Arizona Phil's Archives

Yohendrick Pinango drilled an RBI single, Luis Vazquez ripped an RBI triple, and Cam Balego lofted a sacrifice fly to highlight a three-run 8th. as the Cubs rallied to tie the Giants 4-4 in AZ Instructional League game action Friday afternoon on Field #2 (AKA "Jim Davenport Field") at Indian School Park in Scottsdale, AZ. 

Ghordy Santos laced an RBI double in the bottom of the 5th and hammered a line-drive two-run HR over the CF Batter's Eye in the bottom of the 7th for the Giants. 

Chase Strumpf belted a two-run HR halfway up the LF berm and singled and scored, Jacob Wetzel clubbed a two-run HR halfway up the RF berm and walked and scored, Andy Weber stroked a single and a two-run double, and Alfonso Rivas drilled an RBI single, walked twice, and stole a base, in Cubs AZ Instructional League intrasquad game action Wednesday afternoon at Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ.  

SP Gus Varland tossed three innings of one-hit shutout ball, Drew Millas singled twice, walked, and scored a run, and Danny Bautista singled twice, drove-in a run, scored a run, and stole a base, leading the Athletics to an 8-2 victory over the Cubs in AZ Instructional League game action Monday afternoon at HoHoKam Park in Mesa, AZ.     

Luis Vazquez collected three hits (two singles and an RBI double) and Chase Strumpf belted a solo HR (opposite field high fly off the top of the RF fence) to provide what there was of Cub offense (the Cubs had only two other hits in the game).  

Jared Young singled twice, stole a base, scored a run, and drove-in a run with a sacrifice fly, and Alfonso Rivas (RBI single), Matt Mervis (two-out RBI double), Cam Balego (RBI double), Christopher Morel (RBI triple), and Rafael Morel (game-tying two-out two-run single) collected run-scoring hits for the Cubs, and Armani Smith belted a booming three-run home run and Tyler Fitzgerald drilled a line-drive solo shot for the Giants, as the two teams played to a 7-7 tie in AZ Instructional League game action Saturday afternoon at Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ. 

RHP Manuel Rodriguez (on Cubs MLB 60-day IL) made his first game appearance since leaving a Cactus League Spring Training game last March with a right biceps strain, throwing one inning (10 pitches) and allowing one hit and one run (Fitzgerald's solo HR). He struck out one (swinging) and retired the other two batters on a 4-3 GO and F-8 FO.    

INF Kevin Made (July 2019 IFA - Dominican Republic - $1.5M signing bonus) made his pro game debut and got a hit in his first pro AB, reaching base on a two-out bloop single that fell in front of a diving Giants RF in the bottom of the 7th inning. Made would later score one of the two runs driven-in by Rafael Morel.  

You may have noticed that the Cubs have been playing their infielders all around the infield in AZIL games (and in instructs pre-game and Camp Day infield practice as well), and that's because with the extensive use of shifting today in MLB, infielders need to know the mechanics of all three positions (2B, 3B, and SS) as they move forward, even if the player might profile primarily at one infield position in particular.     

10/15 UPDATE:

The Cubs officially signed 11 more IFA, just prior to the end of the 2019-20 ISP (deadline was midnight Eastern on 10/15, pushed back from original 6/15 deadline due to the CoViD-19 pandemic). 

Cubs 2020 1st round draft pick Ed Howard IV (Mt. Carmel HS - Chicago, IL) drilled a pinch-hit RBI double in his pro game debut and Jacob Wetzel (2020 NDFA - Frederick CC) laced an RBI triple and scored on a Fabian Pertuz RBI single in his pro game debut, as the Cubs rallied to tie the Giants 5-5 in AZ Instructional League Opening Day game action Wednesday afternoon at Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ. 

Rob Emery belted a three-run HR and Marco Luciano followed with a monster solo shot (both off Cubs SP Cory Abbott) to give the Giants an early 4-0 lead, before the Cubs came roaring back in the late innings.  

Besides Howard and Wetzel, three other Cubs made their pro game debut on Wednesday. LF Jordan Nwogu (2020 3rd round pick - U. of Michigan) reached base on an HBP in his first pro AB and later scored from 1st base on the Wetzel triple, 1B Matt Mervis (2020 NDFA - Duke) drew a walk in his first pro AB and later scored on the Howard RBI double, and RHRP Ben Leeper (2020 NDFA - Oklahoma State) threw one inning in relief. 

An unsigned player under club control who has accrued at least three but less than six years of MLB Service Time is automatically eligible for salary arbitration.

