Cubs Minor Leagues
Hope Springs Eternal in Mesa
Zyhir Hope led off the bottom of the 1st inning with a triple and scored, Alexis Hernandez collected two RBI singles, Geuri Lubo drilled an RBI single, walked, and scored a run, and SP Alfredo Romero tossed three innings of shutout ball, as the Cubs defeated the Athletics 4-1 in Arizona Instructional League "Bridge Camp" game action Friday morning on Field # 1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.
The Cubs are now 1-4 through their first five Instructs games.
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A's Feed Cubs Goose Eggs at Fitch Park
Nate Nankill belted a solo home run, Nelson Beltran and Darlyn Montero stroked RBI singles, and SP Nathan Dettmer and four relievers combined to hurl a six-hit shutout, as the Athletics blanked the Cubs 6-0 in Arizona Instructional League "Bridge Camp" game action Thursday morning at the Lew Wolff Training Complex at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ.
Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only):
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Angels Take the Labor Day Contest at Sloan Park
Dario Laverde drilled an RBI double and a single, John Wimmer doubled, singled, and scored a run, Capri Ortiz singled twice and stole three bases, and SP Yendy Gomez hurled three innings of no run / no hit ball, leading the Angels to a 6-3 victory over the Cubs in Arizona Instructional League "Bridge Camp" Labor Day game action Monday afternoon at Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ.
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D'backs Cruise Past Cubs at Talking Stick
Yerald Nin drilled a two-run double, singled twice, and scored a run, and Jakey Josepha singled twice, walked, stole a base, scored a run, and drove in another, leading the Diamondbacks to a 9-3 victory over the Cubs in Arizona Instructional League "Bridge Camp" game action Saturday morning on Whirlwind Field at Talking Stick at Salt River Fields, east of Scottsdale, AZ.
Batting RH versus a RHP, Reggie Preciado (no longer switch-hitting) clubbed a solo HR over the LF fence to account for one of the three Cub runs.
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Angels Let Offense Loose at Diablo
Capri Ortiz doubled in the 1st, reached base on an error and scored in the 3rd, singled and scored in the 5th, hammered a two-run double in the 6th, and stroked a sacrifice fly in the 7th, Landon Wallace singled twice, doubled, reached base on an HBP, and scored two runs, Edgar Alfonso ripped three singles, scored three runs, and drove-in two more, John Wimmer doubled, walked twice, and scored two runs, and Caleb Ketchup doubled, walked twice, and scored a run, helping the Angels batter the Cubs 19-7 in Arizona Instructional League Opening Day game action Wednesday morning on Field # 3 at t
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Brown, Roederer, Amaya, Maldonado, and Vazquez Star at Minor League Camp
SP Ben Brown hurled three innings of no run / no hit ball, Cole Roederer walked and scored in the 1st and stroked an RBI single in the 3rd, Miguel Amaya belted an RBI double in the 1st, singled in the 8th, and was behind the plate for the entire nine innings, and Nelson Maldonado and Luis Vazquez each belted a two-run HR to ignite a four-run 4th inning explosion for the Tennessee Smokies (Cubs AA affiliate), and Riley Mahan smacked a three-run HR in the 4th and Luis Matos ripped a two-run double in the 5th for the Richmond Flying Squirrels (AA affiliate of the San Francisco Giants), as the
South Bend & Myrtle Beach Sweep Visalia & Hillsboro at Riverview
SP Joe Nahas fired 3.2 IP of shutout ball with seven strikeouts, Brad Beesley stroked an RBI double, singled, stole two bases, and scored a run, Haydn McGeary singled, doubled, and scored two runs, and Liam Spence drilled a two-run HR, as the South Bend Cubs (Hi-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs) blanked the Hillsboro Hops (Hi-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks) 7-0 on Field #6, and Christian Franklin hammered a bases-clearing bases-loaded three-run double, Parker Chavers walked and scored in the 3rd inning, singled and stole a base in the 5th, and belted a tie-breaking solo HR in the 7t
Wicks Stifles Sod Poodles at Riverview
SP Jordan Wicks retired the first ten men he faced, struck out six of them (14 swing & miss), and combined with five relievers on a four-hitter, Pete Crow-Armstrong lined a double into the RF corner, stole 3rd, and scored a run in the 1st inning, reached base on a bunt single in the 3rd, and singled again in the 5th, Miguel Amaya lofted a sacrifice fly to the warning track in RF in the 1st to drive-in PCA, singled in the 3rd, doubled and scored in the 8th, and caught all nine innings and threw out a runner attempting to steal, Chase Strumpf banged a double off the top of the LF fence (n
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Slugfest Ends in Tie at Fitch Park
SP Jake Walkinshaw hurled five innings of two-hit ball and retired the last twelve batters in a row, Junior Perez drilled a bases-loaded-bases-clearing triple, and Euribiel Angeles doubled twice and scored a run, leading the Lansing Lugnuts (Hi-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics) to a 5-3 victory over the South Bend Cubs (Hi-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs) on Field #3, and B. J.
