Today the Chicago Cubs picked up yet another intriguing young arm off of the waiver wire, grabbing 24-year-old righty Eduardo Sanchez from the Cardinals. He’ll head to the Iowa Cubs for now.
Sanchez broke out with some impressive numbers out of the pen for the Cardinals in 2011, but couldn’t quite replicate that success in 2012. He struggled at AAA in 2012, and was off to a mixed start there this year as well – he’s seen just 9.2 innings of work, putting up a 3.72 ERA, but striking out just 6.5 per 9 (by far a career low) and walking 3.7 per 9.
Before 2011, Sanchez was a fast-rising relief prospect, reaching AAA when he was just 21.
It will be interesting to learn if the Cubs believe there are a few tweaks that will get Sanchez back on track as the bright young reliever he once was. There’s no real downside here in taking a chance, so they’ll bring him to AAA Iowa and see what he’s got.
There aren’t any roster implications for the move, for now, because the Cubs had an open 40-man spot (and are expected to get another one later today when they will reportedly DFA Michael Bowden).