Michael McAvene - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	CHC	RHP	18	45

Grades Update: Nov 2020

OFP	Role	FB	SL	Cmd/Cnt
45	40	70	50	45/40

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Nov 2020 Report

Evaluator: Joe Drake

Age: 23 yr
Height: 6-3
Weight: 210 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2019 Draft - Round 3
RuleV: 2022

Physical Description: Well-built, athletic frame. Strong legs and pronounced butt with a lean upper body. Wide shoulders, long legs. Looks like a pitcher. Moves well around the mound, will be able to field his position. Electric arm.

Delivery & Mechanics: Full windup starts with a quarter turn rather than straight on to home plate. Knee comes just above the waist during the leg kick and the torso coils slightly. Glides through the motion, moderate effort at release. Long arm action that drops behind the body before coming around. Mid to low 3/4 arm slot. Finishes low and winds around plant leg. Delivery is quickened and leg kick abbreviated with runners on. Head movement just before release is a little odd.

Fastball: 94-97, t100. Has life that leads to whiffs and pop-ups. Ball jumps from his hand and he pumps it by hitters even when they know it's coming. Throws it low more often than you'd like where it runs into the barrel here and there but guys still don't square it up much. Total package is a double-plus pitch that dominates hitters. Grade: 70

Curveball: Big movement and drop. Not a true 12-6 shape, but really sharp downward action. Will create plenty of whiffs with this pitch. Works best when located on the outside moving away from right handed hitters. Data, reportedly, matches the eye test on what is clearly a plus pitch. 82-84 T86. Grade: 60

Slider: Mid-80s. Gets 2-plane movement and late break when it's on but loses tightness and gets loopy at times. Likes to bury it and throw off the plate to righties. Able to backdoor it to lefties for called strikes, too. Solid pitch all together. Flashes plus at times, but consistently average. Plays up off the blazing heater. Grade: 50

Control and Command: Typically finds the zone. Doesn't do it consistently, but can spot on all 4 edges. Gets out of sync at times where he'll lose the plate but can find his way back mid-inning. Fine, but not great, overall. Control: 45 | Command: 40

Overall: Reliever only profile with just 2 pitches but the stuff is great and will play up more out of the bullpen. Attacks hitters and and makes them uncomfortable, able to put them away with both the fastball and the slider. He's got the arm talent to be an above-average high leverage guy if everything comes together. Realistically, command and inconsistent breaker probably limit him to a mid-relief role.

OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Low-Leverage Reliever
Risk: High

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Riley Thompson - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	CHC	RHP	17	45

Grades Update: Nov 2020

OFP	Role	FB	CB	CH	Cmd/Cnt
45	40	50	60	50	45/40

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Nov 2020 Report

Evaluator: Trevor Hooth

Age: 24 yr
Height: 6-3
Weight: 205 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2018 Draft - Round 11
RuleV: 2021

Physical Description: Frame looks filled out. Long limbs, especially his legs. Thick lower body. Looks to be physically mature.

Delivery & Mechanics: Starts windup with glove shoulder towards plate. Over the top delivery. Quick, if not violent, arm whip that carries his entire body with it. Some headwhack. Upper and lower half stays in sync. Leg swings through and over rotates slightly on finish. Tunnels well.

Fastball: 92-94 T96. Plays well anywhere in the zone. It can be a very hittable pitch at times. Does appear to get good ride up in the zone.Best used to set up offspeed pitches. Grade: 50

Curveball: Big movement and drop. Not a true 12-6 shape, but really sharp downward action. Will create plenty of whiffs with this pitch. Works best when located on the outside moving away from right handed hitters. Data, reportedly, matches the eye test on what is clearly a plus pitch. 82-84 T86. Grade: 60

Changeup: Gets good deception off of fastball. The Cubs reportedly reworked the pitch, transitioning to a split finger grip. The velocity change is enough to get some swing and miss, but also create weak contact. It gets fade nice fade, especially when thrown armside. Grade: 50

Control and Command: He’s generally around the plate with a tendency to miss up in the zone, his walk numbers aren't high. He can have a hard time locating his pitches to the arm side. The control has improved massively since turning pro. Control: 45 | Command: 40

Overall: Electric is the best way to describe the offspeed pitches. The curveball is a legitimate big league pitch. His velocity gives him a believable bullpen floor, but the strides made with the changeup add hope to rotation success. One of his big detractors will be his ability to command his pitches, which can be tough when a curveball breaks as much as his. The other concern is his injury history.

OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Spot Starter
Risk: High

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Burl Carraway - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	CHC	LHP	16	45

Grades Update: Nov 2020

OFP	Role	FB	CB	Cmd/Cnt
45	40	70	55	40/30

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Nov 2020 Report

Evaluator: Matt Thompson

Age: 22 yr
Height: 6-0
Weight: 173 lbs
Hits/Throws: L/L
Acquired: 2020 Draft - Round 2
RuleV: 2023

Physical Description: Strong, wiry kid. Tenacious. Aggressive, high energy. Short.

