outdoors Experience on WIND and The Great Outdoors on CLTV
http://www.wefishasa.com

they gave up on him as a starter already?

_________________
Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

They will be calling him Hot Carl when they send him back down to AA

_________________
O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

http://chicagocubsonline.com/archives/2 ... W2uE0ZTOUk

With the minor league season two months old, it is time to revisit the top prospect list. Some players have been promoted to the big leagues, while others have not started their seasons due to injuries.

Here then, is a list on how the current prospects rate. Take it as a snapshot in time rather than something carved in stone. All stats and league rankings are of Saturday, May 30.
Kyle Schwarber – C

Leading the Southern League with an OPS of 1.089, Schwarber is also tied for first in home runs (12), eighth in hitting (.322), and tied for sixth in RBI (31). Defensively, Schwarber has put up decent numbers with 19% caught stealing and a .988 fielding percentage. As a prospect, Schwarber is at or ahead of the pace Kris Bryant set last season.
Billy McKinney – OF

Held back a level to start the season due to some lackadaisical defense, McKinney destroyed Carolina League pitching. McKinney led in all three major categories, batting .340 with four home runs and 25 RBI, before being promoted to Double-A. Now considered to be at level, McKinney is hitting .278 in 16 games for Tennessee. His defense still needs improving, but McKinney has clearly moved up to be the best outfield prospect in the system.
PrintDuane Underwood – RHP

Despite some upheaval amongst the Cubs’ top pitching prospects, Underwood has earned his way to being the best in the system. Second in the Carolina League in victories (5-1), Underwood is also fourth in ERA (1.60) and third in WHIP (0.978) to go along with 30 strikeouts in 45 innings. Command has been the biggest change for Underwood, as well as a fastball that has been clocked at 100 mph.
Gleyber Torres – SS

Third in the Midwest League in hitting at .331, Torres can improve to a top three player as he smoothes out his overall game. Although Torres has eight stolen bases, he still needs to learn how to maximize his ability in that area. Despite 10 errors, Torres is fielding a decent .946 due to his range increasing his number of chances. Torres needs to improve on charging balls and when to just concede a hit. However, in most team’s minor league systems, Torres would have been promoted already.
Carl Edwards Jr. – RHP

Edwards struggled in a new role as a relief pitcher, which caused his numbers to go all out of whack early on. Now that he is settling in, Edwards has lowered his ERA to 2.66 with 36 strikeouts in 23.2 innings. Edwards is also adapting to closing out games, going 2-2 with four saves in 13 relief appearances. Edwards was recently promoted to Triple-A Iowa.
Dylan Cease – RHP

It was supposed to be a washout season for Cease as he was recovering from Tommy John Surgery. However, Cease appears to be ahead of schedule in his rehab as he was clocked at 99 mph in extended Spring Training. While Cease still needs to work on control, the 19-year old phenom should be ready to start the Arizona Rookie League in June.
Jeimer Candelario – 3B

Coming into this season, Candelario looked like a whipped prospect after being demoted last year and hitting .250 in Single-A. But Candelario has rebounded well, batting .267 with 14 doubles (fourth in the league), three homers, and 18 RBI in 44 games with High-A Myrtle Beach. Manager Mark Johnson has demonstrated confidence in Candelario, elevating him to either third or fourth in the batting order. The biggest difference in Candelario has been his defense. Once considered a defensive liability, Candelario has benefitted from the experience of Coach Mariano Duncan. Candelario is now considered above average at third, with the potential to become an elite defender.
Carson Sands – LHP

While his season has yet to start, there has been nothing in the reports from extended Spring Training to suggest that Sands doesn’t deserve this lofty status. Sands is the odds on favorite to be the Opening Night starter for Short Season-A Eugene when they begin play on June 23.
Albert Almora Jr. – OF

Rough is the best way to describe Almora’s 2015 season to this point, Almora has been on the disabled list twice, once with a concussion and a second after colliding with a teammate. In between, Almora has yet to find his comfort level at the plate. Batting only .248 with seven extra base hits (four doubles, a triple, and two home runs), Almora hasn’t shown the offensive adjustment expected. But Almora has the ability to rebound, if he can stay in one piece.
Justin Steele – LHP

