June 3, 2012; Charlottesville, VA, USA; Oklahoma Sooner pitcher Jonathan Gray (22) pitches against the Army Black Knights in the first inning in game three of the Charlottesville regional at Davenport Field. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Laferriere-USA TODAY Sports

With the 2013 Major League Baseball Draft rapidly approaching, the Chicago Cubs front office paid a visit to Oklahoma right-hander Jonathan Gray this week, in a move that is sure to draw the ire and attention of media outlets across the country. President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein, General Manager Jed Hoyer, Player Development Director Jason McLeod, and Director of Amateur Scouting Jaron Madison made the trip to visit the burly right-hander, who has been drafted two times in the past – once by the Yankees in the 10th Round of the 2011 Draft and in the 13th Round of the 2010 Draft by Kansas City.

Gray posted an 8-4 record for Oklahoma as a sophomore in 2012, with a 3.16 earned run average. He allowed 100 hits in 102.2 innings of work, and struck out 104 batters while only walking 42. According to the Chicago Cubs official website, the “junior at Oklahoma, Gray has a plus-plus fastball and a power slider, and he will throw an occasional curve.”

It appears Chicago is narrowing down the field of potential candidates with less than two weeks till the June 6 draft. With the second overall pick behind the Astros, the Cubs have also been rumored to be interested in Stanford right-hander Mark Appel, who was taken with the eighth overall pick in last year’s draft by Pittsburgh, before declining to sign.

This year’s starting rotation has been a source of pride for the Cubs,  who enter play Thursday with an 18-27 mark on the year, tied with Milwaukee for the worst record in the National League Central. The team’s  starters have a 2.00 ERA in 27 quality starts, but they have managed wins in just 11 of those, due to a sporadic offense and a shaky bullpen through the season’s first two months.

Cubs pitchers have also done everything in their power to help themselves out offensively, combining for 13 RBIs in May and an average of .316 (12-for-38) with two home runs entering play against Pittsburgh on Wednesday night.

UP NEXT: Edwin Jackson (1-6, 5.26 ERA) looks to turn things around against the Pirates, who turn to rookie Jeanmar Gomez, who has a 1-0 mark with a 2.89 ERA as a starter this year. First pitch is scheduled for 11:35 Central Time from PNC Park.

Dan Vogelbach is shown here in a Spring Training at-bat. Image courtesy of MiLB.com.

Vogie Bear. I think it’s pretty catchy. Can’t say I’d ever call Dan Vogelbach that to his face, but it has a nice sound to it. You know what else has a nice sound to it? The ball when it explodes off his bat. After seeing him in action last night at Class-A Kane County’s home opener, it’s clear this kid has the potential to be a pretty special piece of the Cubs’ long-term success.

I had the opportunity to meet Vogelbach before the game during an autograph session, and it immediately became clear that Cubs fans are excited about this guy. Of the entire Kane County roster, the line for the team’s first baseman was more than twice as long as any other player. And if you’re wondering, yes. I now have his autograph. No shame.

Several small children were in line in front of me, and Vogelbach made small talk with them, which meant the world to these kids. Too often, we sports writers look at statistics and base our conclusions off those. His attitude with the fans said a lot about the type of person he is – something that can be a make-or-break aspect in this new Cubs organization. The new brass has little tolerance for showboating or arrogance – it’s the “Cubs’ way” or the highway.

His stat line isn’t overly exciting. The 6-foot, 250 pound Vogelbach went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles in a 7-2 loss to the Houston Astros’ Class-A affiliate, the Quad Cities River Bandits – who boast several top prospects on its roster, including last year’s number one overall pick, shortstop Carlos Correa. But for anyone who was at the game, and watching Vogelbach, it’s clear that he has real power – evidenced by the fact that according to Baseball America, he’s the top power prospect in the entire organization.

Last season with the Boise Hawks and the Arizona League Cubs, Vogelbach clubbed 17 home runs in only 61 games, while posting a .322 average and .410 OBP. Furthermore, he averaged more than an RBI per game, totaling 62 over the course of the season. Despite these successes, one major question remains for the standout 20-year old. What position will he play in Chicago?

With Anthony Rizzo coming off a very successful rookie campaign with the Cubs, Vogelbach has no clear path to the big leagues. However, Major League Baseball has been talking more and more about bringing the designated hitter to the National League, and a recently Theo Epstein told USA Today, “…‘hopefully we’re just a few years away.’’ (from the designated hitter in the N.L.)

However, not everyone in the Cubs organization is onboard with that proposal. Manager Dale Sveum is a proponent of the National League way of things, which, if it remains in place, could spell the end of a very promising run for Vogelbach with the Cubs. No doubt, if he continues his hot hitting throughout the minors over the next few years, Vogelbach could be included in a trade package that would fetch a handsome price.

Only time will tell what the future holds for the young slugger, but if you’re in the Chicagoland area, be sure to get down to Fifth Third Bank Ballpark early in the season to check out Vogelbach and the rest of his Cougars’ teammates. Seven of the top 30 prospects in the entire organization are beginning the year with Kane County, and as the new signage at the ballpark states: “A, AA, AAA – MLB. It all starts here.”

March 17, 2013; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Scott Baker (32) throws in the first inning during a spring training game against the Oakland Athletics at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

One of the low-risk, high-upside acquisitions of Theo Epstein and company this offseason was right-hander Scott Baker. In his first, and only, Cactus League start this spring, the 31 year-old felt what he described as discomfort in his throwing elbow, and has not seen action since.

On Monday, Baker received good news from Cubs’ team orthopedic specialist, Dr. Stephen Gryzlo.

“It’s always nice to have some clarity when dealing with an injury,” Baker told MLB.com writer Carrier Muskat on Monday. “Any type of setback is not fun and there’s never good timing for any sort of setback, but knowing what we’re dealing with helps us deal with it better, obviously. With the type of injury it is, Doc likened it to a scab. You can’t pick at it; you have to let it heal and rest and get back after it after that.”

Baker is coming back from Tommy John surgery that cost him the entire 2012 season with Minnesota, where he spent his entire career before coming to Chicago this offseason. In seven years with the Twins, Baker compiled a 63-48 record and a 4.15 earned run average. His best year came in 2008, when he posted an 11-4 mark.

There is no timetable for his return to the Cubs rotation at this time. Previously, Baker had been aiming for a mid-April return, but has not been cleared to return to baseball activities at this time. Epstein and the rest of the Cubs front office appeared very confident in choosing to sign Baker during the offseason, evidenced by a statement he gave to ESPN Chicago at the time of the signing.

“The reality is that it’s not exactly a buyer’s market for pitching right now so you have to take your risks,” Epstein said. “Do you want to take a risk on the guy with bad makeup? Do you want to take the risk on the guy with bad command? Or do you want to take a risk on a guy you really believe in who’s coming off Tommy John surgery at an appropriate value point? I think we are very comfortable placing our bet on Scott Baker.”