Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

39 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (one slot is open), plus two players are on the 60-DAY IL and one player has been DESIGNATED FOR ASSIGNMENT (DFA)   

26 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE, and nine players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors, three players are on the 15-DAY IL, and one player is on the 10-DAY IL

Last updated 4-23-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 13
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Colten Brewer
Ben Brown
* Shota Imanaga
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Hector Neris 
Jameson Taillon 
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 7
* Michael Busch 
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
Christopher Morel
* Matt Mervis
Dansby Swanson
Patrick Wisdom

OUTFIELDERS: 4
* Cody Bellinger 
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

OPTIONED: 9 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Jose Cuas, P 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Miles Mastrobuoni, INF
Daniel Palencia, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 

10-DAY IL: 1 
Seiya Suzuki, OF

15-DAY IL: 3
Kyle Hendricks, P 
* Drew Smyly, P 
* Justin Steele, P   

60-DAY IL: 2 
Caleb Kilian, P 
Julian Merryweather, P

DFA: 1 
Garrett Cooper, 1B 
 




Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Cubs 2012 Extended Spring Training - Stats Update (5/20)

Submitted by Arizona Phil on

2/3 of the way through 2012 Extended Spring Training, here are the Cubs Cactus League game statistics.

There is no official scorer at the games, so the stats are unofficial.

2012 EXST CUBS RECORD (thru 5/20): 16-20-6

* bats or throws left
# bats both

NOTE: "SLASH LINE" below position players names = AVG/OBP/SLG

POSITION PLAYERS:

NOTE: POSITION PLAYERS ARE SORTED BY PLATE APPEARANCES (PA)

SHAWON DUNSTON JR (CF-LF):
276/337/447 (24 GAMES – 86 PA) – 6 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 10 R, 6 BB, 10 K, 1 HBP, 3 SH, 3 SB (1 CS), 1 PO

* DAN VOGELBACH (1B):
183/272/338 (23 GAMES – 85 PA) – 3 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 11 R, 8 BB, 17 K, 1 HBP, 1 SF, 2 GIDP
DEFENSE: 6 ERRORS

JAVIER BAEZ (SS):
329/354/696 (23 GAMES - 82 PA) – 5 2B, 3 3B, 6 HR, 20 RBI, 18 R, 1 BB, 22 K, 2 HBP, 10 SB (1 CS)
DEFENSE: 7 ERRORS

# JEIMER CANDELARIO (3B):
315/367/521 (23 GAMES – 80 PA) – 6 2B, 3 3B, 1 HR, 13 RBI, 14 R, 5 BB, 15 K, 1 HBP, 1 SH, 1 GIDP, 2 SB (0 CS)
DEFENSE: 4 ERRORS

GIOSKAR AMAYA (2B):
242/368/306 (22 GAMES – 76 PA) – 2 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 11 R, 13 BB, 14 K, 1 SF, 1 GIDP, 3 SB (0 CS), 1 PO
DEFENSE: 3 ERRORS

XAVIER BATISTA (LF-RF):
393/466/656 (22 GAMES- 73 PA) – 8 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 19 RBI, 14 R, 9 BB, 8 K, 1 HBP, 2 SF, 1 GIDP, 1 SB (0 CS)
DEFENSE: 1 ERROR, 5 OUTFIELD ASSISTS

TREY MARTIN (CF):
246/296/338 (21 GAMES – 71 PA) – 4 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 7 RBI, 10 R, 5 BB, 16 K, 1 SF, 4 SB (0 CS), 1 PO
DEFENSE: 4 OUTFIELD ASSISTS

# ROCK SHOULDERS (1B):
233/329/400 (21 GAMES – 70 PA) – 7 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 11 RBI, 8 R, 9 BB, 24 K, 1 SF, 3 GIDP
DEFENSE: 2 ERRORS

YASIEL BALAGUERT (RF-LF):
293/354/431 (21 GAMES – 65 PA) – 3 2B, 2 3B, 0 HR, 10 RBI, 6 R, 4 BB, 15 K, 2 HBP, 1 SF, 3 GIDP, 1 SB (0 CS)
DEFENSE: 1 ERROR, 2 OUTFIELD ASSISTS

CARLOS PENALVER (SS-2B):
175/250/175 (22 GAMES – 64 PA) – 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 5 R, 6 BB, 8 K, 1 SF, 1 GIDP, 4 SB (0 CS)
DEFENSE: 8 ERRORS

