C.J. Edwards named to Arizona Fall League All-Star team

One of the Chicago Cubs’ top pitching prospects, C.J. Edwards, recently put the finishing touches on his season with work in the Arizona Fall League, which will conclude with an appearance in the league’s all-star game on Monday.

According to a report from CSN Chicago, Edwards (1-0, 2.57 ERA) was the Cubs lone representative selected to the ninth annual Fall Stars Game, which will take place on Saturday in Scottsdale, Arizona. The first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on MLB Network and streamed live on MLB.com. Bruce Levine of CBS Sports talked with Edwards about his performance this fall, which has turned heads around the league.

"“I have been focusing on my command and throwing all of my pitches,” he said. “My arm is as good as it ever has been. I am, without a doubt, 100 percent.”"

Chicago had seven other prospects, including Addison Russell, Jacob Hannemann, Bijan Rademacher, Ivan Pineyro, Dan Vogelbach, Gerardo Concepcion and Zach Cates – but none of them made the roster for the contest featuring the league’s top performers.

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The young right-hander picked up 10 starts with the Double-A Tennessee Smokies in the regular season, after missing much of the campaign rehabbing a shoulder injury, and finished with a solid 2.44 ERA in 48 innings of work. He allowed 30 hits, 14 runs (13 earned), one home run, 21 walks, a 1.06 WHIP and 46 strikeouts while holding opposing hitters to a .180 average.

Edwards’ best outing of the 2014 regular season was against the Jacksonville Suns, the Miami Marlins’ affiliate, on Aug. 25. He made it through five innings for the third-straight start, holding the Suns to just one run (earned) on one hit with three walks, and eight strikeouts, totaling 86 pitches.

He’ll more than likely jump a level in 2015 but won’t see Major League action for at least a couple more years. There are some high expectations with C.J. Edwards down on the farm – so Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer and company will want to make sure he’s 110% percent ready to go once his time has come.

"“I am excited to play in the game with a bunch of guys who have earned this,” Edwards said. “It should be a lot of fun, and I am looking forward to it.”"