Dan Vogelbach: A big man with big power

On Monday, the Chicago Cubs’ top draft pick, OF Albert Almora, made his professional debut for the Rookie-level AZL Cubs. Playing alongside recent import Jorge Soler, who launched his first professional home run on Sunday, the center fielder jumped the yard in the fifth inning and finished the game 1-for-3.

As you can see in the video, it wasn’t a cheap bomb:
 

The Golden Sombrero presents MLB Look-alikes: Mike Quade and Sloth from The Goonies

This one definitely ranks as one the meanest thus far alongside Kerwin Danley & The Thing, Dave Duncan and the Emperor from Star Wars, and Julian Taverez & Freddy Krueger.

#36 Brett Jackson

Chicago Cubs

DOB: 8/2/1988

Previous Rank: 43

ETA: 2012

Jackson is hands-down the top player in the Cubs system, even after they drafted what some think was the highest upside bat in the 2011 draft in Javier Baez.  Jackson slashed .274/.379/.490 beginning the year in the Southern League and finishing up with a little over 200 plate appearances for Des Moines (Triple-A).

Jackson is a phenomenal athlete at 6-foot-2 and 210-pounds.  He posted a 20 home run/21 stolen base season in 2011 while walking 73 times in just over 500 plate appearances.  He strikes out too much, but the power numbers justify it to some extent.  As a 60-speed guy, Jackson has plenty to stay in center and challenge for 20 stolen bases in The Show.  With a 50 to 55 arm, he has a chance to be an above-average CF for years.

His speed plays well on the bases and should for at least a few years as he was successful in over 75% of his stolen base opportunities.  Jackson, despite having no obvious barrier in the way of playing time at the Big League level, still might end up starting 2012 in Triple-A.  The Cubs have once again managed to load up their outfield with overpaid trash in the form of Alfonso Soriano and Marlon Byrd and, if they decide to give a guy like Tyler Colvin or one of these two old-timers a starting job, Jackson will return to Des Moines and destroy Minor League pitchers until Theo decides to get serious.  As it is, he has nothing left to prove in our eyes and is more than ready to take his talent to Wrigley.