Chicago Cubs Minors Recap: Eric Jokisch claimed off waivers by Miami Marlins

The front office of the Chicago Cubs tried to pull a fast one earlier in the week and it came back to bite them. The loss of left-handed pitcher Eric Jokisch to the Miami Marlins can be viewed as a good and a bad thing depending on your interest level. The empty void left in his wake and a farm system round-up on this week’s The Call-up.

In the middle of the week, Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer were doing what many executives will do this time of year. With the first full week of the 2016 campaign in the rearview mirror, many teams like the Cubs find themselves with an overabundance of players and no place to put them.

The dilemma for the Cubs is the strength of their organizational depth. While it holds true that much of the excitement in their farm system derives from position players, the Cubs have quietly put together a strong group of young arms waiting for a chance to make it to Chicago.

26-year-old Eric Jokisch did have a short glimpse of life in the majors 2014, but a rash of injuries and his inability to take the next step since then have kept him swallowed in the minors.

More from Chicago Cubs Prospects

• Cubs Prospect Spotlight: Luis Devers continues to dominate
• Cubs: Alexander Canario wins Southern League Player of the Month
• Cubs: Hayden Wesneski already among team’s top prospects
• Cubs Minors: Yohendrick Pinango is primed for a jump to Double-A Tennessee
• Cubs prospect Alexander Canario has been swinging a hot stick

The 11th-round pick in 2010, Jokisch was familiar with the Chicagoland area after his collegiate days at Northwestern University. With Jokisch missing the major league roster again this year, the Cubs had to do some soul-searching when it came to what they would have to do.

When you mix in the depth at the major league level and the talent of some of the other rising stars in Triple-A, Jokisch was becoming expendable. The decision to drop Jokisch from the 40-man roster is a testament that the Cubs had exhausted every possible way of making the young lefty useful to their future plans.

In order to remove him from the 40-man roster, the Chicago Cubs hoped that an early season DFA (designated for assignment) would go unnoticed. Often times, the early stages of the season is a good time to make moves considering that other teams are usually too busy working through their own rosters to pick another player up.

Despite the quiet motions, Jokisch was claimed off waivers by the Miami Marlins and immediately assigned to Triple-A New Orleans.

Eric Jokisch still has a bright future, it just won’t be as a Cub. Meanwhile, the Cubs have yet to announce a decision regarding the vacancy left in the 40-man roster by Jokisch. 

Next: Rockies take two from Cubs

Minor League Roundup

Iowa Cubs (4-6) 4th place in the PCL American League Northern Division

This week: (4-3), Next week: @Round Rock Express April 18th, @New Orleans Zephyrs April 19th-22nd, vs. Oklahoma City Dodgers April 23rd.

Tennessee Smokies (4-7) 4th place in the Southern League North Division

This week: (2-5), Next Week: vs. Montgomery Biscuits April 18th-21, @Mobile BayBears April 22nd-23rd.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans (5-6) 3rd place in the Carolina League Southern Division

This week: (3-4), Next Week: @Winston-Salem Dash April 18th-20th, vs. Carolina Mudcats April 21st-23rd.

South Bend Cubs (5-5) 4th place in the Midwest League Eastern Division

This week: (3-3), Next week: vs. Bowling Green Hot Rods April 18th-20th, vs. Fort Wayne TinCaps April 2st-23rd.