Down on the Farm: Who's Hot, Who's Not?

With the struggles of the Chicago Cubs, looking to the future is always fun. Today, let us see how the Cubs' prospects are fairing so far this season.

AAA-Iowa (18-18)

Who's Hot?

• Chad Tracy: Since being sent down, Tracy is hitting .586 in 7 games. The I-Cubs are 6-0 in games that Chad starts. He has 8 RBIs.
• Matt Camp: This utility man leads the team among guys with 100 or more ABs with a .322 average. He is a good contact hitter (33 of 39 hits are singles, the rest doubles).
• Brad Snyder: Brad's an outfielder with 5 homers and 26 RBIs. In addition to his power, Snyder has an OBP of .299 in 33 games.
• Blake Parker: 1-1 with an ERA of just 1.10 in 12 games out of the Iowa bullpen. He could see time in the Cubs' pen before the end of the year.
• Andrew Cashner: Went 6 innings and allowed just 1 run in his first AAA start after being called up from Tennessee.
• Mitch Atkins: 3-1 with a 2.16 ERA in 10 games (2 starts). He has joined the rotation and is pitching very well.

Who's Not?

• Micah Hoffpauir: Hitting just .195 in 34 games. Hoffpauir has been scuffling at AAA and has really gone steadily downhill in the past 12 months. He may never see the Wrigley Field diamond again.
• Welington Castillo: With an average of just .239, Castillo is starting to show some signs of improvement. His defense has remained consistent even with his struggles at the plate.
• J.R. Mathes: 3-4 with a 5.52 ERA in 8 starts. The lefty posted 12 wins for Iowa last season.

AA-Tennessee (22-14)

Who's Hot?

• Steve Clevenger: The catcher had a great week at the plate. He is now hitting .360 in 21 games, which ranks first among Smokies on the active roster. Clevenger is fighting to earn some playing time in an organization that is filled with young catchers.
• Josh Vitters: .333 average since being bumped up to AA. Three of his 7 hits are extra base knocks.
• Austin Bibens-Dirkx: Has been the ace of the Tennessee rotation so far this season. After a great season at Peoria last year, the adjustment period has gone swiftly. Bibens-Dirkx is 1-1 with a 2.19 ERA in 7 starts.
• Matt Spencer: Since coming off the DL, Spencer has hit .340 in 16 games. Matt, a product of the Jake Fox/Aaron Miles trade, already has 3 homers and 12 runs batted in.

Who's Not?

• Ryan Flaherty: Hit just .183 in 23 games before finally being sent down to Daytona.
• Marwin Gonzalez: Has gotten off to a slow start at the dish since being called up to take Castro's place a short. Gonzalez has a .167 average in 8 games.
• Jeff Muyco: Muyco, who made a few appearances as a call-up at HoHoKam Park this spring, has an ERA over seven. He has notched 5 saves in 15 games out of the Smokies bullpen, but he will be given less and less save chances because of his beefy ERA.
• Alex Maestri: The ex-World Baseball Classic player has a 6.20 ERA in 14 relief appearances. The Tennessee bullpen has not been that effective this season.

We'll have a "Who's Hot, Who's Not" for the Class A clubs (Daytona and Peoria) later in the week.

Spring Training Preview: Non Roster Outfielders

We took a look at the infielders on Tuesday, so today we handle what's going on with the Cubs outfield non roster invites to Spring Training. This will round out our preview of non roster guys, but our Spring Training Preview will continue when we move in to looking at the 40 man roster.

Matt Camp

• Plays mostly CF, also has played 2B, 3B, SS, LF, and RF all during the 2009 season
• B/T: Left/Right
• Drafted by the Cubs in the 13th round of the 2006 June Draft
• Was up for grabs in the Rule V Draft in December, but was not selected
• Hit .284 in 113 games last season mostly with AAA Iowa
• Hit .329 in 59 Mexican Pacific League games this winter
• My prediction: Will start the year at AAA

Brett Jackson

• Drafted by the Cubs in the first round of the 2009 June Draft
• Centerfielder
• B/T: Left/Right
• Played 1 game with the Mesa Cubs Rookie Ball team going 2-2, which was good enough to get him the call up to Boise where he hit .330 in 24 games, which got him moved up to Class A Peoria where he hit .295 in 26 games
• Rated #2 prospect in the organization by Jim Callis of Baseball America
• Rated "Best Power Hitter" and "Best Athlete" in the system by Baseball America
• Rated "Best Footwork" (tie) and "Best Competitiveness" (tie) in the organization by Vineline
• My prediction: Will start the year with Class A Daytona

Bryan LaHair

• Signed a minor league contract with the Cubs on Jan. 9
• B/T: Left/Right
• Plays LF, RF, and 1B
• Played with Tacoma (the Mariners AAA club) in 2009
• More info on Bryan in my January 9 post
• My Prediction: Will be DFA or start the year at AA

