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Cubs Sign Eloy Jimenez

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The Cubs announced the signing of Eloy Jimenez, who was rated as the top international prospect in this year's July 2nd class  by both Baseball America and MLB.com.  The two sides first reached agreement on a deal on July 3rd and formalized things nearly a month later.

The deal is worth $2.8MM bonus as well as a $250K college scholarship, according to Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com.  That's a signficant payday for a 16-year-old, but he actually turned down an even more lucrative offer to sign with the Cubs (Twitter link).  The Cubs got a lot done on the international market, signing Jimenez, Gleyber Torres ($1.7MM), Jen-Ho Tseng ($1.625MM), Jefferson Mejia ($850K), and Erling Moreno ($800K). In total, the Cubs spent $7.895MM on int'l free agents.

As Steve Adams explained in his analysis of the Cubs' international expenditures, the Cubs have gone far over their alotted bonus pool.  The Cubs will likely face the maximum penalties for international spending next summer, which means that they won't be able to give any player more than $250K in 2014=15.  They'll also have to pay a 100% tax on the overage.

The outfielder is 6'4" and 200 pounds, and Baseball America's Ben Badler says that his average raw power and flat swing produce line drives — a combination that could lead to above-average home run power in the future. MLB.com raved about Jimenez in their Top 30:

"Considered the crown jewel of the Class of 2013, Jimenez has one of the best baseball bodies available this year and is considered to be the total package. The teenager has impressed scouts with his intelligence, plus-speed, and gap-to-gap power that is expected to improve as he grows into his body."

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Cubs Notes: Samardzija, DeJesus, Schierholtz

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Though the Cubs listened to offers for Jeff Samardzija at the deadline, they "never came close with any deal," GM Jed Hoyer reveals in a report by Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com. However, the club plans to explore a contract extension for their right-hander this winter, with Hoyer ranking it "very high" on the Cubs' priority list. MLBTR's Tim Dierkes examined the cost of locking up Samardzija earlier this week, placing the floor of such a deal in the range of the five-year, $55MM extension Matt Harrison inked with the Rangers this winter. More Thursday night Cubs links:

  • The Cubs are likely to actively pursue trading Samardzija if they're unable to agree on an extension this winter, instead of merely listening, as they did this year, Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune reports. That matches an earlier report from Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. The team is also expected to pick up David DeJesus' $6.5 million option, Sullivan says.
  • DeJesus drew interest at the deadline, as did fellow outfielder Nate Schierholtz and pitcher James Russell, sources tell Jesse Rogers of ESPNChicago.com. "We thought we had a high but not unreasonably high price on some of the guys, but a lot of the guys we were being asked about we control going forward," Hoyer said, referencing DeJesus, Schierholtz and Russell. "In some ways it makes our winter potentially easier." The Northsiders have a say in where each of those players ends up next year, Rogers notes.
  • The Cubs have had preliminary discussions on who they may end up placing on waivers with an eye toward an August deal, Hoyer says in an article by Carrie Muskat of MLB.com. However, the executive added that he believes teams with specific holes to fill were able to do so by putting together deals before the deadline.
"In some ways it makes our winter potentially easier."

Prospect Rumor Roundup: Elite Shortstops

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Is this the beginning of a new era for shortstops?

Four publications — Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus (subscription required), Keith Law at ESPN (subscription required), and FanGraphs (compiled by yours truly) — recently released their midseason Top 50 prospects lists. The rankings featured as many as eight elite shortstop prospects. That position is widely considered to be the most important (non-pitcher) spot on the baseball field and those potential star athletes are highly-sought-after commodities on the open market, through trades and via the draft.

Of those eight prospects featured on the four lists, five of the players are found in American League organizations, suggesting we may be soon entering another Era of the Shortstop, similar to what we experienced in the early 2000s with the likes of Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Nomar Garciaparra, and Miguel Tejada in the AL.

Let's have a closer look at those eight shortstop prospects… 

1. Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox: Bogaerts was the highest ranked shortstop on all four lists. Boston is clearly planning for the day that the Aruba native is ready to contribute at the big league level as they recently had him playing games at the hot corner — an area of weakness for the playoff hungry club. However, the recent trade of Jose Iglesias, as well as the pending free agency of veteran Stephen Drew, should provide a clear path to the Major League shortstop job for Bogaerts, who has more than held his own at the Triple-A level.

2. Francisco Lindor, Indians: Just 19, Cleveland's top shortstop prospect earned a mid-season promotion from High-A to Double-A after a strong showing both in the field and at the plate. Veteran incumbent Asdrubal Cabrera's uninspired 2013 season could help convince the front office that his time with the organization is coming to an end. Lindor, who is only in his third professional season, could be ready for the Majors by the middle of 2014. He could develop into a perennial Gold Glove winner at shortstop. 

