Daytona Cubs Weekly Wrap Up

Mar 7, 2014; Tempe, AZ, USA; Chicago Cubs center fielder Albert Almora (78) scores a run in the ninth inning of a spring training game against the Los Angeles Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium. The Cubs won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

The Daytona Cubs are starting to get hot. Especially when it comes to their hitting. They have been hitting the cover off of it. A couple of the Cubs better prospects have had a bit of a resurgence as I’ll cover while one had a regression this week. One of the teams top pitchers continues to have a nightmare start, and another who may be counted on to help the big league club this season in the back of the bullpen continues to encourage.

Things are starting to come together for Dan Vogelbach. Going back to Thursday April 24th he had 4 hits with a HR against the Brevard County Manatees. Vogelbach went on to say this about his start, and recent resurgence.

"“I had been over-thinking things,” Vogelbach said. “I just came in tonight and made things real simple for myself.”"

Apparently Cubs hitting coach Mariano Duncan deserves a lot of the credit according to vogelbach.

"“I was thinking dead-red fastball,” Vogelbach said. “Dunk [Mariano Duncan] always preaches sitting on the fastball and that’s what I got.”"

In his last 7 he’s hit .333 and slashed .400/.444/.844. Definitely good news for Daytona and the organization overall that this guy is getting it going.

Another guy that matters in the grand scheme of things Albert Almora has gone through another rough patch. He’s been consistent, but in the wrong direction. Due to two consecutive rain-outs the last two games the Cubs have played only 5 games this week, but going back to last week Almora’s last 7 games have looked like this. .118 avg, .118/.118/.236. So far he’s had no walks which goes against the team philosophy of working counts and getting on base. Despite the slow start he figures to breakout and play like the top 40 prospect he is.

Gioskar Amaya just continues to make a mockery out of the FSL pitching. He was hot going on the DL, and has not slowed down since coming off of it. He’s definitely looking like he’s on his way to cracking the MLB top 100 list of prospects. Overall his numbers are scary. Since Thursday the 24th he had at least a hit in his first 5 games and went hit-less for his last 2 games, but even than he managed to get on base with a 2 walk game, and another in his other. He’s hitting a ridiculous .408 with a .911 OPS.

Maybe the hottest Cub is 3B prospect Jeimer Candelario who also is someone who will likely make the top 100 prospect list if he continues to hit like this. After a slow start he’s been en fuego. His overall numbers are nuts but his last 7 are eye popping. Batting .455, slashing an unfathomable .625/.909/1.534. Good luck trying to get this guy out. He also has 16 walks this season in only 97 PA’s.

Marco Hernandez has cooled off some only batting .273 in his last 7, but still hitting .321 overall on the season to add to the endless depth in this organization of an army of middle infielders.

Another player adding to that depth is Bijan Rademacher. Hitting .355 overall on the season he’s continued to hit well which seems like cooling off by comparison as his last 7 has produced a mere .307 average. At this point thus far it appears the Cubs just want to hog the top 100 as Rademacher makes a case to be out on it too.

The pitching has not been such a good story thus far although the Cubs continue to get good performances from Zach Cates, Andrew McKirahan, out of the pen, and Felix Pena as a starter.

Another ray of sunshine and probably the most likely future part of the parent clubs core of all the arms on this team has been Arodys Vizcaino. He’s struggled a little bit with his control which is to be expected after such a long layoff as he hasn’t pitched for nearly two full years recovering and rehabbing from major surgery, but he’s been almost impossible to hit, and continues to strike people out with 8 in 8 innings.

Ben Wells has been kind of disappointing, but no one has been a bigger disappointment than Rob Zastryzny. He’s been hit often, and hit hard thus far. With an ERA over 8.00, and a 14.9 H/9 he’s resembled a batting practice pitcher rather than one who is actually trying to get hitters out. If there is one encouraging thing for Zastryzny he does miss bats with an 8.5 SO/9, and a respectable 3.2 BB/9. However there’s still plenty of season left for the talented lefty to turn things around.