Chicago Cubs Minors: Checking in with talent down on the farm

The Chicago Cubs still have a bevy of talent in the farm system. Several of these young prospects are off to a hot start to open the 2017 campaign.

Every fan and front office executive knows the key to a successful franchise is building a solid farm system. Over the last five years, the Chicago Cubs have constructed a great core of young players.

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With Kris Bryant, Kyle Schwarber and Willson Contreras no longer considered prospects, it is time for a new wave of Cubs prospects to make their impact on the club.

Names like Ian Happ and Eloy Jimenez highlight the future of Cubs baseball.

With April coming to an end, we can start analyzing how some of the Cubs top prospects are performing at various levels throughout the farm system.

Here is how some of the Cubs’ top talent is faring so far in 2017.

Trevor Clifton, RHP

Trevor Clifton has made three starts so far this season for the Double-A Tennessee Smokies. In those starts, Clifton has posted a 2-1 record with a 3.00 ERA, and 13 strikeouts in 15 innings pitched.

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Clifton has walked seven batters to start the 2017 season which means he has a 1.86 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and is averaging 4.2 walks per nine innings.

The 22-year-old has allowed two home runs this season, and is averaging 1.2 per nine innings. That is way over his career average of 0.5 per nine which suggests Clifton will settle in as he gets more innings under his belt.

Clifton has started 62 out of the 70 games he has appeared in since being drafted in 2013. Whether or not he  remains a starter as he continues through the system remains to be seen.

If the right-hander can boost his strikeout totals and drop his walks, he could become a solid pitcher at the major league level, either from the bullpen or in the rotation.

Oscar De La Cruz, RHP

Oscar De La Cruz has made four starts thus far for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, the Cubs Single-A Advanced affiliate. In those starts, Cruz has amassed a 1-2 record with a 3.26 ERA.

The 6’4″ right-hander has tossed 19 1/3 innings, and struck out 18 opposing batters compared to just seven walks. That means Cruz has a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.57 on the young season – below his career mark of 3.69.

Cruz has only allowed one home run this season, but is averaging 11.2 hits per nine innings. That is concerning since Cruz normally averages 7.5 hits per nine innings.

The 22-year-old Cruz could be a future rotation piece for the Cubs. He is still three to four years away from reaching the majors, but if he can keep his hit totals down and his strikeout totals high, Cruz could become a solid three starter in the Cubs rotation.

Jeimer Candelario, 3B

Jeimer Candelario is enjoying a hot start to the 2017 season at Triple-A Iowa. The 23-year-old is slashing .309/.413/.647.

Through 19 games, Candelario has hit three home runs to go along with his 18 RBI. His 26.3 percent strikeout rate so far this season may be concerning, but considering Candelario averaged a 16.3 percent strikeout rate from 2011-2016, one has reason to believe that inflated number will return to normal as the season progresses.

Of Candelario’s 21 hits, ten of them have been doubles, and two of them have been triples.

Even though the youngster is off to a fast start at Triple-A, the future for him in a Cubs uniform does not look bright. Kris Bryant will continue to man the third base bag at the major league level for the foreseeable future.

Right now, Candelario’s .413 OBP and .647 slugging percentage are impressive statistics, but they will do little to help him earn a spot on the Cubs big league roster.

Dylan Cease, RHP

Dylan Cease, just like De La Cruz, is a promising young arm in the Cubs farm system. Drafted out of high-school, Cease is just 21 years old and has made four starts for the Cubs’ Single-A affiliate.

In those starts, Cease has registered a 1.89 ERA with 27 strikeouts and 11 walks in 19 innings pitched. Just like Cruz, Cease has only given up one home run this season.

Cease’s 2.45 strikeout-to-walk ratio is on par with what he has posted in his previous two seasons in the Cubs organization.

The 6’2″ right-hander is averaging 12.8 strikeouts per nine innings, while also averaging 5.7 hits per nine and 5.2 walks per nine.

Cease has never pitched more than 44 2/3 innings in a season since being drafted in 2014. Since he has already tossed 19 innings this season, it is fair to say he will surpass that mark sometime in May.

Cease seems to be behind De La Cruz in the pipeline, but the Cubs need all the pitching help they can get.

Once Cease starts pitching over 100 innings in a season, expect him to start posting great numbers and get on the fast track to the big leagues.

Ian Happ, 2B

Ian Happ is off to the best start of any Cubs prospect. The 22-year-old Happ made his debut at Triple-A Iowa this season, and has not disappointed.

Through 19 games, Happ is slashing .253/.330/.557 with seven home runs and 12 RBI.

Happ’s eight home runs in 19 games ties the amount of home runs he hit in 2016 while in Single-A Advanced. The only difference is, in 2016 Happ hit seven home runs in 69 games compared to just 19 in 2017.

That 2016 season saw Happ hit a career-best 15 home runs between Single-A Advanced and Double-A. That season, Happ appeared in 134 games and recorded 567 plate appearances.

If Happ can continue his hot streak in 2017, he could surpass that 15 home run mark around plate appearance number 200.

That jump in power for Happ serves as an interesting sign to the progression of a player that has always been a high OBP (.359 career OBP), and low home run total (24 career home runs in 862 career plate appearances before the 2017 season) guy.

Happ is on track to have a very nice 2017 season. It could be just what Happ needed to finally get the call to the big leagues.

With his ability to play all over the diamond, and his new-found power, Happ could become a superstar in Major League Baseball within five years.

It’s important to note that a month does not necessarily translate into a good full season. With that being said, it is always good to start the season off on a high note, especially if you want to fast track your rise to the majors.

These prospects listed, as well as many others, represent the future of Cubs baseball. You may say that the youngsters at the major league level represent the future of the franchise, and you would be right. However, players like Ian Happ and Dylan Cease will provide the Cubs with some depth if injuries or trades occur during the course of the next few seasons.

Next: Would the Chicago Cubs ever demote Javier Báez to Triple-A Iowa?

It’s nice to see most of the Cubs top prospects get off to good starts in 2017. Cubs nation just hopes they can keep it up.