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Wesneski Spins Tune-Up at Cubs Backfields
Left behind in Mesa after their teammates flew home to Chicago, Cubs RHSP Hayden Wesneski hurled five innings of one-run ball with seven strikeouts and catcher Luis Torrens singled, doubled and scored, and lofted a sacrifice fly, helping the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Chicago Cubs' Lo-A affiliate) take a 3-1 lead, but Jean Walters belted an RBI triple and scored on a passed ball in the top of the 9th, as the Hillsboro Hops (Hi-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks) rallied to edge the Pelicans 4-3 on Field #6, and Anderdson Rojas drilled a bases-loaded triple and an RBI single, Franyel Baez r
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Recent comments
Cubster (view)
AZ Phil: THAT is an awesome report worth multiple thanks. I’m sure it will be worth reposting in an “I told you so” in about 2-3 years.
Arizona Phil (view)
The actual deadline to select a post-2023 Article XX-B MLB free agent signed to 2024 minor league contract (Cooper, Edwards, and Peralta) to the MLB 40-man roster is not MLB Opening Day, it is 12 PM (Eastern) this coming Sunday (3/24).
However, the Cubs could notify the player prior to the deadline that the player is not going to get added to the 40 on Sunday, which would allow the player to opt out early. Otherwise the player can opt out anytime after the Sunday deadline (if he was not added to the 40 by that time).
Arizona Phil (view)
Today is an off day for both the Cubs MLB players and the Cubs minor league players.
Arizona Phil (view)
For those of you keeping track, so far nine players have been called up to Mesa from the Cubs Dominican Academy for Minor League Camp and they will be playing in the ACL in 2024:
* bats or throws left
Angel Cepeda, INF
* Miguel Cruz, P
Yidel Diaz, C
* Albert Gutierrez, 1B
Fraiman Marte, P
Francis Reynoso, P (ex-1B)
Derniche Valdez, INF
Edward Vargas, OF
Jeral Vizcaino, P
And once again, despite what you might read at Baseball Reference and at milb.com, Albert Gutierrez is absolutely positively a left-handed hitter (only), NOT a right-handed hitter.
Probably not too surprisingly, D. Valdez was the Cubs #1 prospect in the DSL last season, Cepeda was the DSL Cubs best all-around SS prospect not named Derniche Valdez, Gutierrez was the DSL Cubs top power hitting prospect not named Derniche Valdez, E. Vargas was the DSL Cubs top outfield prospect (and Cepeda and E. Vargas were also the DSL Cubs top two hitting prospects), Y. Diaz was the DSL Cubs top catching prospect, and M. Cruz was the DSL Cubs top pitching prospect.
F. Marte (ex-STL) and J. Vizcaino (ex-MIL) are older pitchers (both are 22) who were signed by the Cubs after being released by other organizations and then had really good years working out of the bullpen for the Cubs in the DSL last season.
The elephant in the room is 21-year old Francis Reynoso, a big dude (6'5) who was a position player (1B) at the Cardinals Dominican Academy for a couple of years, then was released by STL in 2022, and then signed by the Cubs and converted to a RHP at the Cubs Dominican Academy (and he projects as a high-velo "high-leverage" RP in the states). He had a monster year for the DSL Cubs last season (his first year as a pitcher).
Arizona Phil (view)
DJL: The only players who definitely have opt outs are Cooper, Edwards, and Peralta (Opening Day, 5/1, and 6/1), and that's because they are post-2023 Article XX-B MLB free agents who signed 2024 minor league contracts and (by rule) they get those opt outs automatically.
Otherwise, any player signed to a 2024 minor league contract - MIGHT or - MIGHT NOT - have an opt out in their contract, but it is an individual thing, and if there are contractual opt outs the opt out(s) might not necessarily be Opening Day. It could be 5/1, or 6/1, or 7/1 (TBD).
Because of their extensive pro experience, the players who most-likely have contractual opt outs are Alfaro, Escobar, and D. Smith, but (again), not necessarily Opening Day.
Also, just because a player has the right to opt out doesn't mean he will.