* DANNY LOCKHART (2B-SS-3B):
232/295/339 (23 GAMES – 61 PA) – 2 2B, 2 3B, 0 HR, 6 RBI, 6 R, 5 BB, 12 K, 1 GIDP, 3 SB (0 CS), 1 PO
DEFENSE: 5 ERRORS

WILSON CONTRERAS (C):
339/383/571 (21 GAMES – 60 PA) – 5 2B, 4 3B, 0 HR, 9 RBI, 7 R, 4 BB, 13 K, 1 CI, 1 GIDP, 3 SB (0 CS), 1 PO
CATCHERS DEFENSE: 6-23 CS (26% CS), 1 PO, 4 PB, 4 ERRORS

* BRIAN INOA (2B):
167/220/185 (21 GAMES – 59 PA) – 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 3 R, 3 BB, 16 K, 1 HBP, 1 SF, 1 GIDP, 1 SB (2 CS), 1 PO
DEFENSE: 4 ERRORS

* GARRETT SCHLECHT (LF-CF-RF):
250/379/333 (22 GAMES – 59 PA) – 2 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 6 RBI, 5 R, 8 BB, 18 K, 2 HBP, 1 SH, 1 GIDP, 0 SB ( 1 CS)

* TREVOR GRETZKY (1B-LF):
298/365/340 (18 GAMES – 52 PA) – 2 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 8 R, 5 BB, 11 K, 1 GIDP, 1 SB (0 CS)
DEFENSE: 2 ERRORS

ANTHONY GIANSANTI (C-3B-RF)
222/404/417 (17 GAMES – 47 PA) – 1 2B, 3 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 4 R, 10 BB, 6 K, 1 HBP
CATCHERS DEFENSE: 4-11 CS (36% CS), 4 PB, 1 ERROR
NOTE: HAS BEEN MOVED-UP TO PEORIA

NEFTALI ROSARIO (C):
222/255/311 (22 GAMES – 47 PA) – 1 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 4 R, 1 BB, 15 K,1 HBP, 1 GIDP
CATCHERS DEFENSE: 5-16 CS (31 % CS), 1 PB, 1 ERROR

JAIR BOGAERTS (3B-LF):
189/302/243 (17 GAMES – 43 PA), 2 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 5 R, 4 BB, 11 K, 2 HBP, 1 GIDP
DEFENSE: 4 ERRORS

# KEVIN ENCARNACION (CF-RF-LF):
394/444/515 (18 GAMES – 37 PA) – 2 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 6 RBI, 6 R, 3 BB, 4 K, 1 SH, 1 GIDP, 2 SB (2 CS), 1 PO

* EDUARDO GONZALEZ (RF-LF):
281/324/406 (11 GAMES - 35 PA) - 0 2B, 2 3B, 0 HR, 4 RBI, 6 R, 2 BB, 7 K, 1 SH, 2 SB (0 CS)
NOTE: WAS SENT DOWN FROM PEORIA 5/1

DONG-YUB KIM (LF):
167/212/233 (13 GAMES – 33 PA) – 2 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 3 R, 2 BB, 7 K, 1 SF, 1 SB (0 CS)

# MICAH GIBBS (C):
250/483/250 (5 GAMES - 29 PA) - 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 6 R, 9 BB, 2 K, 1 GIDP, 2 SB (0 CS), 1 PO
CATCHERS DEFENSE: 1-3 CS (33%)
NOTE: WAS ON REHAB ASSIGNMENT - HAS BEEN MOVED-UP TO DAYTONA

RYAN DURRENCE (1B):
120/154/120 (9 GAMES - 26 PA) - 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 R, 0 BB, 9 K, 1 HBP, 1 GIDP

* WILFREDO PETIT (C):
273/385/364 (17 GAMES – 26 PA) – 2 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 1 R, 4 BB, 1 K, 1 PO
CATCHERS DEFENSE: 2-8 CS (25% CS), 1 PB

PIERRE LePAGE (2B):
375/524/563 (7 GAMES – 21 PA) – 1 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 6 R, 4 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP, 1 GIDP, 1 SB (0 CS), 1 PO
NOTE: HAS BEEN RELEASED

JUNIOR LAKE (SS):
176/222/235 (3 GAMES - 18 PA) - 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 3 R, 1 BB, 4 K, 2 SB (1 CS)
NOTE: WAS ON REHAB ASSIGNMENT - HAS BEEN MOVED-UP TO TENNESSEE

