Chicago Cubs: Three prospects ranked within Baseball America’s Top 100
By Ryan Sikes
Baseball America has released its Top 100 Prospects list, and the Chicago Cubs’ have three representatives but seem to be missing a key member.
It’s difficult to believe that we are just a few weeks away from Chicago Cubs‘ Pitchers and Catchers reporting to Sloan Park, especially with the frigid temperatures and projected snowfall for this weekend in the Chicago area. Baseball America recently published its Top 100 prospects list, which has the usual suspects of Wander Franco (Rays), Luis Robert (White Sox), and Jo Adell (Angels) atop the first three. Scroll down a bit further, and you will find some familiar names from the Chicago Cubs.
In all, the north siders have three members represented on the Top 100 list in Brailyn Marquez (37), Nico Hoerner (40), and Brennen Davis (94).
Marquez is a 20-year-old southpaw, and he throws gas, consistently clocking over 100-mph on his fastball. He’s ranked as the fourth-best prospect in the Cubs’ organization by MLB Pipeline and is projected to be ready at the end of 2021 or early 2022.
"“The big, hard-throwing lefty became the talk of the lower levels last year with his 100-mph fastball and rapidly improving command. As his secondaries and fitness improve, Marquez has a chance to be the Cubs’ best homegrown pitcher since Carlos Zambrano” – Baseball America"
Nico Hoerner is just a few spots below Marquez, but he is likely to begin the 2020 campaign at the big-league level. In 20 games last year, the 22-year-old slashed an impressive .282/.305/.436 with three home runs and 17 RBI. The competition is wide open at second base, which could be his to lose, but the Cubs seem to believe that he may have a long-term future both in center field and at the leadoff spot in the order.
Brennen Davis cracks the Top 100 for the first time in his young career. The former University of Miami commit started his professional baseball career after being taken in the second round of the 2018 MLB Draft. He posted incredible numbers last year, slashing .305/.381/.525 with eight home runs and 30 RBI. He also displayed a remarkable ability to hit to all parts of the field with Single-A and should begin the season with Double-A Tennessee.
Left off this list is Miguel Amaya. The 20-year-old is ranked as the Cubs’ second-best prospect in the organization, and MLB Pipeline ranks him as the 90th overall prospect in the game. While he’s more well-known for his defensive abilities, Amaya showed terrific patience at the plate accumulating a .351 on-base percentage last year while also smacking 11 home runs to go along with 57 RBI. He is projected to be ready by 2021 and could eventually be Willson Contreras‘ replacement behind home plate if he is traded.
Next. Cubs became “fat and lazy” under Joe Maddon. dark
I would expect that Cole Roederer, Ryan Jensen, and Chase Strumpf could potentially find their names within the Top 100 to start next year.