Also, any unsigned player with at least two years but less than three years of MLB Service Time who accrued at least 86 days of MLB Service Time during the previous season can qualify for salary arbitration as a so-called "Super Two" if the player is among the top 22% in MLB Service Time of players in that group (rounded to the nearest whole number). And if  two or more players are tied with the same MLB Service Time just above the "Super Two" threshold, all of the players with that accrued MLB ST would get "Super Two" status even if that means the number of players with "Super Two" status exceeds 22%.   

UPDATED 9/29:

The Cubs have selected the contract of C Josh Phegley, and to make room for him on the MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) LHRP Josh Osich has been Designated for Assignment (DFA). 

Also,  Outright Assignment Waivers have been secured and 1B-3B Patrick Wisdom (Designated for Assignment on 9/27) has been sent outright to the AAA Iowa Reserve List and he has been assigned the Cubs MLB Post-Season Taxi Squad.  

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9/27 UPDATE: 

The Cubs have selected the contract of LHP Brailyn Marquez, and to make room for Marquez on the MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) and the MLB 28-man Active List roster, 1B-3B Patrick Wisdom has been Designated for Assignment.  

So the Cubs MLB Club Player Pool now stands at 58 (two slots are open).

7/31 UPDATE 

CUBS 2020 MLB RULE 4 NDFA SIGNINGS: 

Bradlee Beesley, OF 
R/R, 5'10 180, Age 22
Cal Poly 
COLLEGE SR  
AREA SCOUT: Tom Myers 
COMMENT: Speedy glove-first CF with enough arm to play RF... probably projects as a "4th OF" at the pro level...  hit 286/352/380 with 4 HR & 91 RBI, 45 doubles, and  21 SB (eight CS) in 180 college games over the course of four seasons at Cal Poly... 

Matt Burch, INF 
L/R, 5'7 170, Age 22
Old Dominion U. 
COLLEGE SR 
AREA SCOUT: Billy Swoope  
COMMENT: Plays 2B-3B but played mostly 2B in 2019-20...  hit 282/351/350 with 2 HR & 32 RBI, 13 doubles, and 25/47 BB/K in 74 NCAA D-1 games (309 PA) over the course of three seasons..  graduated from Warren Township HS in Gurnee, IL... spent freshman season at U. of Arkansas and then transferred to Wabash Valley JC (hit 384/480/557 in 56 games) before landing at ODU...
  
Angel Gonzalez-Martinez, RHP/OF 
R/R, 6'1 168, Age 17 
Emilio R. Delgado HS (Corozal, PR) 
HIGH SCHOOL 
AREA SCOUT: Edwards Guzman 
COMMENT: Two-way player in HS but projects as a pitcher (only) in pro ball... features a 94 MPH FB and a CH... had signed an NLI with Northwest Florida College (JC) before changing his mind and signing with the Cubs...

Scott Kobos, LHP 
L/L, 6'2 200, Age 22 
Coastal Carolina 
5th YEAR COLLEGE (REDSHIRT SR) 
AREA SCOUT: Tom Clark 
COMMENT: Earned a spot in the Chanticleers 2020 starting rotation after a strong showing in fall ball and went 1-3 with a 5.59 ERA and 1.45 WHIP in five games (four GS) before the season was canceled... went 3-2 with a 6.61 ERA and 1.29 WHIP over the course of three seasons at CCU... was a two-way player (LF-LHP) prior to 2018... spent freshman year redshirting at UNC - Asheville... then transferred to St. John's River State College (JC) where he was the Vikings' Friday starter, going  6-3 with a 3.01 ERA, 23/68 BB/K, and 61 hits allowed in 71.2 IP for SJRSC in 2017... was selected by Cleveland Indians in 38th round of 2017 draft but did not sign... underwent elbow UCL transplant (TJS) in 2018...  

Graham Lawson, RHP 
R/R, 6'2 229, Age 24 
U. of South Carolina 
5th YEAR COLLEGE (REDSHIRT SR) 
AREA SCOUT: Tom Clark 
COMMENT: Bullpen piece but not a closer... went 3-2 with a 5.27 ERA, three saves, 26/53 BB/K, and .250 OppBA (nine HR allowed) in 41 career games (56.1 IP) for Gamecocks... was selected by Washington Nationals in 12th round of 2018 draft but did not sign... missed 2019 season after undergoing UCL transplant (TJS)... spent freshman year at Spartanburg Methodist College before transferring to South Carolina... was named to SEC Academic Honor Roll in both 2018 and 2019... 

