Lance Rymel – picture by Todd Johnson

Last week was an exciting week with prospect lists from Keith Law and Kylie McDaniel. In addition, the Cubs dropped their coaching and managerial assignments. So there’s been a lot going on. But today we’re getting back to answering some of your questions. We have just about 20 of them left to go.

So let’s get to your queries.

Future Skipper

Jeff On Life @655@jeffonlife asked “Which coach(es) in the Cubs org do you think have the greatest chance at ML Mgr considerations in the near future? Thank you for the invitation for questions!”

Both my money and your money should be bet on Lance Rymel, who was the skipper last year in South Bend. He won the Midwest League title last year and also won the Arizona Fall League Championship in 2021 as skipper of the Mesa Solar Sox. He also did a great job managing the Cubs Complex League team that same summer. I’ve never really sat down with Lance but I talked to him from time-to-time throughout last year. What I liked about his managerial style was that he was always calm, cool, and collected. He never got too high, he never got too low. I am pretty sure he never raised in voice in anger once. He was pretty levelheaded every day of the week. He is still learning his craft, but what he brings to the ball park is setting a culture for the players to have both fun and work. But there’s a rhythm in the science to how Rymel manages and it is putting players in a position to succeed at any given moment. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t. But he’s also the kind of guy who can delegate decisions in development to his coaches. For him, coaching is just as much a team sport as playing the game was for him.

2-for-1 on Next Year’s Mervis

John Cotner@johnybuilt asked “I would like to hear your speculation on predicting a surprise prospect rising through the system in 2023. (Like Mash this year).”

don heimann@DonHeimann: “Who is the Matt Mervis in 2023 that could jump 3 levels in organization?”

Last fall, I pretty much made my own prediction in a post about Ethan Hearn. Hearn has the potential to do really well this year at South Bend. And there’s really not anyone who is standing in his way if his bat is producing. He’s an excellent manager of pitching staffs already, but he’s only going to move as fast as that bat will take him.

If I was to pick a Plan B after Hearn, I would go with either James Triantos or Kevin Alcantara. And to be quite frank, I’m not in any kind of a hurry to rush either of those young 20-year-olds I think they have the talent to go from South Bend to Tennessee to Iowa. Whether the Cubs will let him is a whole other story.

Adan Sanchez Is In the House

Glen Krisch@glenkrisch: How fast does Adan Sanchez rise?

This is one of my own big questions of the summer. I’m glad Glen asked this question because Sanchez is one of the players I am excited to see pictures of as well as video in game action. I doubt if he’s good enough to start at Myrtle Beach this year, but he definitely could end the season there at age 18. Usually, teenage catchers take a while to develop, but Sanchez’s hit tool is already quite impressive and consistent. He doesn’t strike out much, he gets on base, and he’s got a knack for some power. We’ll see how he is behind the plate this year. But he also plays a little first base and third base, which makes him a little bit more versatile to move quickly.

And to finally answer your question in a simple sentence, I think he could move three levels over the next two years and we’ll see where he’s at at the end of 2024.

I will be back tomorrow with a look at Riley Thompson. That was fun to put together and I know you will enjoy it!