Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full) 

28 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE, and twelve players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors. 

Last updated 3-26-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 15
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Caleb Kilian
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Hector Neris 
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Jameson Taillon
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

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

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

OPTIONED: 12 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Ben Brown, P 
Alexander Canario, OF 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Daniel Palencia, P 
Keegan Thompson, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 
Hayden Wesneski, P 

 



 

Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

2013 June Draft - Day 2 Open Thread

And we're back at it today...with their first two picks Cubs picked Kris Bryant out of San Diego and then LHP Rob Zastryzny out of Missourri, the latter certainly being a signability pick to save some money to help secure the junior Bryant, who will have Boras and leverage in his corner.

The Cubs round 3 pick is CF Jacob Hannemann out of Brigham Young, a lefty at the plate and with the arm, the 22-year old is just a freshman, but that's because he took a few years off on a Mormom mission.

The MLB.com scouting report is below the fold.

Hannemann is only a freshman, but don't let that fool you. The two-sport standout went on his Mormon mission before heading to college, making him 22 years old. Also a football player, Hannemann has some athletic tools to work with, even if they are a bit raw. The WCC Freshman of the Year hit well in his first taste of college ball, impressive considering he hadn't played in two years. He has the chance to hit and run well and could be a solid center field prospect for a team willing to be patient.

Glassey at Baseball America throws out a Ellsbury comp for him on twitter as well.

Round 4 pick is just about to happen as well...

...and it is: RHP Tyler Skulina, a junior out of Kent State

Skulina played a key role in Kent State’s Cinderella run to the 2012 College World Series and has taken on an even bigger role this spring as the Golden Flashes ace. He relies on his fastball-curveball combination to attack hitters and isn’t afraid to challenge them. Skulina’s fastball sits in the low-90s and runs in on right-handers. His curveball has good break and should be a Major League average offering. He uses his 6-foot-5, 235-pound frame to create a good downhill plane for both pitches. Skulina needs to develop his changeup to reach his potential.

Alright, the rest of the updating will have to happen in the comments....Pirates @ Cubs (Liriano vs. T. Wood) starting shortly as well.

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More for the gang: "Checking in at number 78 is Kent State junior RHP Tyler Skulina. The 6’6 235 pound righty hails from Strongsville, Ohio and attended Walsh Jesuit High School. He went a perfect 26-0 in his high school career while being named a first team All-American in 2009 and honorable mention in 2010. He was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 46th round but decided to head to the University of Virginia." From College Baseball

5th round pick - Trey Masek, RHP Texas Tech (JR)

"Masek had a very strong summer in the Cape Cod League and it was carrying over as Texas Tech's Saturday starter, though some arm soreness in late March kept him out of action for a spell. Assuming health, the slightly undersized right-hander will show three pretty good pitches. He can run his fastball up to 94 mph, throws a solid curveball and has a good feel for a sinking changeup. His funky delivery adds deception to his stuff, though his command can be inconsistent. He gets high marks for his aggressiveness and poise on the mound. That, plus Masek's size and injury history, have some thinking his future might be in a big league bullpen."

#49 on BA's top 100 and another of their best available in day 2

Carrie Muskat‏@CarrieMuskat #Cubs high on Hannemann. Thru 2/26: .111/.179/.139/.318 w/3 BB, 12 K in 40 PA; After 2/26: .385/.453/.631/1.084 with 20 BB, 23 K in 204 PA

6th round pick is Scott Frazier, RHP Pepperdine University (JR)

"The big right-hander served as Pepperdine's Saturday starter in 2012, then moved into the Friday slot as a junior, continuing to show the big arm that has always intrigued scouts. His fastball sits in the 91-94 mph range, and he backs it up with a curve and changeup. He's shown gradual improvement over time with the Waves and while his results as a junior have been up and down, he's the kind of college arm that could sneak into the back end of the first round. After his sophomore season, Frazier pitched in the Cape Cod League to cap off 2012. Even with his uneven performances, his size and arm strength were still getting a lot of interest as the Draft approached."