Steele has very similar evaluation to his teammate, Carson Sands. Steele’s performance in extended Spring Training is right up there with Sands and Dylan Cease. Steele will most likely be Eugene’s Opening Night starter if Sands doesn’t get the ball.
Mark Zagunis – OF

Making the permanent switch to outfield, Zagunis can now concentrate on what he does best, hitting. At .307, Zagunis is fourth in the Carolina League in batting while leading with a .436 OBP. Zagunis is also fourth in OPS at .863, and has five stolen bases while batting leadoff. Zagunis has also looked good in the outfield. While mainly playing the corners, the Pelicans have been experimenting with Zagunis in center lately.
Eloy Jimenez – OF

While still considered raw in talent, Jimenez has been one of the Cubs’ top hitters in extended Spring Training. Jimenez projects to bat either third or fourth while lining up in right field for the Eugene Emeralds.
Jonathan Martinez – RHP

Flying under the radar below several other pitching prospects, Martinez has thrived while some others can’t seem to get out of their own way. Second in the Carolina League with a 0.923 WHIP, Martinez is also eighth in ERA at 3.00. With only 17 strikeouts, Martinez’s numbers aren’t as ‘sexy’ as some bigger name prospects. However, Martinez has been one of the most consistent pitchers in the system, rarely having a bad game.
Chesny Young – INF

Many thought Young was a ‘one trick pony’ coming into this season. Yes, Young could hit, as his combined .323 average would indicate. But critics said Young had neither power nor speed, and was locked in as a second baseman. Well, Young has proved the critics wrong with 12 stolen bases in 15 attempts. And while primarily playing second base, Young has also played shortstop and third at an average to above average level. Recently, Young has also been worked into the outfield mix. So who needs Ben Zobrist with Young on the way?
Dan Vogelbach – 1B

Starting this season as one of the hottest hitters in all of the minors, it will be interesting to see whether Vogelbach maintains his spot as a top 20 prospect. That’s because Vogelbach has been ice cold in his last ten games, batting .118 over that span to lower his once lofty average to .325. What has also been notable is an absence of power. With only four round-trippers this season, the massive Vogelbach projects to hit only 12 home runs, a second straight year of decline. Inside information exclusive to the CCO reported that even with Iowa needing a first baseman, Vogelbach was nowhere near ready for promotion, citing below average defense and base running.
Ryan Williams – RHP

If there has been a prospect that ‘came out of nowhere,’ it would be Williams. While teammate Jeremy Null has garnered a lot of accolades, the 2014 tenth round pick has been more consistent. Williams leads the Midwest League both in ERA (1.17) and WHIP (0.708). A ground ball pitcher, Williams has 37 strikeouts but more importantly, has issued only two walks in 53.2 innings. The 23-year old should be the first to move forward from the South Bend pitching staff.
Corey Black – RHP

In a similar evaluation to teammate Dan Vogelbach, Black maintains his position at this time by being good enough, but may be passed by other prospects later. Black is among the leaders in the Southern League, placing sixth in strikeouts (53), sixth in WHIP (1.071), and 14th in ERA (3.09). The main concerns with Black have been constant, not enough stamina (averages 5.1 innings per start) and control (19 walks, second on the team).
Daury Torrez – RHP

The CCO named Torrez Co-Pitcher of the Year last season, and Torrez has now nosed ahead of his fellow recipient Jen-Ho Tseng. The aggressive Torrez is just on the outside of the top spots in a few categories in the Carolina League, which one or two more good outings can rectify. Torrez is 4-1 with a 4.02 ERA, 1.255 WHIP, and has 31 strikeouts against six walks in 47 innings.
Willson Contreras – C

