As expected, the Cubs recalled catcher Jose Reyes and pitcher Jae-kuk Ryu. The Cubs also announced that pitcher Jerome Williams has been claimed off waivers by Oakland and that they acquired pitcher Adam Harben from Minnesota to complete last week's Phil Nevin trade. Harben has to be placed on the forty man roster, which is why Williams was waived off the forty man. In case you're keeping score at home:
Pitchers:
1. David Aardsma
2. Ryan Dempster
3. Scott Eyre
4. Angel Guzman
5. Adam Harben
6. Rich Hill
7. Bob Howry
8. Carlos Marmol
9. Sean Marshall
10. Juan Mateo
11. Wade Miller
12. Roberto Novoa
13. Ryan O'Malley*
14. Will Ohman
15. Mark Prior*
16. Glendon Rusch
17. Jae-kuk Ryu
18. Les Walrond
19. Michael Wuertz
20. Carlos Zambrano
Catchers:
21. Michael Barrett*
22. Henry Blanco
23. Jose Reyes
24. Geovany Soto
Infielders:
25. Ronny Cedeno
26. Brian Dopirak
27. Cesar Izturis*
28. Derrek Lee
29. Scott Moore
30. Aramis Ramirez
31. Ryan Theriot
Outfielders:
32. Freddie Bynum
33. Buck Coats
34. Jacque Jones
35. John Mabry
36. Matt Murton
37. Miguel Negron
38. Angel Pagan
39. Felix Pie
40. Juan Pierre
60 Day DL:
41. Kerry Wood*
Not on active roster
Could be a free agent at the end of the season
* on the DL
Adam Harben was originally drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 38th round of the 2001 draft. He was viewed as a raw right hander who could be something in a couple years. Harben chose not to sign and went to a community college, making him eligible for the 2002 draft. Going into the draft Harben was ranked as the number 4 prospect in Arkansas, and could go in the top 10 rounds. The Twins took him in the 15th round and he signed. Harben debuted as a 19 year old in the Gulf Coast League, striking out 27 walking 8 in 25.1 innings.
The next season Harben was sent out Quad Cities in the Mid West League. He made 15 starts going 77:35 in 87.1 IP with a 4.33 ERA. The Twins kept him there in 2004, as a 21 year old. He had superb numbers striking out 171 batters in 142.2 innings with a 3.09 ERA. Harben's succes culminated with a #10 ranking in the League's top 20 in 2004 ahead of notables Howie Kendrick, Billy Petrick and Adam Jones.
In 2005 the Twins finally promoted Harben to the Florida State League. He continued his newfound success in High A. He went 10-5 with a 2.66 ERA and a 119:62 K:BB in 135.1 innings of work. He was named the league's #16 prospect ahead of our very own Brian Dopirak. He was also named the Twins' #11 prospect.
2006 has been a little rough on the righty. His Double A transition has not gone well. He's seen a drastic drop in his strikeout rate. His K:BB this season was only 74:67 in 122.2 innings. He did improve on this in the second half. His first half K:BB was 33:45 in 71.1 innings. His second half K:BB was 41:22 in 51.1 innings. Not great, but it's a marked improvement.
Harben stands 6'5" weighing 210 and has a great pure arm. His fastball routinely clocks 89-95 touching 96 this year and 97 in the past. He also hides the ball well on his fastball making it seem faster. He's secondary pitches, a slider and a changeup, aren't great pitches but have developed into average offerenings. The Cubs have shown an ability to develop good offspeed pitches for guys, but they get hurt too. Anyways, Harben has had an issue with command in the past but it's not Carlos Marmol problems. He's also shown a good ability to get the ball on the ground at a good rate, which is refreshing with Rich Hill and Donald Veal coming through the system.
I like this pickup. He's not an elite prospect, but he's got a good arm and could develop into a middle of the rotation starter, or we could throw him in the bullpen where he could be an excellent reliever. All and all he's a very good pickup. I am not sure where he ranks in the Cubs' system, probably 10-15 right now. That says as much about him as it does the Cubs' system. He could find himself in the back end of the Southern League top 20, though I haven't really looked at who all has played there this summer.
