Author Topic: Cubs Draft 2021  (Read 5098 times)

davep

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Re: Cubs Draft 2021
« Reply #15 on: July 11, 2021, 08:31:40 pm »
They say he has the best change up in the draft.

JeffH

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Re: Cubs Draft 2021
« Reply #16 on: July 11, 2021, 08:33:11 pm »
Facially, Wicks looks a lot like Steele.  Funny.

CUBluejays

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Re: Cubs Draft 2021
« Reply #17 on: July 11, 2021, 08:33:29 pm »
Fangraphs
2300 RPM, fastball. 2350 on breaking ball. Rise on fastball
88-92, top 93
40/45 fastball, 45/50 slider, 40/45 curve, 60/70 change, 35/60 command.

Kiley McDaniel said he was up to 96.

CUBluejays

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Re: Cubs Draft 2021
« Reply #18 on: July 11, 2021, 08:36:33 pm »
Cubs prospects had him 92-93 in the start he watched.

ticohans

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Re: Cubs Draft 2021
« Reply #19 on: July 11, 2021, 08:40:36 pm »
I haven’t been following the lead up to the draft at all, but seems like Wicks fell a little bit to us. Looks like most had him going in the teens.

ben

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Re: Cubs Draft 2021
« Reply #20 on: July 11, 2021, 08:46:05 pm »
The MLB crew hypes every pick, but the consensus was that he's very competitive and has solid MLB starter stuff.

Someone threw out "Jon Lester with Cole Hammels' change up."

Who the heck knows, but seems like a solid pick.  Nice that he's LH and that he already has a plus change!

CUBluejays

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Re: Cubs Draft 2021
« Reply #21 on: July 11, 2021, 08:50:35 pm »
Here hoping he’s 92-93 consistently and pitching development can jump that to 94-95. Turn the slider into a cutter, revamp the curve, keep the change up and command and he gets really interesting.

He should move really fast as well.

CUBluejays

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Re: Cubs Draft 2021
« Reply #22 on: July 11, 2021, 09:18:55 pm »
Reid Detmers was a similar type lefty last draft. In the write up on the futures game Law reported that Detmers has been hitting 97 in starts.

Krantovich said Wicks was a top 10 pick on the Cubs board.

Ty Madden from Texas is really falling. 

Deeg

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Re: Cubs Draft 2021
« Reply #23 on: July 11, 2021, 10:37:56 pm »
Solid, unspectacular, safe pick.  To an extent polish and high floor over star potential. Not a reach where we took him.

craig

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Re: Cubs Draft 2021
« Reply #24 on: July 11, 2021, 10:39:43 pm »
Thanks for draft input, guys. 

Reb

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Re: Cubs Draft 2021
« Reply #25 on: July 11, 2021, 11:17:48 pm »
Really expected that Cubs would take a HS position player first round but seems like they were surprised Wicks was still on the board at 21.

Pick makes sense. Cubs sure can use a quick-rising rotation piece.

Wonder if Wick and Wieck will still be around if/when Wicks gets to majors. That’s about 50 hours of material for Boog right there.

Deeg

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Re: Cubs Draft 2021
« Reply #26 on: July 11, 2021, 11:21:22 pm »
Interesting quirk - nine years after the A’s drafted Max Muncy, they drafted Max Muncy.  Both men were born on 8/25.

craig

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Re: Cubs Draft 2021
« Reply #27 on: July 12, 2021, 07:55:56 am »
..Day 2, which will span rounds 2-10, begins at noon CT on Monday. The Draft will conclude with rounds 11-20 on Tuesday, starting at 11 a.m. CT. MLB.com will simulcast MLB Network’s broadcast and provide live coverage on all three days.

https://www.mlb.com/news/chicago-cubs-2021-mlb-draft-preview

JeffH

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Re: Cubs Draft 2021
« Reply #28 on: July 12, 2021, 08:53:31 am »
Lefties with good changeups and command tend to find some way into big league rotations and Wicks is exactly that kind of prospect.  The Cubs have recently been able to coax more velo out of their prospect arms, even many of the older ones, so Wicks may be fed some magic Italian beef sandwich that makes him sit in the mid-90s. - Eric Longenhagen
Funny Funny x 1 View List

craig

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Re: Cubs Draft 2021
« Reply #29 on: July 12, 2021, 09:17:43 am »
I don't know anything, but my perception is that it's easier to pitch-lab invent/tweak/develop/improve a breaking ball than a change.  So the optimist in me thinks that suppose you're choosing between two rotation prospects: one has a good breaking ball but not a change, the other a good change but seemingly not a breaking pitch (Wicks).  I think I'd probably rather go with the guy who needs to conjure up a good breaking ball rather than the one who needs to conjure up a change? 

Velocity-wise, the reports said he touched 95 every game, but was resting 92-94.  In today's game, that's kind of pedestrian velocity.  Still, I'd think a commanded 92-94 is functional and usable.  I thought some reports referred to favorable spin, and to deception, "invisiball".  So yeah, **if** he could add a couple mph and be mid-90's, that would seem to support a good enough fastball to be an asset rotation guy. 

On the flip side, I think a lot of college pitchers can throw harder because they are always pitching fully rested, one-week rest.  Pitching on regular pro-rotation, I suspect a lot of guys are pitching a little tired a lot more often.