Ben Leeper, RHP 
R/R, 6'0 194, Age 23 
Oklahoma State 
5th YEAR COLLEGE (REDSHIRT SR) 
AREA SCOUT: Ty Nichols 
COMMENT: Cowboys closer... went 4-4 with a 4.31 ERA and seven saves, 23/43 BB/K, and 24 hits (three HR) allowed in 29 games (31.1 IP) in 2019... was off to a strong start in 2020 (14 K in just 7.1 IP) before season was canceled...  missed 2017 season after undergoing his second elbow UCL transplant (TJS).. . also underwent TJS in 2015... went 20-5 with a 1.15  ERA and was an honorable mention Perfect Game All-American in both his sophomore and junior years in HS... 

Scott McKeon, INF 
R/R, 6'0 185, Age 22 
Coastal Carolina  
COLLEGE SR 
AREA SCOUT: Tom Clark 
COMMENT: Hit 341/401/488 with 4 HR & 38 RBI, 18 doubles, five triples, and 22/55 BB/K in 62 games (284 PA) for Chanticleers in 2019..  After hitting just six HR in 133 college games through 2019 season, he clubbed four HR in 16 games in 2020 prior to season being canceled...  spent two seasons at Brunswick CC prior to tranferring to Coastal Carolina... was selected first-team NJCAA Division II All-American at BCC in 2018... has the defensive skills necessary to play SS but probably projects more as a utility infielder at pro level... was selected in 21st round of 2019 draft by Detroit Tigers but did not sign... 

Matt Mervis, 1B-3B/RHP 
L/R, 6'4 225, Age 22 
Duke 
COLLEGE SR   
AREA SCOUT: Billy Swoope 
COMMENT: Two-way player... team captain... hit .278/380/456 with 9 HR & 46 RBI, 14 doubles, 31/56 BB/K and 13 HBP in 119 games (301 PA) as a position player and went 6-2 with a 5.49 ERA and 1.59 WHIP, .262 OppBA (four HR allowed), and 34/52 BB/K in 50 games (59.0 IP) as a pitcher in four seasons at Duke... was rated the #19 college senior by Perfect Game going into the 2020 college baseball season... led team in hits & HR and hit safely in all games played in 2020 prior to the season being canceled... selected in 39th round of 2016 draft by Washington Nationals out of Georgetown Prep but did not sign...  

Sheldon Reed, RHP/OF 
L/R, 6'3 205, Age 22 
Clemson 
5th YEAR COLLEGE (REDSHIRT SR) 
AREA SCOUT: Keith Lockhart
COMMENT: Bullpen arm but not a closer... hit 448/508/697 with 11 HR & 47 RBI, six doubles, and 22/40 BB/K in 51 games as an OF at Spartanburg Methodist College in 2016-17... he was converted to a RHP in 2018 after transferring to Clemson... 6.00 ERA and 2.00 WHIP, with six hits allowed and 6/8 BB/K in just 6.0 IP for Tigers 2019-20...  

Bailey Reid, RHP 
R/R, 6'2 205, Age 21 
Westmont College 
COLLEGE SR 
AREA SCOUT: Tom Myers 
COMMENT: Warriors closer... hard to hit but has difficulty throwing strikes... did not allow an earned run in 2019 or in 2020 (22.1 IP) and held opponents to an .082 BA (combined) in 2019-20... went 3-1 with 13 saves, 45/78 BB/K, 9 HBP, 12 WP, and .103 OppBA (no HR allowed) in 41 games (47.2 IP) over the course of four seasons at Westmont...  

Sam Thoresen, RHP 
R/R, 6'3 210, Age 21 
U. of Minnesota 
COLLEGE JR 
AREA SCOUT: John Pedrotty 
COMMENT: A project... hard to hit but has much difficulty throwing strikes (85 BB in 91 IP in three years at Minnesota, and more walks than IP in two summers spent pitching in collegiate wood bat leagues)... went 6-6 with a 5.74 ERA, 85/118 BB/K, 16 HBP, nine WP, and a .196 OppBA (four HR allowed) in 34 games (19 GS) and 91 IP for Golden Gophers 2018-20... pitched in summer collegiate wood bat leagues in both 2018 and 2019... went 1-3 with a 5.66 ERA, 12 hits allowed, and 19/28 BB/K in 20.2 IP and five games (4 GS) for Hyannis Harbor (Cape Cod League) in 2019, and 2-2 with a 5.20 ERA, 33/22 BB/K, and 19 hits allowed in nine games (5 GS) and 27.2 IP for Waterloo (Norhwoods League) in 2018... was a 2017 Rawlings Honorable Mention All-American as a senior at Minnetonka HS...  