Delivery & Mechanics: Quick tempo, deceptive. Pitches exclusively from the stretch. Starts closed off when he comes set, drops hands as he delivers. He turns his back to hitters, giving them a good look at jersey number and hides the ball extremely well. Thigh high leg kick, before coil and burst towards the plate. Tremendous drive off of plant leg, uses everything he has. High 3/4 arm slot but low release point due to seven feet of extension gives hitters a challenging view.

Fastball: High spin offering with elite velocity from left side. Sits primarily 96-98 but has touched 100 in games. Will attack hitters with this pitch, mostly up in the zone and away from lefties and will work lower in the zone against righties. His command is below-average but it's an uncomfortable at bat, especially vs lefties. Double-plus. Grade: 70

Curveball: Curveball sits in the mid-70s with late break and upwards of 20" vertical depth. Will use the pitch against right-handed hitters by starting it in the zone and throwing it at their back foot. He tunnels so well off the fastball. 1-to-7 break. Interested to see how the pitch plays against more advanced bats. Big velocity separation from fastball and below-average command could make it play down. Grade: 55

Control and Command: Carraway is a two-pitch guy with below-average command of each offering. He survives right now based on pure stuff but will have to improve command to evolve into late inning relief arm. High effort delivery has several moving parts. Inconsistent release point from so many moving parts and timing issues. Control: 40 | Command: 30

Overall: Carraway will miss bats with his two pitches, but his command/control both need to improve to be a consistent late inning option. He's working on a slider but I haven't seen the pitch yet. Reports out of alternate camp were poor, but that can all change if he finds the ability to throw strikes more consistently. Should move quickly. Reliever all the way.

OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Spot Starter
Risk: High

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Keegan Thompson - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	CHC	RHP	15	45

Grades Update: Nov 2020

OFP	Role	FB	CB	SL	CH	Cmd/Cnt
45	40	45	50	55	45	55/50

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Nov 2020 Report

Evaluator: Matt Thompson

Age: 26 yr
Height: 6-1
Weight: 210 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2017 Draft - Round 3
RuleV: Eligible

Physical Description: Solid 6'1", 210 pounds. Already has the tommy john scar from 2016, and missed some time in 2019 due to elbow inflammation but looked strong during AFL stint.

Delivery & Mechanics: Slow tempo to start delivery, but fast arm adds some deception. Drop and drive with an efficient delivery. Repeats extremely well.

Fastball: Throws a few different variations of this pitch, the standard four-seamer and the two-seamer that he works on the edges. Will work the four seamer up in the zone. Deep arsenal and plus command of his fastballs allow him to sequence very well. Was 91-92 with the fastball in Arizona, two-seamer was around 88-90 but featured more arm-side run. Grade: 45

Curveball: Will use as put away pitch but will also steal strikes due to sequencing and plus command. Average depth, will throw in fastball counts. Will vary the amount of depth and gives hitters different looks. Grade: 50

Slider: 84-90 in Arizona. Multiple variations of the pitch. Cutter is a miniature version with minimal depth and horizontal movement. Designed for weak contact. Traditional slider has two-plane movement and is his best pitch, IMO. Uses it more as his chase pitch. Grade: 55

Changeup: Fringe pitch. Used primarily against lefties. Looks like the fastball, just comes in in the mid-80s. Ideally you'd like more separation between fastball velo and changeup. Grade: 45

Control and Command: He's a major league ready starter right now, assuming health, because of his four quadrant command of his entire arsenal. Throws all four pitches for strikes. When he misses it's traditionally down and out of the middle of the plate. Control: 55 | Command: 50

Overall: He was one of my favorite arms I saw in Arizona. All four pitches are distinctly unique and he commands them exceptionally well with enough variance in velocity to keep hitters off balance. He's missed time with two elbow injuries already and should be a member of the big league staff in 2021.

OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Spot Starter
Risk: Moderate

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Kevin Made - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	CHC	SS	14	45

Grades Update: Nov 2020

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
45	40	50	50	45	55	50

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Nov 2020 Report

Evaluator: Matt Thompson

Age: 18 yr
Height: 6-1
Weight: 160 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2019 IFA
RuleV: 2024

Physical Description: Ideal frame. High waisted, but well built. Needs to add strength and mass, but that will come as he physically matures. Exactly how you want J2 prospects to develop.

Hit: Starts swing with a toe tap for timing mechanism and brings front back back behind back knee before recoil. Above average bat speed and quick hands, but long limbs can be somewhat concerning trying hit velocity. Don't think that issue exists here though. High strikeout numbers early on during instructs but can't put much stock into those without knowing the context. Grade: 50

Power: High probability of future plus power here as he matures and adds to the lanky frame. The swing is built for 20+ homers annually but that will come with time. Easy loft and ball jumps off barrel. Grade: 50

Field: Moves like a shortstop. Glides with quick hands, and good feet. Puts body in proper position and has a strong internal clock. Grade: 45

Arm: Throwing mechanics and footwork are sound. Arm will improve as he adds muscle to frame. Could develop into a future plus tool. Very accurate arm. Grade: 55

Run: Quick twitch athlete but just lacks present foot speed. That will likely come as he adds mass. Chance it becomes a plus tool. Grade: 50

Overall: A lot of unknown here with Made but a lot to like with what we know so far. Biggest glaring weakness is a lack of strength, but that's not something to be concerned with for an 18 year-old just entering pro ball. There are the ingredients here for a potential above average shortstop on both sides of the ball, and that's an exciting player.

OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Below Average Player - Utility
Risk: High

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Cory Abbott - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	CHC	RHP	13	45

Grades Update: Nov 2020

OFP	Role	FB	CB	SL	CH	Cmd/Cnt
45	40	45	50	55	55	50/50

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Nov 2020 Report

Evaluator: Trevor Hooth

Age: 25 yr
Height: 6-2
Weight: 220 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2017 Draft - Round 2
RuleV: Eligible

Physical Description: Stocky build. Wide Shoulders. Thick lower half and torso. Looks to be physically mature.

Delivery & Mechanics: Easy motion. Repeatable. Over the top arm slot. Short stride, stays tall through delivery. Arm can lag behind at times. The delivery motion is succinct. Consistent arm angle on all pitches creates deception between fastball and secondaries.

Fastball: 90-93 T95. Can get some armside run low in the zone. Works the pitch up in the zone most often. Elevates with two strikes. Not an overpowering pitch. Can paint the corners when low in the zone, but has a tendency to sail more often than not. Grade: 45

Curveball: 78-81 with 12-6 drop. Can be used in a variety of counts. Will flash a loopier version of the pitch to steal a strike. Later in the count will see a sharper break intended for whiffs. Likes to throw to the back foot of LHH for swing and miss. Grade: 50

Slider: Plays as his best secondary. Uses it frequently. Gets plenty of horizontal movement. Depth is the best characteristic of the pitch, making it a swing and miss offering. Generally a two strike offering. Locates well as a front door pitch to RHH. 80-82.Tightens spin at times to make it more of a cutter. Grade: 55

Changeup: Fades well. Plays above average when he is locating to both sides of the plate. When pitch it on, he will use it in any situation. Works well with slider. Not afraid to double up on this pitch. Grade: 55

Control and Command: Can work both sides of the plate with all pitches. Tries to work north and south but can struggle to work lower in the zone at times. Fills up the strike zone and doesn't issue a lot of walks. Control: 50 | Command: 50

Overall: He's got a bag of offspeed pitches that play off his fastball and each other well. He's not afraid to use any of them in any situation when they are on. Which one he prefers differs by game, likely by feel that day. He likes to weaponize the curveball more against lefties. His delivery, while easy and repeatable, makes it harder for him to work north/south. The fastball stays up quite a bit, the offspeed locates well east/west.

OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Spot Starter
Risk: Moderate

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Cole Roederer - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	CHC	OF	12	45

Grades Update: Nov 2020

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
45	40	45	55	50	45	50

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Nov 2020 Report

Evaluator: Trevor Hooth

Age: 21 yr
Height: 6-0
Weight: 175 lbs
Hits/Throws: L/L
Acquired: 2018 Draft - Round 2C
RuleV: 2022

Physical Description: There's room to grow on the frame. Short, but more lanky than stocky. Plenty of room for good weight to be added.

Hit: Square stance. Stands tall. Hands at should her height. Hands move down into position during load. Small leg kick. Short and east stroke to the ball. Quiet hands highlight a swing with succinct movements. Upper and lower half work together for a smooth swing. Shows a good feel to get the barrel on the ball. Swing is geared to pull the ball, he can get pull happy. Being able to find other outcomes than pull side will be very important in defining his role. Grade: 45

Power: When he connects with a ball it's a beautiful site, so watching him in BP leaves a lot of room to dream on the power. The smooth swing makes for a pretty picture and easy pop when he connects with the ball. Pull side power is clearly there, but he struggles to get that same pop when he has to go to the opposite field. There is more power than what he showed based on quick hands, especially if he can disperse it to all fields. Though that may result in more line drives to the wall than over it. Grade: 55

Field: He's got good instincts. Might stick in center, but will have no problem on either of the corners. His speed plays better on the defensive side of the ball. Grade: 50

Arm: His arm is fringy at best. Will be serve best in left field, maybe center. It will not play well in right without improvements. Grade: 45

Run: The way it plays now, the speed is above average at it's best. That could change as his frame fills out. Grade: 50

Overall: His bat is by far his best asset. There's more power in his swing. His lefty stroke will be able to hit the ball out of the park pull side, but as he starts to use all fields his homer numbers are liable to drop. It's an easy and compact swing that should have no problem playing as he climbs the ladder. There's an outside shot he can stick up the middle, but likely plays best in left field.

OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Below Average Player - Bench/Platoon
Risk: High

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Kohl Franklin - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	CHC	RHP	11	45

Grades Update: Nov 2020

OFP	Role	FB	CB	CH	Cmd/Cnt
45	40	50	55	55	45/40

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Nov 2020 Report

Evaluator: Matt Thompson

Age: 21 yr
Height: 6-4
Weight: 190 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2018 Draft - Round 6
RuleV: 2021

Physical Description: Tall, lean 6'4" frame. Listed at 190, looks thinner than that. Good pitchers frame with physical projection remaining. Athletic movement with long limbs.

