One thing I’ll say ahead of time: what a big season it is for the 5-9 spots on this list. When we look back on the 2021 season and discuss whether it was successful developmentally, the performance of the five guys in those spots in particular will be a real factor.
Previously: the intro, 40-21 and 20-11. Enjoy, and thanks for reading. And don’t miss out on my live chat with Brennen Davis at 3:30pm CT over at the BN Instagram!
10. Cory Abbott, SP, 25, Iowa (Stats). Acquired: 2nd round, 2017.
Skill Set: Cubs love the edge he plays with, and he benefits from an attack-attack-attack mentality on the mound. I believe the slider is more plus than it gets credit for, a belief that is backed up by the results (as a reminder, hitters went 25-for-213 in his last 11 AA starts). Can pitch backwards off his two breaking balls, or pitch conventionally, as the command of his fastball is generally above-average.
You always have to be careful about big league comps for prospects. For the most part, you should just avoid doing them at all.
However, sometimes – when treated carefully and appropriately contextualized – they can give you some particular insight into a prospects that you might grasp more easily than if someone tried to simply describe the thing to you.
I have to say all that before I share the comp Cubs farm director Matt Dorey dropped on new shortstop prospect Reggie Preciado, acquired as one of the prospects in the Yu Darvish deal (via Marquee): “He was a highly scouted player out of Panama switch-hitter, shortstop, really gifted athletically. We don’t know where he will end up on the field, but he’s super versatile and he’s got a really high baseball IQ. He reminds us a lot of Kris Bryant in high school a guy that was really tall, lanky, athletic, played shortstop, has raw power and the game is really easy to him at a young age. We’re really excited about ge
Colorado Rockies prospects: No. 16, Julio Carreras
Share this story
16. Julio Carreras (148 points, 10 ballots)
Unlike some of the other Latin American prospects that have been or will be covered in this process, Julio Carreras didn’t make headlines with a big signing bonus. In fact, the just turned 21-year-old infielder wasn’t signed until he was 17 in February 2017 for a $15,000 bonus. For players who came without that initial scouting report upon signing, it’s difficult to get any information on them besides the stat line and their playing time relative to age/level.
Pre-season 2020 Rank: 23
Contract Status: 2017 IFA (DR), Rule 5 eligible after 2021, three options remaining
I rewatched the three seasons of ‘Deadwood’ so that I could finally watch the movie conclusion, and the following things are things: the first two seasons of Deadwood were near perfect. The way it captures that place and that time, in an entertaining way … so good. The third season was a considerable mess, with so many threads that it seems like the writers just didn’t quite know what they wanted to do with. It didn’t help that the show was cancelled after that season, and maybe a lot of the “what exactly is going on with some of these characters?” would’ve been resolved in seasons four and beyond, but it’s also hard to argue that things were going sideways. As for the movie, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a piece of fan service more devoted to purely and completely being SOLELY fan service. Which is not to say I didn’t enjoy it – sometimes fan service, especially a decade later, is fun.