Top Prospect Run Down: Chicago Cubs Edition

Part One of my inside look at your favorite team's top prospects.

We're starting out with my favorite team, the Chicago Cubs.

#1. Josh Vitters 3B

Strength: Hitting

Weakness: Defense

Josh Vitters was the third overall pick in the 2007 MLB Draft. Vitters' strength is definitely his hitting skills—he is a very polished hitter, and has the ability to hit for both power and average effectively. Vitters is not very fast and is not a very good defender at 3B, but that could always translate into a move to a corner outfield spot. All in all, his ability to hit should bring him up through the minors fairly quickly.

#2 Geovany Soto C

Strength: Good, patient hitter

Weakness: Likes to hit for power

Geovany Soto is the new catcher for the Chicago Cubs in 2008, but he is still considered a rookie. Soto is a good hitter to all fields, hits for power, and calls a good game. Soto played 110 games with the Iowa Cubs (triple-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs), and ended the season with a .353 batting average, 26 home runs, 109 RBIs, 53 walks, .424 OBP, and a 1.076 OPS.

Soto does strike out a lot. He K'd 94 times last year, that is why his eagerness to hit for power is a weakness. Once Soto hits the majors, he should rank among the top catchers in the National League.

#3 Tyler Colvin CF

Strength: Hitting for average

Weakness: Felix Pie 

Another Cubs first-rounder has made the list—Tyler Colvin, who was the 13th pick in the 2006 MLB Draft.

Colvin has a great ability to hit for average and is developing his ability to hit for power. He is solid defensively but isn't anything special with the glove. Colvin's speed is above average—he has the ability to stretch a hit into the gap, but is not a huge threat to steal. The only thing that is keeping Colvin out of the majors is Felix Pie.

#4 Sean Gallagher P

Strength: Smart pitching

Weakness: His stuff isn't that great

Sean Gallagher, drafted in the 12th round of the 2004 MLB Draft, is taking advantage of every opportunity he gets. Gallagher knows how to pitch, he mixes his pitches well, effectively changes speeds, and is not afraid to pitch inside. But Gallagher does not have over-powering heat or breaking pitches. Only his sinker and his curve rank above average.

#5 Jose Ceda P

Strength: Fastball

Weakness: Control

Jose Ceda was acquired in the deal that sent Todd Walker to the San Diego Padres, and it looks like the Cubs made a steal. Jose has an electric fastball and is very effective coming out of the bullpen. He does have control problems at times and his fastball does not move very much. Ceda can be a the closer of the future for the Cubs, but he needs some time to develop his raw talent.

#6 Donald Veal P

Strength: Pitches

Weakness: Does not pitch smart

Veal was a top-three prospect with the Cubs before having a sub par year. This does not change the fact that his stuff is still overwhelming. But Veal does not pitch intelligently; he triess to miss bats instead of trying to beat the hitter with a good approach. Veal also sometimes struggles with control.

#7 Eric Patterson 2B/OF

Strength: Complete player

Weakness:  Attitude

Eric Patterson has all the tools to make him an everyday major league player, speed, hitting, patience at the plate, and solid power. Only a few things keep him from succeeding.

One is attitude. Patterson does not seem to care at times, and his play suffers visibly. Another is the development of his swing—his swing is not to the point were it should be at this point in his career, and he needs to make strides this year in that respect.

#8 Jeff Samardzija 

Strength: Powerful arsenal

Weakness: Lack of experience

Samardzija was the Cubs' fifth-round pick in the 2006 MLB Draft, dropping that far because of speculation that he would enter the NFL. Samardzija has great stuff, a power sinker that ranges from 91-94, a power fastball, a good slider, a loopy curve, a changeup that is steadily getting better, and a newly acquired splitter.

But Samardzija does not have much experience. He is now 23, and just completed his first season of professional baseball.

#9 Kevin Hart

Strength:  Classic power pitcher

Weakness: Ability to repeat his numbers

Hart was acquired from Baltimore for Freddy Bynum, and it looks like the Cubs once again got the better end of the deal. Hart, now 26, is progressing as a pitcher and looks to be in the mix for the fifth spot in the Cubs rotation. Hart combines his great fastball with a good sinker, a solid slider, and his cutter. But he is aging, and has generated speculation about whether he can keep up his stats at the Major League level.

#10 Tony Thomas Jr.

Strength: Great offensively

Weakness: Terrible defensively

Thomas has a great bat, he walks a lot, and can steal bases. The only thing standing in his way is his defense. He can't find his glove anywhere on the field. But coming back to his hitting skills—Thomas ended his last year with the Florida State Seminoles with a .430 batting average, 31 stolen bases, 11 home runs, 33 doubles, 91 runs scored, and a 1.255 OPS.