Chicago Cubs: Top 30 Prospects- No. 20 to No. 11

Recently, MLB updated their rankings of the Top 30 prospects for each team. A few weeks back we began a three-part series, breaking down prospects No. 30 through 21. Today, the series continues with Part 2.

If you missed Part 1 of the series, you can go back and look at it here. Today, we break down prospects 20-11. With many new faces and a lot of guys coming out of the Chicago Cubs’ farm system, some players are moving up the rankings and getting closer to the big leagues.

Here is a look at the prospects in the middle of the Top 30. Six out of the ten prospects in this section are pitchers, which proves the Cubs philosophy of trying to stockpile young pitching in the farm system.

What is also worthy to note is the there are several prospects who were just signed or have barely played any professional ball yet and they already are in the middle of the top prospects list, though. Keep in mind that current Cubs like Kris Bryant and Kyle Schwarber both jumped to the top of the Cubs farm system coming right out of the draft and both of them moved quickly through the system as well.

So it shouldn’t be too much of a shocker to see these guys instantly in the Top 30. The Cubs have a lot of young players in the farm system. They have gone heavy with drafting players right out of high school.

This benefits the Cubs because by the time they reach 21 or 22 years old, they already have multiple years of minor league experience and could be ready for the big leagues at a young age.

Schwarber is only 22, entering his first full season, and SS Addison Russell already has a full year under his belt and he is only 21. It’s clear how much better the Cubs farm system has gotten since Theo Epstein and Co. took over.

Next: No. 20 - 3B Jeimer Candelario

#20- Jeimer Candelario (3B) 

2015 Stats (Myrtle Beach Pelicans and Tennessee Smokies)

.277/.339/.431, 476 AB, 10 HR, 64 RBI, 35 2B, 63 R

Candelario was signed by the Cubs out of the Dominican Republican in 2010. At 22 years old, Candelario has been one the most productive hitters in every level he has played in.

After struggling a bit in Class-A Daytona, he got demoted to Low Class-A ball with Kane County and helped them win the Midwest League Championship.

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As a switch hitter, Candelario makes hard contact from both sides of the plate but shows more power from the left side. Overall, he is good at controlling the strike zone but did have some stretches in 2014 where he was either too passive or overly aggressive.

With above average arm strength and solid coverage in the field, his defense is a plus. He worked hard on his glove work and that has helped him improve his long-term chances of staying at third base. Candelario finished the 2015 season with the Smokies at Double-A, where he batted .291 with an OBP of .379. He will likely get some more time at Double-A to start the season this year.

It’s possible he finishes 2016 at Triple-A, meaning he is on pace to crack the big league roster in 2017, but with a crowded infield for the Cubs, there might not be a place for him.

#19 Corey Black (RHP) 

2015 Stats (Tennessee Smokies)

3-5, 4.92 ERA, 37 G, 9 GS, 86 IP, 74H, 101 K

Black was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 4th round of the 2012 draft. The Cubs acquired Black in mid-2013 in a trade for Alfonso Soriano. At 24-years-old, Black’s best pitch is his fastball. Sitting consistently at 92-95 mph, his fastball features a riding effort and has touched 100 mph.

He does have three other pitches: a slider, curveball, and change-up, that are all average or better. His mid-80’s slider is his second best pitch.

Black was a starter in his first three years as a pro and went 6-7 with a 3.47 ERA in 25 starts for the Smokies in 2014. Despite the success as a starter, he moved to the Smokies bullpen in 2015.

As a reliever, Black went 1-3 with a 7.09 ERA in 39 innings  of work. He did, however, strike out 48 batters during that time. It looks like he is destined to be a reliever as he lacks control and command.

If he can figure it out as a reliever, he could be a closer with his upper 90s fastball and overpowering slider. Injuries could force his way to the big league roster in 2016. Otherwise, he is a likely September call-up with a chance as a full-time reliever in 2017.