3. Carlos Correa, Astros: The first overall pick in the 2012 amateur draft, Correa has produced above-average offensive numbers in Low-A ball despite being just 18 years of age. The Puerto Rico native has shown a natural hitting ability, but he has yet to tap into his raw power. There are concerns that he'll eventually outgrow shortstop, but he should have the offensive chops to be an above-average player at just about any position on the field.

4. Javier Baez, Cubs: Baez has arguably the best raw power out of any player on this list, and he already has 27 home runs in 98 games this year. Like Lindor (a fellow 2011 first-round draft pick), he's already reached Double-A. Unlike the Indians prospect, though, his offensive game is raw. He has a very aggressive approach at the plate, which has resulted in just 29 walks with 111 strikeouts in 391 at-bats. As is the case with Correa, there has been some talk of moving Baez to third base. However, with fellow prospect Mike Olt (recently acquired from the Rangers) – a plus defender at the hot corner —  that move doesn't make a ton of sense now. He could also move out to right field, but the Cubs organization features a lot of depth in that area. If and when everything clicks for Baez, though, Chicago will certainly find a spot for him.

5. Addison Russell, Athletics: Russell, a 2012 first-rounder, burst onto the prospect landscape in a big way last season. His strong play earned him an aggressive assignment to High-A ball to open the 2013 season despite being just 19 years old. He struggled in the first two months of the season but has posted an OPS near 1.000 during the past two months. Russell probably won't be ready until 2015, so current big league shortstop Jed Lowrie likely has one more season of job security before he finds himself at another position or on another club.

6. Alen Hanson, Pirates: The emergence of Jordy Mercer has added some middle infield stability at the big league level for the Pirates but he's not likely to be the long-term answer at shortstop. Hanson, 20, is the best in-house option to eventually take over the position — although his name has popped up more than a few times in recent trade rumors. After a strong showing in High-A ball, the Dominican native was recently promoted to Double-A. The switch-hitter has shown the ability to steal 20-30 bases with solid line-drive pop. 

7. Raul Mondesi, Royals: Previously known as Adalberto Mondesi, this shortstop prospect is one of the youngest players in full-season ball, having just recently turned 18. His inexperience has shown in 2013, and he walked just four times in May and June. His raw ability is undeniable, though, and he's made adjustments with a strong month of July — including 13 walks and his highest monthly OPS of the year at .817.   

8. Corey Seager, Dodgers: Seager — whose brother Kyle Seager plays for the Mariners — is perhaps the most underrated shortstop on this list. The teenager has enjoyed his time in the Midwest League, and he's been on fire over the summer months with an OPS approaching 1.000. He's also slugged eight of his 11 home runs in June and July. Like Correa, Seager is expected to outgrow shortstop but he's shown enough skill at the position to suggest he may be able to stick there for a few more years. He's likely at least two seasons away from reaching Los Angeles. 

July Trade Recap: NL Central

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With three of the league's best teams at the top of its standings and two of the worst at the bottom, the National League's Central division was certainly worth keeping a close eye on. Let's see what ultimately transpired as we continue to look back at baseball's just-completed July trade season …

Brewers

Cardinals

Cubs

Pirates

  • Acquired infielder/outfielder Russ Canzler from the Orioles in exchange for right-hander Tim Alderson. 
  • Acquired infielder Robert Andino from the Mariners in exchange for a player to be named later. (This deal occurred after the expiration of the non-waiver trade period.)

Reds

Synopsis

What stands out from even a glance at the list above is, of course, the degree to which the Cubs outpaced the remainder of baseball in shedding veterans. Setting aside the unique Guerrier-Marmol swap, the Cubs put together four deals that shed salary and brought in young talent. While each deal was very different in the nature of the return, the net benefit to the organization is undeniable given its current makeup. Of course, the Cubbies failed to offload a series of other veterans that seemed primed to change hands, including outfielders David DeJesus and Nate Schierholtz (under team control next year), reliever Kevin Gregg, and catcher Dioner Navarro. Somewhat less surprisingly, Chicago decided to hold onto two younger, cost-controlled pitchers that had been mentioned in rumors in James Russell and Jeff Samardzija.

The other obvious seller of the division, the Brewers, scored last year's biggest heist by snatching shortstop Jean Segura from the Angels for a few months of Zack Greinke. This year, they managed to pull off only one deal, due in part to the fact that some potential high-salary trade chips (Yovani Gallardo, Aramis Ramirez, and Corey Hart, in particular) were not movable due to performance and/or injury issues. However, with other relievers staying put or going for a modest price, Milwaukee seems to have done well to pick up Delmonico. The youngster entered the season as the O's fourth-ranked prospect (per Baseball America) and was hitting .243/.350/.469 with thirteen home runs and five stolen bases at High-A as a 20-year-old. Rodriguez was of no use to the Brewers for the rest of this season, cost them virtually nothing to sign, and was set to become a free agent. The lesson from the Cubs and Brewers seems to be that striking early paid dividends for sellers this year.

