Results tagged ‘ Arizona Fall League ’
Offensive woes continue for Solar Sox
Mesa’s offensive struggles continued Tuesday night, as the team fell 5-2 to Scottsdale on the road. Matt Szczur led off the game with a single but was caught stealing. He drew a walk in the top of the ninth and scored four batters later. He finished 1-for-3 on the night.
Dae-Eun Rhee made his second start of the fall and surrendered just two hits through the first three innings. But his solid outing was spoiled by a tough fourth. He opened up the frame allowing back-to-back singles. The base runners advanced on a balk. Angels first-rounder Caleb Cowart drove in a run on a sacrifice fly, and Giants prospect Ricky Oropesa followed with a two-run homer. Rhee struck out four batters but was charged with three earned runs.
Tony Zych pitched another scoreless ninth inning, surrendering one hit.
Mesa hosts Scottsdale Thursday, with first pitch scheduled for 12:35 local time.
How the Cubs have fared:
Pitchers, Baez solid in Solar Sox loss
The Solar Sox were on the losing end of a 4-2 decision to Peoria Tuesday afternoon. But the Cubs organization can take solace in the pitching efforts of their farmhands, as well as Javier Baez’s work at the plate.
Baez was the lone Cub to record a hit for Mesa, finishing the day 2-for-4. He singled in the second inning, drove in a run on an RBI ground out in the sixth and singled to right field in the ninth. Matt Szczur and Rubi Silva both went 0-for-4. Silva struck out twice.
Kevin Rhoderick pitched a scoreless fifth inning, striking out two and allowing one hit. Nick Struck pitched a hitless ninth.
Mesa heads to Scottsdale Wednesday night to take on the Scorpions, a team comprised of prospects from the Angels, Giants, Indians, Pirates and Yankees. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 local time, and Cubs farmhand Dae-Eun Rhee is projected to start for the Solar Sox.
How the Cubs have fared:
For stats on the entire Mesa squad, check out MLB.com’s Arizona Fall League page.
Matt Szczur shines in losing Solar Sox effort
The Solar Sox’s three-game winning streak ended Monday at the hands of Peoria in a 9-2 decision. A six-run fifth inning was more than enough cushion for the Javelinas.
Cubs prospect Matt Szczur delivered most of the offense, as the Sox totaled just seven hits as a team. The center fielder singled in the bottom of the first and promptly stole second. He would score four batters later on a Javier Baez sac fly. In the fifth inning, Szczur doubled to left, scoring the runner from second. He finished the day 3-for-4 with an RBI, a run and a stolen base.
Baez started at short and went hitless, though he did pick up an RBI on the sac fly in the first inning.
Mesa will take on Peoria again Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 12:35 local time.
How the Cubs have fared:
For stats on the entire Mesa squad, check out MLB.com’s Arizona Fall League page.
Cubs bats come alive in AFL victories
The weekend’s games were full of offense for the Mesa Solar Sox, who captured a 12-6 win over Surprise to kick off the weekend on Friday and an 8-3 decision on Saturday vs. Phoenix. And much of the teams’ offense came from the bats of the Cubs’ farmhands.
Matt Szczur and Rubi Silva saw action in the first game. Szczur went 2-for-5 with two hits and a pair of stolen bases. He also drove in an insurance run on a single in the seventh inning. Silva recorded a single in his first at-bat and stole second. He’d finish 1-for-5 with a run scored.
Kevin Rhoderick pitched the fourth inning for Mesa. He surrendered a home run to the leadoff hitter, and then fanned a pair of batters before recording a ground out.
Silva and Javier Baez were inserted into Saturday’s lineup. Silva led off for the Solar Sox and kick-started the game with a single to center. A Jonathan Singleton home run drove him in three batters later. In the fifth, he singled again, and was driven in on another home run, this time by Baez. He’d finish 2-for-5.
Baez only had one hit Saturday, but it was the aforementioned three-run shot that drove in the game-winning runs.
Nick Struck entered the game in the fourth inning. After striking out his first two batters, he surrendered a home run to right. The next hitter grounded out to short. Tony Zych closed out the game with a scoreless ninth, surrendering one hit.
After the first week of play, Baez leads the league in RBI with seven.
On Monday, the Solar Sox host Peoria, a squad comprised of prospects from the Mariners, Phillies, Padres, Reds and Twins. First pitch is scheduled for 12:35 local time.
For stats on the entire Mesa squad, check out MLB.com’s Arizona Fall League page.
Solar Sox pick up first AFL win
Tigers prospect Nick Castellanos hit a homer in the top of the ninth to give Mesa its first win of the Fall League season, a 6-5 decision over the Surprise Saguaros. But there were plenty of Cubs farmhands who chipped in on the victory.
Matt Szczur led off for the Solar Sox for the third straight game. He walked in the top of the first, advanced to second on an errant pickoff attempt, got to third on a ground ball to the first baseman and scored on a wild pitch. Szczur singled in his next at-bat and drove in a run on a groundout in his third plate appearance.
