Today, we continue our Chicago Cubs Rule 5 Draft analysis. Previously, we identified the players most likely to be poached by other teams unless the Cubs protect these players by adding them to their 40-man roster by November 20.
Just before the non-waiver trade deadline, the Cubs dealt Rule 5-eligible RHP prospect Ivan Pinyero, who had fashioned a 3.69 ERA in 19 starts for AA Tennessee and whom the Cubs might not have been able to protect, to the Miami Marlins for veteran RHP Dan Haren to help fortify their starting rotation.
Here’s another batch of Cubs’ prospects, among the nearly 60 Rule 5 eligible Cubs’ farmhands, whom the organization would least like to see drafted, assuming they are not placed on the 40-man roster or traded before the Draft.
RHP Blake Cooper: Acquired last summer from the Arizona Diamondbacks in a trade for former first-round pick OF Brett Jackson, Cooper has had a solid season for AAA Iowa. In a league where the average ERA is 4.40 and WHIP 1.416, Cooper has produced an ERA of 2.98 and WHIP of 1.244. In 54.2 innings, exclusively as a relief pitcher, Cooper has yielded 47 hits and 21 walks while fanning 51.
Cooper, 27, throws a sinking fastball in the high 80’s/low 90’s, a slider, curveball and changeup. Cooper’s penchant for throwing low strikes is evidenced by his nearly three-to-one ratio of groundball outs to fly outs during his minor league career.
RHP Matt Brazis: Acquired in an offseason trade from the Seattle Mariners, injuries have limited Brazis, 25 and now healthy, to 14.1 innings between the rookie league and High A and AA levels (he is now pitching for AA Tennessee). Brazis has allowed only nine hits and fanned 14 and produced an ERA of 1.26 ERA despite walking eleven.
Last season, Brazis pitched 72.1 innings of relief between the High A and AA levels and allowed only 54 hits and 18 walks while fanning 84 and produced an ERA of 2.36 and WHIP below 1.000.
Brazis attacks hitters with two variations of fastballs, both registering in the low 90’s, a slider and an occasional changeup. He’s allowed only nine homers in 173 career minor league innings.
RHP Stephen Perakslis: A 21st round selection in Team Epstein’s inaugural draft of 2012, Perakslis has been on AA Tennessee’s disabled list with an undisclosed injury for much of the season. In 21.1 innings of relief, he has yielded 18 hits and eight walks while striking out 16 and generating an ERA of 4.22 and WHIP of 1.219.
In 174.2 career innings covering 102 games, all in relief, he has yielded 157 hits (only two homers) and 62 walks while fanning 141 to go with a 3.56 ERA and 1.254 WHIP.
Perakslis, 24, throws two- and four-seam fastballs, the latter of which can reach the mid- to high-90’s. He also incorporates split-finger and cut fastballs into his arsenal and had been experimenting with a knuckle-curveball at the time of his injury.
RHP P.J. Francescon: A 40th round selection in the 2011 draft, Francescon is spending his second full season and third overall with AA Tennessee. Despite outstanding results, the Cubs have yet to promote Francescon, 26, to AAA. The erstwhile starter has pitched 37 games, all in relief, covering 46 innings. He has allowed only 32 hits and 16 walks and struck out 44, all while producing a sparkling ERA of 1.37 and recording 18 saves.
Francescon’s fastball, which he throws consistently in the low 90’s but which peaks in the mid 90’s, has great sinking action. He complements his fastball with a curveball.
RHP Michael Jensen: A 26th round pick in the 2011 draft, Jensen missed all of the 2013 season and recently went on the disabled list for AA Tennessee. Since becoming a full-time relief pitcher before the 2014 season, Jensen has excelled. Sporting a low to mid 90’s fastball, above average curveball and workable changeup, Jensen, 24, has produced a 2.23 ERA this season on the heels of a 2.85 ERA last season at the High A level.
In 32.1 innings this year, Jensen has allowed 29 hits and no home runs while walking 16 and fanning 29. While Jensen gives up very few home runs, his 4.5 BB/9 is a metric he will need to improve.
RHP Juan Paniagua: A native of the Dominican Republican, Paniagua joined the Cubs’ organization in 2012. After spending the majority of his first three seasons as a starting pitcher, Paniagua, 25, has blossomed in the bullpen this year. In 20 games covering 38.1 innings for High A Mrytle Beach, he yielded only 25 hits and 11 walks, resulting in an ERA of 2.58 and WHIP below 1.000 and earning the hard-throwing right-hander a promotion to AA.
Admittedly Paniagua’s early results for Tennessee have been underwhelming. He has produced a 6.48 ERA in five games covering 8.1 innings, but he has one of the system’s best arms. His fastball touches the high 90’s, he has a major-league ready changeup and he also throws an effective slider.
Next week, we will profile several of the Cubs’ best pitching prospects at the High A level who are Rule 5 eligible. While major league teams generally do not draft Class A players in the Rule 5 draft, the Cubs will have to decide how protective they want to be with these talented hurlers.