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#Post#: 407199--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs Draft 2020
DIR By: chgojhawk
Date: June 22, 2020, 7:23 am
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--- Quote from: CUBluejays link ---
>
> Mooney is replying Howard will sign for slot.
>
> Callis has the Cubs with 2/15 top UDFA signings.
>
--- End Quote ---
BA has Bradlee Beesley at #13 and Scott McKeon at #15. Those
were their only Cubs in the top 20. The Phillies have 5 of the
Top 20.
Chicago Cubs
Bradlee Beesley, OF, Cal Poly | Scouting report (No. 429 on the
BA 500) | No. 6 on top undrafted seniors list
Scott McKeon, INF, Coastal Carolina | Link | Scouting report
(No. 438 on BA 500) | No. 10 on top undrafted seniors list
Scott Kobos, LHP, Coastal Carolina | Link
Graham Lawson, RHP, South Carolina | Link
Ben Leeper, RHP, Oklahoma State | Link
Bailey Reid, RHP, Westmont (Calif.) | Link
Jacob Wetzel, OF, Frederick (Md.) JC | Link
Matt Mervis, 1B/RHP, Duke | Link | No. 17 on top undrafted
seniors list
Sam Thoresen, RHP, Minnesota
#Post#: 407200--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs Draft 2020
DIR By: craig
Date: June 22, 2020, 7:43 am
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jhawk, that list includes one JC guy, Wetzel. I'm interested,
because a 19-year old, who knows what unseen, untapped potential
he might hypothetically have.
That list does NOT include the 17-year-old Puerto Rican pitcher,
who had already reportedly touched 94. I wonder if he just
didn't get included for some random reason, or if something
happened to squelch his signing? Being young and having at
least some decent velocity to start with, his youth also made
him more interesting to me, as possible big-league prospect.
I assume most of the senior signs are more organizational guys,
probably without actual big-league potential.
#Post#: 407360--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs Draft 2020
DIR By: Ron
Date: June 24, 2020, 11:18 am
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Mooney with a very enthusiastic piece on Ed Howard.
HTML https://theathletic.com/1887147/2020/06/23/why-the-cubs-are-betting-on-ed-howard-a-first-round-pick-years-in-the-making/?source=dailyemail
#Post#: 407364--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs Draft 2020
DIR By: craig
Date: June 24, 2020, 12:22 pm
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Howard sounds like a class young man. Best wishes to him and
his career. Sounds like a personality and worker who is likely
to get the most out of his ability. Hopefully he's got tons of
talent ready to be untapped. With the bat a well as defense.
#Post#: 407370--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs Draft 2020
DIR By: Dave23
Date: June 24, 2020, 2:55 pm
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The video I've seen, he looks smooth as silk already in the
field...
#Post#: 407377--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs Draft 2020
DIR By: Reb
Date: June 24, 2020, 3:20 pm
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Not the draft but BA piece on Cubs likely top international
signing:
Meet Cristian Hernandez, The Cubs International Target Some Call
'Baby A-Rod'
By Josh Norris on June 24, 2020
One of the top players available in this year’s international
class, Cristian Hernandez has earned plenty of accolades for a
swing that has drawn comparisons with Manny Machado and an
all-around game that reminds some of a young Alex Rodriguez.
Even so, Hernandez said his most memorable moment in baseball
came not in the batter’s box, but on the mound.
Playing as a 12-year-old in a tournament in the Dominican
Republic, Hernandez—who was a do-everything utility player back
then—was on the mound late in a game when his coach gave him the
hook and sent him to second base.
The pitcher who relieved Hernandez gave up the runs that
eventually cost his team the game and its spot in the
tournament. Years later, the moment still stings.
“That’s something I haven’t forgotten,” Hernandez said, with the
help of a translator, “because it really hurt me a lot to lose
that tournament.”
Hernandez’s pitching days are behind him now, and he is widely
expected to sign a seven-figure deal with the Cubs once the
international signing period opens. Normally, that would happen
on July 2, but the coronavirus pandemic has shaken up everything
in the sport. The international signing period is no exception.
It has been pushed back to Jan. 15.
All Hernandez can do is wait and stay as ready as possible. He’s
continuing to work out to the best of his abilities in the
Dominican Republic and has gotten to a field as often as
possible. Mostly, though, he’s trying to stay patient, which
isn’t always easy.
“I’ve been staying in shape, working out at home and doing my
exercise routines,” he said. “I do feel a little anxious waiting
for some news on when the day I’m going to sign will be. I’m a
little nervous and anxious because there’s so much unknown out
there.”
The most talented Dominican shortstop in this year’s class,
Hernandez will earn his bonus thanks to a combination of a
powerful bat and a body that looks like it will add strength
without forcing him to move off shortstop.
If the Cubs do officially sign him, Hernandez will join a deep
and talented collection of middle infielders, from 2018
first-rounder Nico Hoerner (who made his big league debut at the
end of 2019 after just 89 minor league games) to upstarts like
Pedro Martinez, Rafael Morel, Fabian Pertuz and Aramis Ademan.