Dolorous Jon Lester (view)
I love the idea that Madrigal heads to Iowa in case Morel can’t handle third.
The one point that intrigues me here is Cooper over Smith. I feel like the Cubs really like Smith and don’t want to lose him. Could be wrong. He def seems like an opt out if he misses the opening day roster
Arizona Phil (view)
Childersb3: Both Madrigal and Wisdom can be optioned without any restriction. Their consent is not required.
They both can be outrighted without restriction, too (presuming the player is not claimed off waivers), but if outrighted they can choose to elect free agency (immediately, or deferred until after the end of the MLB season).
If the player is outrighted and elects free-agency immediately he forfeits what remains of his salary.
If he accepts the assignment and defers free agency until after the conclusion of the season, he continues to get his salary, and he could be added back to the 40 anytime prior to becoming a free-agent (club option).
Childersb3 (view)
Phil,
Madrigal and Wisdom can or cannot refuse being optioned to the Minors?
If they can refuse it, wouldn't they elect to leave the Cubs org?
Arizona Phil (view)
In my opinion, the biggest "affirmative" mistake the Cubs made in the off-season (that is, doing something they should not have done), was blowing $9M in 2024 AAV on Hector Neris. What the Cubs actually need is an alternate closer to be in the pen and available to close if Alzolay pitched the day before (David Robertson would have been perfect), because with his forearm issue last September, I would be VERY wary of over-using Alzolay. I'm not even sure I would pitch him two days in a row!
And of course what the Cubs REALLY need is a second TOR SP to pair with Justin Steele. That's where the Cubs are going to need to be willing to package prospects (like the Padres did to acquire Dylan Cease, the Orioles did to acquire Corbin Burnes, and the Dodgers did to acquire Tyler Glasnow). Obviously those ships have sailed, but I would say right now the Cubs need to look very hard at trying to acquire LHSP Jesus Luzardo from the Marlins (and maybe LHP A. J. Puk as well).
Arizona Phil (view)
I think the way it is looking right now (to me), if Jameson Taillon starts the season the 15-day IL (very likely), Justin Steele, Shota Imanaga, Kyle Hendricks, and Jordan Wicks are SP (all locks), Drew Smyly will be the temporary #5 SP, Javier Assad and Hayden Wesneski will be the multi-inning bulk guys, and Adbert Alzolay, Julian Merryweather, Hector Neris, Mark Leiter Jr, Luke Little, and Jose Cuas will be the one-inning relievers (although Cuas can throw two innings if needed). Then once Taillon is reinstated, Smyly will replace either Wesneski or Little in the pen (with Wesneski or Little getting optioned to Iowa to make room for Taillon on the 26-man roster).
As far as position players are concerned, Yan Gomes and Miguel Amaya are the catchers (locks), Ian Happ (LF), Cody Bellinger (CF), Seiya Suzuki (RF), and Mike Tauchman (4th OF) are the outfielders (locks), and Michael Busch (1B), Nico Hoerner (2B), Dansby Swanson (SS), and Christopher Morel (3B) are the infielders (all locks), with Miles Mastrobuoni (likely but not quite a lock) the back-up 2B-SS-3B-LF, late inning & extra inning PR, and late-inning defensive replacement for Morel when the Cubs are protecting a lead, Garrett Cooper (likely) as the primary RH DH and starts at 1B against tough LHSP and can also play corner OF, and Patrick Wisdom (somewhat likely) as a back-up 1B-3B-LF-RF and RH DH if Cooper is playing 1B, or David Bote (possibly) instead of Wisdom since Bote can play all four infield positions (plus LF) and not just 1B-3B. The Cubs are already paying Bote $5M in 2024 ($3M AAV hit) to play in AAA, so they probably would be fine with adding him back to the 40 and the 26-man roster.
Nick Madrigal will likely be optioned to AAA as soon as he's back from the hamstring injury (and he played in a game at Minor League Camp on Friday), and so he will be at Iowa in case the Morel experiment doesn't work. And and if it doesn't work out, Madrigal would probably get called up and (probably) Wisdom (or Bote, if Bote is on the 26-man roster instead of Wisdom) would be optioned to AAA (Madrigal, Wisdom, and Bote have usable minor league options available, while Cooper and Tauchman do not).
We actually saw something very much like this lineup on Sunday:
TYPICAL PROJECTED CUBS LINEUP:
1. Happ, LF
2. Suzuki, RF
3. Bellinger, LF
4. Morel, 3B
5. Swanson, SS
6. Busch, 1B
7. Hoerner, 2B
8. Cooper/Tauchman, DH
9. Gomes/Amaya, C