Sometimes, a bit of extra practice helps. Contreras seems to have benefitted from playing semi-regularly in the Venezuelan Winter League this past winter. Always considered a clutch hitter, Contreras has provided batting order protection for the Smokies’ ‘Bash Brothers,’ Kyle Schwarber and Dan Vogelbach. Eleventh in the Southern League in hitting at .316, Contreras is also sixth in slugging (.506), sixth in OPS (.894), and fourth in doubles (14). Considered an excellent defensive catcher, Contreras has lined up at third base four times and has experience at first base and corner outfield.
Cael Brockmeyer – C

Perhaps one of the most underappreciated prospects, Brockmeyer is not so much of a ‘numbers guy,’ but is here due to his all-around play. Brockmeyer carried a young South Bend team that has been struggling to find consistency early on. Batting .299 with 13 doubles, three home runs, and 24 RBI in 42 games, Brockmeyer has been solid at the plate. Splitting time between catcher and first base, Brockmeyer has done well defensively at both positions. Due to other prospects emerging, Brockmeyer will probably see more action at catcher than first base as the season progresses.

Alcantara sucks so the Zobrist label already handed to 22 y/o in high-A Myrtle Beach

Zobrist comparisons should be banned from prospect discussion/evaluation

I would think if Underwood is topping out at 100mph he'd have more than 30Ks in 45 innings.

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You know me like that.

Iowa Cubs ‏@IowaCubs 3m3 minutes ago

JAVY BAEZ!! 4-for-5, 2HR, 4RBI, 2R tonight at Albuquerque. #ICubs

Isn't Albaquerque a notorious launching pad?

_________________
O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Most of the PCL is.

_________________
Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

can't launch anything whiffing. i'm just happy it isn't 4 K's

Cubs have some "other" prospects playing pretty well right now. Not big time talked about guys, but guys who are playing well at the higher levels, still young, and might be able to impact the major league ball club in the very near future.

Guys we know about:

Arismendy Alcantara: 41 G, .286/.363/.891, 8 HR, 10 SB, 0 CS, 20 BB, 43 K
Javier Baez: 34 G, .313/.390/.914, 7 HR, 11 BB, 38 K
Kyle Schwarber: 49 G, .327/.446/1.046, 12 HR, 37 BB, 42 K

The Others:

Christian Villanueva (3B): Iowa numbers: 39 G, .301/.358/.907, 7 HR, 11 BB, 21 K
John Andreoli (LF): Iowa numbers: 35 G, .295/.397/.834, 7 2b, 3 3b, 15 SB
Willson Contreras (C): Tenn numbers: 48 G, .326/.391/.899, 5 HR, 16 BB, 29 K

With the C play of Contreras at Tennessee (and his past minors play), he is looking like the front runner to be the catcher of the future for the Cubs. Supposedly very good defensively, as well. Which will end up moving Schwarber to the OF.

Andreoli went to school with Szczur and has pretty much the exact same skill set. Solid on-base guy with speed. Villanueva was once considered the 3B of the future for the Cubs after they acquired him in the Dempster trade. But then the Cubs drafted Bryant and acquired Olt and he was sent to the back of the line. Had a rough 2014 campaign, but has been very strong since returning to AAA this year. Supposedly, the best defensive 3B the Cubs have.

Was bummed when I was doing vacation stuff for our trip near Daytona to find the Cubs changed affiliates. Caught some D-Cubs games at Jackie Robinson Stadium a few times but now they're the Daytona Tortugas and a Reds affiliate. Don't think I'll be driving to Myrtle Beach for them.

Gleyber Torres is slashing .315/.389/.386 as an 18 y/o at South Bend.

That's preeeetttaaayy good. I wonder if a promotion to Myrtle Beach is in the works.

They just keep coming...

@smokiesbaseball: .@billy_mckinney over his last TEN plate appearances:

Single
Walk
Single
Double
Single
Walk
Single
Double
HOME RUN
Single

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You know me like that.

sox have a 25 year old ex ice skater at single A with 20 errors but an OBP over .350.

_________________
Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

In 15 PAs over 3 games Ian Happ is batting:

.308/.400/.846/

I am comfortable saying he's a future HoFer.

Best bat in the draft three years running.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

From Baseball Prospectus:

intriguing selectivity?

No Michael Conforto. List fail.

Alrighty then. BP has spoken.

I'm with Keyser Soze on this one. Pretty dumb. He is close to major league ready.

_________________
Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

BA TOP 50 Midseason:

The list does not include 2015 draft picks or any player currently on a MLB 25 man roster.

Rank Player Pos. Team The Skinny
1 Corey Seager ss Dodgers The Dodgers are being patient with Seager, but few doubt he’ll make a big league impact

2 Lucas Giolito rhp Nationals Baseball’s best pitching prospect is on a steady climb to the Nationals’ rotation

3 Joey Gallo 3b/of Rangers Back afer a major league cameo, Gallo needs only to improve his approach against lefties

4 Julio Urias lhp Dodgers Scouts and coaches can’t believe someone this polished is only 18 years old

5 J.P. Crawford ss Phillies Much like Francisco Lindor, Crawford’s defense and hitting ability make him a low-risk prospect

6 Kyle Schwarber c Cubs Has already shown the bat is big league ready, but the catcher’s defense still needs work

7 Tyler Glasnow rhp Pirates Talk about unhittable. For his career, Glasnow has allowed just 176 hits in 312 innings

8 Orlando Arcia ss Brewers Arcia has hit and everyone loves the glove. He’s the best player in the Southern League as a 20-year-old

9 Trea Turner ss Nationals It won’t be long before Turner is remembered for much more than being a player to be named later

10 Alex Reyes rhp Cardinals He is sidelined briefly with a shoulder problem, but Reyes’ fastball/curveball combo isn’t far off Giolito’s

11 Yoan Moncada 2b Red Sox Scouts who have seen him in Greenville have been underwhelmed, but blame that on a long layoff

12 Aaron Nola rhp Phillies Nola is like investing in Treasury bills. He’s a very safe starting pitching prospect who is big league ready

13 Aaron Judge of Yankees There aren’t many 6-foot-7, 270-pound outfielders, but Judge’s plate discipline adds to his power

14 Michael Conforto of Mets Conforto and Schwarber are having a fun duel to see who is the best college bat from last year’s draft

15 Rafael Devers 3b Red Sox Scouts love, love, love his bat. He may not be a third baseman, but his bat will play anywhere

16 Hector Olivera 2b Dodgers Where is Olivera going to play in Los Angeles? It’s a true puzzle, but he’s big league ready now

17 Luis Severino rhp Yankees Yes he’s undersized, but Severino’s stuff matches up against almost anyone in the minors

18 Daniel Norris lhp Blue Jays Norris’ speedy ascent to the big leagues suffered a setback, but he only needs improved control to return

19 Jose Berrios rhp Twins Scouts wish Berrios’ fastball had more plane, but he’s nearly ready to be a solid mid-rotation starter

20 Jose De Leon rhp Dodgers De Leon has already wrapped up the award for being the best 24th-round pick from the 2013 draft

21 Brett Phillips of Astros Phillips adds to a great problem for the Astros—too many outfielders for too few big league spots

22 Franklin Barreto ss Athletics Is he a shortstop? Probably not. But Barreto’s advanced hitting approach will play after a position switch

23 Bradley Zimmer of Indians An athletic center fielder who has hitting ability and power, Zimmer is the Carolina League’s first-half standout

24 Manuel Margot of Red Sox It’s hard strike him out at the plate or to sneak a line drive past him in the center-field gap

25 Raul Mondesi ss Royals The tools are still exceptional, but his lack of plate discipline and his lingering back injury are concerns

26 Jose Peraza 2b Braves Scouts worry how much impact a slap hitter who doesn’t walk can have, but they love his speed and defense

27 David Dahl of Rockies The well-rounded Dahl is enduring a second nearly lost season after injuring his spleen in an outfield collision

28 Gleyber Torres ss Cubs Yes, the Cubs have another smooth-swinging, above-average hitter to fit into a crowded infield

29 Dalton Pompey of Blue Jays Pompey quickly showed he’s not ready for Toronto, but he’s bounced back following a demotion to Double-A

30 Billy McKinney of Cubs Yes, the Cubs have another smooth-swinging, above-average hitter to fit into a crowded outfield

