Chicago Cubs: Top 30 Prospects- No. 10 to No. 1

Recently, MLB updated their rankings of the Top 30 prospects for each team. We broke this down into a three-part series and today is the final installment with prospects No. 1-10.

If you missed Part 1 or Part 2, you can go back and click on the links provided. Today, we break down prospects 10-1. These are the guys you definitely want to be most familiar with as they are top in the organization and some could even be with the big league club as early as this season.

Despite some of the Chicago Cubs big named prospects cracking the big leagues last year, the Cubs are not short of talent in the farm system. The Cubs continue to stress the importance of pitching depth but only three of the Top 10 prospects are pitchers, however, we did see a lot of pitchers in the middle and back of the Top 30 list.

The guy to definitely keep an eye out for is right-handed pitcher Carl Edwards Jr. He had a cup of coffee with the Cubs last September and could vie for a bullpen spot heading into spring training. Here is the full breakdown of the Top 10, beginning with No. 10.

Next: No. 10 - C Willson Contreras

#10- Willson Contreras (C)

2015 Stats (Tennessee Smokies)

.333/.413/.478, 8 HR, 75 RBI, 57 BB, 62 K, 34 2B

Signed by the Cubs as a third-baseman out of Venezuela in December 2009, Contreras did not convert to a catcher until 2012. At 23-years-old, some scouts believe that Contreras is the best in-house option at catcher for the Cubs.

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Of course, the Cubs do have Kyle Schwarber, but some believe that he won’t become a full-time catcher.

Contreras had a breakout season at the plate with the Smokies. Contreras hit a career-high .333 with a .413 OBP. He also drew 57 walks compared to just 62 strikeouts. Developing his strike zone discipline has been the key to his offensive improvements.

This should also translate into more raw power to all fields. Contreras has great arm strength and athleticism and that is what prompted him to move to catcher. He is quicker than most backstops and is really good at shutting down the running game.

His receiving skills could use some work, but he improved in that category since converting to a catcher. Contreras also ranks #5 in MLB’s Top 10 Catching Prospects. With the Cubs having a log jam at catcher, he likely won’t make it to the big leagues until 2017 at the earliest.

Next: No. 9 - OF Mark Zagunis

#9 Mark Zagunis (OF)

2015 Stats (Myrtle Beach Pelicans)

.271/.406/.412, 8 HR, 54 RBI, 80 BB, 86 K, 24 2B

Zagunis was drafted as a catcher in the 3rd round of the 2014 draft. At 23-years-old, Zagunis became a full-time outfield in his first full year as a pro because he wasn’t fully committed to catching.

Zagunis spent the 2015 season with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans in Advanced A ball. He had quite a successful first season, hitting .271 in 115 games. One of his most impressive stats was the .406 OBP he had, thanks to 80 walks in 413 at-bats.

Zagunis has the best plate discipline in the system and rarely gives away at-bats. He has the ability to drive the ball into the gap and should record high batting averages while providing 10-15 homers per season. He has solid speed, stealing 12 bases in his first pro season.

Zagunis has the quickness, agility, and arm strength to succeed as a catcher but he was raw behind the plate and struggled to throw out baserunners. Moving to the outfield has placed more demands on his bat, but he has the athleticism to play there.

The Cubs have a crowded outfield at the big league level, which could pose a problem for him down the road. Despite being in the lower systems, he could be the fast track to the big leagues and may end up being a September call up in 2017.

Next: No. 8 - OF Donnie Dewees

#8 Donnie Dewees (OF)

2015 Stats (Eugene Emeralds)

.266/.306/.376 5 HR, 30 RBI, 19 SB, 14 2B, 75 H

Dewees was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2015 draft. Dewees was undrafted out of high school and missed his sophomore year at North Florida due to a broken wrist.

He had a breakout season in the Cape Cod League in the summer of 2014 and rode that momentum in 2015 where he led the NCAA Division-I in runs, hits, total bases, and slugging. At 22-years-old, Dewees joins the crowded outfield.

Dewees excels at the plate with a compact left-handed swing, along with an advanced approach and good feel for the barrel. He has some power but is more focused on-line drives.

