Jeimer Candelario

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Chicago Cubs #7 prospect in 2017
  In his sixth pro season, Candelario made a strong impression in big league camp in spring training, then struggled to open the season in Double-A. He still was promoted to the big leagues July 3 to replace the injured Chris Coghlan. He got his first hit off Noah Syndergaard, then crushed Triple-A Pacific Coast League pitchers after he was demoted five days later. A switch-hitter who controls the strike zone, Candelario has impressed scouts with a solid swing from both sides of the plate. He set a career high with 72 walks in 2016 and has the strength and plate discipline to get to his average raw power. He's at his best when using the whole field, not when he's trying to pull the ball in an effort to live up to his spring hype. Candelario's pre-pitch anticipation and consistency on routine plays have improved at third base, where he is a solid-average defender despite modest range. Better footwork has sharpened the accuracy of his above-average arm. He's a below-average runner. Candelario doesn't run well enough to try the outfield but added some first-base experience in 2016. His path to playing time in Chicago is as an infield extra backing up Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo. Otherwise, he is a trade chip whose value will depend on his 2017 performance.
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  Ranked Chicago Cubs #10 prospect in 2016
  Born in the U.S., Candelario grew up in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic, and signed as a 16-year-old. He ranked in the organization's Top 10 Prospects twice before reaching high Class A in 2014, where he experienced his first roadblock as a pro and didn't handle failure well. He bounced back in 2015, reaching Double-A Tennessee and leading the organization with 35 doubles. Candelario is the Cubs' best defensive infielder thanks to a plus arm, soft hands and smooth actions. His instincts and internal clock maximize his average range at third base, and he has the agility to handle slow rollers. He's a switch-hitter whose swing and approach remain consistent from both sides of the plate, with the ability to use the whole field and hit for solid-average power. He covers the plate enough to make consistent contact and successfully became more aggressive this year, which paid off against advanced pitchers who are around the strike zone more often. Blocked by Kris Bryant at third base, Candelario could still be an internal option if Bryant winds up moving to the outfield. A likely candidate to be added to the 40-man roster this winter, Candelario should return to Tennessee to start 2016 and profiles as a solid regular at third, if not a star.
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  Ranked Chicago Cubs #24 prospect in 2015
  Candelario ended 2014 repeating low Class A, though he did help Kane County win the Midwest League title with nine hits and nine walks in a 7-0 playoff run. His offensive approach regressed from patient to passive, as he took too many early-count fastballs and was constantly behind. He hit for more power after being sent down from high Class A, and scouts like his swing (particularly from the left side) and power potential from both sides of the plate. Club officials respected that he took accountability for his problems; he simply has to find a way to be more aggressive. He has average arm strength and range at third base with solid actions. A below-average runner, Candelario returns to high Class A at Myrtle Beach.
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  Ranked Chicago Cubs #8 prospect in 2014
  The Cubs pushed Candelario in 2013 with an Opening Day assignment in the low Class A Midwest League as a 19-year-old. In his first full season since signing for $500,000 in 2010, he grinded out a productive season, leading Kane County in games and walks while ranking third in the MWL in doubles. Though as a switch-hitter he has to put in twice the work, Candelario has one of the more polished swings in the organization. He stays balanced in the box with a little knee tuck to get his swing started, then stays in the strike zone well with his line-drive swing plane. He started realizing his own hot zones as a hitter and hit eight of his 11 homers after July 1. Club officials project him to hit for above-average power, with average or slightly better hitting ability. He's a grinder defensively as well, with modest first-step quickness and below-average speed, but enough arm strength for third and solid hands. With added strength and continued defensive polish, Candelario can fit the third-base profile. If he doesn't stay at third, however, he'll be limited to first base, so the Cubs will give him time. He's headed to high Class A Daytona for 2014.
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  Ranked Chicago Cubs #8 prospect in 2013
  Signed for $500,000 in 2010, Candelario tore up the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League in his pro debut the following year. The Cubs threw a two-level promotion at him for 2012, making him the youngest regular in the short-season Northwest League, and he was up to the challenge. Though he's just 19, Candelario already shows a fluid swing and feel for hitting from both sides of the plate. He's advanced for his age in terms of plate discipline, pitch recognition and willingness to use the entire field. He didn't drive the ball a lot last summer, but he has the bat speed and projectable frame to develop 20-homer power. He'll need to get stronger after hitting just .265 with two homers in the final two months of the NWL season. Candelario has the soft hands and strong arm for third base but it's questionable whether he can play there at the highest levels. He has below-average speed and fringy range, and his concentration wanders at times. He led NWL third basemen with 20 errors in 59 games. Candelario will stay at third base for now as he advances to low Class A. Moving to first base wouldn't be an attractive option, because he'd have to battle Anthony Rizzo and Dan Vogelbach for future playing time.
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  Ranked Chicago Cubs #20 prospect in 2012
  Signed for $500,000 as a 16-year-old in 2010, Candelario had a banner pro debut in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League last year. He ranked second in RBIs (53), third in hits (84) and fifth in batting (.337), living up to his billing as a player with offensive promise. He has an advanced approach for his age, as he's patient, recognizes pitches well and uses the entire field. He's a switch-hitter with a loose swing and impressive bat speed from both sides of the plate. He projects as a plus hitter whose strong hands should produce at least average power. Candelario has thick legs and below-average speed, and he'll have to watch his conditioning as he gets older. He has the hands and arm strength to play third base, though some scouts wonder if he'll slow down enough and necessitate a move to first base. He needs to do a better job with his footwork and with getting better prepared before the pitcher delivers to the plate. The Cubs have several third-base prospects ahead of him, but they better watch out for Candelario. He'll make his U.S. debut in the Arizona League in June.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Pacific Coast League #17 prospect in 2016
  Candelario was born in New York but calls the Dominican Republic home. Signed by the Cubs at age 16, he has made a steady rise through the system. Even though Candelario hit just .219 at Double-A Tennessee at the outset of 2016, the Cubs promoted him to Iowa on June 9 and he thrived. He even received a five-game big league callup in July. "Candelerio is one of my favorite guys to watch in the league," Nashville hitting coach Eric Martins said. "I just love the energy and how he went about his business. He can play third base and has a smooth stroke from both sides and was not overwhelmed. He's a bright kid and plays the game the right way." Despite a thick frame, Candelario has present above-average defensive ability at third base, with quick, soft hands and a plus arm. Despite his youth, he shows great plate discipline and feel for the strike zone. He has a sweet swing from both sides of the plate with an ability to fill the gaps with line drives. He could develop 15-20-homer power as he develops strength and experience against top-tier pitchers.
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  Ranked Carolina League #13 prospect in 2015
  Candelario enjoyed a fine season between two levels, hitting .277/.339/.431 in 128 games at Myrtle Beach and Double-A Tennessee, but is in the wrong organization for position prospects after the Cubs have integrated infielders such as Javier Baez, Kris Byrant and Addison Russell in the past two seasons. Though he's not particularly fleet of foot, Candelario draws good reviews at third base because of average hands, strong arm and willingness to play the game hard. He's a switch-hitter with the potential for average and power but now shows a tendency to strikeout a bit too often (18 percent). In the Carolina League, Candelario showed more tools than production, but he turned it on once he reached Tennessee, where he put up an .842 OPS as a 21-year-old. Candelario might take a little bit longer to incubate, and he might need a change of scenery, but he had the tool to be an average major leaguer.
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  Ranked Northwest League #7 prospect in 2012
  After Candelario tore up the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League in his 2011 pro debut, the Cubs aggressively jumped him to Boise as an 18-year-old. The youngest regular in the NWL, he ranked fourth with 47 RBIs. Candelario has a smooth, handsy swing from both sides of the plate and projects to be an above-average hitter with solid power. He shows good plate discipline and pitch recognition, and heuses the entire field. Most of his value lies in his bat, because he's a below-average runner and fringy defender (albeit with the requisite arm strength) at the hot corner. "He's got the perfect body for third base," Buckner said. "He's got some power from both sides of the plate. Of course he's real young, but he's got a great attitude too. Nothing bothers him. I think he's going to be a 20-home run guy. He's just 18 years old and he's going to be big and strong."

• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: In his sixth pro season, Candelario made a strong impression in big league camp during 2016 spring training, then struggled to open the season in Double-A. He still was promoted to the big leagues July 3 to replace the injured Chris Coghlan on the roster. He got his first (and so far only) hit off Noah Syndergaard, then crushed Triple-A Pacific Coast League pitchers after he was demoted five days after his promotion. Scouting Report: A switch-hitter who controls the strike zone, Candelario has impressed scouts for years with a solid swing from both sides of the plate. He set a career high with 72 walks overall in 2016 and has the strength and plate discipline to get to his average raw power. He's at his best when using the whole field and not trying to pull the ball. Candelario's pre-pitch anticipation and consistency on the routine play have improved at third base, where he's a solid-average defender despite modest range. His above-average arm has become more accurate as he's cleaned up his footwork. He's a below-average runner.
  
  The Future: Candelario doesn't run well enough to try the outfield but added some first-base experience in 2016. His only path to playing time in Chicago is as an infield extra.
• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: Signed for $500,000 in 2010, Candelario and tore up the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League in his pro debut the following year. The Cubs threw a two-level promotion at him for 2012, making him the youngest regular in the short-season Northwest League, and he was up to the challenge. Scouting Report: Though he's just 19, Candelario already shows a fluid swing and feel for hitting from both sides of the plate. He's advanced for his age in terms of plate discipline, pitch recognition and willingness to use the entire field. He didn't drive the ball a lot last summer, but he has the bat speed and projectable frame to develop 20-homer power. He'll need to get stronger after hitting just .265 with two homers in the final two months of the NWL season. Candelario has the soft hands and strong arm for third base but it's questionable whether he can play there at the highest levels. He has below-average speed and fringy range, and his concentration wanders at times. He led NWL third basemen with 20 errors in 59 games. The Future: Candelario will stay at third base for now as he advances to low Class A. Moving to first base wouldn't be an attractive option, because he'd have to battle Anthony Rizzo and Dan Vogelbach for future playing time.