While budget, history, and performance kept down expectations of major moves from the remainder of the division, it seems odd that the Bucs, Cards, and Redlegs all failed to make even a supplemental addition. (In the case of the Cardinals, the team actually saw a net outflow of players with big league chops.) To be sure, the prospects of St. Louis upgrading at shortstop or adding a veteran starter always seemed to be a matter of GM John Mozeliak unearthing value in a tight market. And the Reds do not have any glaring holes that lack internal answers. But for a Pirates team that possesses the best record in baseball, a highly regarded farm, and an ongoing lineup hole out in right field, the lack of any substantial acquisition is surprising. Looking at the division as a whole, an awful lot of major league talent left, and virtually none came back.

Cardinals Made Offer To Kelly Shoppach

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5:55pm: Unable to work out a trade for a catcher, the Cardinals have made an offer to free agent Kelly Shoppach, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (on Twitter). Shoppach opted out of his minor league deal with the Nationals earlier today.

2:52pm: The two sides have been unable to agree on a price, and the Cardinals' pursuit has slowed, tweets Rosenthal.

1:59pm: The Cardinals are in discussions with the Cubs to acquire Navarro, a source tells Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter).

1:33pm: Sources say that a deal sending Dioner Navarro from the Cubs to the Cardinals is "possible" but not close, tweets Jayson Stark of ESPN.com (via Twitter).

12:08pm: The Cardinals are looking for catching with starter Yadier Molina likely to hit the DL with a knee injury, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, contrary to previous info he received.  The Cardinals are concerned that Molina could miss a significant stretch of time to heal up, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

The Cardinals are gauging their options and how they can proceed once they know how long Molina will be sidelined for, Goold writes.  The Cardinals have spent the past few weeks exploring deals for starting pitchers, relievers, and shortstops, but they have yet to explore deals for catchers.  The catching market could include the Phillies' Carlos Ruiz and the Cubs' Dioner Navarro and Goold points that Miguel Olivo is a free agent after walking away from the Marlins. 

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Schierholtz Staying With Cubs

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29-year-old Cubs right fielder Nate Schierholtz is one of the better bats on the trade market.  He deserves credit for his strong work this year against right-handed pitching, but it's also a weak market for bats.  Schierholtz is under team control for 2014 as an arbitration eligible player, and MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz suggests a salary in the $4.2MM range.  33-year-old center fielder David DeJesus is another candidate to be moved today; he comes with a $6.5MM club option for 2014.  DeJesus recently returned from a shoulder sprain. The latest on that pair as well as the Cubs' other trade chips…

Earlier Cubs Updates

Cubs Won’t Trade Samardzija

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The Cubs have determined they aren't going to get the required blockbuster package for righty Jeff Samardzija, writes Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. Heyman echoes a weekend report from Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times that stated the Cubs will once again try to extend Samardzija this winter.  Should that fail, "a trade will become much more likely," according to Heyman.

Samardzija, 28, has a 3.75 ERA, 9.1 K/9, 3.4 BB/9, 0.94 HR/9, and 48.5% groundball rate in 144 innings this year.  Those are solid numbers, and he has the repertoire of an ace, but so far Samardzija's control hasn't taken a leap forward as it appeared earlier this season (in fact, it's been worse than last year).  The Cubs control Samardzija for two more years after 2013.

For his part, Samardzija told Wittenmyer that he's content to let his performance dictate his earnings: “My numbers and what I do on the field will, I guess, implicate myself in a way. And that’s all I want. Just to win.” Samardzija added that he's been reluctant to discuss long-term value to this point due to his limited big league experience as a starter.

In my opinion, Samardzija's floor would be the five-year, $55MM deal signed by Matt Harrison in January this year, with the possibility of aiming for the five-year, $80MM range deals signed by Felix Hernandez and Justin Verlander before the 2010 campaign.  Though Samardzija doesn't have the Cy Young votes or career innings those aces did at the time, four years will have passed since they set the bar for starting pitchers in the four-to-five service class.  Good pitchers with four years service rarely avoid multiyear extensions to that point, but Samardzija signed a $10MM deal out of the draft and has earned more than $15MM in total, perhaps reducing his willingness to choose the financial security of a team-friendly pact.

