2058.14: Bears' Cubs - Starting Pitching Prospects

[BaseClogger]

6/17/2058


In this edition of the 2058 Bears’ Cubs series I’ll focus on players who still profile as starting pitchers. Admittedly, several of these guys will become relievers before/if they reach San Fernando. Some might even be moved to the bullpen by the end of this season. Alas, I never got to give Jorge Nava his deserved A- prospect rating—I did last year’s list before the draft and since traded him to Charm City for Sammy McNeill.

A
None

B
B Keith Mays
B Rick Marriott

C
C+ Javier Duarte
C+ Omar Thind
C+ Felipe Ledesma
C+ Juan Oliveira
C+ Salah Lutfi
C Morris Chapa

D
D Duane Bishop
D Cisco Rosa

Honorable Mention
Jim Fields
Juan Najera
Calvin Coffey


The BBA no longer ranks Keith Mays on their prospect lists after throwing 33 innings for the Bears last season but he still has his rookie eligibility so I’ll include him one more time. If he can stay healthy he should be a mid-rotation starter. Recent first round pick Rick Marriott has similar upside as a starting pitcher if he can develop, although as Aaron pointed out he’d make a heckuva reliever conversion.

I dropped Duarte a notch after losing a point of movement potential. There’s no way to differentiate him now from fellow teenager Felipe Ledesma. Like Ledesma, Oliveira was a 2057 draft pick. He’s more advanced and needs a bump to pitch as a starter in the bigs but his five pitch arsenal makes him a good reliever conversion candidate. Thind and Lutfi are slow developing international prospects, although Thind is older and further along. They’re both long shots to live up to their potential but great stuff is great stuff. Morris Chapa is a low ceiling prospect in need of a bump—I’m not really sure what to do with him when he runs out of options. He’s been in my org for so long that it feels weird for it to end like this.

Bishop and Rosa have limited stamina but exciting enough potential ratings and pitch arsenals.