Updated Cubs 2014 Minor League Camp Rosters (3/20)
The Cubs have added a couple of 25-year old "suspects" to Minor League Camp, acquiring 1B Matt Scioscia from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for 1B-OF Trevor Gretzky, and signing RHP Reinier Roibal (ex-SF).
The 6'3 230 Roibal was a high-profile Cuban defector signed by the Giants in 2010, but he was unable to work his way out of Lo-A ball after three seasons in the Giants organization, and was released at the end of Minor League Camp this time a year ago. He then spent the 2013 season pitching for the Newark Bears in the independent Atlantic League.
The son of Angels manager Mike Scioscia, the right-handed hitting Matt Scioscia was selected by the Angels in the 45th round of the 2011 draft as a college senior out of the University of Notre Dame, where he had been a catcher, first-baseman, and DH. The Angels moved him to 1B full-time in 2013, but like Roibal, the younger Scioscia has been unable to progress, hitting a combined 194/248/224 in 46 games (146 PA) between AZL Angels, Burlington, and Inland Empire in 2013.
I strongly suspect the Cubs will immediately move Scioscia back to catcher, the one position in the Cubs system that lacks quality depth, perhaps hoping that his catching "bloodlines" might awaken. The Cubs are also probably hoping a change of scenery might help the younger Scioscia fulfill his promise, but at age 25 he won't have a lot of time to show what he can do.
21-year old Trevor Gretzky is (of course) the son of hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, and was the Cubs 7th round pick in the 2011 June draft. But through no fault of his own, he was seemingly buried in a Cubs system that is chock full of outfielders with promise. The younger Gretzky never fully recovered from right shoulder surgery (he suffered a torn labrum while playing QB in a football game his senior year in HS) and so he been has been relegated to playing only DH, LF, or 1B in pro ball. (He has what is sometimes called a "rag arm"). However, he doesn't have the HR power you would want out of DH, 1B, or LF, he has just average speed so he doesn't profile as a CF, and he is a below average defender at both 1B and LF. What the younger Gretzky does have is decent eye/hand coordination, a good eye for the strike zone, and a nice opposite-field line-drive stroke at the plate (albeit without any HR power).
2014 CUBS MINOR LEAGUE CAMP ROSTERS (last updated 3-20-2014):
NOTE: ROSTERS AT MINOR LEAGUE CAMP ARE FLUID. Minor League players are often initially assigned to a squad one or even two levels above where they will ultimately be assigned once the regular season starts. Minor League Camp roster assignments are based on several factors, including the player's position as it relates to the specific needs of the organization, and the player's age, amount of professional experience, and previous season's performance (including any time spent at a post-season Instructional League). As players are sent to Minor League Camp from the Major League squad during the course of Spring Training, there are corresponding roster moves made at Minor League Camp as players are either moved down a level or released.
* bats or throws left
# bats both
IOWA (37)
AAA
PITCHERS (19):
Frank Batista
Dallas Beeler
Casey Coleman
Paolo Espino
Carlos Gutierrez
Marcus Hatley
Kyle Hendricks
* Tommy Hottovy
* Eric Jokisch
Barret Loux (limited activity only - shoulder)
Trey McNutt (limited activity only - shoulder)
Yoanner Negrin
Carlos Pimentel
