Stock Up, Stock Down for Chicago Cubs Top 10 Prospects for Week 12

With the June draft in the rearview, the Cubs have now turned their attention to signing their picks, though they have yet to come to terms with No. 2 overall pick Kris Bryant.

At the big league level, the team continues to battle the Brewers for a distant fourth place in the NL Central, and while it should be able to avoid another 100-loss campaign, it's nowhere near contention.

The July trade deadline will be a busy time and should lead to even more prospects being brought aboard. For now, here is a look at how the team's current top 10 prospects performed over the past week.

Note: Top prospects according to Baseball America Prospect Handbook

*No. 4 prospect SP Arodys Vizcaino (Tommy John surgery recovery) is currently sidelined and will not be included until he's active.

*No. 9 prospect RP Kyuji Fujikawa is not included since he is currently playing at the major league level.

*No. 11 prospect SP Juan Carlos Paniagua is currently dealing with visa issues, according to Baseball America, and will not be included until he is stateside and playing.

No. 13 Prospect: SP Alberto Cabrera, Double-A Tennessee

2013 Stats

14 GS, 6-3, 3.76 ERA, 32 BB, 81 K, 83.2 IP

Overview

The Cubs have to like what they've seen out of Alberto Cabrera so far this season, as they sent him to Double-A to be stretched out as a starter after pitching as a reliever and reaching Chicago last season.

Five of his last seven starts have been quality starts, and he rebounded nicely from a shellacking on June 6 to post back-to-back strong outings. A call-up to Iowa likely isn't too far off for the 24-year-old.

Last Week's Stats

1 GS, 6 IP, 1 ER, 6 H, 3 BB, 6 K, W

Stock

Up

No. 12 Prospect: 3B Christian Villanueva, Double-A Tennessee

2013 Stats

.259/.323/.424, 20 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR, 33 RBI, 28 R

Overview

After putting up solid numbers every step of the way to this point, Christian Villanueva has struggled at times in his first taste of Double-A action this season.

His 20 doubles are currently tied for the Southern League lead, so there is plenty of power potential there if he can turn some of those into home runs. The 11 strikeouts in 25 at-bats last week is troubling, after he struck out just 51 times in his first 230 at-bats, so hopefully that's not a trend that will continue.

Last Week's Stats

5-for-25, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 3 R, 11 K

Stock

Down

No. 10 Prospect: SS Arismendy Alcantara, Double-A Tennessee

2013 Stats

.284/.358/.474, 17 2B, 2 3B, 10 HR, 33 RBI, 35 R, 19 SB

Overview

A somewhat unheralded prospect entering last season, Arismendy Alcantara hit .302 in a full season at High-A and as a result moved into the Cubs' top prospect picture for the first time this season.

He flashed his impressive mix of power and speed this past week with three extra-base hits and a pair of steals, and he is currently one of just two players in the Southern League (Dodgers' prospect Joc Pederson) with double-digit home runs and steals.

Last Week's Stats

7-for-26, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 3 R, 2 SB

Stock

Even

No. 8 Prospect: 3B Jeimer Candelario, Low-A Kane County

2013 Stats

.254/.339/.365, 20 2B, 3 HR, 24 RBI, 30 R

Overview

After a solid start to the season, Jeimer Candelario has struggled mightily of late, going just 5-for-39 (.128 BA) over the past two weeks for the Cougars.

His often-praised plate discipline has not been there of late, with just four walks and nine strikeouts in his past 10 games. All that said, he's still just 19 years old, so this sort of thing is bound to happen. It's now a matter of seeing how he responds to the adversity and if he can turn things around.

Last Week's Stats

1-for-15, 1 R

Stock

Down

No. 7 Prospect 1B Dan Vogelbach, Low-A Kane County

2013 Stats

.262/.331/.433, 14 2B, 11 HR, 45 RBI, 31 R

Overview 

Dan Vogelbach was a second-round pick in 2011 due almost entirely to his raw power potential, and he backed that up with 21 doubles and 17 home runs in 245 at-bats last season.

The slugger was named as the starting DH in the Midwest League All-Star Game, but he has slumped of late with a .175/.233/.200 line and just one extra-base hit over his past 10 games.

Last Week's Stats

4-for-18, 1 2B

Stock

Down

No. 6 Prospect: SP Pierce Johnson, High-A Daytona (PROMOTED 6/20)

2013 Stats

13 GS, 5-5, 3.10 ERA, 22 BB, 74 K, 69.2 IP at Low-A Kane County

Overview

The Cubs' top pitching prospect with Arodys Vizcaino on the shelf, Pierce Johnson was promoted to High-A Daytona this past week after 13 starts for Low-A Kane County.

The No. 43 pick in last year's draft, Johnson will make his Daytona debut against the Lakeland Flying Tigers on Monday night, as he looks to continue his rapid ascent toward the big leagues.

Last Week's Stats

DNP

Stock

Up

No. 5 Prospect: CF Brett Jackson, Triple-A Iowa

2013 Stats

.223/.300/.367, 7 2B, 3 3B, 6 HR, 23 RBI, 24 R, 7 SB

Overview

The Cubs' top prospect entering last season, according to Baseball America, Brett Jackson is looking more and more like a bust each week. He struck out 217 times last season and has already fanned 77 times in 215 at-bats this year. 

His average has slowly dropped over the past two months, and he has also stopped stealing bases at the rate he used to, as he's just 7-for-12 on stolen base attempts on the season. It will be interesting to see where he's ranked among the team's top prospects when the midseason updates come out, as he could very easily slip out of the top 10.

Last Week's Stats

2-for-14, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 7 K

Stock

Down

No. 3 Prospect: RF Jorge Soler, High-A Daytona

2013 Stats

.281/.343/.467, 13 2B, 1 3B, 8 HR, 35 RBI, 38 R

Overview

So far, Jorge Soler has flashed the impressive raw offensive tools that prompted the Cubs to give him a nine-year, $30 million deal last June, as he has the tools to be a force in the middle of the lineup once he reaches the majors.

The 21-year-old was sidelined with a shin injury last week, and has not played since June 13.

Last Week's Stats

DNP

Stock

Even

No. 2 Prospect: CF Albert Almora, Low-A Kane County

2013 Stats

.361/.388/.509, 8 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 14 RBI, 17 R

Overview

His season didn't start until May 22 as a result of a broken hamate suffered this spring, but Albert Almora has quickly made up for lost time since joining the Cougars lineup.

The No. 6 pick in last year's draft, the 19-year-old as as polished as any high school bat in last year's class and he should bring a little bit of everything to the table once he reaches Chicago. For now, he's gunning for a promotion to High-A Daytona, where he'd join fellow top prospects Javier Baez and Jorge Soler.

Last Week's Stats

2-for-16, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 R

Stock

Down

No. 1 Prospect: SS Javier Baez, High-A Daytona

2013 Stats

.280/.340/.561, 18 2B, 4 3B, 16 HR, 53 RBI, 52 R

Overview

The No. 16 prospect in all of baseball entering the season, according to Baseball America, Javier Baez has justified his ranking as the Cubs top prospect so far this season and could be in line for a call-up to Double-A before too long.

He's been on a power binge over the past two weeks, with seven home runs and 16 RBI, and he has scored a run in seven straight games.

Last Week's Stats

7-for-25, 1 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 7 R

Stock

Up