Eloy Jimenez

Kwangmin Kwon (RBI triple), Christopher Morel (RBI double), and Franklin Tineo (two-run single) stroked run-scoring hits, Tolly Filotei tripled and singled and scored a run, Fernando Kelli singled and doubled and scored a run, catcher Miguel Amaya walked, singled, scored a run, and threw-out two runners on the bases, and LHSP Ryan Kellogg tossed three innings of shutout ball, as the Cubs took an early lead and then held-on to edge the Diamondbacks 5-4 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Thursday morning on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.  

Billy Endris belted a solo HR for the D'backs in a losing cause.

Eloy Jimenez (on Myrtle Beach 7-day DL) saw his first game action in the outfield since suffering a right shoulder injury in an MLB Cactus League Spring Training game on March 14th. He played RF for three innings and then moved to a DH slot, getting three AB and going 0-2 with a sac fly RBI.  

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

Catcher Miguel Amaya smacked a two-run HR and threw out four runners on the bases, Chris Dominguez (on AAA Iowa 7-day DL) doubled, singled, walked, and scored a run, Jacob Hannemann (on AA Tennessee DL - right knee) doubled twice, stole a base, and scored a run, Eloy Jimenez (on Myrtle Beach 7-day DL - right shoulder) belted a broken-bat RBI double off the LF fence and walked, Orian Nunez drilled an opposite-field two-run double, and six pitchers combined to toss a four-hitter, leading the Cubs to a 7-1 victory over the Giants "orange" squad in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Monday morning on Field #6 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.

The Cubs slugged eight extra base hits in the game, including six doubles, a triple, and a home run.     

Cubs top prospect Eloy Jimenez saw his first game action since injuring his right shoulder in an MLB Cactus League Spring Training game at Sloan Park on March 14th. While he is able to hit, run, and field, he is not throwing at this point, and so he is restricted to being a DH in games.   

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

LHSP Bryan Hudson hurled six innings of two-hit shutout ball with six strikeouts, no walks, and a 10/0 GO/AO, Michael Cruz drilled a triple and two singles and scored two runs, Andruw Monasterio doubled twice and scored a run, and Jacob Hannemann (on AA Tennessee 7-day DL - knee injury) reached base four times (two singles and two walks), as the Cubs edged the Athletics 3-2 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training Opening Day game action this morning on Field #6 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ. 

The game was called after eight innings of play. 

The 6'8 Hudson (Cubs 2015 3rd round draft pick - Alton HS - Alton, IL) was an absolute ground-ball machine, mixing an 87-89 MPH sinker, a plus-curve, and an occasional change-up to keep the A's hitters off-balance and constantly beating pitches into the ground. He also threw 70% strikes and averaged only 11.5 pitches-per-inning. Hudson's outing was simply one of the best performances by a starting pitcher in a Cactus League Extended Spring Training game I have ever witnessed (and I have seen many good ones over the last 40 years). There were three or four scouts from other MLB clubs in attendance at the game watching Hudson work, and I would think they probably came away favorably impressed as well. 

Prior to the game, the six newly-arrived pitchers from the Cubs Dominican Academy (LHP Faustino Carrera, RHP Hector Garcia, RHP Fauris Guerrero, LHP Brailyn Marquez, RHP Yunior Perez, and RHP Eury Ramos) threw "live" BP on Field #5. Each pitcher threw one inning (20 pitches). All six were at post-2016 AZ Instructs, so they have been at the Cubs Mesa facility before. Two other pitchers who attended post-2016 AZ Instructs (RHP Alfredo Colorado and Carlos Ocampo) were supposedly going to be at Extended Spring Training, too, but both will be remaining at the Cubs Dominican Academy.  

Also, Eloy Jimenez (on Myrtle Beach 7-day DL - right shoulder bruise) began taking BP this morning, as he gets himself into playing shape prior to playing in EXST games and (eventually) re-joining the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. However, he still is not throwing. Prior to today, Eloy had been participating in baserunning and outfield drills (without throwing), and he was "tracking" pitches in BP but not taking swings. So at least now he is able to swing the bat. Because the DH is used in the Carolina League, it's possible that Eloy could move-up to Myrtle Beach and be the DH even if he is unable to throw, although the Cubs will probably want him to complete the Rehab Throwing Program before he departs.

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

Andruw Monasterio drilled a two-run home run and a single, walked, and stole two bases, and Yapson Gomez and two relievers combined to hurl a three-hit shutout, as the Eugene Emeralds blanked the Mesa Cubs 7-0 in Extended Spring Training intrasquad game action Wednesday morning on Field #6 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ. 

