Gustavo Polanco

Fidel Mejia singled, doubled, walked, and scored two runs, Gustavo Polanco singled twice, drove-in a run, and scored a run, Ed Howard IV drilled an RBI double, and Eury Ramos threw two innings of perfect baseball with five strikeouts, leading the South Bend Cubs (now the Hi-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs) to a 6-4 victory over the Eugene Emeralds (the San Francisco Giants' new Hi-A affiliate in the Northwest League) in Cactus League Minor League Camp game action Wednesday afternoon at Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ. 

Jacob Gonzalez (son of former major leaguer Luis Gonzalez) clubbed a solo HR for the Ems off converted position player Jerrick Suiter, and then Suiter promptly left the game with an injury (not clear what it was) one pitch into the next batter.     

The Eury Ramos 97-99 MPH FB is both electric and dominating, especially when combined with his filthy 88-91 MPH wipe-out SL. The 23-year old Ramos is scheduled to be a minor league 6YFA post-2021 but he has yet to pitch above Lo-A, so look for him to move very quickly in 2021 if he can remain healthy.    

Here is the abridged box score (Cubs players only)

Henderson Perez collected four singles and an RBI and scored a run (his second four-hit game in the last two weeks), Gustavo Polanco belted an RBI triple and two singles, Kwangmin Kwon singled, doubled, stole a base, and scored a run, Jose A. Gonzalez clubbed a game-tying opposite-field solo HR, and Christopher Morel laced two RBI singles (second one proved to be the game-winner), as the Cubs scored four runs over the final three innings to edge the Dodgers 6-5 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training Memorial Day game action on Field #5 on John Arguello Way at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ. 

Jacob Amaya drilled a solo HR and an RBI single and Jeremy Arocho singled twice, walked, stole a base, and scored a run for the Dodgers in a losing cause. 

The game was called after eight innings of play. 

Prior to the game on Field #5, LHP Justin Steele (three innings - 45 pitches), RHP Yunior Perez (two innings - 30 pitches), and RHP Hector Alonso Garcia (one inning - 20 pitches) squared-off in a three-inning "sim" game on Field #4. Steele threw a breaking ball for the first time since his July 2017 TJS.   

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

Gustavo Polanco belted an RBI triple, a double, and a single, and scored two runs, Christopher Morel clobbered a three-run HR, and Jose A. Gonzalez singled, doubled, and scored two runs, leading a Cubs 14-hit attack (including five XBH) en route to a 10-6 victory over the Athletics in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Tuesday morning on Field #5 on John Arguello Way at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ. 

The game was called after seven innings of play. 

Jordan Diaz singled twice and doubled and scored a run for the A's in a losing cause. 

In EXST roster news, RHP Jose Albertos has been sent to Extended Spring Training from South Bend. 

Prior to the Cactus League game, RHP Luis Aquino, LHP Jonathan Bruzual, RHP Hector Alonso Garcia, and RHP Yunior Perez squared-off in a multi-inning "sim" game on Field #4. H. Garcia and Y. Perez have been in the Rehab Throwing Program since the start of Minor League Camp in March, and Aquino and Bruzual have been throwing bullpen side-sessions only for the last month. 

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

Gustavo Polanco and Orian Nunez laced RBI doubles and SP Eury Ramos hurled three innings of one-run ball and combined with three relievers on a five-hitter with ten strikeouts, as the Cubs edged the Brewers 2-1 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Friday morning on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.   

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

Kevin Moreno (making his pro debut) singled twice, walked, and stole a base, Luis Vazquez singled twice, stole a base, scored a run, and drove-in another, and Gustavo Polanco belted a solo HR for the Cubs, and Jesus Lage drilled an RBI double and a single and scored a run, Daniel Bautista doubled, walked, scored a run, and drove-in another with an RBI GO, Kevin Richards singled twice, stole a base, and scored a run, and Lazaro Armenteros singled, walked, stole two bases, 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 Saturday morning on Field #4 at the Lew Wolff Training Complex at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ.  

The game was called after eight innings of play.

In EXST Cubs roster news, RHSP Jesus Camargo has been moved-up to South Bend. 

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

RHSP Adbert Alzolay hurled five innings (75 pitches) of one-run ball with seven strikeouts, Yovanny Cuevas knocked-in four runs with a two-run single and a two run double, Gustavo Polanco belted a solo HR and singled twice (including an RBI single), and Fidel Mejia drilled a two-run double and a single and scored twice, leading the Cubs to a 10-2 victory over the Angels in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Saturday morning on Field #6 on John Arguello Way at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.

Prior to the game, RHPs Yovanny Cruz, Eduarniel Nunez, Jesus Tejada, Garrett Kelly, and Stephen Ridings, and LHP Riger Fernandez threw "live" BP on Field #4. Y. Cruz, Fernandez, and Tejada attended AZ Instructs post-2017 but did not pitch in any games, but E. Nunez is making his U. S. debut at Extended Spring Training this year. G. Kelly (ex-MIN) was acquired by the Cubs from Schaumburg (Frontier League) last month but he has not yet pitched in a game. 

