NEWSLETTER
The deadline for 2017 draftees to sign is coming up fast. Very fast. Like … 5 PM ET tomorrow fast.
At present, the Cubs have not signed three of their top ten picks. Odds are very, very good that there is absolutely nothing to worry about and that all three will be in the Cubs’ organization by the end of the day Friday. But nothing is certain. So, if you feel so inclined, small amounts of panic might be understandable.
The biggest name is LSU ace Alex Lange, the Cubs second first round pick. When we last saw Lange, he was shutting down the best college team in the country in a must win game in the final rounds of the College World Series. Adding this right hander to the system would be very nice, and I suspect the odds of him not signing are approximately zero. The Cubs would not have used a top thirty pick on a guy they thought would be tough to sign.
The other two unsigned are tougher to get a read on. Nelson Velazquez is the first position player the Cubs drafted, and the first high school player. He is very unpolished outfielder with a lot of great tools, and not someone we expected the Cubs to have much trouble signing.
Jeremy Estrada, on the other hand, would require signing away from UCLA. That could take something close to a seven digit bonus. Estrada was the first high school pitcher the Cubs drafted, and while his 2017 season performance was inconsistent, he already has an excellent changeup and the potential for three plus pitches. For an organization that needs all the pitching depth it can get, signing Estrada would be very nice indeed.
I do think the Cubs have the bonus pool room to do it, provided Lange does not sign for a figure well over slot, but so far it just hasn’t gotten done.
Again, odds are good the Cubs are going to sign all three, and the timing was just a matter of needing Lange’s season to finish, and then coordinating the bonuses of all three to make sure it fits under the bonus pool (plus 5%).
We probably have nothing to worry about. Probably.
Triple A: Iowa Cubs
Oklahoma City 8, Iowa 0
The Cubs managed just three hits and two walks.
Double A: Tennessee Smokies
Chattanooga 5, Tennessee 3
Anderson’s second rehab start could have gone better.
High A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Myrtle Beach 8, Buies Creek 7
These two teams combined for thirty hits.
Low A: South Bend Cubs
Great Lakes 5, South Bend 2
The Cubs never led in this one.
Short Season A: Eugene Emeralds
Boise 4, Eugene 2
Despite striking out fifteen Hawks, Eugene still lost.
Rookie: AZL Cubs
Diamondbacks 4, Cubs 0
The Cubs were shutout for the second time this month.
Other Notes