Cubs Notes: Schierholtz, Russell, Gregg, Villanueva

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The Cubs have plenty of trade chips remaining, but time is running out to deal them as tomorrow's 4pm ET deadline looms. Here's the latest…

  • The Pirates remain interested in Nate Schierholtz, writes Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com. Concerns surrounding his shoulder cause the Bucs to switch gears to Alex Rios a few weeks back, but Schierholtz has demonstrated his health with strong play of late. Earlier today, Buster Olney of ESPN tweeted that Schierholtz is likely to be traded.
  • Levine also reports that James Russell was nearly acquired by the Braves last week, and he's now drawing interest from the Reds. The Braves have since acquired Scott Downs to fill the left-handed void in their bullpen.  Russell had a rough outing in the first game of today's doubleheader, allowing a three-run home run to Khris Davis plus two other hits and a free pass.
  • Schierholtz and Kevin Gregg are the two Cubs most likely to be dealt prior to tomorrow's deadline, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Time reports. The Pirates and Tigers are scouting the Cubs' series with the Brewers, with the Bucs looking for outfield help and the Tigers on the hunt for bullpen help.
  • The Blue Jays have also been scouting the Cubs for the past week, according to Wittenmyer, but that's likely because they're looking to add pieces for 2014.
  • Wittenmyer adds that Carlos Villanueva isn't likely to be traded, as the Cubs value his versatility and cheap contract as they look to shuffle the roster again in 2014.

Angels, Padres Eyeing Ian Kennedy

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5:53pm: Arizona's main motivation in moving Kennedy would be to free up some cash to accommodate Jake Peavy's contract, writes Danny Knobler of CBS Sports (which meshes with reports from earlier today). Jack Magruder of FOX Sports Arizona was told by an Angels source that there's no match for Kennedy a few days ago, though he notes how quickly that line of thinking can change (Twitter link).

MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez spoke with a scout from an NL West team who said that Kennedy's stuff is still good. The Halos like Kennedy as a buy-low candidate, according to Gonzalez.

It seems odd that the Diamondbacks would be motivated to move Kennedy's remaining $1.4MM, though they could be focusing more on ways to fit Peavy's 2014 salary into the payroll. Despite his poor season, Kennedy would earn a raise on his $4.27MM salary next year, so clearing him from the books would be a more significant benefit in that sense. Arizona is also reportedly shopping Jason Kubel, who is owed roughly $2.7MM for the remainder of the season.

4:49pm: Earlier today, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports wrote that the Angels could be interested in landing D'Backs right-hander Ian Kennedy, as Halos GM Jerry Dipoto is a former Diamondbacks executive who is very familiar with Kennedy. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports now tweets that the Angels are "hopeful" of landing Kennedy, whom the D'Backs have been shopping recently. Steve Gilbert of MLB.com adds that the Padres are also interested in Kennedy (Twitter link), and Buster Olney of ESPN lists the Cubs as a potential landing place as well (on Twitter).

Kennedy, 28, is a buy-low candidate in the midst of his worst full season at the Major League level. Through 119 innings for the D'Backs, he has a 5.22 ERA with 7.6 K/9, 3.4 BB/9 and a 36.2 percent ground-ball rate. Each of those represents the worst full-season mark of Kennedy's career. Kennedy is owed roughly $1.4MM over the remainder of the season and can be controlled through 2015 as an arbitration-eligible player.

Stark On Howie Kendrick, Cubs, D’Backs

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ESPN's Jayson Stark begins his latest column with a look at the Biogenesis situation.  As Joel Sherman of the New York Post first reported, suspension announcements are not expected today.  Sherman expects the announcements to come Thursday or Friday.  In Stark's opinion, the Rangers are acting like a team that knows what Nelson Cruz will do if suspended, in that their aggressive search for a bat suggests he might serve a suspension now to preserve his free agent value.  Meanwhile, the Tigers' lack of pursuit of a backup plan to shortstop Jhonny Peralta suggests he'll appeal.  Elsewhere in Stark's column:

  • The Dodgers and Angels, who haven't made a trade in 20 years, had a "mostly casual conversation" regarding Halos second baseman Howie Kendrick.  There are no indications a deal is in the works.
  • The Angels are at least listening on infielders Kendrick, Erick Aybar, and Alberto Callaspo, and seeking high quality big league ready pitching in return.
  • The Cubs could move Kevin Gregg and Nate Schierholtz, but are extremely unlikely to trade lefty reliever James Russell and there's just about zero chance of a Jeff Samardzija trade.
  • Pitchers Ian Kennedy and J.J. Putz of the Diamondbacks and Kyle Farnsworth of the Rays "have suddenly been made available."  Trading Kennedy would allow Arizona to clear around $1.4MM toward another move.  Are they that hard up for cash?
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