Bobby Scales

• Utility guy, plays LF, RF, 2B, 3B, SS, 1B, and CF
• B/T: Switch/Right
• Only non roster invitee who played with the Cubs big league team in 2009
• Hit .242 with 3 HR and 15 RBI in 51 big league games last season
• Drafted by the Padres in the 14th round of the 1999 draft
• Hit .278 in 91 games for AAA Iowa last season
• 32 years old
• My Prediction: Will start the year at AAA

Brad Snyder

• Plays CF and RF
• B/T: Left
• Last season was first year in the organization
• Drafted by the Indians in the first round of the 2003 June Draft
• Hit .269 in 69 games at AAA Iowa last season despite dealing with a wrist injury
• Was Camp's teammate in Mexico this winter; hit .379 with 9 homers and 48 RBIs over 55 games
• My Prediction: Will star the year at AAA

For all position players...

Guy to Watch for in the Future: Starlin Castro

Best Chance to make the Cubs: Kevin Millar

Most underrated: Brad Snyder

I'm looking forward to seeing these guys in Spring Training games starting on March 4!

Rule 5 Draft Preview

Tomorrow is the 2009 Rule 5 Draft. Every year, players that meet certain Rule 5 requirements could be lost by each organization and drafted into a different organization. Let's start with an overview of some of the rules for the draft:

• The Rule 5 draft has been a staple of the Winter Meetings Since it started.
• Major league teams must protect player on their 40-man rosters within 3 or 4 years of their original signing.
• Those left unprotected are available for other teams to select.
• Players who were 18 or younger on June 5 before the signing of their first contract must be protected after 4 minor league seasons.
• Players 19 and older must be protected after 3 seasons.
• Each Rule 5 pick must be kept in the big leagues the entire following season, or they will be offered back to their former team for half of the $50,000 selecting price.
• Teams had to add player to their 40 man roster by November 20 to protect them from the draft.
• Teams select in reverse order of that season's finish.
• AA and AAA sections of the Rule 5 drafts cost teams $4,000 and 12,000 respectively to pick.
• Roberto Clemente is the only Rule 5 draft pick to go on to become a Hall of Famer.

Now let's take a look at what the Cubs have done in the draft in recent years:

• 2008- Lost Donald Veal to Pittsburgh
• 2008- Traded for David Patton after he was drafted by Cincinnati from Colorado. Patton would spend all of 2009 with the Cubs.
• 2007- Traded for Tim Lahey after he was drafted by Tampa Bay from Minnesota. Claimed off waivers by the Phillies on March 28, returned to Minnesota on April 12.
• 2007- Lost Randy Wells to Toronto, but he was returned on April 16.
• 2006- Drafted Josh Hamilton from the Tampa Bay Rays. He was later traded to Cincinnati for cash.
• 2006- Lost Edward Campusano to Milwaukee. Eventually was returned to the Cubs on October 10, 2007
• 2006- Lost Lincoln Holdzkom to Houston, but he was returned to the Cubs on March 11.
• 2006- Lost Jason Smith to Toronto
• 2005- Lost Juan Mateo to St. Louis
• 2004- Lost Andrew Sisco to Kansas City
• 2004- Lost Luke Hagerty to Baltimore
• 1980- In the best Cubs Rule 5 Pick up ever, they drafted Jody Davis from St. Louis. Davis would go on to win a gold glove and make two All Star teams.

So big names, like Davis and Hamilton, can be drafted in the Rule V. Who are the Cubs at risk of losing this year?

• Matt Camp, INF/OF: .282 AVG in 98 games at AAA this season
• Steve Clevenger, C: .265 AVG in 67 games at AAA, .364 AVG in 26 games at AA
• Alessandro Maestri, P: 4-2 with 3.69 ERA in 54 games at AA in 2009
• Thomas Diamond P: Picked up by the Cubs late in the season. Playing well in Mexican Winter League
• J.R. Mathes, P: 12-8 wti a 3.62 ERA in 26 games (21 starts) for AAA Iowa
• Greg Reinhard, P: 2-4 with a 5.38 ERA in 41 games (5 starts) at AAA Iowa

The Cubs left these guy out there when they protected John Gaub, Blake Parker, Rafael Dolis, Welington Castillo, and James Adduci on November 20. The Cubs will not feel heartbroken if they lose any of those guys, although there was some surprise that Camp and Diamond were left unprotected.

Draft Order

• 1. Nationals
• 2. Pirates
• 3. Orioles
• 4. Royals
• 5. Indians
• 6. D'backs
• 7. Mets
• 8. Astros
• 9. Padres
• 10. Athletics
• 11. Blue Jays
• 12. Reds
• 13. White Sox
• 14. Brewers
• 15. Cubs
• And so on...

Any team can take a pick in the draft, but no team is forced to.

I'll post a recap sometime after the draft...