Delivery & Mechanics: Pitches from first base side of rubber. Repeats mechanics well from the windup. Herky jerky with the hands. Starts off chest high as he comes set and drops them to the waist before bringing them back to chest level. High 3/4 arm slot. High, but controlled leg kick as he delivers. Head stays still but does go up and down with his motion. High effort delivery with a lot of moving parts but he repeats well. Works at very high tempo. Shorter stride and leg kick from the stretch. Incorporates lower half well.

Fastball: Sits 89-92, has topped out at 97. Pitch has tremendous arm side run, and sink. So much arm side run that it is difficult for him to throw it consistently for strikes. Velocity has recently popped. Was sitting high 80s in high school. He will add strength to frame and hopefully add a tick or three consistently to fastball. Will throw the pitch at the front hip of lefties and get it to catch the plate due to tremendous movement. Most of the time if he misses it's high and out. Attacks up and outside. When he misses its out of the zone. Grade: 50

Curveball: This pitch has been inconsistent going back to his prep days. He was instructed to not throw it much in high school by his father, who is now his agent. Has had blister problems in the past that are tied to this pitch. Working with the organization in developing a new spike grip. Very nice depth and shape to the pitch, but wasn't mixing it in until second time through the order, even in his abbreviated 3-4 inning appearances, and even then it was almost exclusively against right-handers. With more refinement it can be a plus offering. Grade: 55

Changeup: Throws a hard changeup that mimics fastball with arm side fade. Throws it almost exclusively to lefties, but lower in the zone. It's a firm offering at 80-84, and looks like the fastball with similar arm speed. It's an above-average offering. Grade: 55

Control and Command: The movement on his fastball makes it difficult to throw strikes consistently with the pitch. I think he actually commands his curveball the best of the three, but he's still toying with a new grip so that can change. Need to see more. He repeats his delivery well and I think over time he will become a more consistent strike thrower. He will throw fastball for strikes while still missing location. Changeup is meant to be a chase pitch low and below the zone. He throws the curveball up and lets the depth do the work, and that pairs it well with the fastball long term. Control: 45 | Command: 40

Overall: Franklin is a development project, but one that comes with big league bloodlines. Won't be a guy that moves quickly through the minors, but will go level by level making incremental improvements on the way. The development of his curveball is the deciding factor here. Can be a number four starter if the pitch evolves, swing man type if it doesn't. He's essentially a two pitch guy as he rarely throws curve to lefties and change to righties, so he will have to refine command to have sustained success that way.

OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Spot Starter
Risk: High

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Ryan Jensen - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	CHC	RHP	10	45

Grades Update: Nov 2020

OFP	Role	FB	SL	CH	Cmd/Cnt
45	40	60	50	30	40/40

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Nov 2020 Report

Evaluator: Matt Thompson

Age: 23 yr
Height: 6-0
Weight: 180 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2019 Draft - Round 1
RuleV: 2022

Physical Description: Small, whippy frame. Would be one of the smallest starters in the majors if he sticks as a starter. Strong lower half, gets the most out of frame. Not much physical projection rema

Delivery & Mechanics: The mechanics here are high effort, lots of legs. From windup he starts with a large step back and will bend plant knee slightly with a big leg kick and long arm swing before delivering the pitch. Throws from a traditional 3/4 slot, but gives hitters, especially lefties, a long look at the ball due to the arm action. He does hold his velocity late in games.

Fastball: Jensen throws two different fastballs, a traditional 4-seamer that sits 94-96 and has touched 100. He throws a two-seamer with plus late arm-side run that sits around 93-94. The movement on his fastball has a negative effect on his ability to command a pitch. So does the high effort delivery and long arm motion. Grade: 60

Slider: Jensen has experimented with different slider grips, but from what I've seen there is a harder slider that he used more in pro ball, and an 82-85 mph version with short, late break that was mostly at Fresno St.. The harder version generates some weak swings from hitters and has touched 90. Not designed to be thrown for strikes from what I've seen. Chase pitch. Grade: 50

Changeup: Jensen's change up sits 85-86 but doesn't have much movement. He's predominantly a two-pitch guy and doesn't use this pitch much. I'm not confident it becomes an average future pitch. Grade: 30

Control and Command: I'm not very confident in Jensen's ability to consistently throw strikes, but with how modern starters are utilized I think he can make it as a starter in the majors. He has trouble repeating due to timing issues and that throws his command awry. Control: 40 | Command: 40

Overall: Jensen's profile screams reliever to me, but several Cubs contacts still think he can start long term. I don't have any info on him from the alternate camp but the organization is very high on the 2019 first rounder. There are so many things working against him remaining in the rotation but the game is changing and starting pitchers aren't asked to throw more than five innings so it's possible he makes it work in a unique hybrid role. Around 120-130 innings a year or something along those lines. Not throwing strikes leads to high pitch counts which limit innings.

OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Spot Starter
Risk: High

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Chase Strumpf - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	CHC	2B	9	45

Grades Update: Nov 2020

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
45	40	50	40	50	45	45

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Nov 2020 Report

Evaluator: Trevor Hooth

Age: 23 yr
Height: 6-1
Weight: 191 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2019 Draft - Round 2
RuleV: 2022

Physical Description: Wiry with a long torso and long legs. Potentially some room for growth on the frame, but not much.

Hit: Square stance. Hands held up near his head with a bat wiggle. Small leg kick. Hands don't move far during load to get into position. Short compact swing. Simple mechanics and short to the ball. Good bat to ball skills. Can go the opposite way, but some of that comes from being behind on velocity. Patient hitter, but doesn't draw many walks. Will strikeout more from being too patient than swinging and missing. He shows good recognition of the strike zone and pitch recognition. Grade: 50

Power: Any power he has will come from his quick hands. His swing is geared to hit line drives. Occasionally might run into one to lift over the fence, but mostly will find gap power.Does show the ability to drive the ball to all fields. Grade: 40

Field: Can make the plays at second base. Range isn't spectacular, but will play well enough to warrant a spot in the lineup. Grade: 50

Arm: The arm works. He won't be a utility guy based on arm strength, but it works for the short throws from second base. Grade: 45

Run: Not going to steal. There won't be any range added because of his speed either. He's not notably slow, by any means. Grade: 45

Overall: A plethora of average or near average tools give him a future at second base for the Cubs. At his best, he fits a leadoff profile of working counts and making contact. He's comfortable in any count and not afraid to take pitches he doesn't like, which gets him in trouble at times. The short compact swing along with bat to ball skills will play enough to cancel out any questions defensively.

OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Below Average Player - Utility
Risk: Moderate

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Luis Verdugo - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	CHC	SS	8	45

Grades Update: Nov 2020

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
45	40	45	50	60	60	50

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Nov 2020 Report

Evaluator: Matt Thompson

Age: 20 yr
Height: 6-0
Weight: 172 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2017 IFA
RuleV: 2021

Physical Description: Small but extremely projectable, Verdugo is much stronger than he looks, and despite not being a quick twitch athlete he's light on his feet.

Hit: Stands upright in the box; slightly open with hands at ear level. Thigh high leg kick with modest bat wrap but quick hands. Hands do most of the work, but he covers the plate very well. Will strikeout due to length in swing, but impressive growth on offense so far. Grade: 45

Power: Superb trunk rotation, has the makings of above-average raw power as he matures. Groundball heavy profile right now, will need to elevate to fully reach power ceiling. Grade: 50

Field: This is a future shortstop. Smooth fluid actions with excellent hands and footwork. Has great instincts and instincts. Positions the body very well, always has momentum moving towards the throw. Grade: 60

Arm: Plus arm. Can make all the throws. Will go deep in the hole and still have enough on it to make the necessary throws. Grade: 60

Run: Don't see him as a base stealing threat. Runs the bases well though. Highly instinctual player. Grade: 50

Overall: Verdugo has always drawn praise on the defensive side of the ball, but the offense showed up as he repeated the AZL. Former colleague Jason Pennini used to talk about how numbers can lie at times, and Verdugo was a prime example. He was much better than the numbers he put up in his first go around in the AZL, and his baseball skills started to translate in games. Ultimately Verdugo can be a plus defender with above-average raw power.

OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Below Average Player - Utility
Risk: Moderate

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Richard Gallardo - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	CHC	RHP	7	45

Grades Update: Nov 2020

OFP	Role	FB	SL	CH	Cmd/Cnt
45	40	55	55	50	60/55

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Nov 2020 Report

Evaluator: Matt Thompson

Age: 19 yr
Height: 6-1
Weight: 187 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2018 IFA
RuleV: 2022

Physical Description: Advanced, mature body. Workhorse frame. Physical for his age. Poised, hard to believe he was only 18 in 2020. More filled out than listed 187 pounds.

Delivery & Mechanics: Athletic, 3/4 arm slot. Repeats mechanics very well. Fast arm. Some deception as he hides the ball behind his body. Long arm stroke, but no timing issues. Really in sync with his body. Some excess movement with the glove that potentially could upset rhythm, but could be a timing mechanism he uses for himself.

Fastball: Touching 95 as a 17 year-old, but will sit more in the 90-93 range. Fastball has sink and modest arm side movement. Really advanced command for his age, will work the pitch in all four quadrants. Has ability to put the fastball where he wants, remarkable ability for his age. Pitch should add a tick or two as he builds muscle, but those looking for elite velocity will be disappointed. Grade: 55

Curveball: Exceptional command of the breaking ball, which comes in in the low-to-mid 70s. The pitch has good depth, and he works it primarily low in the zone. Good source of groundballs and will miss bats with this pitch. Grade: 55

Changeup: Good feel for the change which will flash plus, but he doesn't command the changeup like the other two pitches. Will miss up in the zone with this pitch when he overthrows. Will throw an unbelievable change followed by a mediocre one. Lacks consistency. Still young, and I'd bet he finds it in time. Grade: 50

Control and Command: Putting a plus grade for control for a 19 year-old kid is rare, but Gallardo can do what he wants with the fastball and throw his curveball for strikes. His command isn't quite as fine, when he misses with the fastball it tends to leak over the middle of the plate. Control: 60 | Command: 55

Overall: Gallardo is more of a high floor arm than a future top of the rotation arm, but that's an exceptional outcome still. He appeared in two games as a 17 year-old in short season ball. Cubs were very protective with his workload, but rightly so. Future number three starter here with a chance for a tad more. Want to get eyes on him as soon as baseball gets back to normal again to see how he handled lay off.

OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Spot Starter or Long Reliever
Risk: Moderate

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Christopher Morel - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	CHC	3B	6	50

Grades Update: Nov 2020

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
50	55	45	50	60	60	55

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Nov 2020 Report

Evaluator: Jake Kerns

Age: 22 yr
Height: 6-0
Weight: 140 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2015 IFA
RuleV: Eligible

Physical Description: Listed at 6'0" and 140 but is notably bigger and has plenty of room to further fill out and grow stronger. Presently a slight upper body with small wrists. Ideal frame to work with. Quick twitch athlete. Plays with a genuine joy for the game. Swagger-laden. Known to be a leader on the field.

Hit: Upright stance with a wide base. Starts open but closes with a leg kick toward the pitcher as he steps into the pitch. Feet wide apart at impact. Hands start out front. Some pre-pitch sway/movement before cocking the bat. Explosive hands and wrists that generate plus bat speed. Level swing that generates primarily line drives. Makes hard contact. Shows an ability to bunt. Solid approach; adjusts well to off-speed pitches and pitches down in the zone. Pitch recognition is below-average but he knows when to lay off and signs point to an average eye in time. Aggressiveness at the plate will hinder walk rates. Speed allows him to beat out grounders to the left side and helps the tool play up. Grade: 45

Power: Average to plus raw power. Swing is geared more toward line drives and hitting the ball to the gaps. Shows some current pull-side power. Power is hindered by bat path and inefficient use of his lower body. Possesses plus bat speed and has room to fill out, so the tool could substantially improve with time; will require a different approach and/or better utilization of his hips and legs. Adjustments could push the grade near plus. Grade: 50

Field: Moves well laterally. Not afraid to get the uniform dirty or charge the ball. Good footwork. Makes the routine throws to 2B from the left side of the infield. Experience with SS and 3B, but range is average and probably fits best at 3B. Arm definitely plays. His athleticism and arm would allow him to play in the grass, too. Confident and plays with significant flair. Grade: 60

Arm: Incredibly quick transferer from glove. Fast, strong arm that shows significant carry and velocity. Adjusts arm slot depending on the situation; mostly sidearm in looks. Tool plays up because of his ability to get the ball out of the glove. Grade: 60

Run: Plus times down the line from the right side; 4.13-4.15 in several looks. Good initial burst out of the box. Takes big, aggressive turns and hits an extra gear rounding 1st. Timed 11.20 from home to third. May slow as he fills out. Grade: 55

Overall: Morel possesses some of the most explosive tools in the system. Some of his actions in the field are reminiscent of Javy Baez; similar mannerisms and swagger, too. The bat needs some work, particularly his approach and ability to get to power in-game. He possesses as much upside as almost any prospect in the system but offers comparatively substantial risk. He will need to continue to fill out and hit, but the underlying tools are there to be at least a starter and perhaps significantly more.

OFP: 50
Role: 50 - Average Everyday Regular
Risk: High

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Adbert Alzolay - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	CHC	RHP	5	50

Grades Update: Nov 2020

OFP	Role	FB	CB	SL	CH	Cmd/Cnt
50	50	60	55	60	45	50/40

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Nov 2020 Report

Evaluator: Jake Kerns

Age: 26 yr
Height: 6-1
Weight: 208 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2013 IFA
RuleV: On 40 man

Physical Description: Solidly built. Does not offer additional physical projection. High character and hard worker.

Delivery & Mechanics: 3/4 slot from the right side. Some effort in the delivery. Falls off toward 1B.

Fastball: 92-96; 94.7 average in 2020. Can reach back for more in short bursts. Throws two variations: a sinker and four-seamer. Sinker features above-average arm-side run and is often thrown down or to the corners. Four-seamer can be flat but is effective when elevated up and in. Both get swings and misses, but the sinker was more effective in limiting contact in a small sample. Fastballs made up 52% of his pitch mix in 2020. Grade: 60

Curveball: 78-82; averaged 80.8 in 2020. Plus spin rate that generates swings and misses. Takes several shapes, including a true downer, that is attributable to a new grip. Most effective when located as a backdoor breaker against lefties. Made up 15% of his pitch mix in 2020. Grade: 55

Slider: 83-87; averaged 85.4 in 2020. New grip made the pitch more distinguishable from his curve. Still looks like a curve out of his hand. Shows confidence with the pitch and throws it the most with two-strikes. Demonstrated to be an out-pitch; batters struck out 64% of the time and hit .040 against it in a small sample. Plus spin rate that translates into significant horizontal movement. Made up 24.5% of his pitch mix in 2020. Grade: 60

