ESPN Insider Keith Law released his "Top 20 Impact Prospects for 2015" on Tuesday and had two Chicago Cubs atop the list. However, this comes as no surprise since Law ranked the Cubs' farm system the best in the MLB earlier this offseason.
Third baseman Kris Bryant was ranked No. 1 and he was followed by outfielder Jorge Soler. The two were teammates at Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa for some time in 2014, but Soler was called up to the Cubs' roster while Bryant remained in the minors due to service time considerations. The two should be teammates on the Cubs' roster for most of 2015 if all goes as planned for Chicago.
Soler, 23, began last season in the Cubs' rookie league (eight games) before he moved up to Double-A Tennessee (22 games), Triple-A Iowa (32 games) and the MLB roster (24 games). In the minors, Soler slashed .340/.432/.700/1.132 with 42 runs scored, 15 home runs and 57 RBIs. He also impressed at the major league level during his stint with the Cubs and batted .292/.330/.573/.903 with 11 runs scored, five home runs and 20 RBIs, despite striking out 24 times in 97 plate appearances.
Here's what Law had to say about him in regards to the upcoming season:
"Soler hit the majors like he was fusing deuterium and tritium nuclei, but it lasted only about a week before he discovered the travails of a hitter facing the major league strike zone. His hands are explosive, and he's a more disciplined hitter than the raw strikeout rate he had with the Cubs last year might indicate. He should have 25 homers in him this year, but with a modest OBP and average to above-average defense in right."
On the other hand, the 23-year-old Bryant was named Minor League Player of the Year after leading all levels with 43 home runs. He began the year at Double-A Tennessee, where he spent 68 games and was then promoted to Triple-A Iowa for 70 games to finish the season. The former second overall pick batted .325/.438/.661/1.098 with 118 runs scored, 43 homers, 110 RBIs and 15 stolen bases in 138 games. It's likely Bryant begins 2015 in the minors, but he's expected to contribute immediately.
"Bryant probably won't head north with the Cubs on April 5, but he'll be at Wrigley Field maybe two weeks later as the Cubs look to push off his eventual free agency by a year," writes Law. "He's my pick right now to win NL Rookie of the Year, likely to hit 20-plus homers and get on base at a strong clip even with a strikeout rate that will probably top 25 percent."
Manager Joe Maddon and co. are probably thrilled to work with such promising talent. We'll see how they progress throughout the season.
