Hernandez Free at Last, Niko Knocks a Nookie
With VP of Player Personnel Oneri Fleita and about a dozen Cubs scouts in attendance, LHP Mark Pawelek threw three shutout innings of one-hit ball and Las Vegas Durango HS SS Niko Vasquez crushed a two-run homer onto 8th Street, leading the EXST Cubs to a 3-1 victory over the EXST A's at Fitch Park Field #3 this morning.
With a bevy of Cubs scouts hanging on their every movement, Cubs Extended Spring Training coaches worked-out Brookswood Senior School (Langley, B. C.) and Canadian Junior National Team 3B Brett Lawrie (rated pre-draft #37 by Baseball America) and Vasquez (rated #65 pre-draft by BA) in pre-game infield practice on Field #1 and then BP on Field #2, in preparation for this Thursday's Rule 4 Draft. Lawrie and Vasquez both showed a quick bat with plus-HR power in their BP sessions. Both are right-handed hitters.
While Lawrie and Vasquez have signed National Letters of Intent with big-time college baseball programs (Lawrie with Arizona State and Vasquez with Oregon State), both are considered "signable." And based on where they are rated by Baseball America, I would think the Cubs are looking at Lawrie for maybe their Supplemental 1st round pick (#41 overall, compensation for losing Jason Kendall to the Brewers), and Vasquez perhaps with their 2nd round selection (#65 overall).
Naturally, the Cubs are almost certainly looking at other players, too, especially some of the better college pitchers and position players who may be playing in NCAA Regionals as we speak, but the fact that Lawrie and Vasquez were invited to Fitch Park for a pre-draft work-out--and the fact that Vasquez actually played in an EXST game--makes it appear that the Cubs are fairly serious about both youngsters.
In EXST roster news, RHP Robert Hernandez has finally played his "Get Out of Jail - Free!" card and is headed for Peoria. Hernandez had been at EXST at Fitch Park for the past two months while serving a 50-game suspension after testing positive for steroids just prior to Opening Day. He has been pitching great in EXST games, and so it was only a matter of time before he was back in the Peoria starting rotation. And he did nothing to discount his rating as one of the Cubs top pitching prospects while he was at EXST, either.
Headed the exact opposite direction from Hernandez is fellow-Venezuelan RHP Eduardo Figueroa, who received an unsatisfactory grade and has been sent back to the Cubs Venezuelan Baseball Academy. However, I suspect the 19-year old "Figgy" (as he was known at EXST) will actually be diverted to one of the two Cubs teams in the Dominican Summer League (DSL Cubs #1 or DSL Cubs #2).
Here is today's abridged box score (Cubs players only)...
LINEUP:
1. Cesar Salazar, CF: 2-4 (2B, K)
2. Marwin Gonzalez, DH #1: 1-4 (R, K)
3a. SLOT SKIPPED 1st TIME THROUGH ORDER
3b. Niko Vasquez, PH: 1-1 (HR - 2 RBI)
3c. SLOT SKIPPED AFTER PH BY VASQUEZ
4. Josh Vitters, 3B: 0-1 (R, 3 BB, K, SB, PO)
5. Nelson Perez, LF: 1-3 (3B. RBI, BB, K, SB)
6. Drew Rundle, RF: 0-4 (2 K)
7. Bryan Jost, 1B 0-4 (3 K)
8. Dwayne Kemp, 2B: 0-4 (2 K)
9. Alvaro Sosa, C: 0-3
10a. Niko Vasquez, SS: 0-1
10b. SLOT SKIPPED AFTER 1st AB BY VASQUEZ (see 3b)
11. Jose Made, DH-SS: 2-3 (2B, K, SB)
PITCHERS:
1. Mark Pawelek - 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K, 2 HBP (57 pitches - 33 strikes, 5/3 GO/FO)
2. Israel Camacaro - 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 GIDP
3. John Muller - 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
4. Yohan Gonzalez - 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 0 K, (3/3 GO/FO)
ERRORS (2):
1. Niko Vasquez, E-6, overthrow at 1st base
2. Jose Made, E-6, overthrow at 1st base
CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Alvaro Sosa, 0-2 CS and one PB
WEATHER: Temperature in the 80's, clear skies, light breeze
ATTENDANCE: 19 (plus about a dozen Cubs scouts and executives)
2008 CUBS EXTENDED SPRING TRAINING ROSTER (as of 5/30)
50 PLAYERS (38 ACTIVE)
36 ACTIVE ROSTER
2 ACTIVE REHAB
12 INJURY REHAB OR DISABLED LIST OR UNKNOWN
* throws or bats left
# bats both
PITCHERS (28 TOTAL – 20 ACTIVE):
Ryan Acosta (UNKNOWN – LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
Alberto Alburquerque (2008 SHOULDER SURGERY REHAB – LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
* Jeffry Antigua
* Michael Bunton
Israel Camacaro
Rogelio Carmona
Rafael Dolis (2007 TJS SURGERY REHAB - LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
Yohan Gonzalez
Angel Guzman (2007 TJS SURGERY - ACTIVE REHAB)
Marcus Hatley
* Arik Hempy
Chris Huseby
Kitt Kopach (2007 SHOULDER SURGERY REHAB - LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
Oswaldo Martinez (2007 TJS REHAB - LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
Jon Mueller
John Muller
Jake Muyco
Dionis Nunez
* Mark Pawelek
Julio Pena
Jose Pina (2007 TJS - ACTIVE REHAB)
Andres Quezada (UNKNOWN - LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
Cedric Redmond (LABRUM INJURY REHAB - LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
Carlos Rojas
Miguel Sierra
Larry Suarez (2008 TJS REHAB – LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
* Luke Sommer
Harol Tolentino
CATCHERS (5 TOTAL – 4 ACTIVE):
Robinson Chirinos
Jose Guevara (HAND INJURY – LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
Carlos Perez
Roberto Sabates
# Alvaro Sosa
INFIELDERS (10 TOTAL – 9 ACTIVE):
Starlin Castro
John Contreras
# Marwin Gonzalez
* Bryan Jost
Dwayne Kemp
Junior Lake
Jose Made
George Matheus
* Jeffrey Rea (QUAD INJURY REHAB – BP ONLY)
Josh Vitters
OUTFIELDERS (7 TOTAL – 5 ACTIVE):
* Kyler Burke
* Jeff Culpepper (SHOULDER INJURY – LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
* Clark Hardman (UNKOWN - LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
* Nelson Perez
* Drew Rundle
# Cesar Salazar
Kevin Soto
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