Archive

2019 AZL Opening Day is this coming Monday (6/17).

6/14 UPDATE: 

With just one day to go in the 2018-19 ISP, the Cubs have signed three more 2018-19 J-2 IFA, their 35th, 36th, and 37th IFA signed since the start of the 2018-19 ISP last July 2nd:

Jorge Arellano, P 
NFI 

Luis Barrelliza, P 
NFI 

Starling Mateo, OF 
NFI  

++++++++++++++++++++++++

6/13 UPDATE: 

Two days before the deadline to sign 2018-19 International Free-Agents (IFA) who are subject to International Signing Bonus Pool (ISBP) restrictions (so-called "J-2 players"), the Cubs have officially signed six more 2018-19 IFA: 

Elias Fabian OF 
NFI 

Anderson Feliz, P 
NFI 

Wilfri Figuereo, P 
NFI 

Samuel Rodriguez, P 
NFI 
 
Joanfran Rojas, INF 
R/R, 5'11 162, Age 17  
VENEZUELA 

Wilker Ruiz, P 
NFI 

So the Cubs have signed 34 IFA since the start of the 2018-19 ISP last July 2nd (see complete list below). 

The deadline to sign 2018-19 IFA is midnight this coming Saturday (June 15th).

There will then be a  "quiet period" (16 days when no IFA who is subject to ISBP restrictions may be signed) before the 2019-20 ISP commences on July 2nd. 

UPDATED 6/13: 

Players selected in the MLB First-Year Player Draft (MLB Rule 4 Draft) are placed on a club's Negotiation List.

J-Hey reached double figures Tuesday night, less than halfway through the season after managing only eight all of last year, and he’s not the only one who’s putting up some impressive HR numbers in 2019.

Just as the Cubs acclimate to the atmosphere at Coors, they skip off to Cally for a four-game set against the dangerous Dodgers. Having pitched a gem in the stopper role on Wednesday, Hamels will take his place in the cheering section for this one, and the rest of the rotation will get a chance to show their stuff. Good news for them is that the first three of the series will be night games, which may help them keep the ball in the yard. Quintana will have to work his way through the Sunday afternoon game. The bad news for everyone is that the Dodgers feature the most productive offense without a DH (ahead of the Cubs, who are now second in the NL in wRC+). On the other side of the ball, the LA squad may have the best defense in all of baseball, and their pitching is near the top in the NL. With the Dodgers (45-23) leading the NL in wins, any match with them will look like a post-season preview, as long as the other team is contending. The Cubs (38-29) come into the series 0.5 behind Milwaukee.

Matchups after the break.

6/12 UPDATE/CHANGES: 

SS Luis Vazquez has been moved-down to Eugene from AAA Iowa and C Marcus Mastrobuoni has been reinstated from the South Bend 7-day IL and so his rehab assignment at Eugene has been canceled.  

C-1B Danny Zardon has been moved up to Eugene from AZL Cubs #1, and SS Luis Verdugo has been moved down to AZL Cubs #2 from Eugene.  

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


6/9 ORIGINAL POST 6/9: 


The Northwest League begins play this coming Friday (6/14). 

Here is the provisional 2019 Eugene Emeralds Opening Day roster (subject to change). 

In most cases 2019 draft picks will be initially assigned to one of the Cubs two AZL squads.

 

CHC (37-29): LHP Cole Hamels (5-2, 3.24 ERA)
COL (35-31): RHP Antonio Senzatela (5-4, 4.95 ERA)
First pitch 2:10pmCDT

Cole Hamels and the altitude-sick Cubs will try to salvage a game from this trash-fire series before they have to take on the NL best Dodgers in LA. Hamels was fantastic against the Cards last time, going eight shutout innings and collecting 10 strikeouts to three hits and a walk. It was his best start of the season so far, and a continuation of his being one of the best things to happen to the Cubs in the last year. He's made six career starts in Coors and has fared OK there, holing opponents to a .310 OBP. He's held current Rockies to a .710 OPS in in 165 at bats, but some key players (Dahl, Story) have never faced him.