Chicago Cubs: Brailyn Marquez earns well-deserved promotion to High-A

The Chicago Cubs top prospect had quite the month of July and that was enough for the team to promote him to High-A Myrtle Beach

Chicago Cubs top pitching prospect, Brailyn Marquez has been promoted from Single-A South Bend to High-A Myrtle Beach. The numbers he put up in the month of July were nothing short of crazy. In 5 starts, Marquez had a 1.65 ERA with 41 strikeouts in 27.1 innings of work. His start on July 25 saw him strikeout the side three times on his way to 14 strikeouts total in just 6.0 innings.

Marquez, 20, was part of the 2015-2016 international free agent market class and played in the Cubs Dominican Summer League in 2016, the Arizona Fall League in 2017 and finally landed with Single-A South Bend at the tail end of the 2018 season. The Cubs scouting and development department has done a nice job of moving Marquez at the right pace.

Last season, Marquez made10 starts with the Cubs short-season affiliate in Eugene, throwing 47.2 innings to go along with 52 strikeouts to just 14 walks. He made two starts with South Bend to close out the season and had 7 strikeouts in 7.0 innings there.

He’s been nothing short of spectacular for South Bend this season, tossing 77.1 innings with 102 strikeouts and a 3.61 ERA. Again, he’s just 20 years old so there’s no real rush to get him to the majors next season. Marquez will likely finish out the year in Myrtle Beach and could spend all of 2020 there unless he “wows” like did in the month of July.

Marquez was not listed in MLB’s Top 100 prospects lists to start the season but I would bet the house that he appears on there at the end of the year. He’s projected by MLB Pipeline to be ready sometime in the 2021 season which seems right.

In his fantastic start on July 25, Marquez struck out the side in which his out pitch was recorded at over 100 mph. Here’s what scouts are saying about his development thus far:

"“Marquez’s fastball topped out at 95 mph in 2017 and sat at 93-96 and peaked at 99 last season with typical four-seamer riding action. His secondary pitches can vary wildly in consistency, with his breaking ball showing flashes of becoming a plus power curve but also devolving into a slurve when he doesn’t stay on top of it. His changeup is less reliable, showing some life but often arriving too firm in the low 90s.Since coming to the United States in 2017, Marquez has had no problem throwing strikes. But his low-three-quarters arm slot and his mechanics lead some scouts to worry about his ability to master his secondary offerings and his command. He has the upside of a frontline starter and the fastball to serve as a high-leverage reliever if he can’t stick in the rotation.”"

Now he’ll see some better competition in High-A and if all goes well, he could be on a solid trajectory to move pretty quickly. The Cubs will definitely be cautious with him but there shouldn’t be a need to hold him back if he’s ready.