Dewees spent the 2015 season with short-season Eugene. He had some success at the plate, batting .266 with a .306 on-base percentage. He had 19 steals and definitively has above average speed. His speed will allow him to stay in center

His speed will allow him to stay in center field though he played mostly left field. Dewees has a well below-average arm, which would not make him ideal for right field. Dewees still has a long way to go before cracking the big leagues.

Expect him to get a full season at either South Bend or Myrtle Beach this year and his development there will determine his track to the majors.

Next: No. 7 - P Pierce Johnson

#7 Pierce Johnson (P)

2015 Season (Tennessee Smokies)

6-2, 2.08 ERA, 16 GS, 95 IP, 72 K, 1.14 WHIP

Johnson was drafted as a supplemental first-round draft pick in the 2012 draft. A hamstring issue kept him a few innings shy of qualifying for rankings, otherwise, he would have led the Southern League in ERA and opponent average.

Johnson has two legitimate plus pitches: his fastball and his curveball. His fastball sits at 92-94 mph and can reach 96 at times, which some riding life. His curveball sits in the lower 80’s.

He also has a good feel for his changeup and has a cutter that reaches the upper 80’s. Johnson spent the 2015 season with the Tennessee Smokies, where he had a very successful season. He went 6-2 with a 2.08 ERA in 95 innings pitched.

Opponents batted just .223 off him and he struck out 72. Johnson has the makings to be a No. 2 starter but has to prove that he can throw strikes consistently and remain healthy. He has battled with forearm issues, a dislocated kneecap and a lat muscle strain in his career.

Johnson could start the 2016 season with Tennessee again, but will likely be a Triple-A very quickly. This could lead him to a September call up in 2016, but he could vie for a rotation spot in 2017.

Next: No. 6 - OF Ian Happ

#6 Ian Happ (OF)

2015 Stats (Eugene Emeralds and South Bend Cubs)

.259/.356/.466 9 HR, 33 RBI, 10 SB, 40 BB, 65 H

Happ was drafted in the first round (9th overall) of the 2015 drafted. He was undrafted out of high school but blossomed into a top hitter in college and the highest pick ever from Cincinnati. He was the top position prospect in the Cape Cod summer league twice and carried that success into the 2015 draft.

At 21 years old, Happ is a switch-hitter who’s a bit better as a lefty. He exhibits good balances and controls the strike zone. He has plus bat speed and some strength that should allow him to hit for both average and power.

He is also a solid baserunner with 10 steals in his first season as a pro. Happ started the 2015 season with the Eugene Emeralds, hitting .283 in 29 games. He walked 23 times in 106 at-bats, leading to a .408 on-base percentage. He got promoted to South Bend and played another 38 games there.

His batting average was a bit lower at just .241 and his OBP dipped to .315 but his power emerged at this level. Look for Happ to start the 2016 season with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Advanced A ball). While he could be on the fast track to the big leagues, he is still a couple of years away from reaching the Cubs.

Next: No. 5 - OF Albert Almora

#5 Albert Almora (OF)

2015 Season (Tennessee Smokies)

.272/.327/.400, 6 HR, 46 RBI, 32 BB, 26 2B, 106 G

Almora was drafted by the Cubs in the first round of the 2012 draft (6th overall). Still just 21-years-old, Almora set the record for playing with six U.S. National teams before signing with the Cubs.

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He is one of the most advanced position players to come out of high school in recent years but his pro career hasn’t gone quite as smoothly. He has been hit with both hamate and groin injuries and he struggled for much of 2014, despite reaching Double-A at just 20-years-old.

Almora is very aggressive at the plate and lines the ball all over the field. He’s a career .294 hitter through three pro seasons, but rarely walks and really hasn’t tapped into his raw power yet. With the Tennessee Smokies in 2015, Almora had a bounce back year with a .272 average, but only a .327 on-base percentage.

He hit just six home runs in 106 games but did have 26 doubles and only 47 strikeouts. If Almora can develop a more patient approach at the plate, he could be upwards of a .280 hitter with 15+ homers a season.

Almora already looks like a future Gold Glove outfielder with well above average defense and a strong arm. He is not the fastest guy around but that hasn’t slowed him down in the outfield. Almora is also #89 on MLB’s Top 100 Prospects list.

We could very well see Almora start the year with the Triple-A team and he could be a late season or September call up if all goes right for him. Again, with a crowded outfield, finding a home for him in the everyday lineup in 2017 will be tough.

