Jorge Soler, Albert Almora promoted; Mike Olt optioned to Iowa

The Chicago Cubs have promoted two of their top prospects on Tuesday, Jorge Soler is heading to Triple-A Iowa and Albert Almora will move to Double-A Tennessee.

Soler, 22, battled hamstring problems in both legs this year for most of the season, but since being healthy has been on a tear. He was hitting .410/.500/.852 in 84 at-bats in Double-A with seven home runs and 27 RBIs in 28 games. In the past 14 games since his return from rehab he has hit six of his seven homers.

Soler signed a nine-year, $30 million contract in June of 2012 after he defected from Cuba and established residency in Haiti.

Almora, 20, has emerge after a slow start to his third full minor league season and hit .280/.304/.396 with six homers, 20 doubles and six stolen bases while collecting 47 RBIs in 88 games for Advanced-A Daytona. He has 14 hits in his last seven games, including hitting for the cycle last week.

The Cubs also optioned third baseman Mike Olt to Triple-A Iowa to make room on the 25-man roster for Wednesday night’s starter, Tsuoyshi Wada.

Olt struggled at the plate and struck out 84 times this season, including three Tuesday night agains the Padres. He was hitting .139 with 12 homers and is the first ever Major leaguer to hit below .150 average and have more than 10 homers. He will serve as Iowa’s designated hitter and backup third baseman and will start at third base when Cubs’ top prospect Kris Bryant begins to play the outfield.

Wada will make his second career start and debut at Wrigley Field. He gave up no earned runs over five innings against the Reds in a double-header.

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