Jacob Wetzel, OF 
L/L, 5'11 215, Age 20 
Frederick CC 
JC SOPH 
AREA SCOUT: Billy Swoope 
COMMENT: Speedy CF and lead-off hitter... hit a robust 367/509/638, with 6 HR & 62 RBI, 13 doubles and 13 triples, 51/37 BB/K, and 16 SB (3 CS) in 50 games (combined) in 2019-20 and set numerous offensive records for the Cougars over the course of two seasons... transferred to FCC from Old Dominion after freshman year...   

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6/11 ORIGINAL POST  
 

CUBS 2020 MLB FIRST-YEAR PLAYER DRAFT PICKS 

DAY ONE (6/10)

1st ROUND (16) 
Ed Howard IV, SS  
R/R, 6'2 185, Age 18 
Mt. Carmel HS - Chicago, IL 
COLLEGE COMMIT: U. of Oklahoma 
AREA SCOUT: John Pedrotty 
COMMENT: The top high school shortstop prospect in the 2020 draft... outstanding defensive SS... has plus range, soft hands, a quick release, and a strong arm... also has plus bat-speed and makes hard-contact so projects to have above-average power (for a shortstop) in pro ball... swing & miss is a problem, however... has decent speed (average for a SS) but is an outstanding base-runner... played in the Under Armour All-America game at Wrigley Field in 2019... also played for the Chicago Jackie Robinson West team that went to the Little League World Series representing the Great Lakes region in 2014... grew up on the south side of Chicago and he said in an interview prior to the Under Armour game that he is a White Sox fan... was given the nickname "Silk" by mentor Barry Larkin (because he is so smooth in the field)... 
BONUS SLOT VALUE: $3,745,500


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DAY TWO (6/11): 

2nd ROUND (51): 
Burl Carraway, LHP 
L/L, 6'0 173, Age 21 
Dallas Baptist University  
COLLEGE JR 
AREA SCOUT: Todd George 
COMMENT: Patriots closer... also pitched for Team USA in 2019... rated by Baseball America as the top pure relief prospect in the 2020 draft... 2019 first-team All-MVC... went 4-2 with six saves and a 2.81 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, .195 OppBA (one HR allowed), 22/72 BB/K in 41.2 IP (28 games) for DBU in 2019... features a 93-96 MPH FB (T-98) and a 76-77 MPH knee-buckling CV... both pitches have a high spin-rate... struck out over 50% of LH hitters he faced in 2019... has a violent max-effort crossfire delivery with an inconsistent release point... throwing strikes has been a problem throughout his HS and college career... close to being MLB ready if he can throw strikes more-consistently...   
BONUS SLOT VALUE: $1,436,900

3rd ROUND (88):  
Jordan Nwogu, OF 
R/R, 6'3 235, Age 21
U. of Michigan 
COLLEGE JUNIOR 
AREA SCOUT: Jacob Williams  
COMMENT: 1st team All-Big Ten as a DH in 2019... hit 335/442/577 with 18 HR & 72 RBI, 21 doubles, five triples, 56/80 BB/K and 16 HBP, and 27 SB (five CS) in 105 games (430 PA) for Wolverines 2018-20... reached base in 30 consecutive games at one point during 2019 season when he led Michigan to a berth in the College World Series... was named to All-Big Ten Freshman Team in 2018... played CF and batted lead-off for Wolverines in 15 games in 2020 before season was canceled... he is an aggressive base-runner with plus speed and big-time HR power but he has a below-average arm and has difficulty reading and tracking fly balls so he projects (at best) as a LF or maybe even a DH in pro ball... crushes fastballs with plus bat-speed and a high exit-velocity but struggles with breaking balls and off-speed pitches...  played both baseball and football (OLB/DE) at Pioneer HS in Ann Arbor and he received football scholarship offers from Eastern Michigan and Kent State but he opted to stay home and play baseball (as a walk-on) at UM... is a member of the National Honor Society and was named an Academic All-Big Ten (computer science) in 2019...   
BONUS SLOT VALUE: $678,600

4th ROUND (117): 
Luke Little, LHP 
L/L, 6'8 225, Age 19   
San Jacinto College - North 
JC SOPH 
AREA SCOUT: Trey Forkerway 
COMMENT: Gators closer... supposedly threw a 105 MPH FB in a bullpen session shown on Twitter but velo was not independently confirmed by scouts... otherwise FB sits 96-97 (T-100-101)... also features a low 80's SL and an upper 70's CV and a CH that is a work-in-progress... walked more batters than innings pitched in 2019 (36 walks in 35.1 IP) but he also struck out 69 (that's 17.6 K per 9) with a .159 OppBA (one HR allowed) and a 2.04 ERA... strike-throwing showed improvement in 2020 (3/17 BB./K in 9.0 IP) prior to season being canceled... missed a month with a back injury in January... lost 30 pounds (he weighed 250+) after graduating from HS... will transfer to U. of South Carolina if he does not sign with Cubs... 
BONUS SLOT VALUE: $492,700