That list also includes Kevin Made, another shortstop from the
Dominican Republic, whom the Cubs inked for $1 million last
July.
Like many top prospects, Hernandez honed his game by playing
against competition a level or two above his age group.
“It’s not the same to compete against players my own age than it
is competing against players who are a level or two higher than
me, players who are older and bigger and stronger,” Hernandez
said. “Around 12 years old, I kind of rose to the level of the
older guys, but when I was 10 and 11 years old I was already
playing at the higher category.”
Hernandez’s mom got him into the game, and he’s been in love
ever since. He didn’t play any other sports growing up, and he
has had so much success on the diamond that he simply cannot
recall the first time he hit a home run.
“From the minute I started playing, I became obsessed with it,”
said Hernandez, who quickly began opening eyes. “Around 11 years
old, I would hear it from my coaches and I could see that my
tools and abilities were special.”
Obviously, other people began agreeing with that assessment.
Just two players in this year’s international signing class are
likely to command a larger signing bonus than Hernandez. Those
players are Cuban outfielder Pedro Leon and fellow Dominican
shortstop Armando Cruz, who are expected to ink with the Astros
and Nationals.
Though other teams’ boards might differ somewhat, all would
agree that Hernandez’s potential to hit for average and power
while potentially remaining at shortstop makes him one of the
top talents in the class.
“I think when we got our first look at him—and, to be honest,
with the comps that are being thrown around—he looks like
A-Rod,” said an international scouting director with a team that
does not expect to sign Hernandez. “He’s a baby A-Rod.”
The swing that produces that power, the one that has reminded
others of Machado, has come without much outside molding. He
doesn’t have access to the technology—Rapsodo, TrackMan and the
like—that he will once he signs and reports to an major league
organization’s complex, so he’s just done what’s come naturally.
So far, it’s worked.
“My swing has been natural forever. I’ve always tried to make it
better and work hard to gain strength and bat speed,” Hernandez
said. “I’ve realized my swing is very similar to Machado’s.
There’s a lot of comps between our swings, but that was never
intentional.”
To earn even passing comparisons to Alex Rodriguez and Machado,
one has to have power. Even at 15 years old, Hernandez’s thump
is obvious.
“You can easily project (his power) to plus. The ball really
comes off his bat well. It’s a clean, easy swing with power to
the middle of the field,” the international director said. “His
body, from the time we first started watching him, to when he
committed, to the videos I’ve seen since then, he hasn’t gotten
much bigger or stronger.
“That being said, just the way the ball comes off the bat and
the way the swing path comes through the zone, it’s really easy
to project power. I’d call it plus in the future.”
Hernandez’s body appearing to remain the same year over year
could work in his favor. Too much extra muscle could push him to
third base—where his power would still profile but his overall
value would take a small hit.
If he can balance strength and litheness as he matures,
Hernandez could quickly prove his most optimistic evaluators
correct.
“The lack of projection in the body over a one-to-two-year
window, it probably points to him sticking at shortstop. It
probably points to him growing a couple of inches, adding on a
little weight and looking like a middle infielder more than a
third baseman,” the international director said. “I don’t have
any concerns about him slowing down or being forced to move to
third base.
“When we were initially projecting him, you obviously throw the
A-Rod body comp on him, and you kind of expect him to grow into
his body and get a little bit bigger, and that hasn’t happened
yet.”
As soon as the international signing period could be delayed, it
was delayed. And that expected outcome—that the period will open
on Jan. 15—became official on June 15.
But when that day comes, Hernandez will be ready to prove he’s
worthy of the hype
#Post#: 407413--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs Draft 2020
DIR By: davep
Date: June 24, 2020, 9:29 pm
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I love the pick of Howard, and I am glad they picked him. But
when I read the scouting reports on him, I get the feeling that
you can change the position to center field and the name to
Almora, they would fit the scouting reports on HIM when drafted.
#Post#: 407469--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs Draft 2020
DIR By: Bennett
Date: June 25, 2020, 1:40 pm
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Jon Heyman @JonHeyman 54m
Zac Veen, OF from Port Orange, Fla., signs with Rockies for $5M.
Pick No. 9 overall.
At first I thought this was prank that Heyman fell for, but, no
[img]
HTML https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EaMJWy6XYAEY4mc?format=jpg&name=900x900[/img]
#Post#: 407470--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs Draft 2020
DIR By: Bennett
Date: June 25, 2020, 1:42 pm
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Jordan Bastian @MLBastian 7m
The Cubs announce they that have signed Draft picks Burl
Carraway (second round), Luke Little (fourth round) and Koen
Moreno (fifth round). U-M outfielder Jordan Nwogu remains
unsigned.
#Post#: 407473--------------------------------------------------
Re: Cubs Draft 2020
DIR By: Bennett
Date: June 25, 2020, 1:55 pm
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Jordan Bastian @MLBastian 3m
Cubs bonus info for the three signings today:
Carraway: $1,050,000
Little: $492,700
Moreno: $900,000
That's under slot for Carraway, at slot for Little and above for
Moreno.
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