Baseball America's Prospect Hot Sheet No. 12 Javier Baez, ss, Cubs Team: high Class A Daytona (Florida State) Age: 20 Why He’s Here: .421/.542/.789 (8-for-19), 1 HR, 4 2B, 7 RBIs, 6 R, 1 BB, 4 SO The Scoop: Baez’s hot spell actually stretches back two weeks. He’s hitting .339 (19-for-56) in his last 14 games with 10 extra-base hits, 13 RBIs and 14 runs scored. He’s been hit by five pitches in that stretch, but probably not too many times in three-ball counts, seeing as he drew two walks against 12 strikeouts. http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/prospect-hot-sheet-june-6-xander-…

7th round pick is David Garner, RHP Michigan State (JR)

"At 5-foot-11, 175 pounds, David Garner's size doesn't intimidate hitters. However, his slight frame is not an indication of the power the right-hander possesses. Garner owns a fastball that can touch 95 mph, while his hard-breaking slider is his primary out-pitch. He has a free delivery and aggressive approach, and his electric stuff has led to 192 strikeouts in 217 2/3 innings pitched for Michigan State during his three years in East Lansing. At times, Garner can lose his control, as he walked 27 batters this year, while also hitting six and throwing 10 wild pitches. In his first two seasons at Michigan State, Garner was in and out of the rotation, but he made all 14 appearances as a starter during his junior year. He went 4-5 with a 4.10 ERA, lifting his career numbers to 15-12 and 3.97, respectively. Garner stood out in the Cape Cod League each of the past two summers, especially in 2012, when he was named to the West Division All-Star Team. In 43 1/3 innings for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks, Garner registered 41 strikeouts and a 3.12 ERA, both of which were good for top 20 in the league. Before becoming a Spartan, Garner was drafted by the Reds in the 33rd round (No. 997 overall) of the 2010 Draft."

well this story escalated quickly from the initial story of "busted for possession"... --- "CLEVELAND - Indians pitcher Chris Perez and his wife Melanie have been charged with a misdemeanor count of possession of a controlled substance after a search warrant was served at their Rocky River home Tuesday. Police said the evidence examined from two suspicious packages delivered to the home and two mason jars inside his home contained a total of 163.9 grams -- or a little more than a third of a pound -- of marijuana. Chris Perez admitted marijuana found in his home was for his own use, the police report said. The Perez delivery, addressed to a "Brody Baum" and sent as priority mail from Los Angeles, was cited by Postal Inspector Marc Kudley for a smell of marijuana, according to a United States Postal Service report. A Cleveland police drug-sniffing K-9 confirmed the smell. Baum is Melanie Perez's maiden name, according to the report."

Really liking the 2nd day picks so far -- a lot of solid pitchers with upside. The fact they're all college kids is interesting. Is TheoJed looking for some guys who will move quickly? Or are they going to be cheaper than HS kids?

[ ]

In reply to by Andrew

i kinda wonder how much $$ bryant is going to demand...especially considering they low-balled their 2nd pick of the draft compared to the talent other teams after them were picking. either way, it will most likely get done and was probably why they low-balled that 2nd pick.

[ ]

In reply to by Andrew

probably more the latter than the former I'm guessing, but probably doesn't hurt to offset last year's draft. Blackburn, Underwood, McNeil all out of high school and a long way from the majors.

That being said, I'm sure they liked all the picks they made, 2 of them were in BA's top 100 and picked well past the 100 point.

scrubbies lose...10 games below .500 in line for the 5th overall pick next year...since we're in a draft mood =p miami is 2 losses away from 30 games below .500 (yow) and it's barely june.

8th round pick - Sam Wilson, LHP Lamar CC

"Wilson was drafted by the Rangers in the 20th round in 2010, but he chose to attend New Mexico. He was a two-way player as a freshman, but academic issues forced him to redshirt last season and he ultimately transferred to Lamar Community College this year. Wilson has continued as a two-way player for the Runnin’ Lopes, but his professional future is on the mound. He throws his fastball around 90 mph and he has touched 94 mph in the past. He also throws a curveball and a changeup, both of which have the potential to be Major League-average offerings. Wilson is athletic, has good size (he’s listed at 6-foot-1, 205 pounds) and repeats his delivery well."


9th round pick - Charcer Burks, OF Texas (HS)

pardon my ignorance...but I haven't been paying a whole lot of attention to the minors this season past Baez and Soler and now Almora.

Looking at the stat sheets, it appears that Pierce Johnson (lo-A) and Kyle Hendricks (AA) are the only two starting pitchers doing anything of note?

VA Phil touched on this earlier, but how did Johnson not make the Midwest League All-Star team over Tayler Scott? Was there a promotion?

also, Trey McNutt and Dillon Maples...eek.

Here are the Cubs day 2 draft picks as listed in the top 100 from BP's Perfect Game ratings (list of picks 51-100). http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=20823 Note they ranked Cubs round 2 pick Zastrzny #81 (went 41st in the draft). As said before they may have done this for financial/slot reasons. On the other hand, they ranked the Cubs round 4 and 5 actually higher so the Cubs ultimately took 4 pitchers in their top 100. All College pitchers too, meaning they should develop faster than HS pitcher picks. Round #4 Skulina (went 108 in the draft) at #66; 5th round pick Masek at #79 (went 138 in the draft); 6th round pick, Frazier at #96 (went 168th in the draft):
66. TYLER SKULINA, rhp, Kent State University The 6-foot-6, 225-pound Skulina was a high-profile prospect in 2010, entering his senior season of high school, but fell to the 46th round of that year’s draft because of a minor back injury that impacted his velocity, and firm college commitment to Virginia. Skulina ended up spending just one semester with the Cavaliers before transferring to Kent State, near his northern Ohio home. Though he had to sit out his freshman year with the Golden Flashes because of NCAA transfer rules, Skulina was a force a year ago as a sophomore, winning 11 games while leading Kent State to its first College World Series appearance. He has been more inconsistent this spring as Kent State’s Friday starter, going 5-3, 3.78 in his first 13 starts, with 31 walks and 86 strikeouts in 79 innings. But the strong, durable right-hander has had a handful of outings where he has showcased all the ingredients scouts look for in a first-rounder—and future big-league starter—with three solid-average to plus pitches, all delivered with a pronounced downhill tilt from a tough three-quarter angle. His fastball has been a steady 95-96 mph throughout with tailing movement into right-handed hitters, and he has complemented it with two quality breaking balls, including a hard, biting low-80s slider. Skulina has a better, more-balanced delivery than in high school, but is still prone to games when his velocity dips to 90-91 mph, he’ll struggle with his control and command, and hitters have little difficulty seeing his pitches and squaring him up. His inconsistency, along with the lack of an established changeup, will probably keep him out of the first round, but he should be a factor in the second.
79. TREY MASEK, rhp, Texas Tech University (Jr.) When this Perfect Game Draft Focus profile was written by Frankie Piliere back at the start of the college season in February, Masek was about to get off to perhaps the quickest start in all of college baseball. He posted a 3-0, 0.22 record in his first 40 innings, allowing only 22 hits. Masek then missed a couple of starts with a sore shoulder, putting question marks in scout’s minds as Masek was making the conversion to full-time starter this spring. His velocity and stuff have been consistent with is previously established levels since coming back, although his command has been a bit off and his performance less dominating. He’ll be a wild card for the top three rounds heading into the stretch run.
81. ROB ZASTRYZNY, lhp, University of Missouri (Jr.) Missouri’s first season in the SEC has been rough going, as the Tigers have posted a 7-17 conference mark and are 15-28 overall. Despite having a 2-9, 3.93 record (75 innings, 79 hits, 21 walks, 71 strikeouts) as Missouri’s Friday night starter, Zastryzny has seen his draft stock steadily rise through the course of the spring and could hear his name heard as early as the second round. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound southpaw was undrafted out of Corpus Christi, Texas high school despite going 17-1, 0.20 with 198 strikeouts his senior year. He stepped into the Missouri rotation early in his freshman year and has built his upper-80s fastball into a pitch that now tops out at 94 mph with excellent sinking and running life at times. Zastryzny’s best secondary pitch is a low-80s changeup that has very good arm speed and matches his fastball in life and in his ability to spot the ball low in the zone. His third pitch is a curveball that is a workable offering in setting up hitters, but it is not currently a swing-and-miss pitch.
96. SCOTT FRAZIER, rhp, Pepperdine University (Jr.) The massive 6-foot-7 right hander is still developing his command, which tends to happen much later for pitcher's with such long levers to control while attempting to repeat their delivery. Frazier was a fifth round pick out of high school in 2010, and features impressive raw stuff when healthy. He can run his fastball into the mid-90s and create hard sink by using his length to create downhill leverage. He backs it with a power slider that features plus bite in the upper-80s at its best, though the pitch is still a work in progress and he still doesn't command it well enough to be a legitimate out pitch. If he can take that step in his development he has a chance to take off. Whether he can do that remains to be seen, though having stayed healthy all college season so far is a positive step in the right direction in itself.

one more ranking quote about Z-bomb (from a StL Post-Dispatch article): Baseball America ranks the 6-3, 193-pound Zastryzny as the No. 76 overall player available … the No. 24 college pitcher … the No. 12 lefthander … and the No. 5 college lefthander.

A bit off topic, but does anyone know why they don't play Junior Lake at 2nd base? I'm not sure how his infield defense is but it seems to me like it would make sense to keep him an infielder (3B, SS, 2B) if he could cut it at the major leagues. I don't care how good Barney is on "D". He does have the bat to be an everyday player unless he can get onbase at a greater clip than .303. Is Junior lake a good enough defensive infielder?

[ ]

In reply to by B52RedMonkey

1. 2B is more demanding defensively due to turning DP's 2. Lake's cannon arm is wasted there 3. Lake is so athletic his speed is better utilized in CF? At MLB he is likely a super-sub type, so maybe he ends up playing there, but it's not likely since he last played second in 2009 (b-r)

Doesn't sound like the Cubs are getting Hannemann for much under slot. The family had been hoping for a high pick, but the third round was higher than even they had guessed. Howard Hanneman, Jacob’s father, estimated his son stands to make more than $700,000 by signing with the Cubs. "We never dreamed he would go this high," he said. "The numbers make sense. We thought it would be a tougher decision." http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/sports/56427109-77/hannemann-byu-draft-cub…

Rounds 11 onward started. Cubs take a catcher in round 11...Jordan Hankins; Austin Peay St (TN). JR Bats L/Throws R; 5'10" 195#. No report on the mlb site. Round 12: Trevor Clifton; Heritage HS (TN) RHP; 6'04" 170#; Clifton, a projectable right-hander out of Heritage H.S. (Tenn.), has increased his Draft stock this spring, thanks in part to an uptick in the velocity of his fastball. It has been in the low-90s this spring and touched as high as 97 mph. Clifton is listed at 6-foot-4, 170 pounds and has room to add the strength necessary to sustain his newfound velocity gains. Clifton also throws a curveball and changeup. While his arm action is clean, Clifton's delivery still needs to be cleaned up. He has a good feel for pitching and has performed well under pressure this spring. Clifton is committed to Kentucky. Round 13: Trevor Graham, Franklin Pierce Univ. (NH); RHP JR 6'03", 220# Graham is a right-hander with a strong, durable pitcher's build. He's a junior at Franklin Pierce University after transferring this fall from Florida Tech. Graham's fastball velocity fluxuates but scouts believe he has a future average fastball and just a lightly-used curve. He has a strong changeup that sinks down on the third-base corner against lefties and cuts away vs. righties. His current stuff indicates he's most likely to be a reliever in pro ball, and his hard-nosed mentality makes him attractive to teams. Round 14: Daniel Poncedeleon; Houston, TX; RHP JR (age 21) This righty has plenty of raw arm strength that helps his fastball stay in the 90-93 mph range, though he loses some of the zip on his heater when he's in the set position. He throws a four-seamer that runs downhill and a two-seamer that has some run and occasional sink. His curve has 12-6 break, and scouts consider him a thrower with fair pitchability. He projects to develop well physically, and has flashy stuff but it can be inconsistent at times. His arm action and delivery mechanics may make him better suited for the bullpen at the next level.

Josh Donaldson? Interesting that six years after Hendry traded Josh Donaldson (former C) for Rich Harden, he's having a breakout year at 27. I was t Harden's first game at Wrigley and he was smokin'. I think 10 k's. Chad Gaudin promptly fucked things up. I don't recall if he got the W that day. Oh for those winning Cub teams...

Thru round 20: 1 more RHP, 2 catchers and a 1B, 2B, SS. Round 15:438 Wagner, Michael University of San Diego (CA) RHP R/R JR 6'04" 200lbs DOB: 10/03/91
Wagner was San Diego's closer for most of his sophomore year, but while he moved into the rotation in 2013 and served as the Toreros' ace, some see his future back in the bullpen as a setup type. He does have a three-pitch mix from a good pitching frame. His sinking fastball will generate ground-ball outs and his changeup is a legitimate weapon. His breaking ball isn't as good, but has the chance to be a Major League average offering in the future. His pitchability allows his stuff to play up, as does his outstanding mound presence. Wagner's size and overall package of stuff may allow him to start his pro career in a rotation, with the team taking him knowing that a life as a reliever is a pretty good fall-back option.
scouting video: http://wapc.mlb.com/play/?topic_id=40395496&content_id=25996911 Round 16:468 Brockmeyer, Cael Cal State - Bakersfield (CA) C R/R JR 6'05" 235lbs DOB: 10/08/91 scouting video: http://wapc.mlb.com/play/?topic_id=40395496&content_id=27628617 Round 17:498 Freeman, Kelvin North Carolina A&T St U (NC) 1B R/R SR 6'04" 235lbs DOB: 01/25/91 (no reports or video's at this point) Round 18:528 Papaccio, Giuseppe Seton Hall U (NJ) SS R/R SR 6'01" 185lbs DOB: 06/08/91 Round 19:558 Remillard, Will Coastal Carolina (SC) C R/R JR 6'01" 195lbs DOB: 09/18/92 Round 20: Draft ID #1258 Zack Blair 2B Mercy Hearst College; Bats L, Throw R, 5'10" 190lbs DOB: 12/19/89 Round 21: Draft ID #7879 Joshua McCauley; Shepard College West VA; RHP (Sr) 6'04" 220lbs DOB: 09/24/89

On Castro: “It’s an everyday battle right now,” Sveum said of the two-time All-Star. “He’s a cutter and slasher [type hitter], who’s going to swing the bat. I’d like to see him back to where he was in 2010 and 2011 when there was a lot less movement going on. He thinks it’s the same mechanics, but they’re not the same mechanics from when he came up. It might look the same but there’s way more movement going on.” http://muskat.mlblogs.com/2013/06/08/68-castros-struggles/

Carrie Muskat‏@CarrieMuskat21m Ian Stewart 3-for-4, 3 HR, 8 RBIs to help Triple-A Iowa beat Round Rock, 8-5, in 1st G of doubleheader. #Cubs @IowaCubs

sigh ninja... pit up 4-0, top 4th, 0 outs.

COL calls up colvin...JD + colvin up...colvin was tearing up AAA, but given his age/experience that's not a big deal.

The mlbtv feed suddenly switched over to the Detroit Tigers feed of their game for about 4 pitches.

Recent comments

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Javier Assad started the Lo-A game (Myrtle Beach versus Stockton) on the Cubs backfields on Wednesday as his final Spring Training tune-up. He was supposed to throw five innings / 75 pitches. However, I was at the minor league road games at Fitch so I didn't see Assad pitch. 

  • crunch (view)

    cards put j.young on waivers.

    they really tried to make it happen this spring, but he put up a crazy bad slash of .081/.244/.108 in 45PA.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Seconded!!!

  • crunch (view)

    another awesome spring of pitching reports.  thanks a lot, appreciated.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Here are the Cubs pitchers reports from Tuesday afternoon's Cardinals - Cubs game art Sloan Park in Mesa:

    SHOTA IMANAGA
    FB: 90-92 
    CUT: 87-89 
    SL: 82-83 
    SPLIT: 81-84
    CV: 73-74 
    COMMENT: Worked three innings plus two batters in the fourth... allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits (six singles and two doubles) walked one, and struck out six (four swinging), with a 1/2 GO/AO... he threw 73 pitches (52 strikes - 10 swing & miss - 19 foul balls)... surrendered one run in the top of the 1st on a one-out double off Cody Bellinger's glove in deep straight-away CF followed one out later by two consecutive two-out bloop singles, allowed two runs (one earned) in the 2nd after retiring the first two hitters (first batter had a nine-pitch AB with four consecutive two-strike foul balls before being retired 3 -U) on a two-out infield single (weak throw on the run by Nico Hoerner), a hard-contact line drive RBI double down the RF line, and an E-1 (missed catch) by Imanaga on what should been an inning-ending 3-1 GO, gave up another run in the 3rd on a two-out walk on a 3-2 pitch and an RBI double to LF, and two consecutive singles leading off the top of the 4th before being relieved (runners were ultimately left stranded)... threw 18 pitches in the 1st inning (14 strikes - two swing & miss, one on FB and the other on a SL - four foul balls), 24 pitches in the 2nd inning (17 strikes - three swing & miss, one on FB, two SPLIT - six foul balls), 19 pitches in the 3rd inning (13 strikes - seven swing & miss, three on SL, two on SPLIT, one on FB - three foul balls), and 12 pitches without retiring a batter in the top of the 4th (8 strikes - no swing & miss - four foul balls)... Imanaga throws a lot of pitches per inning, but it's not because he doesn't throw strikes...  if anything, he throws too many strikes (he threw 70% strikes on Tuesday)... while he gets a ton of swing & miss (and strikeouts), he also induces a lot of foul balls because he doesn't try to make hitters chase his pitches by throwing them out of the strike zone... rather, he uses his very diverse pitch mix to get swing & miss (and lots of foul balls as well)... he also is a fly ball pitcher who will give up more than his share of HR during the course of the season...   
     