5th ROUND (147): 
Koen Moreno, RHP 
R/R, 6'2 170, Age 18 
Panther Creek HS - Cary, NC 
HIGH SCHOOL 
COLLEGE COMMIT: East Carolina  
AREA SCOUT: Billy Swoope 
COMMENT: Rated the #1 high school pitching prospect in North Carolina by Baseball America... Went 5-3 with a 1.62 ERA, .153 OppBA (one HR allowed), and 17/80 BB/K in 47.2 IP for the Catamounts in 2019... was on the varsity baseball squad all four years at PCHS... a multi-sport athlete, he also played basketball and ran track... features an 87-93 MPH FB (T-94), a swing & miss CH, and a promising but inconsistent mid-70's CV...   
BONUS SLOT VALUE: $367,900

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CUBS SIGNING BONUS POOL (AGGREGATE BONUS SLOT VALUES FOR THE FIVE ROUNDS): $6,721,600 

Not that MLB owners and the MLBPA would care since the post-season is where the real money and the big bucks are, but...

If the 2020 minor league season is not considered to be a "qualified season" because the season was canceled prior to starting, there could be some far-reaching consequences for a number of minor league players that might potentially result in a mass grievance or maybe even a class action lawsuit... 

The Cubs have released 30 minor leaguers:  

3/26 UPDATE: 

The Cubs have optioned RHP Dillon Maples to AAA Iowa.  

So the Cubs MLB Active List roster now stands at 30, with ten players on Optional Assignment.  

The status of the eight remaining Cubs MLB Spring Training minor league NRI (LHP Rex Brothers, C-INF P. J. Higgins, 2B Jason Kipnis, OF Ian Miller, RHP Brandon Morrow, INF-OF Hernan Perez, C Josh Phegley, and RHP Michael Rucker) is unclear, although MLB and the MLBPA have agreed that the deadline for a club to decide whether to release a post-2019 MLB Article XX-B free-agent signed to a 2020 minor league contract (Kipnis and Morrow), add the player to the MLB 40-man roster by Opening Day, or retain the player on a minor league contract where the player receives a $100K retention bonus and an automatic 6/1 player opt-out, will be postponed until five days prior to MLB Opening Day (once it has been rescheduled).     

3/11 UPDATE:  

The Cubs have optioned RHP James Norwood to AAA Iowa, and LHRP Danny Hultzen, RHRP Dakota Mekkes, LHRP Wyatt Short, and RHRP Ben Taylor have been assigned to Minor League Camp.  

Cubs MLB Spring Training roster now stands at 39 (21 pitchers, four catchers, eight infielders, and six outfielders). 

3/10 UPDATE:

The Cubs have optioned RHP Adbert Alzolay, RHP Colin Rea, and INF Zack Short to AAA Iowa and C Miguel Amaya to AA Tennessee, sent INF Carlos Asuaje, OF Noel Cuevas, INF-OF Trent Giambrone, and 1B Corban Joseph to Minor League Camp, and added NRI RHP Michael Rucker to MLB Spring Training roster.

Cubs MLB Spring Training roster now stands at 44 (26 pitchers, four catchers, eight infielders, and six outfielders) 

3/6 UPDATE: 

The Cubs have optioned RHP Tyson Miller and INF-OF Robel Garcia to AAA Iowa and RHP Manuel Rodriguez and LHP Justin Steele to AA Tennessee, sent non-roster RHP Jason Adam, RHP Oscar de la Cruz, LHP Tyler Olson, LHP C. D. Pelham, RHP Caleb Simpson, RHP Brock Stewart and C Jhonny Pereda to Minor League Camp, and re-claimed RHP Michael Rucker (selected by Baltimore Orioles in Major Phase of 2019 Rule 5 Draft) and assigned him outright to AAA Iowa.  

Cubs MLB Spring Training roster now stands at 51. 


2020 CUBS SPRING TRAINING UNIFORM NUMBERS 

The Cubs have sent minor league catcher Jhonny Pereda to the Boston Red Sox to complete a January 21st trade in which the Cubs acquired RHRP Travis Lakins from the Red Sox for Future Considerations. (Lakins had been Designated for Assignment by the Red Sox on 1/17). 

The Cubs then lost Lakins off waivers to the Baltimore Orioles (who have the #2 MLB waiver claim priority) ten days later when the Cubs attempted to remove him from the MLB 40-man roster to make room on the 40 for free-agent RHRP Jeremy Jeffress.