#18 Carson Sands (LHP)

2015 Stats (Eugene Emeralds)

3-4, 3.92 ERA, 14 GS, 57 1/3 IP, 62 H, 41 K

Sands was drafted by the Cubs in the 4th round of the 2014 draft.  Sands, drafted out of high school, signed for $1.1 million. At just-20 years-old, he already has a few years of pro ball under his belt.

Sands projects as a middle of the rotation southpaw. He has a fastball that is displayed at 90-95 mph with arm side run, a 12-6 break on his curveball and a bit of fade on his average change-up.

His best pitch is his fastball, but he also has a solid slider to add to his repertoire. Sands played for short-season Eugene last year and had some success in 14 starts. He complied a 3.92 ERA in 57 1/3 innings pitched. His stuff has not been that sharp in pro ball so far, but with a 6-foot-3 frame, he should be able to regain that sharpness as he adds strength.

Sands is still a few ways off from making it to the big leagues. Having not even played a full season of pro ball, he won’t be making to the big leagues until at least 2018. Sands was ranked at #14 during the preseason, so he has dropped a few spots.

#17 Jen-Ho Tseng (RHP)

2015 Stats (Myrtle Beach Pelicans)

7-7, 3.55 ERA, 22 GS, 119 IP, 5 HR, 87 K

Tseng was signed by the Cubs in July of 2013 during the international signing period. Tseng signed for $1.625 million, fresh off dominating the 2012 18-and-under World Championships.

His first season in pro ball was in 2014 when he demonstrated the best pitch ability in the Cubs’ farm system. Tseng’s fastball comes in at 88-92 mph and peaks at 94.

He is able to locate his fastball on both sides of the plate, but it’s not his best pitch. A tight curveball and an advanced feel for his change-up make up his plus pitches. Tseng needs to build up his strength so he can maintain form throughout the entire year.

Tseng pitched for the Advanced A Pelicans last season and had some good success. He went 7-7 with a 3.55 ERA in 22 starts. He averages about one hit per inning but his 30 walks in 119 innings is a good thing.

Tseng is 21-years-old and only in his second year in pro ball. However, a strong 2016 season could see him crack the majors in late 2017.

#16 Justin Steele (LHP)

2015 Stats (Eugene Emeralds)

3-1, 2.66 ERA, 10 GS, 40 2/3 IP, 38 K

Steele was drafted in the 5th round of the 2014 draft. Steele represents another prospect drafted out of high school for the Cubs. He was the earliest Mississippi prep pitcher taken since 1999 when the Braves chose Matt Butler in the second round.

While a junior in high school, Steele’s stuff fluctuated wildly but he was able to solidify his stuff as a senior and carried that into pro ball. Steele’s best pitch is his fastball where he can reach 95 mph, but can get more life and effectiveness of it when he pitches at 88-92 mph.

Steele continues to work on adding more power to his fastball as well, which has good depth and is above average, giving him a second plus pitch. He lacks true command, which could land him a job in the bullpen. He does some fade to his change-up but he tips it off sometimes.

Steele played for the short-season A ball Emeralds last year, where he had success in 10 starts. He went 3-1 with a 2.66 ERA in 40 2/3  innings pitch.

At just 20-years-old, Steele is still a few years off before hitting the big leagues. He hasn’t even played a full season of pro ball yet.

#15 Bryan Hudson (LHP)

2015 Stats (Arizona Cubs)

0-0, 2.70 ERA, 5 G, 6 2/3 IP, 6 H, 5 K

Hudson was just drafted in the 3rd round of the 2015 draft. Touted as the best high school pitching prospect in Illinois since Mike Foltynewicz in 2010, Hudson was signed for $1.1 million.

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He joins Carson Sands and Justin Steele to the Cubs talented pool of southpaws in their farm system. Hudson is just 18 years old and pitched briefly for the Cubs’ Arizona team.

