Stock Up, Stock Down for Chicago Cubs' Top 10 Prospects for Week 7

Over the past several seasons, Cubs fans couldn't help but focus on their farm system, if nothing else to get their minds off of the lackluster product at the major league level. Now that the Cubs are competitive, their minor league system has slipped back into the background.

However, continuing to churn out young talent in the farm system is extremely important, and the Cubs still have a number of talented young players getting ready to move to Chicago.

Here is a list of the team's top 10 prospects and whether or not their stocks are up or down based on their performance in the minor leagues this season. For the sake of clarity, no players who have played at the major league level will be included and MLB.com's prospect rankings are used for the top 10 list.

All statistics used are provided by Baseball-Reference.

10. SS Gleyber Torres: Stock Up

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Minor League Level: Single-A (South Bend)

Age: 18

As if the Cubs didn't have enough shortstop prospects, Gleyber Torres is turning into a very solid prospect in addition to the trio the team already has. He reached Low-A ball as a 17-year-old and crushed the ball in limited time there.

This season, he has been even more impressive at Single-A South Bend, as he's proven last year wasn't an anomaly. 

2015 Numbers:

XBH	RBI	BA	OBP	SB
10	23	.338	.423	8

Torres is driving the ball to all fields and is finding ways to drive in runs. He also has enough speed to steal 30-40 bases a season. He may be flying under the radar now, but if he keeps playing the way he is, Cubs fans are going to know his name before too long.

9. RHP Jen-Ho Tseng: Stock Down

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Minor League Level: High-A (Myrtle Beach)

Age: 20

Jen-Ho Tseng was a huge surprise for the Cubs last year, going 6-1 with a 2.40 ERA and putting together one of the more impressive minor league campaigns in the organization at age 19. This year, however, has been a different story.

2015 Numbers:

W	L	ERA	WHIP	K	BB
1	1	5.14	1.381	11	7

A big reason Tseng has struggled this season is that his command hasn't been what it was last year. He struck out 85 while walking just 15 last season. He's already about halfway to that walk number this year, while he's just over an eighth of the way to his strikeout rate.

Tseng is young and is going to take his lumps, so there's plenty of time for him to regain his form. What fans are learning this year, though, is that he's not going to just fly through the minor leagues on his way to Chicago.

8. 3B Jeimer Candelario: Stock Even

Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press

Minor League Level: High-A (Myrtle Beach)

Age: 21

Jeimer Candelario is another minor-leaguer flying under the radar for the Cubs, but he continues to string together solid seasons in A-ball. He's been in the Cubs' system since he was 17 years old, and the organization has molded him in that time. 

This season, he has continued his success, but hasn't quite taken the next step yet. If he can start hitting for a bit more power, he should be moved up to Double-A by the end of this season.

2015 Numbers:

XBH	RBI	BA	OBP	SB
13	12	.280	.324	0

Candelario is putting good wood on the ball the majority of the time, but he's not finding ways to drive in runs so far this season. A lot of that has to do with coming up with RBI opportunities, but he needs to show the ability to drive in runs more consistently. 

7. C Victor Caratini: Stock Down

Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press/Associated Press

Minor League Level: High-A (Myrtle Beach)

Age: 21

Victor Caratini was acquired from the Braves to give the organization more catching depth, and he performed decently at Single-A for both organizations. Unfortunately for the Cubs, he hasn't even approached decent this season.

He has shown a lot of patience at the plate, walking 10 times compared to just 13 strikeouts, but he's just not making contact enough.

2015 Numbers:

XBH	RBI	BA	OBP	SB
4	13	.198	.291	0

While Caratini hasn't been good against any pitching, he really can't hit lefties. This season, he's just 2-for-23 against south paws, which isn't going to cut it. If he can't figure out left-handed pitching, he may never advance in the minor leagues.

6. 1B Dan Vogelbach: Stock Up

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Minor League Level: Double-A (Tennessee)

Age: 22

Dan Vogelbach has steadily improved over the last several seasons for the Cubs, and he's suddenly looking like one of their best hitting prospects. His patient plate approach and ability to drive the ball to all fields makes him a very real major league prospect.

Since he's a big guy (listed at 6' 0" and 250 lbs.) and only plays first base, he makes sense as trade bait for the Cubs as an American League team could be interested in using him as a designated hitter.

2015 Numbers:

XBH	RBI	BA	OBP	SB
16	22	.344	.464	0

At Double-A, where pitching is generally considered the toughest in minor league ball, Vogelbach has knocked the cover off the ball. If the team can't trade him, they may have to find a spot for him by next season, because he's looking like a major league hitter so far this year.

5. RHP Pierce Johnson: Stock Even

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

Minor League Level: Double-A (Tennessee)

Age: 24

Pierce Johnson was one of the more impressive minor league pitchers for the Cubs last season, going 5-5 with a 2.54 ERA combined between Single-A and Double-A. He did strain a lat muscle in spring training, though, and hasn't pitched yet this year.

Since he's already 24 and hasn't even reached Triple-A, one has to question if and when Johnson will get the call to the big leagues. The Cubs could use the pitching depth, but if he can't stay on the field, Johnson may not be the one to provide that depth.

4. RF/LF Billy McKinney: Stock Up

Ben Margot/Associated Press

Minor League Level: Double-A (Tennessee)

Age: 20

Billy McKinney is often the forgotten "other player" the Cubs acquired when they traded pitcher Jeff Samardzija and got Addison Russell in return. He shouldn't be looked at as that, though, because he looks to be only a year away from being major league ready at just 21 years old. 

He provides a left-handed power bat to the outfield and with players like Chris Coghlan and Matt Szczur struggling, he could take over a starting spot if he stays hot.

2015 Numbers: 

XBH	RBI	BA	OBP	SB
6	27	.342	.429	0

McKinney already earned a promotion from High-A ball to Double-A this season, and that's because he's proving he can handle pitching at every level. With his ability to drive in runs and continue hitting for a high average, McKinney could be playing at Wrigley Field by next season.

3. C Kyle Schwarber: Stock Up

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Minor League Level: Double-A (Tennessee)

Age: 22

Kyle Schwarber is tearing through the minor leagues as quickly as Kris Bryant did (not sure if you've heard, but that guy is pretty good), and he could be as good a big league hitter as Bryant has been so far. He's that good.

What could make Schwarber even more valuable is the fact that he's a left-handed power bat. Even though there's a logjam at the catching position (Schwarber could also be moved to outfield), the team may have to find a spot for him by next season if he continues his torrid pace.

2015 Numbers:

XBH	RBI	BA	OBP	SB
16	23	.333	.448	0

When the Cubs decided to take Schwarber rather than a pitcher last season, they followed their trend of taking the best hitter rather than pitcher available as it is an organizational philosophy that it's easier to groom hitting talent and acquire pitching talent.

So far in his brief minor league career, Schwarber has proven he has superstar ability. Now he just has to stay the course and he will be in Chicago before too long.

2. RHP C.J. Edwards: Stock Even

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Minor League Level: Double-A (Tennessee)

Age: 23

C.J. Edwards was the prize of the Matt Garza trade the Cubs made with the Rangers a few years ago, but he hasn't been able to take that next big step to get him to the major league level. While he's not going to be an ace at the big league level in all likelihood, he does have the chance to give the rotation much needed depth.

So far this season, Edwards has been up and down. He needs to find more consistency in order to move up to Triple-A.

2015 Numbers:

W	L	ERA	WHIP	K	BB
2	2	3.57	1.302	27	12

Edwards' command has been there, posting a strikeout-to-walk ratio of better than 2:1 that has allowed him to overcome allowing nearly a base runner and a half per inning. Something has to give. He has to stop allowing base runners so consistently or his command could lessen and get him into trouble.

Whichever of those trends wins out will determine how much success he has in his career.

1. CF Albert Almora: Stock Up

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Minor League Level: Double-A (Tennessee)

Age: 21

Albert Almora really struggled last season across High-A and Double-A, posting a .270 batting average while hitting for decent power. This season, he has turned things around and is once again looking like the top prospect he has been for the Cubs for several years.

2015 Numbers: 

XBH	RBI	BA	OBP	SB
6	11	.292	.333	2

Almora's power still isn't quite there, but it's encouraging that his average is back up to where it should be. As a stellar centerfielder, he's likely to play there if and when he gets to Chicago, but where he will bat in the lineup is a question mark.

Most of the time, centerfielders are speedy, leadoff type players, but Almora doesn't have great speed and he also doesn't draw a lot of walks. His skill set looks like it could play best into the No. 7 spot in the order down the road.

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