Changeup: 84-87; averaged 85.5 in 2020. Looks like FB out of his hand and shows similar rotation. Likes to use it away against lefties. Arm-side run. Flashes plus or better when he locates it but inconsistently does so. Pitch has room for significant growth. Only made up 8% of his pitch mix in 2020. Grade: 45

Control and Command: Mostly around the zone with his fastball but displays an obvious tendency to miss with his breaking balls. The changeup plays down because of his inability to locate it. Control is well ahead of his command. Control: 50 | Command: 40

Overall: Starter's repertoire; shows five distinct pitches, two of which were reintroduced in 2020. The slider became a legitimate weapon as the season wore on. Alzolay has demonstrated success in limited opportunities so far in his career and has the floor of a high-leverage reliever. Additional growth, particularly with his changeup and his control and command will unlock even more potential. He has mid-rotation or better upside.

OFP: 50
Role: 50 - #4 SP/# 5 Backend SP
Risk: Moderate

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Brailyn Marquez - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	CHC	LHP	4	55

Grades Update: Nov 2020

OFP	Role	FB	SL	CH	Cmd/Cnt
55	60	70	55	50	40/40

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Nov 2020 Report

Evaluator: Matt Thompson

Age: 22 yr
Height: 6-4
Weight: 185 lbs
Hits/Throws: L/L
Acquired: 2015 IFA
RuleV: On 40 man

Physical Description: Tall, long-limbed. Heavier than listed 185. Probably more like 225. Body will require maintenance and is a little soft.

Delivery & Mechanics: Low 3/4 delivery, very loose with big leg kick. Almost unbelievable how easy the ball comes out of his hand at 100. I think tightening up the delivery and body will lead to better command.

Fastball: Monster pitch. Touched 99 out of the bullpen for Cubs late in season, has hit 101 in game. Averaged 95 as a starter in the minors in 2019. Works pitch up in the zone and is aggressive with it. The only thing keeping it from an 80 is the command. It's improved but there are still some aspects of a thrower here. Grade: 70

Slider: Marquez will snap his slider off at the back foot of right-handers and look to spot it on the corner against lefties. It can look like a cutter at times due to late, modest break but when he's tunneling with the big heater it adds another layer of deception. He's learning how to sequence and set up hitters, and the pitch sits in the low 80s. The pitch lacks the consistency to be plus, but he's shown significant growth and it wouldn't shock me to see it become a plus offering. Grade: 55

Changeup: The changeup has a lot of similar characteristics as the fastball. Comes in at the same arm speed and plane, just in the low 90s. There's modest fade but it disguises itself as the heater, and can be effective. He uses this pitch against right-handed batters. There's potentially more with this pitch also. Grade: 50

Control and Command: Marquez's command improved as the 2019 season progressed. He was prone to the blow up early in the season but didn't walk more than three batters in a game from July on. The Cubs have altered his arm swing as he's moved up the later, but it appears he's gone back to the looser version, but has seen better results. He throws enough strikes to be a starter long term, now it's just the quality of strikes. Control: 40 | Command: 40

Overall: I believe Marquez is a starter long term and his late season move to the bullpen was only due to organizational need more than anything else. He reminds me a lot of Francisco Liriano. The fastball, slider, changeup profile from a big lefty with a loose delivery and loose command. Marquez is what the Cubs have been searching for. A high upside homegrown starter. He's likely a number four starter for most of his career due to command, but he will post a few prime seasons where he's better than that.

OFP: 55
Role: 60 - #3 SP/High Leverage
Risk: High

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Miguel Amaya - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	CHC	C	3	55

Grades Update: Nov 2020

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
50	55	50	60	55	55	30

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Nov 2020 Report

Evaluator: Matt Thompson

Age: 22 yr
Height: 6-2
Weight: 230 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2015 IFA
RuleV: On 40 man

Physical Description: Well built sturdy frame that continues to add strength as he matures. Don't think he will have issues with frame in the future. Should be able to maintain athleticism while adding strength and mass. Zero longterm concerns with the body even as he physically matures.

Hit: Level swing that's triggered by a leg kick, he's short to the ball and makes contact at an above-average rate. Increasing walk rates and decreasing strikeout rates for three years in a row, Amaya has become more selective as he has climbed the ladder in the minors. He looks for fastballs early in counts but shortens up leg kick with two strikes. It's a pull heavy approach, but he did go the other way more frequently in 2019. There's enough here to be an average hitter at peak. Grade: 50

Power: Amaya has average bat speed but his raw strength and plus power are his best offensive traits. He will ambush fastballs early in the count and look to do damage. His power is largely to the pull-side, and I think he's capable of 20-25 homers a year consistently while catching 120+ games. Grade: 60

Field: Really quick feet and hands; Amaya moves well behind the plate. He receives the ball well and is a strong blocker. He squares his hips and shoulders as he smothers pitches in the dirt and pitchers should feel confident throwing a breaking ball in the dirt with a runner on third. His framing needs work, but all that may not matter soon. Grade: 55

Arm: Aggressive with the arm, and will control the running game by throwing behind runners. Quick hands translate to a quick release and strong pop times. Arm lacks elite carry, but it's an accurate arm with above average carry. His quick hands and release make it a plus weapon. Grade: 55

Run: He's not an asset on the basepaths. Not a clogger, but well below-average still. Grade: 30

Overall: Amaya has everything you want for a future everyday catcher. Good frame, quick hands and plus strength. He displays leadership qualities on and off the field as well. One of the high character guys that has a unique handshake for every player on the roster and just leads by example with his production on the field. He's not an offensive force, but a very nice compliment on offense while displaying plus defensive traits. First division everyday backstop on a contending club.

