2014 Cubs Arizona Instructional League
The Arizona Instructional League (AZIL) is well under way, with all 15 MLB clubs that have Spring Training in Arizona plus two Korean (KBO) clubs (SK Wyverns and NC Dinos) fielding squads.
Each MLB organization operates its AZIL squad as it sees fit. Some organizations (like SD and MIL) start their season early and end early, others (like KC and SF) start their season later and end later, while others (like the Colorado Rockies) have a very short AZIL season (just two weeks). Some clubs play 18-20 "league games" (just about every day), while others play only five or six league games with one or sometimes two Camp Days (instruction only or maybe morning instruction followed by a controlled "sim" game in the afternoon) on the days in between to work on issues or problems noted in the AZIL games.
The Cubs are taking a unique approach this year, cutting its AZIL "season" back to three weeks (9/22 through 10/12) and starting later in September than most of the other AZIL clubs. Also, the Cubs have not scheduled any games against other MLB organizations or against the two KBO teams (first time I've ever seen that), opting instead to have Camp Days (Instruction only) for three hours every morning (sometimes followed by a "sim" game) over the first two weeks, and then a "Cubs World Series" (best 4 out of 7 mega-intrasquad match) the last week.
There are (or will be by next week) 74 Cubs minor leaguers (including 40 pitchers) at the Under Armour Performance Center at Riverview Park in Mesa (which is about 20 more players than had been the norm for Cubs "instructs" rosters in previous seasons). The ten Kane County players who are participating will report a week late because their season ran a bit long (they won the Midwest League Championship on September 13th), and the eight Cubs players who have been assigned to the Mesa Solar Sox (Arizona Fall League) will participate only during the first two weeks (AFL Opening Day is on Tuesday October 7th), and then only as preparation for the AFL season.
Six Latin players (three from the DSL Cubs and three from the VSL Cubs) are making their U. S. debut at "instructs," another (SS Frandy de la Rosa) is returning to the U. S. after spending the 2014 season with the DSL Cubs, and still another (RHP Jose Zapata) is active and will be making his U. S. "field debut" after spending the 2014 season on the AZL Cubs 60-day DL after suffering multiple injuries in an off-season car crash in the Dominican Republic last December. Also, OF Kevin Encarnacion (who suffered third-degree burns and a shoulder injury in the same car crash) is finally back on the field and is fully participating in all baseball-related activities.
2014 CUBS ARIZONA INSTRUCTIONAL LEAGUE ROSTER:
* bats or throws left
# bats both
74 players
PITCHERS (40)
Corey Black
Paul Blackburn (will report late - weeks 2 & 3 only)
Zach Cates (AFL prep - weeks 1 & 2 only)
* Gerardo Concepcion (AFL prep - weeks 1 & 2 only)
Trevor Clifton
Josh Conway
Oscar de la Cruz (DSL Cubs in 2014 - making U. S. debut)
C. J. Edwards (AFL prep - weeks 1 & 2 only)
James Farris
Scott Frazier
David Garner (will report late - weeks 2 & 3 only)
* Yapson Gomez (VSL Cubs in 2014 - making U. S. debut)
Tanner Griggs
Trey Hedges
Michael Jensen
Pierce Johnson
John Michael Knighton
Erick Leal
Daniel Lewis
Dillon Maples
Jonathan Martinez
Ryan McNeal
Jeferson Mejia
* Jordan Minch
James Norwood
Jeremy Null
Juan Carlos Paniagua
Ivan Pineyro (AFL prep - weeks 1 & 2 only)
Santiago Rodriguez (DSL Cubs in 2014 - making U. S. debut)
* Carson Sands
Tyler Skulina
* Justin Steele
Jake Stinnett
* Tommy Thorpe
Duane Underwood (will report late - weeks 2 & 3 only)
Ben Wells (will report late - weeks 2 & 3 only)
Ryan Williams
Austyn Willis
Jose Zapata (AZL Cubs 60-day DL in 2014 - making U. S. "field" debut)
* Rob Zastryzny
CATCHERS: (10)
Tyler Alamo
Gioskar Amaya (ex-2B)
# Victor Caratini
* Jordan Hankins (ex-3B)
Mark Malave
Johan Matos (DSL Cubs in 2014 - making U. S. debut)
Jhonny Pereda (VSL Cubs in 2014 - making U. S. debut)
Will Remillard
* Kyle Schwarber
Mark Zagunis (will report late - weeks 2 & 3 only)
INFIELDERS: (13)
# Jeimer Candelario (will report late - weeks 2 & 3 only)
# Frandy de la Rosa (DSL Cubs in 2014 - participated in EXST and AZ Instructs in 2013)
* Andrew Ely
Wladimir Galindo (VSL Cubs in 2014 - making U. S. debut)
* Danny Lockhart (will report late - weeks 2 & 3 only)
Carlos Penalver (will report late - weeks 2 & 3 only)
Addison Russell (AFL prep - weeks 1 & 2 only)
Ho-Young Son
Gleyber Torres
* Dan Vogelbach (AFL prep - weeks 1 & 2 only)
Christian Villanueva
* Jason Vosler
Chesny Young (will report late - weeks 2 & 3 only)
OUTFIELDERS: (11)
John Andreoli
Jeffrey Baez (will report late - weeks 2 & 3 only)
Charcer Burks
* Rashad Crawford
# Kevin Encarnacion
* Jake Hannemann (AFL prep - weeks 1 & 2 only)
Eloy Jimenez
* Billy McKinney
Kevonte Mitchell
* Bijan Rademacher (AFL prep - weeks 1 & 2 only)
* Charlie White
FIELD COORDINATOR:
Tim Cossins
GAME MANAGERS:
Pedro Gonzalez
Mark Johnson
COACHES & INSTRUCTORS:
Oscar Bernard (Hitting Instructor)
Tom Beyers (Hitting Instructor)
Franklin Blanco (Hitting Instructor)
Jesus Feliciano (Hitting & Outfield Instructor)
Jose Flores (Infield Coordinator)
Jimmy Gonzalez (Hitting Instructor)
Chris Gutierrez (Infield Instructor)
Anthony Iapoce (Hitting Coordinator)
Derek Johnson (Pitching Coordinator)
Brian Lawrence (Pitching Coach)
Nate Maldonado (Catching Instructor)
Carmelo Martinez (Hitting Instructor)
Guillermo Martinez (Infield Instructor)
Ricardo Medina (Hitting Instructor)
Osmin Melindes (Infield Instructor)
Leo Perez (Catching Instructor)
Mike Roberts (Baserunning Instructor)
David Rosario (Pitching Coach)
Mike Mason (Pitching Coach)
Eduardo Villacis (Pitching Coach)
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