Harben was one of the Twins' picks for the Arizonal Fall League. He was actually supposed to pitch with the Cubs' prospects on the Mesa Solar Sox. I'm assuming the Cubs might have a different plan with him. The Iowa Cubs' season is over, as is the Diamond Jaxx. So his Cubs debut will have to wait.
Pitchers:
1. David Aardsma
2. Ryan Dempster
3. Scott Eyre
4. Angel Guzman
5. Adam Harben
6. Rich Hill
7. Bob Howry
8. Carlos Marmol
9. Sean Marshall
10. Juan Mateo
11. Wade Miller
12. Roberto Novoa
13. Ryan O'Malley*
14. Will Ohman
15. Mark Prior*
16. Glendon Rusch
17. Jae-kuk Ryu
18. Les Walrond
19. Michael Wuertz
20. Carlos Zambrano
Catchers:
21. Michael Barrett*
22. Henry Blanco
23. Jose Reyes
24. Geovany Soto
Infielders:
25. Ronny Cedeno
26. Brian Dopirak
27. Cesar Izturis*
28. Derrek Lee
29. Scott Moore
30. Aramis Ramirez
31. Ryan Theriot
Outfielders:
32. Freddie Bynum
33. Buck Coats
34. Jacque Jones
35. John Mabry
36. Matt Murton
37. Miguel Negron
38. Angel Pagan
39. Felix Pie
40. Juan Pierre
60 Day DL:
41. Kerry Wood*
Not on active roster
Could be a free agent at the end of the season
* on the DL
Adam Harben was originally drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 38th round of the 2001 draft. He was viewed as a raw right hander who could be something in a couple years. Harben chose not to sign and went to a community college, making him eligible for the 2002 draft. Going into the draft Harben was ranked as the number 4 prospect in Arkansas, and could go in the top 10 rounds. The Twins took him in the 15th round and he signed. Harben debuted as a 19 year old in the Gulf Coast League, striking out 27 walking 8 in 25.1 innings.
The next season Harben was sent out Quad Cities in the Mid West League. He made 15 starts going 77:35 in 87.1 IP with a 4.33 ERA. The Twins kept him there in 2004, as a 21 year old. He had superb numbers striking out 171 batters in 142.2 innings with a 3.09 ERA. Harben's succes culminated with a #10 ranking in the League's top 20 in 2004 ahead of notables Howie Kendrick, Billy Petrick and Adam Jones.
In 2005 the Twins finally promoted Harben to the Florida State League. He continued his newfound success in High A. He went 10-5 with a 2.66 ERA and a 119:62 K:BB in 135.1 innings of work. He was named the league's #16 prospect ahead of our very own Brian Dopirak. He was also named the Twins' #11 prospect.
2006 has been a little rough on the righty. His Double A transition has not gone well. He's seen a drastic drop in his strikeout rate. His K:BB this season was only 74:67 in 122.2 innings. He did improve on this in the second half. His first half K:BB was 33:45 in 71.1 innings. His second half K:BB was 41:22 in 51.1 innings. Not great, but it's a marked improvement.
Harben stands 6'5" weighing 210 and has a great pure arm. His fastball routinely clocks 89-95 touching 96 this year and 97 in the past. He also hides the ball well on his fastball making it seem faster. He's secondary pitches, a slider and a changeup, aren't great pitches but have developed into average offerenings. The Cubs have shown an ability to develop good offspeed pitches for guys, but they get hurt too. Anyways, Harben has had an issue with command in the past but it's not Carlos Marmol problems. He's also shown a good ability to get the ball on the ground at a good rate, which is refreshing with Rich Hill and Donald Veal coming through the system.
I like this pickup. He's not an elite prospect, but he's got a good arm and could develop into a middle of the rotation starter, or we could throw him in the bullpen where he could be an excellent reliever. All and all he's a very good pickup. I am not sure where he ranks in the Cubs' system, probably 10-15 right now. That says as much about him as it does the Cubs' system. He could find himself in the back end of the Southern League top 20, though I haven't really looked at who all has played there this summer.
Harben was one of the Twins' picks for the Arizonal Fall League. He was actually supposed to pitch with the Cubs' prospects on the Mesa Solar Sox. I'm assuming the Cubs might have a different plan with him. The Iowa Cubs' season is over, as is the Diamond Jaxx. So his Cubs debut will have to wait.
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