Today, the Arizona Fall League revealed its prospect-laden rosters, and the Chicago Cubs’ contingent, headed to the Mesa Solar Sox, includes:
C.J. Edwards
Addison Russell
Dan Vogelbach
Jacob Hannemann
Zach Cates
Ivan Pineyro
Gerardo Concepcion
Wow. That is a very interesting group. Let’s run through it.
Although the AFL isn’t always friendly to pitchers, I’m still glad to see Edwards included. He missed so much time this year with the shoulder issue that it will be good for him to make up a few innings against high-level competition.
Pineyro, acquired last year for Scott Hairston, is in a similar situation, having missed a bunch of time with a forearm injury. Glad to see him included.
Russell repeats the AFL this year, and for good reason: he missed a large chunk of the first half of the season with a hamstring injury. Playing in the AFL will allow him to get some of the at bats he missed, and possibly set him up for a AAA debut out of camp next year.
Vogelbach’s inclusion is interesting, and could be in part to showcase him a little. He’s got a huge bat that he hasn’t quite showed fully this season, and it would be nice to go into 2015 feeling like he’s on the verge of living up to that ample potential. Where the Cubs go with him from there remains to be seen.
Hannemann came to pro baseball as an older prospect, having done a Morman mission and played football at BYU. There’s a ton of talent there, but he needs as much competitive baseball experience as he can get. I love his inclusion. He’s the “taxi squad” designee, a la Albert Almora last year, so he can only play two days per week, unless otherwise needed.
Cates is an interesting relief prospect after coming to the Cubs as the second piece in the Anthony Rizzo deal a couple years ago. He’s got a live fastball, and is eligible for the Rule 5 Draft, so you can expect that this is one last chance for the Cubs to evaluate him before making a 40-man roster decision.
Similarly, Concepcion has emerged from the premature “bust” label as a theoretical future relief prospect. He’s just 22, mind you, and is showing some good things this year, now that he’s fully over mono. Like Cates, he’s Rule 5 eligible.
The AFL, which plays between October 7 and November 13, helps pass the time for fans (1) who are nuts about prospects, and (2) follow organizations that don’t make the Major League playoffs. JACKPOT!
It’s fun to follow for so many reasons, not the least of which is it pits some of the best prospects in the game against each other, many of whom are on the doorstep of the big leagues. Among the big names set for the league: Byron Buxton, Corey Seager, Mark Appel, Raul Mondesi, Archie Bradley, and many others.
Last year, Kris Bryant was the most dominant player in the AFL, winning MVP honors and generally destroying all comers. There was a chance that Kyle Schwarber was going to be that guy this year, but it appears his very long season and possibly the Cubs’ interest in working with him in instructional ball as a catcher precluded an AFL trip. It’s probably more the long season part than the other thing, though, lest you go too far.
Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here.
Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.
I know what you're thinking – what the heck is this basketball junkie doing over here on our turf!? He normally only shows up when he accidentally puts his Bulls articles in the wrong category! I need a little palate cleanser...
CUBS LINEUP — The Chicago Cubs are back in action tonight for the first of three games against the Houston Astros at Wrigley Field. Here's a look at the Cubs lineup for Game 1. Chicago Cubs Lineup: Nico Hoerner, 2B...
If you're familiar with me/my writing, you know how much I love good pitching. To that end, Jared Jones has been one of my favorite stories of the young season. And on Monday, he gave us one of the best...
We've been trying to piece this series of Cubs roster moves together all day, but we didn't have the full picture until now. There are a lot of moving parts - and we already have a dedicated article on the...
The Chicago Cubs were in a rough spot with starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks, whose performance this year has featured a worst-case-scenario mix of execution struggles, too many balls in play, and a sprinkling of bad luck. And since no one...
Garrett Cooper DFA — Earlier today, Tommy Birch caught word of Matt Mervis and Hayden Wesneski making their way up to Chicago, though no one has had the corresponding moves just yet. What we do know is that Wesneski would...
As I typed this, news broke that the Cubs were promoting Matt Mervis from Iowa to Chicago. So, we'll start this week's Studs and Duds on the Cubs farm with Mervis, who has been impressive this season. Plus, Kevin Alcántara...
This afternoon's forecast in Chicago calls for afternoon rainstorms, which means I need to tweak my schedule to get my regularly scheduled walk in without getting soaked. Wish me luck! The Chicago Bears are reportedly set to announce lakefront stadium...
Cubs vs Astros — Splitting a four-gamer against the current, badly-struggling Miami Marlins is unquestionably a bad outcome, especially when one of those two losses was a win-in-hand that slipped away into the seats. But the typical, and maddeningly correct,...
I was literally in the middle of an article asking "What Are the Cubs Going to Do with Matt Mervis," when this news came across the wire. The Cubs first base picture is fully settled with the left-handed Michael Busch...
Ryan Poles has done well in creating a bevy of picks in each of his first two NFL Draft classes as Chicago Bears general manager. And even though the Bears have a league-low four picks in this week's NFL Draft,...
Kawhi Leonard needs to make two 3-pointers to beat his over/under when the Los Angeles Clippers play the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday at 10:00 PM ET, in Game 2 of the opening round of the NBA playoffs.Kawhi Leonard's Three-Pointer Prop...
Changes are already underway for the Chicago Bulls According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, the Bulls coaching staff is due for a shuffle. HOF player and long-time coach Maurice Cheeks is reportedly leaving his position as a full-time member of...
Zurich Classic Sleeper Picks - The Zurich Classic, a thrilling and unique team event on the PGA Tour, is set to take place at the picturesque TPC Louisiana in Avondale, Louisiana. This Pete Dye design, renowned for its water hazards...
We've been trying to piece this series of Cubs roster moves together all day, but we didn't have the full picture until now. There are a lot of moving parts - and we already have a dedicated article on the...
The 2024 NFL Draft is upon us, and the Los Angeles Chargers hold the coveted fifth overall pick. With a young, dynamic quarterback in Justin Herbert, the Chargers are poised to make a serious playoff run. But to take that...
In the dynamic world of sports betting, the FanDuel promo code stands out as a great way to start on a premier platform for enthusiasts looking to elevate their NBA betting experience. With the NBA season in full swing, the...
I know what you're thinking – what the heck is this basketball junkie doing over here on our turf!? He normally only shows up when he accidentally puts his Bulls articles in the wrong category! I need a little palate cleanser...
The Los Angeles Clippers play the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday at 10:00 PM ET in Game 2 of the opening round of the NBA playoffs, and if the Clippers' Paul George drains four 3-pointers, he'll beat his prop.Paul George's Three-Pointer...
The Los Angeles Clippers face the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday at 10:00 PM ET in Game 2 of the opening round of the NBA playoffs, and if the Clippers' James Harden drains three 3-pointers, he'll beat his over/under.James Harden's Three-Pointer...
NEWSLETTER
Today, the Arizona Fall League revealed its prospect-laden rosters, and the Chicago Cubs’ contingent, headed to the Mesa Solar Sox, includes:
