Josh Lansford

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Chicago Cubs #28 prospect in 2008
  Lansford has outstanding bloodlines. His father Carney won an American League batting title, his uncles Jody and Phil were first-round draft picks and his brother Jared was a second-round choice of the Athletics in 2005. One of three players Chicago signed out of Cal Poly in 2006, Lansford has a higher ceiling than hard-throwing reliever Rocky Roquet or defensive-minded catcher Matt Canepa. The question will be whether he can get his bat into gear so he can reach his potential. Though Lansford has strength and bat speed and makes consistent contact, he has batted .266 with 33 extra-base hits in 146 games in the lower minors. Most of his power currently comes from gap to gap, and he should hit more homers once he stops hitting most of his long drives to the deepest part of the pack. He focuses well with runners in scoring position, yet maddeningly throws away at-bats in less crucial situations. Lansford has stood out more with his defense to this point of his career. Managers rated him the best defensive third baseman in the Midwest League last year, and he has the best infield skills and infield arm in the system. His arm rates as a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale and he has good agility for his size, especially to his right. He's a below-average runner but not a baseclogger. The Cubs believe Lansford can develop into a .280 hitter with 15-plus homers per season and Gold Glove defense at the hot corner. He lost six weeks worth of at-bats after spraining his knee in an infield collision in mid-July, but he didn't require surgery and got some of them back with time in the Arizona Fall League. He'll open 2008 in high Class A.
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  Ranked Chicago Cubs #20 prospect in 2007
  Big-money signees Tyler Colvin, Jeff Samardzija and Chris Huseby attracted most of the attention given to the Cubs' 2006 draft crop, but the team is also enthused about Lansford, a relative bargain at $155,000 in the sixth round. He comes from a baseball family, as his father Carney won an American League batting title, his uncles Jody and Phil were both first-round picks and his brother Jared went in the second round to the Athletics in 2005. At Cal Poly, Lansford was inconsistent offensively in 2005 and defensively in 2006, dropping his draft stock a bit. He has a quick bat and good power, though he gets too pull-happy and flies open too early in his swing at times. His stroke is long but he makes reasonable contact. Lansford is a potential Gold Glove defender. He has plus-plus arm strength, and he unloads the ball quickly and accurately. He has tremendous agility for his size and good range to his right. His speed is slightly below average, yet he's not a liability on the bases. He hyperextended his left elbow on a swing in August but he was able to return before the end of the season. Lansford will advance to low Class A in 2007 and should be a candidate for a midseason promotion.