http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20...lb&c_id=mlb

 

 

Sox don't have a whole lot of money to work with....roughly $2.1 million ($700K is added to the official amount, if you look at the bottom of the table).

 

Need to continue to make inroads in the Dominican, as much as possible.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20...lb&c_id=mlb

 

 

Sox don't have a whole lot of money to work with....roughly $2.1 million ($700K is added to the official amount, if you look at the bottom of the table).

 

Need to continue to make inroads in the Dominican, as much as possible.

 

 

Ben Badler of Baseball America still thinks the White Sox are the frontrunner for one of the top guys, Micker Zapata. I tweeted him and this is his response.

 

Ben Badler ‏@BenBadler 13h

As of now, sticking to that prediction RT ‏@JamesFox917 Still think White Sox have realistic shot at Micker Zapata?

Cubs are the huge favorites to sign the guy profiled in that article.

Cubs are the huge favorites to sign the guy profiled in that article.

 

 

Great, what else is new?

 

Some of those guys are going to HAVE to emerge as studs, aren't they?

Great, what else is new?

 

Some of those guys are going to HAVE to emerge as studs, aren't they?

 

In a BA chat yesterday, they said the Cubs have the best collection of offensive prospects in all of baseball

In a BA chat yesterday, they said the Cubs have the best collection of offensive prospects in all of baseball

 

 

They absolutely do. They do not have much pitching though. I saw Pierce Johnson at Kane County last weekend and he looked like a solid future 2/3 starter. There is not much else though. They will be paying free agent pitchers or using their position players to acquire pitching.

 

Here's what we know about Perez: He has a power arm and can throw in the mid-90s. He also has a slider and changeup and is starting to use the pitches more often in games.

 

What's more, scouts love his pitching mechanics and his loose arm action. However, some question Perez's ability to consistently repeat his delivery and others wonder about the command issues that have surfaced. There are a lot of moving parts in Perez's delivery, but he still ranks among the best pitchers on the market because of his repertoire, particularly his "heavy" fastball.

 

He reminds some of a young Ubaldo Jimenez.

 

 

Arguably the best right-handed hitter on the market, Encarnacion has tons of raw power, a short stroke and good balance at the plate.

 

He's known for spraying line drives all over the field, but he also has home run power, especially to his pull side. Encarnacion has impressed scouts with his ability to square the ball up and make hard contact every time he gets into the batter's box. However, some wonder if the teen has a true position on defense. For now, Encarnacion is at third base, but that could change in the future.

 

He reminds some of Adrian Beltre.

 

 

Some scouts say the third baseman reminds them of a young Miguel Cabrera because of the way the ball jumps off of his bat, and he just seems to look so comfortable at the plate. Almonte has also been praised for his exceptional power to the opposite field, his good bat speed and compact stroke.

 

His build is similar to a younger and leaner Nelson Cruz.

 

 

He's known for his upright, quick delivery and a fastball that has reached 95 mph.

 

Tseng also has a feel for his secondary pitches, primarily his curveball and slider, and is confident on the mound. The right-hander works comfortably with a fastball in the low-90s, but scouts would like to see him challenge more hitters with the pitch. Scouts like his maturity, aggressiveness, and his poise. He has a large frame which bodes well for his durability. He's comparable to a young Hiroki Kuroda.

 

Quotes from MLB.

 

Some of my favorite International Prospects. Really like the potential of Jen-Ho Tseng.

Edited June 22, 201312 yr by Noonskadoodle

In a BA chat yesterday, they said the Cubs have the best collection of offensive prospects in all of baseball

 

Yep. Soler, Almora, Baez, and Bryant. Want.

Yep. Soler, Almora, Baez, and Bryant. Want.

 

 

Alcantara and Vogelbach as well. I think Alcantara will be their 2B of the future. Vogelbach can really rake and will be DHing for someone in the future.

Alcantara and Vogelbach as well. I think Alcantara will be their 2B of the future. Vogelbach can really rake and will be DHing for someone in the future.

 

Junior Lake is a very intriguing prospect as well

Whatever happened to Brett Jackson?

Jackson was always overhyped due to his inability to make contact.

Cubs have a nice collection of position playing prospects, no doubt about it, but in general their system is overhyped.

Based on those scouting reports, I would pass on Zapata, as it seems we are flush with hitters with batting practice power that are projects when it comes to making contact and pitch recognition. Instead I would use the money to go after Diaz, Devers, and Almonte. All say they have good pitch recognition and can make consistent contact, something that this system really needs to complement all the toolsy players we have drafted.

Seeing reports now that the Sox have "locked up" Micker Zapata for $1.6M, but won't announce until 7/2.

 

Seeing reports now that the Sox have "locked up" Micker Zapata for $1.6M, but won't announce until 7/2.

It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees!

Micker Zapata, of, Dominican Republic: Zapata, a right-handed hitter who trains with Moreno Tejada and also works out at La Academia, might have the most raw power among players in this year’s July 2 class. He’s physically imposing at 6-foot-3, 225 pounds and is relatively athletic for his size, with average speed that should slow down and the arm strength for right field. Zapata has a pull-oriented approach and can put on a performance in batting practice, but his power is going to come with a high strikeout rate. The White Sox and Padres, two teams whose top scouts have a history of being aggressive for power bats in Latin America, have been connected to Zapata.

 

I didn't know we had ANY reputation in Latin America, Ben Badler.

 

Sounds like he will fit in perfectly. Our own version of Soler.

 

The pattern's emerging.....Hawkins, Barnum, Zapata, they absolutely know they have to find some middle of the order hitters to replenish the major league roster eventually.

 

 

 

 

Very excited by us going out and making a splash in Latin America.

If that is official, that is awesome.

yay our own version of albert pujols!

 

 

one can only dream...

yay our own version of albert pujols!

 

 

one can only dream...

Pujols went through the normal US draft (and fell a lot because people thought he was too big)

Let's imagine he was eligible for this year's MLB Draft, where do you think a player like this would have went? I know we don't really know a lot about this guy, but just guess.

Let's imagine he was eligible for this year's MLB Draft, where do you think a player like this would have went? I know we don't really know a lot about this guy, but just guess.

Well, $1.6M would put him in the mid-late first round, money-wise, if that helps.

 

Well, $1.6M would put him in the mid-late first round, money-wise, if that helps.

 

Sweet.

Based on those scouting reports, I would pass on Zapata, as it seems we are flush with hitters with batting practice power that are projects when it comes to making contact and pitch recognition. Instead I would use the money to go after Diaz, Devers, and Almonte. All say they have good pitch recognition and can make consistent contact, something that this system really needs to complement all the toolsy players we have drafted.

 

He's 16 though -- what does good "pitch recognition" really mean at that level? I remember the jump from D3 HS baseball to American Legion. It was like the pitchers were 200% better. The whole game was different at that point, I was seeing stuff I never even knew existed. I was good at "pitch recognition" until that. And I was 18 then.

 

I mean I think you can pretty much only look at tools at that point. They kid will have to spend 6-9 years learning baseball skills before he sees the show.