Kris Bryant Signing Gives Chicago Cubs One Of The Best Farm Systems In All Of Baseball


David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Kris Bryant, the Chicago Cubs 2013 first-round pick (second overall), is reportedly ready to sign.

It appears that he will get a signing bonus around the slot value of $6.7 million, which will be the biggest signing bonus since the new collective bargaining agreement was put in to place. Bryant is an elite power-hitting prospect from the University of San Diego. Last season, he hit 31 home runs in only 62 games. Those 31 homers were 10 more than the next closest D-I hitter.

Bryant has incredible raw power and will be a welcome addition to the Cubs’ farm system.

Bryant joins an already impressive group of prospects in the Cubs’ organization. Their “big four” includes Bryant, shortstop Javier Baez and outfielders Albert Almora and Jorge Soler. These four are elite level prospects that have big-time potential and will routinely be ranked very high on top prospects lists.

Other Cubs’ prospects that will be considered for top 100 lists include SS Arismendy Alcantara, RHP Pierce Johnson and 1B Dan Vogelbach.

While the Cubs are stacked when it comes to position player prospects, they are lacking in the pitching department. Johnson and Paul Blackburn are both intriguing pitchers, but the Cubs must build more pitching depth in their minor league system.

Chicago will probably be able to add some pitching prospects at the upcoming trade deadline. The Cubs are obvious sellers and guys like Matt Garza, Alfonso Soriano and Kevin Gregg are likely to be traded for pitching prospects.

Even with their lack of arms, I think the Cubs now have a top-three minor league system in all of baseball. They have a ton of high-upside bats and are starting to become very deep at many different positions. The Minnesota Twins, with their dynamic duo of Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano, are the top system in baseball in my eyes, and either the Cubs or St. Louis Cardinals would be next.

Obviously, not all prospects work out. For every Mike Trout or Matt Harvey, there are hundreds of guys that will never sniff the big leagues. With that being said, Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer are doing a great job stockpiling some serious young talent.

Stay patient, Cubs fans, the future is starting to look extremely bright.

Daniel is a Chicago Cubs writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @D_Schmelzer and add him to your network on Google.


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