31 Joe Ross rhp Nationals A solid three-start major league cameo has shown what the Nationals can expect to see regularly before long

32 Ozzie Albies ss Braves He’s undersized, but Albies has an exceptional feel for getting the barrel of the bat on the ball

33 Jeff Hoffman rhp Blue Jays It’s early in his return, but his stuff has bounced back nicely from last spring’s Tommy John surgery

34 Nomar Mazara of Rangers Mazara has turned a big leg kick into a small toe tap, and in the process found his timing at the plate

35 Jon Gray rhp Rockies Scouts who have seen Gray wish they saw dominant outings on a more consistent basis

36 Robert Stephenson rhp Reds At his best, Stephenson is unhittable and has three double-digit strikeout games. At his worst, he walks everyone

37 Sean Newcomb lhp Angels A big, powerful lefthander, Newcomb has struck out more than 11 batters per nine innings as a pro

38 Brian Johnson lhp Red Sox He doesn’t miss bats like teammate Henry Owens, but Johnson is more consistent
39 Mark Appel rhp Astros Appel has three above-average pitches at his best, but he struggles to put them all together consistently

40 Brent Honeywell rhp Rays Honeywell has three average or better pitches he throws consistently and a screwball he mixes in occasionally

41 Blake Snell lhp Rays Snell didn’t allow a run in his first eight starts this season. Even after a so-so June, his ERA stood at 1.69

42 Tim Anderson ss White Sox Anderson jumped from junior college to Double-A in just a year, and he’s hitting .304 in his return to Birmingham

43 Alex Jackson of Mariners His first taste of the Midwest League was a disaster, but it’s too soon to get too worried about last year’s sixth pick

44 Willy Adames ss Rays The well-rounded, 19-year-old shortstop doesn’t run all that well, but every other tool projects average or better

45 Josh Bell 1b Pirates He’s hit and he’s shown he can hit for power, but so far he’s struggled to do both at the same time

46 Tyler Kolek rhp Marlins The fastball has backed up a little from the triple digits he showed last year, and he needs refinement

47 Henry Owens lhp Red Sox Yes, his control needs improvement. But when Owens throws strikes he can still be difficult to hit

48 Brandon Nimmo of Mets Nimmo isn’t a sexy prospect, but he plays center field, gets on base and shows occasional pop

49 Jake Thompson rhp Rangers Much like Adames (No. 45), Thompson is a former Tigers prospect picked up in a deadline deal

50 Ketel Marte ss Mariners The 21-year-old Marte doesn’t have much power, but his put-the-ball-in-play approach makes him tough to strike out.

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Kyle Schwarber Rips Two-Run Triple, Named MVP of Futures Game.

from Bleacher Report:

Today’s prospect showcase game – the All-Star Futures Game – featured two of the Chicago Cubs’ top prospects, catcher Kyle Schwarber and pitcher Carl Edwards, Jr. The latter pitched 0.2 innings without giving up a run and notching a strikeout, though he did give up two hits.

Schwarber threw out a runner behind the plate, and then also hit a two-run triple that contributed to the U.S. team’s 10-1 win, and Schwarber was ultimately named the game’s MVP.

Not a bad day, young man. And he got to do it in front of his hometown crowd in Cincinnati.

Wave after wave .... but I am sure they both will FAIL because my good friend the clear eyed JORR promised us all that ALL Cubs prospects FAIL ...ALL the time.

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I'm of the opinion that they need to bring up Schwarber and see if he can catch. Montero can be his backup/mentor. Montero is only dead money. He's not gonna be an integral part of a winning team. Let's see what the kid can do. No better time than the present.

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We all have private ails. The troublemakers are they who need public cures for their private ails.- Eric Hoffer

Taking in a South Bend Cubs game tonight.

Looking forward to seeing Gleyber Torres play.

Anyone else I should keep an eye on?

_________________
"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

South Bend is a vacation from Missouri

_________________
O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Stinnett is the other big prospect on that team, and he pitched yesterday. Poorly. Slow start to his first full pro season.

_________________
Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.