# MARK MALAVE (3B):
200/250/200 (9 GAMES – 16 PA) – 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K
DEFENSE: 2 ERRORS

YANIEL CABEZAS (C):
286/286/286 (7 GAMES – 14 PA) – 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 1 GIDP
DEFENSE: 4-4 CS (100% CS)
NOTE: HAS BEEN MOVED UP TO PEORIA

# OLIVER ZAPATA (CF-LF):
333/385/417 (3 GAMES – 13 PA) – 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 0 SB (1 CS)
NOTE: HAS BEEN MOVED UP TO PEORIA

* DELBIS ARCILA (RF):
143/250/143 (6 GAMES – 8 PA) – 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K

JEFFREY BAEZ (LF-RF):
000/000/000 (4 GAMES – 7 PA) – 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K

* JUSTIN MARRA (C):
000/167/000 (5 GAMES - 6 PA) - 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K

BRIAN ESPOSITO (C):
000/200/000 (1 GAME - 5 PA) - 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB, 0 K
NOTE: HAS BEEN MOVED UP TO IOWA

LUIS ACOSTA (2B):
000/333/000 (3 GAMES – 3 PA) – 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 R, 1 BB 2 K

DUSTIN GEIGER (3B):
333/333/667 (1 GAME - 3 PA) - 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R, 0 BB, 0 K
NOTE: ON INJURY REHAB ASSIGNMENT FROM PEORIA

===========================================

PITCHERS:

NOTE: PITCHERS ARE SORTED BY INNINGS PITCHED (IP)

STARLING PERALTA:
1.46 WHIP – 4.97 ERA – .321 OppBA (9 GAMES – 9 GS) – 25.1 IP, 33 H, 16 R (14 ER), 4 BB, 24 K, 5 HBP, 1 HR, 3 GIDP, 2 ERRORS

ROB WHITENACK:
0.82 WHIP – 0.82 ERA – .225 OppBA (8 GAMES - 8 GS) – 22.0 IP, 16 H, 3 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 19 K, 1 HR, 1 GIDP, 1 ERROR
NOTE: ON INJURY REHAB ASSIGNMENT FROM TENNESSEE

JAMES PUGLIESE:
1.06 WHIP - 1.25 ERA - .243 OppBA (9 GAMES – 4 GS) – 21.2 IP, 17 H, 4 R (3 ER), 6 BB, 20 K, 2 HBP, 1 HR, 4 GIDP, 1 WP, 3 PO

TAYLER SCOTT:
1.15 WHIP - 2.91 ERA - .238 OppBA (8 GAMES – 7 GS) – 21.2, 19 H, 9 R (7 ER), 6 BB, 14 K, 2 HBP, 2 GIDP, 1 WP, 1 PO

JIN-YOUNG KIM:
1.02 WHIP - 3.57 ERA - .233 OppBA (9 GAMES - 1 GS) – 17.2 IP, 14 H, 8 R (7 ER), 4 BB, 11 K, 1 HBP, 1 HR, 1 GIDP, 1 WP, 2 PO

PETE LEVITT:
1.21 WHIP - 1.04 ERA - .214 OppBA (10 GAMES ) – 17.1 IP, 17 H, 3 R (2 ER), 4 BB, 13 K, 2 GIDP

JOSE ARIAS:
1.18 WHIP – 1.59 ERA – .286 OppBA (6 GAMES - 5 GS) – 17.0 IP, 18 H, 4 R (3 ER), 2 BB, 19 K, 2 GIDP, 1 PO, 1 ERROR

IAN DICKSON:
0.94 WHIP – 2.65 ERA – .211 OppBA (6 GAMES – 5 GS) – 17.0 IP, 12 H, 5 R (5 ER), 4 BB, 5 K, 1 HBP, 1 GIDP

FELIX PENA:
1.12 WHIP – 5.29 ERA - .219 OppBA (9 GAMES) – 17.0 IP, 14 H, 11 R (10 ER), 5 BB, 8 K, 1 HBP, 1 HR, 1 GIDP, 2 WP, 1 ERROR

CARLOS MARTINEZ:
1.60 WHIP – 3.60 ERA – .268 OppBA (8 GAMES – 1 GS) – 15.0 IP, 15 H, 7 R (6 ER), 9 BB, 5 K, 1 HR, 5 GIDP, 1 WP

