Returns on the firesale

[3rdGenCub]

Thanks for the above analysis! Everything considered, it seems like a good bunch of prospects.

[Toledo Inquisition]

For Kimbrel we got ...

For Kimbrel, you got Nick Madrigal, who I think might become an awesome #1/#2 hitter. He makes contact, and I think will become a legit 0.300 hitter. I think his batting eye will become more selective, and I think he will become a high OBP guy.

Defensively, he has problems so far. Not physical, but he doesn't concentrate or think enough. He could/should make strides like Anderson has.

As a Sox fan, I disliked this trade from our end.

[Windy City Fan]

For Kimbrel we got ...

[Windy City Fan]

For Chafin we got ...

Daniel Palencia - 21 year old in Low A ball. He's got a fastball that can hit 99 mph and a couple of so so secondary pitches. I've seen different sites claim the curve or the change is the best secondary pitch, but neither is a standout at the moment. Right now he has command issues, so he's a raw prospect but with that velocity, he is intriguing. Projects to be a reliever.

Greg Deichmann - On the surface he was having a pretty nice year at AAA, slashing 300/433/452. But that's only good for the third best OPS on his team and they have 5 or 6 players wiht an OPS over .800, so environment is helping fuel some of those numbers. Deichmman is 26 years old and a former 2nd round pick. Even with a somewhat resurgent season at AAA this year, he's been seen as a disappointment for now showing the power the A's thought he would develop. Some scouts still hope the power will come, others are projecting him more as a lead off type hitter with his ability to recognize pitches and draw walks.

Both guys have question marks, but considering we gave up a free agent to be middle reliever, this is a pretty good haul. I wouldn't be surprised to see Deichmann get a September call up.

[Windy City Fan]

For Baez we got ....

Pete Crow-Armstrong - 19 year old centerfielder who was the 19th overall pick of the 2020 draft. Good speed, glove and arm. Currenly plays center and projects to stick there. He's the Mets' 5th overall prospect. Doesn't project to be a big power hitter, best case seems to be more of a spray line drive hitter.

This is the highest rated prospect the Cubs got, but at 19 there is still a lot development and time in the minors ahead for PCA.

[Windy City Fan]

For Tepera we got ...

Bailey Horn - 5th round pick in last year's draft, he pitched really well his last year in college. Plus fastball that can hit 98 but sits in the mid nineties. Good slider and a developing change up. Ceiling is a mid rotation guy, floor is a reliever. He's also a lefty, which you can never have too many of. Considering Tepera is a 33 year old reliever who's having the best year of his career, I like this deal a lot.

[Windy City Fan]

For Pederson we got ...

Bryce Ball - Drafted in the 24th round of 2019, he was ranked 12th in the Braves system. 23 year old left first baseman who is 6'6'' and 240lbs. He's a big guy with big power. Hit well in the low minors in 2019, but has struggled this year at High A. He's slow and not much of a glove, so its not like this is the second coming of Rizzo. He's the sort of guy the Cubs love to get. Once promising prospect who fell off track, so they can buy low and hope to get him back on track. I rank him as a long shot to be a quality big leaguer, but if he does make it, the power could make him a plus player if all goes right.

Given that Pederson is nothing more than a decent starter on a one year deal, I feel getting a long shot low floor/high ceiling type guy like this is a good move.

[Windy City Fan]

For Rizzo we got ...

Kevin Alcantara - He's tearing up rookie ball in a small sample size. A 19 year old who is 6'6'' he could fill out into a big strong dude with plus power. He was one of the top international prospects of the 2018 international draft. A centerfielder with a good glove and a strong arm, he's said to be capable of playing all 3 outfield spots. The scouts are all high on him. Has a sky high ceiling, but any player this young is impossible to project accurately.

Alexander Vizcaino - Numbers in the minors don't look great. But he's got a fastball that can touch triple digits and an excellent change up. His breaking pitch is a work in progress. We'll see. Still only 21, so there is time to develop.

Alcantara is the big get here. But he's years away from the bigs and a lot can happen in between. Vizcaino has some scouts who think he will be a big league pitcher despite underwhelming numbers so far in his major league career. If he can develop a good breaking pitch, maybe they are right. Even so, a 98 mph fastball with a quality change up should be enough to be a quality reliever.

[Windy City Fan]

For Bryant we got ....

Caleb Kilian - Ranked 30th in the Giants system before this season. Scouting report on him was that none of his pitches were plus stuff, but he had good command to make the mix play up a little higher than it might normally play. This season he dominated High A ball, earned a promotion to AA where he continued to pitch well. Apparently he has added some velocity to the fastball so that it now sits in the mid nineties and developed his cutter. Looks like a prospect who is on the rise and not a bad secondary piece of the trade.

Alexander Canario - A very toolsy prospect who's only 21. He hit really well in the low minors in 2019, but his numbers in A ball this year are not impressive. However, it seems he got off to an awful start and has turned things around since the beginning of June. He's slashed 277/350/503 in June and July. He's playing center mostly, but scouts seem to project him in right field long term. He's got a plus arm and above average speed. The big problem is he strikes out too much. Looks like a high ceiling/low floor type prospect. The minors are littered with guys who have impressive tools, but lack the basic bat to ball skills to make utilize those physical gifts. But when those sort of guys do put it all together, they can become superstars. Canario was ranked 9th in the Giants system.

Overall, I like both of these guys. Kilian seems like a guy who is on the rise and could be a solid mid rotation pitcher. Canario is a boom or bust prospect, but so far seems to be improving. I did expect more for Byrant. I know the return on position player rentals isn't what it used to be, but given Bryant's pedigree and versatility I though the Cubs could land more highly rated prospect.