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

Chris Pieters tripled, singled twice, scored three runs, and knocked-in another, Gustavo Polanco belted a two-run double and a single and scored a run, Sam Tidaback drilled a two-run double, singled, and walked, Aramis Ademan doubled twice and scored two runs and drove-in a run with a sacrifice fly, and Zack Short tripled and singled and scored two runs, as Team Banks hammered out 16 hits (including seven XBH) en route to an 11-3 drubbing of Team Santo in Cubs Arizona Instructional League intrasquad game action Saturday morning on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.  

The two teams combined to commit nine errors, including three by Team Santo third-baseman Christopher Morel. 

Here is the box score from the game: 

Jose Paniagua (RBI triple off the top of the CF Batter's Eye - near HR), Wladimir Galindo (RBI double off the CF Batter's Eye), Alberto Mineo (RBI double into the right-centerfield alley), and Gustavo Polanco (two-run single through the box and into CF) contributed run-scoring hits to highlight a six-run 1st inning, and Galindo (RBI double off the RF fence) and Polanco (another two-run single into CF) tallied three more runs in the bottom of the 3rd, as the Cubs scored early and often and cruised to a 13-6 victory over the Athletics in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action Wednesday morning on Field #5 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ. 

Five pitchers combined to toss a one-hit shutout and Didimo Bracho belted a two-run home run and an RBI single to account for all of his team's runs, helping the Diamondbacks blank the Cubs 3-0 at Sloan Park, and D. J. Wilson (two-run triple), Luis Ayala (RBI double), Gustavo Polanco (RBI double), and Jesse Hodges (RBI single) contributed run-scoring hits to highlight a five-run Cub 3rd, as the Cubs and D'backs played to a 7-7 tie on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex, in Cactus League Extended Spring Training split-squad doubleheader action this morning in Mesa, AZ.   

Michael Foster broke up the D'backs no-hit bid in Sloan Park with a one-out single in the bottom of the 9th. 

RHSP Duane Underwood (right ebow stiffness) made his final rehab start in the game at Sloan Park and threw 5.1 IP (78 pitches) of one-run ball, retiring 13 of the first 16 men he faced before running into trouble in the top of the 6th when he allowed three singles and a HBP and surrendered his only run. But he was outstanding through the first five innings, allowing no runs on two hits and a walk with four strikeouts.  

RHRP Dallas Beeler (on Cubs 15-day DL - right shoulder inflammation) made a rehab start in the game played on Field #1 and was hit hard, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits (two singles, a double, a triple, and a home run) and a walk (plus a throwing error) in 3.1 IP (50 pitches).

RHRP Aaron Crow (ex-KC - April 2015 TJS rehab) threw in the game on Field #1, but was unable to complete his inning, allowing a single, a double, and a triple and two runs while retiring only one batter. I couldn't tell if he was lifted because of pitch count or performance issues, but his stuff was subpar today and obviously didn't fool any of the young D'backs hitters.  

Here are the abridged box scores from the two games (Cubs players only):     

Gustavo Polanco drilled a one-out game-tying two-run double off the LF fence (near HR) and Roberto Caro followed one out later with a two-out walk-off line-drive game-winning RBI single, as the Cubs Eugene/Mesa squad (Extended Spring Training group) rallied for four runs in the bottom of the 9th to edge los Toros de Tijuana (Mexican League) 10-9 in Minor League Camp game action Thursday morning on Field #3 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.

Adonis Paula belted a two-run double and a single and scored two runs, Yohan Matos ripped a two-run double and an RBI single, and Kwang-Min Kwon tripled and singled and scored a run to aid the Cub cause, and Isaac Rodriguez slugged a two-run HR and singled, Dustin Martin hammered a two-run triple and walked twice, and Edson Garcia rifled a two-run triple for los Toros in a losing cause. 

Los Toros are one of three Mexican League teams taking Spring Training at the Kino Sports Complex (formerly known as "Tucson Electric Park" when the White Sox and Diamondbacks based their Spring Training there) in Tucson. (Pericos de Puebla and Rojos del Aguila de Veracruz are the other two Mexican League clubs sharing the facility with los Toros), and in addition to playing games against each other in Tucson, the three Mexican League clubs have also been playing games against MLB minor league affiliates in the Phoenix area during the month of March. (Mexican League Opening Day is April 1st). 

The Cubs have signed nine players out of Mexico over the last 18 months, and six just in the 2015-16 IFA alone (the same number they have signed so far out of Venezuela in the 2015-16 IFA). So the Cubs--and more specifically Mexico Area Scout Sergio Hernandez--have really been going hard after Mexican talent lately.  

Three of the players signed by the Cubs out of Mexico over the past couple of years (RHSP Jesus Camargo, shortstop Isaac Paredes, and catcher Kevin Zamudio) played in the game against Tijuana, and you could see that the trio were stoked to compete against los Toros.   

Cubs Spring Training Depth Chart
Minor League Camp Rosters (updated daily)

Here is the box score from the game: