There’s your minor league addition for the day. Recall, today was the deadline to add would-be-outgoing minor league free agents to the 40-man roster to prevent them from actually hitting minor league free agency. Luis Vazquez was a real risk to get a 40-man spot from ANOTHER team if the Cubs let him walk, so this was a good move.
Vazquez, 24, is one of the best defensive infielders in the organization, and took a big step forward with the bat in 2023. Between Double-A and Triple-A, he hit .271/.361/.456/112 wRC+, with a 10.2% BB rate, a 22.9% K rate, and 20 homers in 124 games. He may not wind up a future big league starter, but as optionable depth on the 40-man roster? With his glove? Heck yes you want to keep that guy around.
The other big decision today for the Cubs was outfielder Yonathan Perlaza, who I guess was not added (the Cubs’ announcement mentioned only Vazquez), which means he’s going to be a minor league free agent. That doesn’t preclude the Cubs from signing him to a new minor league deal, but he might decide he’ll have a better chance of breaking through in another organization. Or maybe another org will give him a 40-man spot.
Perlaza, who turns 25 this week, hit .284/.389/.534/130 wRC+ at Iowa this season, and was kind of a monster at the plate all year. The challenge for the switch-hitter is that the defense did not look playable in the outfield at times, and that puts so much pressure on the bat if you’re going to carry him on the 40-man. He didn’t project to be quite that level offensively, so the Cubs are taking the risk on letting him go. If he winds up elsewhere and gets a shot, good for him. There’s potential there to hit above average in the big leagues.