Next: No. 4 - P Duane Underwood

#4 Duane Underwood (P)

2015 Stats (Arizona Cubs and Myrtle Beach Pelicans)

6-3, 2.41 ERA, 16 GS, 73 1/3 IP, 48 K, 1.04 WHIP

Underwood was drafted by the Cubs in the 2nd round of the 2012 draft. At just 21 years old, Underwood already has a few seasons of pro ball under his belt. He flashed a 98 mph fastball and a nasty curveball as a senior in high school but his inconsistency dropped him to the second round of the draft.

He has had some on and off success in his first few seasons and started to break out in 2014 when he lead the Kane County Cougars to the Midwest League Championship.

After spending a few days in rookie ball, Underwood started for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans in Advanced A ball. He had the best season of his career, going 6-3 with a 2.58 ERA in 14 starts. He held opponents to just a .202 average and compiled a 1.04 WHIP.

He didn’t strike out many, though, just 48 in 73 1/3 innings. Underwood has the most upside of any Cubs starting pitching prospect, operating with a 92-95 mph fastball a hard curveball that causes a lot of swing and misses. He also has a changeup, but his curveball is more reliable.

Underwood has all the necessary ingredients to be a frontline starter, and his command and control improved last season too. Underwood is #67 on the Top 100 Prospects list. He could begin to move quickly through the minors but likely won’t crack the big leagues til at least 2017.

Next: No. 3 - P Carl Edwards Jr.

#3 Carl Edwards Jr (P)

2015 Stats (Tennessee Smokies, Iowa Cubs, Chicago Cubs)

Minors: 5-3, 2.77 ERA, 36 G, 55.1 IP, 75 K, .139 OPP AVG.

Edwards was drafted in the 48th round of the 2011 draft by the Texas Rangers. He quickly became one of the top prospects in the Rangers farm system before being traded to the Cubs in July 2013 in the Matt Garza trade.

He missed most of the 2014 season with a strained right shoulder and the Cubs proceeded to handle it very cautiously but he did appear to be at full strength in the Arizona Fall League.

Edwards has a low 90s fastball that has reached 97 mph at times. While his velocity might be a little low, his fastball does some natural cut which makes it his top pitch.

A very impressive stat for Edwards is that he has allowed just two home runs in 237 innings pitched in the minors, signaling that hitters rarely make contact with his heater. He has two solid secondary pitches, a curveball, and a changeup, with the curveball being the better pitch.

He has two solid secondary pitches, a curveball, and a changeup, with the curveball being the better pitch.

Edwards’ strong 2015 season with the Smokies and Iowa Cubs led him to a September call-up with the Cubs. In limited duty, Edwards pitched in 5 games, compiling a 3.86 ERA and holding opponents to a .188 batting average.

With a crowded bullpen, Edwards will likely start the season with Triple-A, but will likely see some time with the Cubs again in 2016. He is #57 on the Top 100 Prospects list as well.

Next: No. 2 - OF Billy McKinney

#2 Billy McKinney (OF)

2015 Stats (Myrtle Beach Pelicans and Tennessee Smokies)

.300/.371/.454 7 HR, 64 RBI, 26 2B, 377 AB

McKinney was drafted in the 1st round of the 2013 draft by the Oakland Athletics. McKinney came over to the Cubs, along with another first round pick, SS Addison Russell, in the Jeff Samardzija trade.

McKinney was regarded as one of the best pure hitters available in the draft. He has lived up to his hype so far, except when he sustained a hairline fracture of his kneecap in mid-August.

McKinney spent the 2015 season with both the Pelicans and Smokies. He combined to bat .300 in both levels with an impressive 64 RBI. McKinney has a smooth left-handed swing, outstanding hand-eye coordination, bat speed, and an advanced approach which should allow him to continue to hit for above average.

McKinney might not display a lot of power but will definitely hit plenty of doubles and should hit between 15-20 homers. Since coming to the Cubs, McKinney has shifted to right field. He does not have much arm strength but does have some speed as well.

Overall, he is an average defender in the outfield. McKinney is the 9th best OF prospect in all of baseball and is #34 on the Top 100 Prospects list. McKinney will still need a full year at the Triple-A level before cracking the big leagues sometime in 2017.

Next: No. 1 - SS Gleyber Torres