Dae-Eun Rhee
Armando Rivero
* Zac Rosscup
Nick Struck
Arodys Vizcaino
Tony Zych
CATCHERS (4):
Yaniel Cabezas (INACTIVE - may have been released)
* Charlie Cutler
Luis Flores
* Rafael Lopez
INFIELDERS (7):
# Arismendy Alcantara
* Lars Anderson
Edgar Gonzalez
Greg Rohan (INACTIVE - may have been released)
Jonathon Mota
Christian Villanueva
* Logan Watkins
OUTFIELDERS (7):
John Andreoli
Jae-Hoon Ha (limited activity only)
* Brett Jackson
* Mitch Meier (limited activity only)
* Rubi Silva
Matt Szczur
Josh Vitters (ex-3B)
TENNESSEE (37):
AA
PITCHERS (16):
Corey Black
Lendy Castillo
Zach Cates
* Hunter Cervenka
* Frank del Valle
C. J. Edwards
Eduardo Figueroa
P. J. Francescon
Pierce Johnson (limited activity only - hamstring)
* Austin Kirk
Matt Loosen
* Jeff Lorick
Starling Peralta
Ivan Pineyro
Jose Rosario
Ryan Searle
CATCHERS (5):
Willson Contreras
Taylor Davis
Carlos Escobar (INACTIVE - may have been released)
Chadd Krist
Lance Rymel
INFIELDERS (9):
Stephen Bruno
Kris Bryant
* Wes Darvill
Dustin Geiger
* Walter Ibarra
Tim Saunders (limited activity only - elbow surgery rehab)
Matt Scioscia
Jeudy Valdez
Brad Zapenas (INACTIVE - may have been released)
OUTFIELDERS (7):
Albert Almora
* Pin-Chieh Chen
# Zeke DeVoss
Anthony Giansanti
* Bijan Rademacher
Jorge Soler
# Oliver Zapata
DAYTONA (35)
Hi-A
PITCHERS (17):
Justin Amlung
Josh Conway (limited activity only - elbow surgery rehab)
* Nathan Dorris
Zack Godley
* Michael Heesch
Michael Jensen
* Andrew McKirahan
Ryan McNeil (limited activity only - 2013 TJS rehab)
Felix Pena
Steve Perakslis
Austin Reed
Tayler Scott
Tyler Skulina
Ben Wells
* Al Yevoli
Yao-Lin Wang
* Rob Zastryzny
CATCHERS (4+1):
Cael Brockmeyer
Ben Carhart (ex-3B)
Nate Maldonado (player-coach)
* Justin Marra
Will Remillard
INFIELDERS (6):
Gioskar Amaya
* Zak Blair
# Jeimer Candelario
* Marco Hernandez
Giuseppe Papaccio
* Dan Vogelbach
OUTFIELDERS (7):
Yasiel Balaguert
* Jose Dore (INACTIVE - may have been released)
* Shawon Dunston Jr
Reggie Golden
* Jacob Hannemann
Trey Martin
* Rock Shoulders (ex-1B)
KANE COUNTY (54):
Lo-A
PITCHERS (33)
Jose Arias
Paul Blackburn
Tyler Bremer
Marcelo Carreno (limited activity only - shoulder surgery rehab)
Jesus Castillo (limited activity only)
Trevor Clifton
* Gerardo Concepcion
Josh Davis
Scott Frazier
David Garner
Trevor Graham
Zak Hermans
Luis Hernandez
Corbin Hoffner
* Tyler Ihrig
Trey Lang
Erick Leal
Dillon Maples
Trey Masek
Jeferson Mejia
Juan Carlos Paniagua
Hector Perez
* Anthony Prieto
James Pugliese
Jasvir Rakkar
Brad Renner (limited activity only)
Orbandy Rodriguez
Reinier Roibal
Daury Torrez
Jen-Ho Tseng
Duane Underwood
Michael Wagner
* Sam Wilson
CATCHERS (6):
Tyler Alamo
# Mark Malave
* Alberto Mineo
Rony Rodriguez (ex-OF)
Neftali Rosario (INACTIVE - may have been released)
Antonio Valerio
INFIELDERS (11):
David Bote
* Danny Canela (ex-C)
Kelvin Freeman (INACTIVE - may have been released)
* Jordan Hankins
Jesse Hodges
* Danny Lockhart
Carlos Penalver
* Jacob Rogers
# Alex Sanchez
# Trevor Stevens (limited activity only - right hand injury)
Gleyber Torres
OUTFIELDERS (4):
* Kevin Brown
Charcer Burks
* Rashad Crawford
Eloy Jimenez
++++++++++++++++++++++++
STILL NOT PRESENT ON FIELD: (going back to beginning of Minor League Camp)
* Jeffry Antigua, P
# Kevin Encarnacion, OF (INACTIVE - rehabbing from injuries sustained in off-season car crash)
Mike Hamann, P
Loiger Padron, P
* Brian Smith, P
Elliot Soto, INF (RESTRICTED LIST - 50-game Drug of Abuse suspension)
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