Future Cubs making their mark
By Jonathan Mayo / MLB.com

Before the 2005 season began, MLB.com took an in-depth look at every big league team's Minor League system. Now, it's time to recap all 30 organizations, from top prospects to the recent draft class.
There were no titles in the Cubs' Minor League system this season, for a change, but that didn't stop it from being another banner year for Chicago's player development department.

Only two teams finished over .500, with the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx advancing to the Southern League Championship Series thanks largely to one of the best starting rotations in all of Minor League baseball.

But there was plenty of individual achievement to go around. That West Tenn rotation features four pitchers with possible big-league futures -- Reynel Pinto, Ricky Nolasco and Jae-kuk Ryu all finished with double-digit wins and ERAs below 3.35. Carlos Marmol joined them midseason and finished with a combined 3.34 ERA. Position-player wise, Matt Murton made the jump from Double-A to the big leagues and has already made an impact. Eric Patterson tore up the Midwest League in his first full season and jumped to Double-A for the playoffs.

The 2004 draft is proving to be a fruitful one, especially in the later rounds. Patterson was drafted in the eighth round, Cubs Minor League Pitcher of the Year Sean Gallagher was a 12th-round pick and Sam Fuld, an outfielder taken in the 10th, hit .300 in his first full season.


Another good year for the Minor Leagues .