The game was extended an extra half-inning so that all of the pitchers who were scheduled to throw in the game could get their work. 

Jacob Hannemann (on AA Tennessee 7-day DL - knee injury) played CF for Mesa and batted five times (once in each of the first five innings), collecting all three Mesa hits (two doubles and a single).

LHP Jose Paulino was notified during the game that he is being moved-up from Extended Spring Training, but he doesn't know if he is going to South Bend or to Myrtle Beach. (Players who started the season on a minor league 7-day DL cannot be reinstated until tomorrow). Paulino threw a "live" BP session on Field #6 last week and looked very good, so it's not surprising that he will be moving up.  

And based on how he looked today, I would say Jacob Hannemann probably won't be down here much lomger, either. 

Meanwhile, OF Eloy Jimenez (on Myrtle Beach 7-day DL - right shoulder bruise) is bunting in the cages and catching fly balls in outfield drills, but he is not hitting or throwing at this point. In "live" BP he's been standing in the box tracking pitches, but he doesn't swing. Hopefully he will be able to do more soon. 

INF Chris Dominguez (on AAA Iowa 7-day DL) is taking BP and is fielding grounders at 3B and 1B, but he hasn't played in any games yet.  Dominguez hit 282/317/538 with two HR and four doubles in 22 MLB Cactus League Spring Training games, and is projected to play the infield corners (1B-3B) at Iowa in 2017.    

The Cubs are trying Kevin Zamudio (2015 IFA - Mexico) at catcher again in pre-game drills (he hasn't caught in a game yet). He was a catcher when he first reported to Mesa last year, but then he was moved to corner infield (1B-3B) after he struggled behind the plate. The 19-year old Zamudio has plus raw power, and so it would be good for his career going forward if he can maybe be a C-1B-3B.    

Joe Martarano took pre-game BP again today but did not play in the game, and he is playing 1B in infield practice (one of the reasons Zamudio was moved back to catcher). Martarano was a third-baseman in HS and in his first year in pro ball (2014), but then was moved to 1B in 2015 and he hasn't played 3B since. However, it is expected that he will play both 1B and corner OF in Extended Spring Training (although he hasn't taken any fly balls yet), and if he proves he can handle OF (he is an athletic 6'4 240 with a third-baseman's arm), he conceivably could eventually morph into a "four-corner" player (1B-3B-LF-RF), or at least a 1B-LF-RF if 3B is too much of a problem for him defensively.  

Here is the box score from today's game: 

Matt Rose belted an RBI double, singled, and stole a base, Eloy Jimenez singled twice and scored a run, and Justin Steele and Kyle Twomey combined to toss a five-hitter for the South Bend Cubs (Lo-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs), while Michael Pierson ripped an RBI single and walked and SP Joe Gatto fanned seven in 4.1 IP for the Burlington Bees (Lo-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels), as the Bees and Cubs played to a 1-1 tie on Field #4, and Trever Allen drove-in two runs with a SF and an RBI double and Jake Jewell and four relievers combined to hurl a four-hit shutout, as the Inland Empire 66ers (Angels Hi-A affiliate) blanked the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Cubs Hi-A affiliate) 3-0 on Field #7, in Cactus League Minor League doubleheader action this morning at the Diablo Stadium Complex in Tempe, AZ.  

It was a "bullpen day" for Myrtle Beach, as six Pelican relievers threw in the game on Field #7.  

Four position players (INF David Bote, C-1B Alberto Mineo, OF Kevonte Mitchell, and INF Sutton Whiting) were moved-up from the Eugene/Mesa group (Extended Spring Training) for the day, providing additional roster depth for the Pelicans and SB-Cubs. 

In Minor League Camp roster news, INF Danny Lockhart has been moved-down to Myrtle Beach from AA Tennessee. (Lockhart spent the 2015 season at Myrtle Beach). 

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

Still waiting for final minor league roster cuts, moves, and adjustments, although several pitchers and position players presently on the Iowa, Tennessee, Myrtle Beach, and South Bend active lists will likely be temporarily assigned to Eugene (AKA "Extended Spring Training") for a few days until further disposition can be determined. Last year, about a dozen pitchers and position players were left behind at EXST simply because there was no room for them on a full-season club's Opening Day roster, but the Cubs did not want to release them, either.     