* HUNTER ACKERMAN:
1.76 WHIP – 1.80 ERA – .302 OppBA (7 GAMES - 1 GS) – 13.2 IP, 16 H, 10 R (6 ER), 8 BB, 12 K, 1 GIDP, 3 WP

RODERIK PICHARDO:
1.31 WHIP – 4.85 ERA – .213 OppBA (10 GAMES) – 13.0 IP, 10 H, 7 R (7 ER), 7 BB, 9 K, 1 HBP, 2 HR, 2 GIDP, 2 WP

* SHELDON McDONALD:
0.83 WHIP – 1.50 ERA – .205 OppBA (6 GAMES) – 12.0 IP, 9 H, 3 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 18 K, 1 HBP, 1 GIDP
NOTE: HAS BEEN MOVED-UP TO PEORIA

* GERARDO CONCEPCION:
1.59 WHIP – 4.77 ERA – .304 OppBA (3 GAMES – 1 GS) – 11.1 IP, 14 H, 7 R (6 ER), 4 BB, 11 K, 1 GIDP, 3 WP, 1 BALK
NOTE: HAS BEEN MOVED-UP TO PEORIA

RAFAEL DIPLAN:
1.78 WHIP – 2.53 ERA – .289 OppBA (8 GAMES) – 10.2 IP, 13 H, 3 R (3 ER), 6 BB, 10 K, 1 HBP, 1 WP

ALVIDO JIMENEZ:
1.07 WHIP – 3.86 ERA – .152 OppBA (6 GAMES) – 9.1 IP, 5 H, 5 R (4 ER), 5 BB, 9 K, 1 GIDP, 1 WP, 1 BALK, 1 ERROR

* FRANK DEL VALLE:
2.52 WHIP – 8.31 ERA – .410 OppBA (3 GAMES - 1 GS) – 8.2 IP, 16 H, 9 R (8 ER), 6 BB, 11 K, 2 HR, 1 HBP, 2 WP, 1 PO
NOTE: HAS BEEN MOVED-UP TO DAYTONA

CHARLES THOMAS:
1.15 WHIP – 0.00 ERA – .219 OppBA (5 GAMES) – 8.2 IP, 7 H, 2 R (0 ER), 3 BB, 9 K, 1 GIDP, 1 WP, 1 PO
NOTE: WAS MOVED-UP TO PEORIA, THEN WAS RELEASED

DAVID HENRIE:
2.00 WHIP – 10.19 ERA – .452 OppBA (3 GAMES – 1 GS) – 7.0 IP, 14 H, 8 R (8 ER), 0 BB, 5 K, 3 GIDP

* BRIAN SMITH:
2.70 WHIP – 10.80 ERA – .333 OppBA (4 GAMES) – 6.2 IP, 10 H, 8 R (8 ER), 8 BB, 5 K, 4 WP

* AUGUSTO COLINA:
1.74 WHIP - 5.18 ERA - .296 OppBA (4 GAMES) – 6.1 IP, 8 H, 6 R (4 ER), 3 BB, 4 K, 1 HBP, 1 HR

JORGE DIAZ:
1.11 WHIP - 2.84 ERA - .208 OppBA (5 GAMES) - 6.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 8 K. 2 HBP, 1 ERROR

ETHAN ELIAS:
2.21 WHIP - 9.95 ERA - .367 OppBA (5 GAMES) – 6.1 IP, 11 H, 9 R (7 ER), 3 BB, 5 K, 1 HBP, 1 WP

* LUIS VILLALBA:
1.20 WHIP - 5.40 ERA - .286 OppBA (4 GAMES) – 5.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R (3 ER), 0 BB, 4 K, 1 BALK

LOIGER PADRON:
1.20 WHIP - 3.60 ERA - .222 OppBA (3 GAMES) – 5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 5 K, 1 HBP, 1 GIDP, 1 ERROR

DANIEL ADRIAN:
1.71 WHIP - 5.79 ERA - .333 OppBA (3 GAMES) - 4.2 IP, 7 H, 4 R (3 ER), 1 BB, 3 K, 1 WP

JAVIER CASTRO:
0.69 WHIP - 0.00 ERA - .133 OppBA (3 GAMES) - 4.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K

RAMON GARCIA:
1.45 WHIP – 1.58 ERA – .333 OppBA (2 GAMES) – 3.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 3 K

