Wander Feliz

Jeff Smith ripped a two-run triple, singled, doubled, and scored two runs, Alex Brown hammered an RBI triple, singled, walked and scored two runs, Fernery Ozuna drilled an RBI double, tripled, walked, and scored a run, Austin Byler singled twice, walked twice, drove-in a run, and scored another, Marty Herum smacked a two-run home run and singled, and RHSP Sam McWilliams and four relievers combined to spin a five-hitter, as the Diamondbacks crushed the Cubs 12-4 on Whirlwind Field, and Wladimir Galindo (two-run single), Tyler Pearson (two-run double), and Jhonny Bethencourt (RBI single) contributed run-scoring hits to highlight a five-run 7th and RHSP Pedro Silverio tossed three innings of shutout ball with four strikeouts, as the Cubs rallied to defeat the D'backs 7-5 on Jackrabbit Field, in Cactus League Extended Spring Training split-squad doubleheader action this morning at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick Resort east of Scottsdale, AZ. 

The game on Jackrabbit Field was called after eight innings of play. 

Yeiler Peguero singled twice, drove-in a run, and scored another and Miguel Amaya belted a two-run double and walked for the Cubs in a losing cause on Whirlwind Field, and Jose Herrera and Gerard Hernandez drilled two-run singles for the D'backs in a losing cause on Jackrabbit Field.  

RHSP Junior Marte had difficulty finding the strike zone in the game on Whilrlwind Field, walking six in just 1.1 IP (he threw only 43% strikes), and surrendering two run-scoring triples when he did throw the ball over the plate.  

RHP (ex-INF) Francisco Garay and RHP (ex-OF) Wander Feliz saw their first Cactus League EXST game action since being converted to pitchers this season (they had previously thrown only "live" BP and in intrasquad games at Riverview Park), throwing an inning a piece in the game on Jackrabbit Field. Garay got through his inning relatively unscathed (although his fastball topped out at only 86 MPH), while Feliz walked the bases loaded and then surrendered a two-run single (like Marte, Feliz could not find home plate, recording only 33% strikes).  

A 17-year old 6'2 Panamanian, Garay hit just 126/190/146 with a whopping 96 K in 220 PA while playing both 3B and SS for the VSL Cubs in his debut pro season last year, and the 18-year old 6'2 Feliz hit 235/375/333 in 202 PA and 54 games (mostly in RF) for the DSL Cubs in 2015 (his rookie season). Garay received a $200K signing bonus in July 2014, so his failure as a position player is especially noteworthy. 

Stephen Bruno saw his first game action since Minor League Camp, playing 2B for four ininngs and going 1-2 (a single and a FC) at the plate on Jackrabbit Field. 

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

Jacob Rogers drilled a two-run single to cap a three-run 6th, walked twice, stole a base, and scored a run, and Billy McKinney ripped an RBI single to open the scoring in the top of the 4th and doubled and scored a run in the 6th, leading the Iowa Cubs to 5-2 victory over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans in Minor League Camp game action this morning on Field #5 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.  

Andruw Monasterio hammered a double and an RBI single, walked, stole two bases, and scored a run, and Cubs 2015 2nd round draft pick Donnie Dewees (U. of North Florida) collected three singles and stole a base for the Pelicans in a losing cause.

18-year old 6'8 LHP Bryan Hudson (Cubs 2015 3rd round draft pick - Alton HS -Alton IL) threw two innings of hitless/shutout ball for Iowa, walking two, and striking out two.

The game was called after seven innings of play.  

Because a number of players were called up to play in the Cubs MLB Cactus League split squad games, several players were temporarily moved to different squads for the game at Riverview. Starting pitcher Jonathan Martinez, catchers Erick Castillo, Gioskar Amaya, and Tyler Pearson, and infielder Chesny Young were moved down to Myrtle Beach from Tennessee, SS Andruw Monasterio was moved up to Tennessee from South Bend, CF Trey Martin, DH Billy McKinney, and 1B Jacob Rogers were moved up to Iowa from Tennessee, 3B Andrew Ely, LF Charcer Burks, and C Tyler Alamo were moved up to Iowa from Myrtle Beach, and pitchers Justin Steele and Bryan Hudson were moved up to Iowa from South Bend.

This was the first game action for catcher Will Remillard since undergoing TJS last March. Prior to his elbow injury, Remillard was considered a rising star (at least defensively) among the Cubs catching prospects, so highly regarded by the Cubs that he received an NRI to Spring Training in 2014 less than a year after being drafted out of Coastal Carolina U. (where he was a teammate of Cubs minor league RHP Josh Conway). Although he is presently assigned to the Iowa squad at Minor League Camp, Remillard will will likely be the #1 catcher at Myrtle Beach come Opening Day. 

In Minor League Camp roster news, Francisco Garay and Wander Feliz have arrived from the Cubs Dominican Academy, and both are being converted from position player to pitcher.

A 17-year old 6'2 Panamanian, Garay hit just 126/190/146 with a whopping 96 K in 220 PA while playing both 3B and SS for the VSL Cubs in his debut pro season last year, and the 18-year old 6'2 Feliz hit 235/375/333 in 202 PA and 54 games (mostly in RF) for the DSL Cubs in 2015 (his rookie season). Garay received a $200K signing bonus in July 2014, so his failure as a position player is especially noteworthy.

Garay and Feliz have been assigned to the South Bend group, but both will very likely be assigned to the Extended Spring Training squad, once it is formed in the coming days.  

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

Here is the box score from today's game at Minor League Camp: