Alberto Cabrera

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Chicago Cubs #13 prospect in 2013
  Cabrera completed an arduous seven-year journey to the majors on Aug. 1, when he needed just 10 pitches to work a 1-2-3 inning against the Pirates. Along the way, he battled shoulder and elbow tenderness, not to mention control issues and inconsistency. He seemed to have turned a corner when he performed well in high Class A and earned a spot on the 40-man roster in 2010, but he recorded a 6.16 ERA as an encore the following season. That downturn convinced the new Cubs regime to make Cabrera a full-time reliever in 2012, a role change that allowed him to conquer the upper levels of the minors and get to Chicago. It's easy to dream on him as a starter because he'll show three plus pitches at times. His fastball ranges from 93-98 mph, his changeup features some sink and fade, and his power slider added some bite when he worked with big league pitching coach Chris Bosio. However, Cabrera's pitches tend to play down because he lacks control and command. His fastball is fairly straight and gets hit when he doesn't keep it down in the strike zone. He's better in shorter stints when he can go all out and not worry as much about trying to mix his pitches. Cabrera will compete for a big league bullpen job in spring training and has a ceiling as a set-up man.
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  Ranked Chicago Cubs #11 prospect in 2011
  Cabrera spent his first two years in full-season leagues battling shoulder and elbow tenderness, but he finally stayed healthy in 2010 and showed enough to claim a spot on the 40-man roster. He has one of the best arms in the system, maintaining a 92-97 mph fastball as a starting pitcher. He carries that velocity deep into games, and his fastball has good tailing and running life. He has a pair of mid-80s secondary pitches that lack reliability but show promise. His slider can freeze hitters at times and his changeup features some fade. Cabrera took a more direct path to the plate and did a better job of repeating his delivery last year, but he still needs to replicate his mechanics more consistently. His long arm action gives hitters a good look at the ball and makes him more hittable, especially when he falls behind in the count. He made strides with his control in Daytona at the start of 2010, but battled the strike zone and got torched following a promotion to Tennessee in mid-May and returned to high Class A in July. Cabrera will take another crack at Double-A hitters this year. He ultimately may be best suited for relief, but the Cubs haven't given up on him as a starter.