RYAN HARTMAN:
2.45 WHIP – 7.36 ERA – .400 Opp BA (2 GAMES) – 3.2 IP, 6 H, 6 R (3 ER), 4 BB, 3 K, 1 HBP, 5 WP, 1 PO

ARTURO MALTOS-GARCIA:
2.33 WHIP - 9.00 ERA - .250 OppBA (3 GAMES) - 3.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R (3 ER), 4 BB, 3 K, 1 HR, 1 WP

* MATT SPENCER (ex-OF)
1.00 WHIP - 0. 00 ERA - .143 OppBA (2 GAMES) - 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K

* RYAN ROWLAND-SMITH
1.20 WHIP - 0.00 ERA - .167 OppBA (2 GAMES) - 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
NOTE: ON INJURY REHAB ASIGNMENT FROM IOWA

SU-MIN JUNG:
6.00 WHIP - 20.25 ERA - .200 OpBA (2 GAMES) - 1.1 IP, 1 H, 3 R (3 ER), 7 BB, 0 K, 2 WP

Tags
Cubs Extended Training

Comments

Submitted by BoiseHawks on Sun, 05/20/2012 - 05:01 pm

Phil - those of us in Boise appreciate your hard work as we can see what type of team initially we'll have here... Looking to me like Vogelbach at 1B, Amaya at 2B, Baez at SS, Candelario at 3B, OF of Dunston, Martin, Batista, C of Contreras and Rosario, with Shoulders DH - that is before the draft guys start showing up... Pugliese, Scott, Peralta, Levitt have promise it looks like... Whenever I use your stuff on air or on my blog - I always give you and TCR props!!! #BoiseHawksRadio

Submitted by Raisin101 on Sun, 05/20/2012 - 05:58 pm

Thanks, as always, Phil! Do you think Jose Arias could skip Mesa and head to Boise? I know you said he was the best pitcher on the DSL Cubs squads last year. Any word on how close Maples is to pitching again? P.S. Boise Hawks Radio (Mike Safford, I assume), you do a great job.

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sun, 05/20/2012 - 05:02 pm

Sun, 05/20/2012 - 11:58am — Raisin101 Thanks, as always, Phil! Do you think Jose Arias could skip Mesa and head to Boise? I know you said he was the best pitcher on the DSL Cubs squads last year. Any word on how close Maples is to pitching again? P.S. Boise Hawks Radio (Mike Safford, I assume), you do a great job. =========================== RAISIN: Nothing new on Maples. As for Jose Arias, I think there is a chance he could go to Boise. It is a matter of who else goes there, though. Right now I think he is probably squarely "on the bubble." If I had to pick a Boise HAWKS 2012 Opening Day roster right now, I'd say: LINEUP: 1. Shawon Dunston Jr, LF 2. Gioskar Amaya, 2B 3. Javier Baez, SS 4. Xavier Batista, RF 5. Jeimer Candelario, 3B 6. Rock Shoulders, 1B 7. Wilson Contreras, C 8. Yasiel Balaguert, DH 9. Trey Martin, CF BENCH: Yaniel Cabezas, C (down from Peoria) Eduardo Gonzalez, OF Brad Zapenas, INF (down from Peoria) STARTING PITCHERS: * Hunter Ackerman * Willengton Cruz Ian Dickson Jin-Young Kim Starling Peralta James Pugliese BULLPEN: Alvido Jimenez Pete Levitt Carlos Martinez Felix Pena Roderik Pichardo Bryce Shafer * Matt Spencer * Luis Villalba And then AZL Cubs: LINEUP: 1. Kevin Encarnacion, CF 2. Carlos Penalver, SS 3. Garrett Schlecht, RF 4. Dan Vogelbach, 1B 5. Neftali Rosario, C 6. Trevor Gretzky, LF 7. Dong-Yub Kim, DH 8. Jair Bogaerts, 3B 9. Danny Lockhart, 2B BENCH: Brian Inoa, IF-OF Justin Marra, C Wilfredo Petit, C STARTING PITCHERS: Jose Arias David Henrie Dillon Maples Amaury Paulino Tayler Scott * Brian Smith BULLPEN: Daniel Adrian Javier Castro * Augusto Colina Jorge Diaz Rafael Diplan Ethan Elias Arturo Maltos-Garcia Loiger Padron

Submitted by Dusty Baylor on Sun, 05/20/2012 - 05:26 pm

Do you think that Dunston jr and Gretzky have shown that they cold be decent prospects? I mean until they get a full season or two, who knows...but it looks like they put up decent numbers in Ext-Spring Training. Boise for both do you think?

