Results tagged ‘ Arizona Fall League ’
11/10 AFL update
Cubs prospect Logan Watkins was 2-for-5 with a double in the Mesa Solar Sox’s 7-5 win over Salt River in Arizona Fall League action on Friday. On Saturday, the Solar Sox travel to Peoria for a game. First pitch 12:35 p.m. MT. The AFL has one more week of play.
– Carrie Muskat
11/2 AFL update
Cubs prospect Matt Szczur was 3-for-5, hitting a solo home run and an RBI single, but it wasn’t enough as the Mesa Solar Sox lost 7-3 to Peoria on Thursday in Arizona Fall League play. The homer was Szczur’s first in the AFL. Mesa and Peoria square off on Friday in Peoria, starting at 12:35 p.m. MT. Saturday is the Rising Stars game.
– Carrie Muskat
10/30 AFL update
Dae-Eun Rhee gave up three runs on two hits and three walks over three innings in Mesa’s 7-2 loss to Surprise on Monday in Arizona Fall League play. Cubs prospect Rubi Silva was 1-for-4, but struck out three times. Mesa travels to Phoenix on Tuesday.
– Carrie Muskat
10/29 Baez injures thumb
Cubs top prospect Javier Baez most likely is done for the Arizona Fall League season after he injured his right thumb. Baez was playing for the Mesa Solar Sox. Jason McLeod, Cubs player development director, said Baez was being examined on Monday, and that the shortstop most likely will not complete the AFL season.
On Monday, Baez said on his Twitter account: ”I will be alright soon, feeling better. Will be back ASAP”
Baez, 19, was batting .211 in 14 games with the Solar Sox, and led the league with 16 RBIs, and was tied for the league lead with four home runs. He has started 10 of those games at shortstop, four at third base. The Cubs’ No. 1 Draft pick in 2011, Baez batted .333 in 57 games with Class A Peoria and .188 in 23 games with Class A Daytona this season, his first in pro ball.
The injury was not expected to keep Baez from being ready for Spring Training.
– Carrie Muskat
10/25 AFL update
Cubs prospect Kevin Rhoderick served up a three-run home run with one out in the ninth as Scottsdale rallied to beat the Mesa Solar Sox, 4-3, in Arizona Fall League play Wednesday. Matt Szczur and Rubi Silva both started, and each had one hit for Mesa. On Thursday, Mesa plays host to Peoria at HoHoKam Park, first pitch 12:35 p.m. MT.
– Carrie Muskat
10/17 AFL update
Cubs top prospect Javier Baez had two hits and one RBI but it wasn’t enough as the Mesa Solar Sox lost 4-2 on Tuesday to Peoria in Arizona Fall League play. Matt Szczur and Rubi Silva both started, and were hitless. Baez, who is tied for the AFL lead in RBIs, started at third for the second time in AFL play. Kevin Rhoderick gave up one hit and struck out two in one inning of relief, and Nick Struck threw one hitless inning in relief. On Wednesday, Mesa travels to Scottsdale for a game. First pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m. MT.
– Carrie Muskat
10/16 AFL update
Cubs prospect Matt Szczur was 3-for-4 with a double and one RBI and Javier Baez drove in a run but it wasn’t enough as the Mesa Solar Sox lost 9-2 to Peoria on Monday in Arizona Fall League play. The Solar Sox travel to Peoria, AZ, on Tuesday for a game at 12:35 p.m. MT.
– Carrie Muskat
10/13 AFL update
Cubs prospect Matt Szczur was 2-for-5 with one RBI in the Mesa Solar Sox’s 12-5 win Friday over Surprise in Arizona Fall League action. The Solar Sox play host to Phoenix on Saturday at HoHoKam Park, starting at 12:35 p.m. MT.
Go to www.mlbfallball.com for more AFL action.
– Carrie Muskat
10/12 AZ Fall League update
The Mesa Solar Sox edged Surprise, 6-5, on Thursday in Arizona Fall League play. Javier Baez, the Cubs’ top prospect who started at shortstop, hit a RBI double and now is 4-for-13 (.308) in three games. Dae-Eun Rhee gave up two runs on six hits and struck out two over two innings. Matt Szczur also started for Mesa, and was 1-for-4 with one RBI and scored a run. He’s 2-for-10 with one RBIs in three games. Tony Zych picked up the win in relief. He’s thrown 1 1/3 hitless innings in two games in relief, striking out two.
Go to www.mlbfallball.com for updates.
– Carrie Muskat
10/10 Keep an eye on Baez
At 19, Javier Baez is the second youngest player in the Arizona Fall League, and making a huge jump, competing against players who have been in Double-A or Triple-A.
“He’s a guy who, mentally, we felt was ready for the Fall League, ready to be pushed like that, ready to be challenged like that,” said Jason McLeod, head of scouting and player development for the Cubs.
On Tuesday night, Baez looked ready. The Cubs’ top prospect went 2-for-3 for the Mesa Solar Sox, hitting a solo home run in the second inning into the upper tiers of the batter’s eye in straightaway center at Salt River Fields, and added a tie-breaking two-run double in the sixth. The homer was impressive, even in the dry Arizona air.
Told that he’s one of the youngest in the AFL — only the Rangers’ Luis Sardinas is younger — Baez just shrugs.
“I’ve heard that,” Baez said. “If you do good here, you have to keep working hard. They just tell me to do my job every time, play hard, do everything right.”
He flashed some of his defensive skills as well with a diving stop of a ball, and nearly threw the runner out. Replay might have backed up Baez. What’s impressed McLeod and others are the shortstop’s instincts for the game.
“When you watch him play defense and watch him on the bases, he plays like a veteran who has been in the Major Leagues for a long time and at a very young age,” McLeod said. “That was the most pleasant surprise for me and it’s really fun to watch him on defense. It’s like he sees things before it happens.”
It wasn’t a perfect night. Baez did strike out twice. But he was perfectly positioned on defense, backing up on plays in the infield.
“He’s got tons of talent and it’s not just hitting, it’s his overall game,” said Tom Beyers, Cubs Minor League hitting coordinator. “One of his biggest strengths is aptitude. I was very impressed with how he took instruction and applied it right away in a ballgame. Some guys, that process takes longer than others. His is pretty quick, and the knowledge he has of how the game is played, he always seems to be a step ahead.”
– Carrie Muskat
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