Hudson looked good in his 6 2/3 innings of work. He has one of the best curveballs in the 2015 high school draft class that is described as a plus pitch. He also has a bender that will add more power as he tries to fill in his tall slender frame.

He has good command of his curveball but tended to rely on it too much during high school. Hudson’s fastball sits at 86-90 mph and tops out at 92.

It’s way to early to tell whether he will better suit as a start or reliever but he has plenty of time to work that out. His ranking in the middle of the Cubs Top 30 while pitching 6 innings of pro ball tells you the type of ceiling he has, but he still has a long way to go to make it to the big leagues.

#13 Dan Vogelbach (1B)

2015 Stats (Tennessee Smokies)

.272/.403/.425, 7 HR, 39 RBI, 57 BB, 76 G, 16 2B

Vogelbach was drafted by the Cubs in the 2nd round of the 2011 draft. He made a name for himself in the 2010 high school home run derby, clubbing a 508-foot blast. That power earned him a $1.6 million bonus when he signed and it translated into a .481 slugging percentage in his first four seasons as a pro.

Vogelbach is built on power, but he also controls the strike zone, makes consistent contact and uses the entire field. At just-23 years-old, he hasn’t fully developed his power but did hit double digits in home runs in lower levels of the minors.

He spent 2015 with the Double-A Smokies, where he batted .279 with seven HR and 39 RBIs. The most impressive stat though is his 57 walks (compared to 61 strikeouts) in 254 at-bats. That contributed to a .403 on-base percentage.

Despite not having hit the Triple-A team yet, many believe the Vogelbach’s bat is ready.

However, his limited range and slow speed make his defense questionable. Many believe that he is better suited as a DH and All-Star Anthony Rizzo is blocking him at first base. While he could crack the big leagues this year if the Cubs need a bat, he might be used as trade bait with an AL team at the deadline.

#12 Eddy Martinez (OF)

Stats – N/A (Signed Oct. 2015)

Martinez was just signed for $3 million on October 9, 2015, from the international market. What’s impressive about Martinez is that he hasn’t he had a single at-bat in pro ball and he ranks as #12 in the Cubs farm system.

He has four solid tools and some power to the alleys. He projects to hit average because of his bat speed and compact stroke. He did not hit for much power in Cuba but has added some strength since coming to the US. Martinez’s best tool is his speed, which is well above average.

He should steal a healthy amount of bases and be able to remain in center field. He has a strong arm is solid overall in the field. We will see what level the Cubs decide to start him at this year, but at 21-years-old, he could be on the fast track to the big leagues.

#11 Dylan Cease (RHP)

2015 Stats (Arizona Cubs)

1-2, 2.63 ERA 11 G, 8 GS, 24 IP, 25 K, 1.17 WHIP

Cease was drafted by the Cubs in the 6th round of the 2014 draft. He had a chance to go in the first round but an elbow injury derailed him. After signing him for $1.5 million, he had Tommy John surgery and didn’t pitch until this summer with the Cubs rookie team.

At 20-years-old, Cease had a fastball that sits at 91-95 mph and topped out at 97 mph. After coming back from surgery, he got his fastball up to 94-97 mph and even hit triple digits in his first game back. He has a three-quarters breaking ball that sits in the mid-70’s and a changeup with fade. His fastball is his best pitch and his curveball and changeup have a chance to become plus pitches for him.

He was impressive in the rookie ball, having worked 24 where he had a 2.63 ERA and struck out 25. He made 11 appearances, eight of which were starts.

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He held opponents to a .145 average. Cease is only 20 years old and moved up from #21 on the preseason rankings to #11. He also could be on the fast track to the big leagues but is, at least, a few years away.

Hopefully, he is full past all his arm and elbow injuries as well.

That rounds out the middle group of prospects in the Top 30 prospects for the Cubs. As you can see, the Cubs farm system has turned heavy on the pitching side, which is exactly what the front office planned. Stay tuned as I will have the #1-10 prospects later next week to round out the Top 30.