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sun, 05/20/2012 - 05:59 pm

Sun, 05/20/2012 - 12:26pm — Dusty Baylor Do you think that Dunston jr and Gretzky have shown that they cold be decent prospects? I mean until they get a full season or two, who knows...but it looks like they put up decent numbers in Ext-Spring Training. Boise for both do you think? ===================================== DUSTY B: Of all the position players at Fitch Park, Shawon Dunston Jr has probably shown the most-improvement over the course of 2012 EXST. A month ago I would have said that he will most-likely be left at AZL Cubs when EXST concludes, but now I think he hes a very good chance to go to Boise. Dunston is aggressive on the bases and in CF (albeit sometimes too aggressive), but is fairly patient at the plate, especially when he is leading off. But what has changed in the last month is that he has stopped trying to pull everything and has finally started to use the whole field. He has a natural tendency to load up on his back leg and try to pull everything, probably because he has above-average power. He needs to fight that inclination, and he has started to do just that. He isn't a burner, but he can (and will) steal a base, and he takes two bases at a time on singles to the outfield and can score from 1st on a double. He doesn't have his father's cannon-arm (it's OK but nothing special). He also needs to improve his tracking skills in the OF. I think Dunston is emerging as a definite prospect. Trevor Gretzky has been hampered by post-2011 shoulder surgery rehab, but he is finally starting to play OF. (He had been relegated to playing 1B and DH for most of the Spring). He has the athleticism you would expect of a multi-sport HS athlete (he was a QB on the football team and CF on the baseball team), but he also is raw in many phases of the game. He is a fairly patient hitter and has a good approach at the plate with mainly an opposite-field line-drive stroke but with no HR power (as yet). He has shown indications that he could develop into a very good hitter, but again, no evidence of a power stroke. He has just average speed (he is a "long-strider") but generally shows good instincts on the bases. Tracking and catching fly balls has been an adventure for him, and he is not a good defensive first-baseman, either. His post-surgery arm plays only in LF, and even then it is below-average, although his throws are usually accurare. I doubt that Gretzky will go to Boise when EXST is over, although he could get moved up later in the Summer if he can polish off some of the rough edges (especially on defense). Mainly he just needs regular playing time, and he is more likely to get that at Mesa than at Boise.

Recent comments

  • Charlie (view)

    The Cards also traded for both Jim Edmonds and Larry Walker. It's the developing part that has fallen off. Of course, it could also be the case that there are no more Matt Carpenters left to pull out of the hat. 

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Cubs sign 28 yr old RHRP Daniel Missaki. He was in MiLB from his 17yr old to 19yr old years and did pretty well.
    He's been in Mexico and Japan the last four years and has done well also.
    He's supposedly Japanese and Brazilian.
    Interesting sign. We obviously need to RP in the system
    Injuries are mounting everywhere!!

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Sure, they made generally short term trades for established players to enhance what they already had or traded for players early enough in their careers that they were essentially Cardinals from the start. What they never did was to try to use the more established players as foundational cornerstones.

    Essentially we’re saying the same thing. They have given up on player development to the point that even their prospects that make it to the bigs flop so that they have to do things like buy most of their rotation and hope for the best.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    I don’t buy that. They had been doing that for years.

    They did it with Matt Holliday. They did it with John Lackey. They did it with Mark Mulder. They did it with Jason Heyward, who had a great year for them. I’m sure there’s more but those come to mind immediately.

    I attribute it more to a breakdown in what they’re doing in terms of development than a culture thing.

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    They won those trades and sacrificed their culture. That’s exactly their problem.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    The other part that’s kind of crazy is they made two very high profile trades, one for Goldschmidt and one for Arenado, and they very clearly won those trades. They just haven’t been able to develop players the last handful of years the way they usually do.

    I guess the moral there is it’s hard to stay on top of your game and be good at what you do in perpetuity.

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Marmol was extended at the beginning of the year. Two years I believe.

  • crunch (view)

    Jesse Rogers @JesseRogersESPN
    Craig Counsell doesn’t have a timetable for Cody Bellinger who technically has two cracked ribs on his right side. CT scan showed it today.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Thought it might have been David Peralta given the open 40 man spot and how PCA has played so far. 

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    I hope they keep Mozeliak a few more years. Marmol too!

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