    JOE NAHAS
    FB: 90-92 
    SL: 83-85 
    CV: 80-81 
    COMMENT: Was called up from the Hi-A South Bend group at Minor League Camp for the day... relieved Imanaga with runners at first and second and no outs in the top of the 4th, and after an E-2 catcher's interference committed by Miguel Amaya loaded he bases, Nahas struck out the side (one swinging & two looking)... threw 16 pitches (11 strikes - two swinging)...   

    YENCY ALMONTE
    FB: 89-92 
    CH: 86 
    SL: 79 
    COMMENT: Threw an eight-pitch 5th (five strikes - no swing & miss), with a 5-3 GO for the first out and an inning-ending 4-6-3 DP after a one-out single... command was a bit off but he worked through it...   

    FRANKIE SCALZO JR
    FB: 94-95
    CH: 88 
    SL: 83
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and worked the 6th inning... got the first outs easily (a P-5 and a 4-3 GO) on just three pitches, before allowing three consecutive two-out hard-contact hits (a double and two singles), with the third hit on pitch # 9 resulting in a runner being thrown out at the plate by RF Christian Franklin for the third out of the inning... 

    MICHAEL ARIAS
    FB: 94-96
    CH: 87-89
    SL: 82-83
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and allowed a hard-contact double on the third pitch of the 7th inning (a 96 MPH FB), and the runner came around to score on a 4-3 GO and a WP... gave up two other loud contact outs (an L-7 and an F-9)... threw 18 pitches (only 10 strikes - only one swing & miss)... stuff is electric but still very raw and he continues to have difficulty commanding it, and while he has the repertoire of a SP, he throws too many pitches-per-inning to be a SP and not enough strikes to be a closer... he is most definitely still a work-in-progress...   

    ZAC LEIGH: 
    FB: 93-94 
    CH: 89 
    SL: 81-83 
    CV: 78
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and tossed a 1-2-3 8th (4-3 GO, K-swinging on a sweeper, K-looking on another sweeper)... threw 14 pitches (11 strikes - one swing & miss - eight foul balls)... kept pumping pitches into the strike zone but had difficulty putting hitters away (ergo a ton of foul balls)... FB velo is nowhere near the 96-98 MPH it was a couple of years ago when he was a Top 30 prospect, but his secondaries are better...   

    JOSE ROMERO:  
    FB: 93-95
    SL: 82-84
    COMMENT: Was called up from the Hi-A South Bend group at Minor League Camp for the day and worked the 9th (14 pitches - only six strikes- no swing & miss) and allowed a solo HR after two near-HR fly outs to the warning track, before getting a 3-1 GO to end the inning... it was like batting practice when he wasn't throwing pitches out of the strike zone...

  • crunch (view)

    pablo sandoval played 3rd and got a couple ABs (strikeout, single!) in the OAK@SF "exhibition"

    mlb officially authenticated the ball of the single he hit.  nice.

    he's in surprisingly good shape considering his poor body condition in his last playing seasons.  he's not lean, but he looks healthier.  good for him.

  • crunch (view)

    dbacks are signing j.montgomery to a 1/25m with a vesting 20m player option.

    i dunno when the ink officially dries, but i believe if he signs once the season begins he can't be offered a QO...and i'm not sure if that thing with SD/LAD in korea was the season beginning, either.

  • crunch (view)

    sut says imanaga getting the home opener at wrigley (game 4 of the season).

  • crunch (view)

    cubs rolling out the who's who of "who the hell is this guy?" in the last spring game.

  • videographer (view)

    AZ Phil, speaking of Jordan Wicks having better command when he tires a bit, I remember reading about Dennis Lamp 40 years ago and his sinker that was better after 3 or 4 innings when he would tire a bit and get more sink with a little less speed on the pitch.  The key for Lamp was getting to the 4th inning.