OFP: 55
Role: 60 - Above-Average Everyday Regular: Occasional All-Star
Risk: Moderate

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Ed Howard - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	CHC	SS	2	55

Grades Update: Nov 2020

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
50	55	50	55	60	55	50

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Nov 2020 Report

Evaluator: Matt Thompson

Age: 19 yr
Height: 6-2
Weight: 185 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2020 Draft - Round 1
RuleV: 2024

Physical Description: Athletic build with long legs and broad shoulders. Projectable frame that should add strength and power. Stands 6'2" and is listed at 185, but should be around 200 when he's big league ready. No concerns about outgrowing shortstop.

Hit: Stands partly open with a short stride. Lots of movement with the hands that creates slight bat wrap before exploding to the ball. Hands are quick enough to get away with that. Will use all fields, and repeats swing very well. Develops a plan at the plate and will key in on pitch type and/or location and will be aggressive. Will chase off-speed below the zone, but was hands down best prep shortstop on either side of the ball in draft class. Way more positives here than concerns. Grade: 50

Power: Plus bat speed and hunter mentality can lead to some long pull-side homers. Power is more advanced than hit tool at the moment. Makes loud contact, regularly finds the barrel. Line drive oriened swing now, but that's expected to change. Strong for his age. Only going to get stronger. Grade: 55

Field: Uncanny to be this certain that an 18-year-old will stick at shortstop in the majors but that's what we have with this kid. Plus range with elite hands and feet. Strong feel for the game with internal clock that you can't teach. Will get more explosive as he adds strength. Elite hands definitely transfer to defensive side of the ball. Grade: 60

Arm: Average arm strength but quick release and plus accuracy make the overall package at least above average. High baseball IQ helps with positioning and angles as well. Zero concerns about the arm. Cubs likely to put him on an arm strengthening program. Grade: 55

Run: Not a burner or quick twitch athlete, yet, but should gain explosiveness as he gets stronger. Modest stolen base threat, 10-15 a season, but it plays up due to his knowledge of the game. Grade: 50

Overall: Howard is the highest floor prep shortstop to come on the scene in a long time, and to top it all off he's even a local kid that has had a very successful amateur career. He hasn't been in a traditional baseball game in quite some time with his high school season getting washed out due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but he hit well enough in the showcase circuits to ease the concerns. Displays all leadership qualities you want out of a shortstop. Future five-six hitter with plus defense and baserunning. Former Oklahoma commit was an excellent student.

OFP: 55
Role: 60 - Above-Average Everyday Regular: Occasional All-Star
Risk: Moderate

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Brennen Davis - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	CHC	OF	1	55

Grades Update: Nov 2020

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
55	60	55	55	50	60	60

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Nov 2020 Report

Evaluator: Jake Kerns

Age: 21 yr
Height: 6-4
Weight: 175 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2018 Draft - Round 2
RuleV: 2023

Physical Description: Tall and lean but beginning to fill out. Plenty of room to add strength. Strong hands. Athletic. High character.

Hit: Crouched stance. Keeps his right elbow back. Small leg kick; steps into the ball. Low at impact and generates significant leverage because of it. Uses his lower half well. Strong hands. Explosive bat speed. Beginning to use the whole field but still often pulls the ball. Shows an ability to lay off pitches. Future average eye. Grade: 55

Power: Plus or better raw power during BP. Has filled out and flashed average power during games in 2019. Ball explodes off the bat. Has shown an ability to go the opposite way albeit inconsistently. His projectable frame and ability to create leverage, in addition to his plus bat speed point to a likelihood of him closing the gap between his present in-game and raw power. Added strength will give him a chance to reach his ceiling of plus power. Grade: 55

Field: Moves well in center. Takes good routes. Solid jump. Plus speed helps him cover a lot of ground. Tools profile in CF but can slide to RF if necessary. Grade: 50

Arm: Flashes a plus arm with good carry from centerfield. Ball is thrown on a rope and mostly on target from CF. Profiles in RF if he needs to slide over sometime in the future. Grade: 60

Run: Present plus runner; times between 4.15 and 4.20 from the right side. Long strider and moves faster than it looks. Takes wide turns at first. Can get an extra base. Grade: 60

Overall: Flashes 3 plus tools and possesses the most upside in the system. Has a limited track record in professional ball - the lost year hurt - but the leap he made in 2019 has the arrow straight up. He possesses the upside to be an impact player that contributes in all facets of the game with further refinement.

OFP: 55
Role: 60 - Above-Average Everyday Regular: Occasional All-Star
Risk: High

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