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CUBS 2021 MLB FIRST-YEAR PLAYER DRAFT PICKS 

DAY ONE (7/11)

1st ROUND (21) 
Jordan Wicks, LHP 
L/L, 6'3 220, Age 21 
Kansas State 
COLLEGE JUNIOR 
COMMENT: Polished D-1 college LHSP with a four-pitch mix and plus-command... his CH is rated the best in the draft... FB 92-93 T-95 can cut into RH hitters or away from LH hitters, and two-seamer can ride into LH hitters or tail away from RH hitters... also has above-average SL and an OK CV... went 6-3 with a 3.70 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, with 28/118 BB/K, .249 OppBA, 90 hits and 9 HR allowed, in 92.1 IP (15 GS) for K-State in 2021... named to Big 12 All-Conference First Team and third team All-American in 2021... was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year and was named to Collegiate Baseball Freshman All America team in 2019... was named to Academic All Big 12 team (business major) all three seasons... was an all-state kicker on his HS football team...        
BONUS SLOT VALUE: $3,132,300 

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Ezequiel Pagan blasted a solo HR to key a four-run third, Reggie Preciado immediately followed with a solo HR and then later walked three times (once with the bases loaded) and stole a base, Rafael Morel singled, walked, and scored a run, Owen Caissie singled twice, walked, and stole a base, Felix Stevens smacked a double and an RBI triple and scored two runs, Malcom Quintero doubled, walked, and scored two runs, Ismael Mena laced two RBI singles and drew a walk, and Shendrik Apostel singled and walked, helping the ACL Cubs defeat the ACL Diamondbacks 7-4 in Arizona Complex League (formerly AZL) Opening Night game action Monday evening on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.     

Juan Corniel belted an RBI triple and scored in the 3rd and drilled a two-run single in the 7th to provide most of the offense for the D'backs. 

The Cubs scored five runs on nine hits (five singles, two doubles, and two HR) off Arizona Diamondbacks RHP Taylor Widener in 2.2 IP. Widener has been on the D'backs MLB 10-day IL for over a month with a groin strain, and was making what he problably thought was a ho-hum Article XIX-C Minor League Rehab start in Mesa. Or as Augie Ojeda once said about doing a rehab stint in the AZL: "This is a really tough league for big leaguers." 

Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only): 

Rafael Morel blasted a three-run HR, singled, and reached base on an HBP, and Jared Young collected three singles, reached base on an HBP, stole a base, and scored a run for the Cubs, and Pedro Pineda belted a two-run double, Jose Bonilla drilled a two-run single, drew a walk, and scored a run, and Jalen Greer laced an RBI single, walked twice, and scored a run for the Athletics, as the two teams played to a 5-5 tie in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Friday night on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.  

The game was called after eight innings of play. 

Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only):  

Alexander Campos (RBI double), Jorge Romero (RBI double), and Marcos Betancourt (RBI single) contributed back-to-back-to-back run-scoring hits in a five-run 4th, propelling the Athletics to a 9-2 victory over the Cubs in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Thursday morning on Field #4 at the Lew Wolff Training Complex at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ.

Owen Caissie blasted a solo HR (his third in his last two games) and Ismael Mena tripled and scored to account for the two Cub runs. Caissie also singled, so he has now reached base in 15 of his 21 EXST PA (three HR, four doubles, five singles, and three walks, in just seven games).  

Cubs SP Tyler Schlaffer easily retired the first ten A's in order (F-9, K, L-7 / K, 5-3, K / L-9, F-7, K / 5-3...) before the roof fell-in -- starting with a walk -- with one out in the 4th.  

Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only): 

Owen Caissie blasted a two-run HR over the right-centerfield fence just to the right of the CF Batter's Eye in the 4th and a three-run HR just to the left of the CF Batter's Eye (off a LHP) in the 5th, Yovanny Cuevas belted a solo HR, Ezequiel Pagan drilled an RBI double, Miguel Fabrizio laced a two-run single, and SP Porter Hodge fired four innings of shutout ball on just 38 pitches, as the Cubs trounced the Rockies 11-5 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Tuesday afternoon on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa,AZ.  

The game was called after eight innings of play. 

Over their first six Cactus League Extended Spring Training games, the Cubs are 3-2-1. 

With his two HR today, Owen Caissie has now reached base safely in 13 of his 18 PA over the course of the Cubs first six Cactus League EXST games, including two homers, four doubles, four sngles, and three walks (he's hitting a robust 667/722/1.333 - 2.055 OPS).  

Cubs top 2019 J-2 IFA signing Ronnier Quintero made his pro game debut, beginning the game at DH and then finishing the game at catcher. He went 0-3 -- K-swinging in his first AB in the 2nd inning, then a 3-U GO in the 4th, and a 6-3 GO in the 6th, before reaching base on a HBP in the 8th and scoring on Fabrizio's RBI single. He was clearly gassed after running the bases in the 110-degree heat in the bottom of the 8th, and after a delay in the top of the 9th while he downed the contents of a water bottle at home plate after warming up the pitcher, he was able to finish the game. 

While this was his pro game debut. Quintero did attend post-season AZ Instructs last October in Mesa, but he did not play in any AZIL games (not even as a DH). Rather, he spent 100% of his time learning the catching trade, and was the bullpen catcher at all of the games, in addition to catching as much "live" BP and as many side-bullpen sessions as he could handle.   

Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only):

Rafael Morel belted a two-run HR, Ismael Mena ripped a two-run double and a single, Reggie Preciado tripled, walked, and scored a run, Jose Lopez smacked a PH RBI triple, Wally Soto laced an RBI double, and Alfonso Rivas drilled an RBI single, walked, reached base on an HBP, stole a base, and scored two runs for the Cubs, and Pedro Pineda smacked a solo HR and a triple and Jalen Greer belted an RBI triple and an RBI double for the Athletics, as the two teams played to an 8-8 tie in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Friday morning on Field # 4 at the Lew Wolff Training Complex at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ.    