Top prospect Javier Baez bounced back from a shaky game on Tuesday with a pair of hits, including an RBI double in the fourth.
Reliever Tony Zych (1-0) earned the win, pitching a scoreless eighth inning and striking out one. Righty Dae-Eun Rhee didn’t have one of his better starts, giving up two runs on six hits in two innings pitched. But he did fan two batters.
Mesa hosts Surprise Friday, with first pitch scheduled for 12:35 local time.
On the season:
For stats on the entire Mesa squad, check out MLB.com’s Arizona Fall League page.
Mesa Solar Sox fall in home opener
It wasn’t the strongest game for Cubs prospects Wednesday afternoon as the Mesa Solar Sox dropped an 11-3 decision to Salt River. Matt Szczur led off the bottom of the first with a single into left field. After advancing to second on a walk, he swiped third for his first stolen base of the fall. He was left stranded and finished the day 1-for-4 with a walk and a strikeout.
Rubi Silva batted second and recorded his only hit of the day on a soft grounder to the first baseman. He advanced to second on an error.
Cubs’ top prospect Javier Baez struggled Wednesday. He went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts and left two on base. He also slid over from shortstop to third base, where he committed a pair of errors.
Cubs minor league pitcher of the year Nick Struck walked three in relief duty but didn’t allow a run in 1.1 innings pitched. He also struck out one batter.
The Solar Sox head to Surprise today to take on the Saguaros at 12:35 local time. Surprise is comprised of prospects from the Cardinals, Mets, Rangers, Red Sox and Royals. Cubs farmhand Dae-Eun Rhee is projected to start for Mesa.
Cubs kick off Arizona Fall League with a bang
Javier Baez went 2-for-4 with 3 RBI in his Arizona Fall League debut. (Photo by Rodger Wood)
Things couldn’t have started much better for the Cubs top prospects in the Arizona Fall League yesterday. Though the Solar Sox dropped the 6-5 opener to the Salt River Rafters Tuesday night, much of Mesa’s offense came from Cubs representatives.
Nobody had a better outing than shortstop Javier Baez, who got things going in the top of the second inning with a home run to center to make the game 1-0. Later in the game, Baez ripped a double into left, scoring two.
Leadoff man Matt Szczur was 0-for-2, but drew a pair of walks and dropped down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runner to second in his second at-bat. Pinch-hitter Rubi Silva led off the eighth inning with a single that got by the shortstop. Three batters later he would score to give the Solar Sox the 5-4 lead.
Even in limited action, Cubs pitchers fared well. Right-handed reliever Kevin Rhoderick gave up one hit and struck out three in 1.2 innings while righty fireballer Tony Zych struck out the only batter he faced in the ninth.
The Solar Sox have their home opener Wednesday at 12:35 local time. Again they’ll face Salt River, a team comprised of prospects from the Diamondbacks, White Sox, Rockies, Blue Jays and Nationals.
Solar Sox Notes: According to MLB.com, Dodgers prospect Yasiel Puig will sit out the Solar Sox season with a staph infection in his right arm. He is rated the organization’s No. 2 prospect.
Prepping for the Arizona Fall League
The month-long Arizona Fall League kicks off tomorrow night, pitting some of minor league baseball’s top young talent against each other through Nov. 15. Seven members of the Cubs organization will take part in the league with the Mesa Solar Sox. When the teams were announced in late August, Vine Line broke down the Cubs representatives. The Solar Sox will also include prospects from the Astros, Dodgers, Orioles and Tigers. Below is a list of the pitchers and position players, as well as how they fared during the 2012 season.
Pitchers: Astros prospect Jarred Cosart is the most highly touted arm on Mesa’s staff. Ranked the 76th-best prospect in baseball by MLB.com, the 38th-round draft pick has a fastball that can reach the high-90s with a solid curve and the beginnings of a great change-up. Fellow Houston farmhand Nick Tropeano had a solid 2012, posting a 3.02 ERA over 158 innings. The righty features a plus change-up, complemented by a nice fastball and slider. Orioles lefty Mike Belfiore made the transition to the bullpen in 2011, maximizing his strong fastball/change-up combination. The lone arm to see the majors this year was Tigers righty Luke Putkonen, who is from the Chicago suburb of Winfield. The 6-6, 210-pounder pitched in 12 games out of the Detroit bullpen, striking out 10 in 16 innings and posting a 3.94 ERA.
Catchers: Tigers farmhand James McCann headlines the trio of catchers playing for Mesa. A solid leader, McCann recorded 22 doubles this season and has a decent arm. He also recorded five stolen bases, which is nothing to scoff at for a catcher.
Infielders: The strength of the Solar Sox comes from the infield corps, which includes top Cubs prospect Javier Baez. It will be interesting to see where Tigers prospect Nick Castellanos sees time. With Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera locked in at third for the Tigers, the top third base prospect in baseball saw a lot of time in the outfield this season. Astros first baseman John Singleton is a smooth-swinging lefty who hits for average and power, as evidenced by his 21 homers and 27 doubles in 2012. Singleton, seen as baseball’s top first base prospect, also has a solid glove.
