Cubs Minor League Spring Training Recap
Cubs Extended Spring Training Roster - Jimenez & Soler Go Deep at Riverview Park
Eloy Jimenez and Jorge Soler belted back-to-back tape measure solo home runs, and Jae-Hoon Ha walked twice, singled, stole two bases, and scored a run, in Cubs Extended Spring Training intrasquad action this morning at the Under Armour Performance Center at Riverview Park in Mesa, AZ.
2013 Cubs Minor League Camp - Last Day
2013 Chicago Cubs Minor League Camp drew to a close this morning, as the Iowa Cubs completed their final Spring Training work-out before flying to Albuquerque this afternnon. They willl open their PCL season versus the Isotopes Thursday night.
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Raley & Golden Shine at Fitch Park
Brooks Raley threw six innings of three-hit one-run ball and Reggie Golden belted a two-run double, as the Boise/Mesa Cubs (Extended Spring Training) edged the Iowa Cubs 2-1 in an intrasquad game this morning at Fitch Park Field #3 in Mesa, AZ.
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Feldman Gets Back On Track at Fitch Park
Scott Feldman threw five innings (65 pitches) of two-hit ball with seven strikeouts, but the Inland Empire 66ers (Los Angeles Angels Hi-A affiliate) edged the Daytona Cubs 2-1 on Field #3, and Rock Shoulders clubbed an opposite field HR over the left-centerfield fence, Willson Contreras drilled a triple, and Oliver Zapata followed with an RBI double to highlight a three-run 7th that helped the Kane County Cougars rally and take a 4-3 lead, but the Burlington Bees (Angels Lo-A affiliate) pushed across a run in the top of the 9th to salvage a 4-4 tie, in Cactus League Minor League Camp action this morning at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ.
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B-Jax, Watkins, and Rusin Lead Cubs to Victory at Fitch Park
Brett Jackson reached base three times on a single, a double, and a HBP, scored a run, and knocked in another, Logan Watkins belted a bases-clearing three-run triple to cap a six-run 5th, and Chris Rusin threw six innings of three-hit ball, leading the Iowa Cubs to a 9-6 victory over the Salt Lake Bees (Los Angeles Angels AAA affiliate) on Field #3, and despite three hits by Rubi Silva and two each by Matt Szczur and Rafael Lopez, five pitchers combined to throw a ten-hit shutout with ten strikeouts, as the Arkansas Travelers (Angels AA affiliate) blanked the Tennessee Smokies 6-0 on Field #2, in Cactus League Minor League Camp action this afternoon at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ.
Cabrera Throws Five Shutout Innings at Fitch Park
Roni Torreyes knocked-in three runs with a bases-loaded triple, John Andreoli tripled and walked, scored two runs, and drove-in two more, Rafael Lopez reached base three times on a double, a single, and a walk, and scored three runs, and Alberto Cabrera tossed five innings of shutout ball with five strikeouts and four relievers threw four perfect innings, as the Tennessee Smokies blanked the Richmond Flying Squirrels (San Francisco Giants AA affiliate) 9-0 on Field #2, and Brad Nelson, Edwin Maysonet, and Tim Torres smacked extra-base hits to highlight a four-run 2nd inning for the Cubs, while Johnny Monell and Hector Sanchez blasted home runs for the Grizzlies, as the Iowa Cubs and Fresno Grizzlies (Giants AAA affiliate) played to an 8-8 tie on Field #3, in Cactus League Minor League Camp action this afternoon at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ.
Brett Jackson Gets Back into Action at Fitch Park
Brett Jackson singled twice, walked, scored a run, and drove-in another, and Zeke DeVoss smacked a solo HR, but it wasn't enough as the Inland Empire 66ers (Los Angeles Angels Hi-A affiliate) defeated the Daytona Cubs 5-3 on Field #3, and Oliver Zapata knocked-in three runs with two run-scoring triples, Yasiel Balaguert doubled twice, Carlos Penalver walked and tripled, scored two runs, and kocked-in one, and Gioskar Amaya singled, tripled, stole a base, scored a run, and collected an RBI, helping the Kane County Cougars beat the Burlington Bees (Angels Lo-A affiliate) 6-3 on Field #2, in Cactus League Minor League Camp action this afternoon at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ.
Ha Gets Last Laugh at Fitch Park
Matt Loosen retired the first ten men he faced and combined with three relievers to throw a four hitter and Jae-Hoon Ha reached base five times on two walks and three singles (including the game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the 9th), as the Tennessee Smokies edged the Midland RockHounds (Oakland Athletics AA affiliate) 4-3 on Field #2, and Barret Loux threw five shutout innings and Scott Hairston singled twice, walked, and smacked a solo HR, helping the Iowa Cubs defeat the Sacramento River Cats (A's AAA affiliate) 3-1 on Field #3, in Cactus League Minor League Camp action this afternoon at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ.
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Cubs Extinguish Blaze, but Dragons Burn Cougars at Fitch Park
Darnell McDonald singled twice, doubled, walked, scored twice, and knocked-in a run, Taiwan Easterling singled, doubled, reached base on an HBP, stole a base, drove-in two runs, and made two outstanding catches, Jeffrey Baez drove-in three runs with a two-run double and a bases-loaded HBP, and Dan Vogelbach crushed a tape-measure two-run home run, leading the Daytona Cubs to a 10-7 victory over the Bakerfield Blaze (Cincinnati Reds Hi-A affiliate) on Field #3, and Starling Peralta celebrated his return to the Cubs organization with 3.1 IP of one-hit shutout ball, Gioskar Amaya singled and tripled, and Dong-Yub Kim singled twice, stole a base, and scored a run, but it wasn't enough as Joe Hudson (Reds 2012 6th round draft pick - Notre Dame) slugged a HR over the LF fence and onto Center Street to lead the Dayton Dragons (Reds Low-A affiliate) to a 3-1 victory over the Kane County Cougars on Field #2, in Cactus League Minor League Camp game action this afternoon at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ.
Travis Wood Cracks Nuts at Fitch Park
Travis Wood threw five innings of shutout ball with eight strikeouts, Steve Bruno singled and doubled, scored a run, and drove-in another, and Wes Darvill tripled, walked twice, drove-in a run, and scored a run, leading the Daytona Cubs to a 5-1 victory over the Modesto Nuts (Colorado Rockies Hi-A affiliate) on Field #3, and Gioskar Amaya singled, doubled, tripled, and scored three runs, Marco Hernandez drove-in two runs with an RBI single and a sacrifice fly, and Rony Rodriguez slugged a solo home run over the LF fence and onto Center Street, as the Kane County Cougars and the Asheville Tourists (Rockies Lo-A affiliate) played to a ten-inning 6-6 tie on Field #2, in Cactus League Minor League Camp action this afternoon at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ.
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Recent comments
Dolorous Jon Lester (view)
That’s a fantastic deal for SF
crunch (view)
SF snags b.snell...2/62m
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?