Chicago Cubs Top 10 Prospects: #10

#10 Jae-kuk Ryu, RHP

Year	Team	Lv	W	L	IP	H	K	BB	ERA	WHIP
2001	Az Cubs	Rk	1	0	14.2	11	20	5	0.61	1.09
2002	Boise	A-	6	1	53.0	45	56	25	3.57	1.32
2002	Lansing	A	1	2	19.0	26	21	8	7.11	1.79
2003	Lansing	A	6	1	72.0	59	57	19	1.75	1.08
2003	Daytona	A+	0	1	20.2	14	22	11	3.05	1.21
2003	W. Tenn	AA	2	5	58.0	63	45	25	5.43	1.52
2004	W. Tenn	AA	1	0	18.1	22	19	10	2.95	1.75
2005	W. Tenn	AA	11	8	169.2	154	133	49	3.34	1.20
2006	Iowa	AAA	8	8	139.1	123	114	51	3.23	1.25
2006	Cubs	MLB	0	1	15.0	23	17	6	8.40	1.93

Jae-kuk Ryu is best known for throwing a ball at a pitcher while with the Daytona Cubs a few years ago, but he's progressed himself into a solid all around prospect. He does not wow you with stuff these days, but he's got a full repetoire and could develop into a useful major league pitcher.

Once seen as a potential front-end of the rotation guy with a plus fastball, he has lost some zip on it the last few years. Instead of throwing in the mid 90s, Ryu has been in the low 90s most of the time, sometimes sitting in the high 80s. His fastball has good sinking action on it, and he has good arm action but the zip's just not there.

To support the fastball he has an above average curveball and a nice changeup, as well as a solid slider. He's got four average to above average pitchers with command and should be able to make it as a mid to back end of the rotation guy, but he's never been given a long look with the Cubs for whatever reason. He's very underrated by Cubs' management, considering he's one of their few prospects who has a clue on where his pitches are going.

Makeup has alays been the problem with Ryu. The osprey incident is not the only thing that has ever come up. He does not get along well with his teammates and does not always seemed focus on the mound. Regardless he's displayed an ability to get AA and AAA hitters out with regularity and has been durable for most of his career. With the Cubs Ryu will probably never become a starter, and the most likely scenario is the Ricky Nolasco route in a trade where he develops into a decent pitcher.