Outfielders: There will be a lot of eyes on Dodgers prospect Yasiel Puig this fall. In June, the Dodgers front office paid $42 million over seven years for the 21-year-old Cuban defector. Known for his raw power, Puig often draws comparisons to Cubs prospect Jorge Soler. Free-swinging Astros prospect George Springer still managed to hit .302 and draw 62 walks in 2012, while hitting 24 home runs and driving in 87. The five-tool prospect also stole 32 bases.
Farm Report Wrap-Up: Keep an eye out for some sleepers on Smokies roster
Tennessee Smokies infielder Logan Watkins was named the organization’s 2012 Minor League Player of the Year. (Photo by Rodger Wood)
Today we continue our tour around the Cubs farm system, taking a level-by-level look at performances the organization hopes to build on in 2013. The Double-A Tennessee Smokies are next in the spotlight.
For all the talent we’ve written about in the lower levels of the Cubs system, it was the Tennessee Smokies who featured two full seasons from the organization’s Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Year.
Two nights ago, infielder Logan Watkins and right-hander Nick Struck were honored by Jason McLeod and farm director Brandon Hyde in a pre-game ceremony at Wrigley Field. Watkins was a 21st-round pick out of high school in the 2008 draft, and he’s shown a consistent ability to get on base throughout his minor league career. This year, he hit for a .281/.383/.422 slash line (AVG/OBP/SLG) and collected 76 walks in 588 plate appearances. His 13 percent walk rate was three percentage points higher than his already lofty career standards, and his slugging percentage was nearly 50 points higher despite having roughly the same batting average. In other words, it was a career year.
Of course, Watkins’ skill set is broader than just patience. He has versatility in the field—spotting at shortstop and center field in addition to second base—and the speed to rack up double-digit triples and stolen bases. He bats left-handed too. A 23-year-old sleeper to track as he likely moves to Iowa next year.
Struck also is turning out to be a late-round sleeper. A 2009 39th-round pick out of an Oregon community college, Struck emerged as the Smokies’ ace a season after he split time between three levels (A, AA and AAA). His 155 innings led the team, and he finished with a 3.18 ERA and 1.18 WHIP. Just as importantly, his hits and walks allowed ticked down from a year ago, while his strikeouts climbed to just over seven per nine innings.
Struck isn’t a high-ceiling type—in other words, someone with a high-90s fastball or a wipeout breaking ball—but he’s succeeded with poise, pitch ability and a versatile four-pitch mix. He turns 23 this month and also is likely to wind up in Iowa next season.
Final Records:
First Half / 35-35, tie-second place, 7.0 GB
Second Half / 37-33, tie-second place, 4.0 GB
Storylines: This is a team that the Cubs front office hopes will develop some future contributors in Chicago. Matt Szczur struggled in his first taste of Double-A, but he has the toolset to hit for average and use his speed on the basepaths and in the outfield alongside Brett Jackson. Right-hander Trey McNutt has had mixed success since his breakout campaign two years ago, but this summer, the Cubs found a new home for his plus fastball and power breaking ball in the bullpen. Shortstop Junior Lake also is smoothing out rough edges, but he has a ceiling that few prospects in the higher levels can match. Outfielder Jae-Hoon Ha deserves special mention after a successful all-around campaign including a home run in the Futures Game.
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Arizona Fall League rosters announced
The squads for the Arizona Fall Leagues were announced Wednesday afternoon, and seven Cubs farmhands will be a part of the the Mesa Solar Sox—the Cubs’ affiliate—when October rolls around.
Shortstop Javier Baez and outfielder Matt Szczur headline the group, as they were the No. 2 and 3 organizational prospects, respectively, according to Baseball America prior to the season. Baez, the club’s 2011 first-round pick, spent the majority of the year with Single-A Peoria, where he hit .333/.383/.596 with 12 homers in 57 games before an early August call-up to High-A Daytona. Szczur, a rangy outfielder with good speed, hit .268/.362/.396 with 58 walks and 42 stolen bases in 108 games between High-A Daytona and Double-A Tennessee.
Versatile outfielder Rubi Silva—.299/.316/.410 with 68 RBI in 126 games at Daytona and Tennessee—rounds out the positional players headed for Arizona this fall.
The Cubs will also send four pitchers to the hitter-friendly league. Right-handers Dae-Eun Rhee and Tony Zych are two of the stronger young arms in the system. Rhee, the Cubs’ third-best arm according to Baseball America, finished 9-8 with a 4.95 ERA for Double-A Tennessee, while Zych was a combined 5-4 with a 3.43 ERA in relief for Daytona and Tennessee.
Right-hander Kevin Rhoderick posted a 2-7 record with a 4.87 ERA in relief for Tennessee, and lefty Zach Rosscup had a 2-1 record with a 3.26 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 30.1 innings at three different levels.
The Fall League starts Oct. 9 and runs through Nov. 15. The Solar Sox’s home games will be played at HoHoKam Stadium, the Cubs’ Spring Training home.
