RealGM

http://peoria.chiefs.milb.com/milb/stat ... pid=519388

.356/.392/.633

13 HR, 34 RBI

Looks like he will be a big mover in next years top prospect lists... Could be a top 15 guy if he continues to hit.

edit - missed sticky, but this is one of the few prospects in the sad system that deserves his own thread.

He definitely deserves his own thread.

He's not walking much, but it's not his fault. The guy can get to almost any ball, kind of like Vlad Guerrero. Just insane plate coverage. As he moves up to more advanced levels, he'll need to be a little more patient.

Yeah, I think he'd be a Top 15 prospect if the season ended today. He has an outside chance at Top 10 if he keeps improving. Thinking about hitters in the minors, I'd put Justin Smoak and Jason Heyward ahead of him. Mike Stanton and Buster Posey too. But no one else.

If he stays at Peoria for a bit I'll try to catch a game later this year at Kane County.

The timing of when he'll be ready to play everyday should coincide nicely with the end of Ramirez's contract.

CR Reina wrote:The timing of when he'll be ready to play everyday should coincide nicely with the end of Ramirez's contract.

Speaking of that:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/ch ... 3516.story

While seeking a replacement for injured third baseman Aramis Ramirez, Lou Piniella recently brought up the name Josh Vitters.

Piniella knew the 19-year-old prospect wasn't at all ready, and that the idea of calling someone up from Class-A Peoria to replace Ramirez was inconceivable anyway.

But if the Cubs are right, Vitters is the third baseman of the future and should be ready to take over when Ramirez's contract ends after 2012.

The Cubs have gone down this road before, of course, as evidenced by the comet-like plunges of Corey Patterson and Felix Pie after excelling at the minor league level.