The two teams combined to hammer out twelve extra-base hits in the game. 

The game was called after seven innings of play. 

Here is the abridged box score fom the game (Cubs players only): 

Nick Heath belted a HR on the first pitch of the game, led-off the inning with a triple and scored in the 4th, and walked, stole 2nd base, and scored what proved to be the game-winning run in the 8th, Junior Franco smacked a two-run triple in the 6th, Ben DeLuzio laced the two-out 8th inning RBI triple that drove-in Heath with the deciding run,.and SP Jean Marcelino hurled 2.2 IP of one-hit ball, helping the Diamondbacks edge the Cubs 6-5 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Thursday morning on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.   

The game was called after eight innings of play. 

Heath is on the AAA Reno 7-day IL and is on a rehab assignment at EXST. 

Felix Stevens blasted a game-tying three-run HR over the scoreboard in left-centerfield in the 7th, and SP Tyler Schlaffer tossed four innings of two-hit ball for the Cubs in a losing cause. (The two hits surrendered by Schlaffer were the Nick Heath HR in the top of the 1st and the Nick Heath lead-off triple in the top of the 4th). The Stevens HR was his second dinger in four EXST games, and both were moon shots.  

In 13 PA over the course of the Cubs first four EXST games, Owen Caissie has reached base ten times (four doubles, three singles, and three walks), and there was nothing cheap-o about any of the hits, either.   

Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only): 

Alfonso Rivas (on AA Tennessee 7-day IL) belted a solo HR and a single, Wally Soto clubbed a solo HR and an RBI double and scored two runs, Shendrik Apostel thumped an RBI triple off the top of the CF Batter's Eye and singled, Owen Caissie doubled and singled and scored two runs, and Yeison Santana drilled a two-run double and reached base on a walk and an HBP and scored a run, leading the Cubs to an 8-5 victory over the Athletics in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Tuesday morning on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.   

George Bell hammered a solo HR for the A's in a losing cause. 

LHP Brendon Little (on AA Tennessee 7-day IL) made a rehab start and needed only 18 pitches to toss two perfect innings (4-3, 6-3, K / L-8, 6-3, 6-3). In fact, he was so efficient that he was sent to the bullpen after he left the game to throw another 15 pitches in the pen.  

Recently acquired catcher Tim Susnara (ex-AZ) made his Cub debut, catching the first five innings of the game and going 0-2 at the plate with a walk. Susnara's contract was purchased by the Cubs from Ogden (Pioneer League) last week, the second player acquired by the Cubs from the Pioneer League (formerly an affiliated short-season league, but now it's an independent MLB "Partner League"). The other player acquired by the Cubs from the Pioneer League recently is 1B Matt Warkentin, and he has been at EXST for about ten days.  

Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only): 

Yeison Santana went 4-4 (solo HR and three singles) and scored three runs, Owen Caissie drilled two doubles and a single, drew a walk, scored a run, and  knocked-in two, Felix Stevens blasted a two-run HR, Jose Lopez belted a two-run triple, and SP Porter Hodge fired 3.1 IP of shutout ball, as the Cubs demolished the Rockies 13-2 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Monday morning on Dust Storm Field at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick Resort east of Scottsdale, AZ. 

The game was called after 7-1/2 innings of play.  

Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only):

Junior Franco tripled and scored and Ricardo Caldera belted a three run home run to highlight a four-run 4th inning, as the Diamonbacks cruised to a 4-2 victory over the Cubs in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Thursday morning on Whirlwind Field at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick Resort east of Scottsdale, AZ.  

Trent Giambrone is on a Conditioning Assignment at EXST, and he played 3B for the Cubs in the game, batted five times (he led-off each of the first five innings), drew four walks, and scored a run. He also committed a costly throwing error and was caught stealing on the basepaths. 

The Cubs played as the home team because the D'backs had a limited number of pitchers available to throw in the game, and the game was called after 6-1/2 innings of play. 

Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only) 

2021 CUBS EXTENDED SPRING TRAINING ROSTER

Yohendrick Pinango doubled and scored in the 2nd, walked and scored in the 4th, and drilled a two-run single in the 8th, and three pitchers combined to hurl a four hitter, as the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Cubs Lo-A affiliate) defeated the San Jose Giants (Lo-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants) 5-1 in Cactus League Minor League Camp game action Tuesday night at Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ. 

Casey Schmitt belted a solo HR in the top of the 1st inning to account for the lone Giant run.  

Myrtle Beach DH Matt Mervis left the game after tweaking something in his lower body while running the bases in the bottom of the 6th. 

Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only):  

Chase Strumpf drilled a two-run single and a triple and scored twice, and Yonathan Perlaza drove-in three runs with two run-scoring singles, leading the South Bend Cubs (Hi-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs) to an 8-3 victory over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Milwaukee Brewers Hi-A affiliate) in Cactus League Minor League Camp game action Monday night at Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ.  

Cubs 2019 1st round draft pick RHP Ryan Jensen got the start for the Cubs and once again was unable to get through his second inning of work, throwing 34 pitches in just 1.1 IP (only 44% strikes) and walking three. His FB velo was 95-98 and his SL velo was 89-90 in his first inning, but the FB velo was down to 93-95 and the SL velo was down to 87-88 by the time he left the game with one out in the top of the 2nd.

Jensen is a two-pitch pitcher with command issues who has a significant decrease in velo after throwing just one inning, so as of right now he would appear to project as a one-inning power-reliever (and that's only if he can command his pitches for that one inning).    

Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only):