Also, the Cubs will likely assign one position player (typically either a back-up catcher or multi-postional utility-type player) to each of the four full-season affiliates as a "player-coach," with the player inactive (usually by being placed on the club's 7-day DL with some vague soft-tissue injury) but staying in playing shape so that he can be activated in case another player goes on the DL. Last year, IF-OF Jonathan Mota (Iowa), C Tyler Pearson (Tennessee), C-1B Alberto Mineo (Myrtle Beach), and C Erick Castillo (South Bend) were the player-coaches for the four full-season teams, and RHP Jose Zapata (who was unable to pitch due to a broken neck suffered in a car crash post-2013) served as a player-coach (assistant pitching coach) with the short-season AZL Cubs.  

Here are the abridged box scores from the two games played today at Diablo (Cubs players only): 

Eloy Jimenez belted a two-run 1st inning home run, P. J. Higgins collected four hits (three singles and a triple), scored a run, and drove-in another, and SP Preston Morrison tossed five innings of shutout ball, leading the South Bend Cubs to a 3-1 victory over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans on Field #4, and David Freitas clubbed a two-run 1st inning HR (his second round-tripper in two days) and Billy McKinney drilled a tie-breaking RBI single in the 6th, as the Tennessee Smokies edged the Iowa Cubs 3-2 on Field #6, in Minor League Camp game action Friday morning at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.  

Ian Happ smacked a solo HR for Myrtle Beach in a losing cause on Field #4, and Ben Carhart hammered a solo home run in a losing cause for Iowa on Field #6. (Carhart was temporarily moved-up to the Iowa squad from Tennessee because the three catchers assigned to Iowa are in Las Vegas with the parent club). 

The game on Field #6 was called after seven innings of play. 

There were a number of roster moves made at Minor League Camp prior to the two games, with the Opening Day rosters of the four full-season clubs (particularly regarding position players and starting pitchers) becoming a bit more clear. There are still a few more moves/cuts to be made, however, especially involving the AAA Iowa and Hi-A Myrtle Beach bullpens and the Iowa outfield, and it's always possible that some of the assignments could be changed at the last minute due to injuries or other factors.     

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

Also, 18 players who are assigned to the Cubs Dominican Acdemy but who were not invited to Minor League Camp will be attending Extended Spring Training and will be arriving over the next several days. The first three (LHP Pablo Ochoa, LHP Eugenio Palma, and RHP Andri Rondon) arrived today. Ochoa and A. Rondon attended Instructs in Mesa last Fall, but Palma is making his U. S. debut. 

Here are the box scores from the two games: 

P. J. Higgins grounded an RBI single through the 3.5 hole to plate the first run of the inning and Ho-Young Son followed with a bases-loaded triple into the left-centerfield gap to score three more, as the South Bend Cubs (Lo-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs) rallied for four runs in the 7th and defeated the Burlington Bees (Los Angeles Angels Lo-A affiliate) 7-4 on Field #4, and Brendan Sanger and Hutton Moyer belted back-to-back RBI triples to highlight a three-run 3rd and RHSP Tyler Carpenter hurled four innings of shutout ball, as the Inland Empire 66ers (Angels Hi-A affiliate) defeated the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Cubs Hi-A affiliate) 5-3 on Field #7, in Cactus League Minor League game action Friday afternoon at the Diablo Stadium Complex in Tempe, AZ.   

Besides the four-run rally in the 7th, Carlos Sepulveda doubled twice and scored a run and Kevonte Mitchell belted an RBI triple, walked, and cut-down a baserunner 9-5 attempting to advance from 1st to 3rd on a single to right for the SB-Cubs. 

RHSP Jake Stinnett had a rough outing for Myrtle Beach, allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits (including the back-to-back RBI triples), a walk, and a WP in 4.0 IP (61 pitches).

Among the more-notable Cub position player prospects playing in the two games, Ian Happ played 2B and went 0-2 with two walks, a strikeout (swinging), and a 1-3 bounce-out (slamming his bat into the ground in frustration before starting for 1st) and an E-4 fielding miscue (which led to an unearned run scoring), Donnie Dewees served as a DH and reached base three times (two singles and a walk), Eddy Julio Martinez also served as a DH and drilled a ringing RBI double (near HR) off the LF wall, and Eloy Jimenez played LF and went 1-3 (double into to the LF corner, walk, and a run scored).   

Angelo Amendolare, Vimael Machin, Alberto Mineo, Andruw Monasterio, and Ho-Young Son were moved-up from the Eugene/Mesa group for the day to augment the South Bend and Myrtle Beach rosters.

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

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