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Chicago Cubs: Recent signings, Spring Training invitees carry plenty of intrigue
The Chicago Cubs announced the signing of Mike Freeman and Kyle Ryan to Minor League deals as well as extended offers inviting 19 non-roster players to Major League Spring Training.
With just weeks until pitchers and catchers report, teams across Major League baseball, including the Chicago Cubs, are making a flurry of roster moves and announcements. And, for the Cubs, there are a handful of interesting names joining the team in Mesa next month.
The Los Angeles Dodgers designated Mike Freeman for assignment following their acquisition of Yu Darvish last summer. Shortly after that, the Cubs signed him to a minor league deal. Before working his way up to the major league team, Freeman slashed .273/.345/.390 over 88 plate appearances in 23 games at Triple-A.
He could not gain much momentum at the Major League level over 66 total plate appearances in 2017, slashing a meager .100/.182/.183 with one home run. Freeman found a high rate of success over the course of his career at Triple-A, totaling 1,385 plate appearances and a line of .315/.379/.422. He was initially brought in as a depth piece after the injury to Addison Russell. The Cubs must have liked what they saw from the 30-year-old to bring him back for 2018.
The other signing the club announced this week was 26-year-old Kyle Ryan. Drafted in the 12th round in 2010 by the Detroit Tigers, Ryan ranked as the teams No. 23 prospect in 2014. He also worked his way up to the big league club. Since his Major League debut in 2014, he has seen time with the Tigers each season amounting to 128 innings and a 3.87 ERA over that time. In 2017 Ryan pitched in eight games for the club, compiling a less-than-stellar 7.94 ERA over just 5 2/3 innings.
Ryan is a big guy, standing at 6’5″ and weighing in at 215 pounds. His primary pitches are a fastball and cutter although he sometimes throws a curveball and changeup. He also has produced at 54 percent ground-ball rate in the majors.
Other intriguing signings
The Cubs bring in a former Twins backstop on a minor-league deal, and there is an expectation he will be the backup to Willson Contreras. The team’s No.6 prospect Victor Caratini will most likely begin his season at Triple-A Iowa.
Gimenez brings a quiet allure with him. To begin with, he saw a career-high in plate appearances with 225 over 77 games for the Twins last season. Over the previous two seasons, Gimenez has posted 380 total plate appearances.
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A compelling thing that also exists with Gimenez is his experience in catching current free-agent ace Yu Darvish. Gimenez started 26 games in 2014. In about half of the games (12), he caught Darvish. Gimenez could help to sway the right-hander to sign with the Cubs.
Anthony Bass, RHP
Next up is Bass, who spent 2017 with the Texas Rangers. In reality, Bass will probably not make the active roster out of Spring Training. After all, he has struggled with injuries over the past few years, which forced him to Japan for a season in 2016 after his release from the Mariners.
Nevertheless, Bass is 30 old and has found success in the big leagues before his injury. His big league debut came with the Padres in 2011. That year he appeared in 27 games, and started three of them, pitching 48.1 innings to a tune of a significantly low 1.68 ERA.
The Cubs bullpen is currently full with the likes of Carl Edwards Jr., Brian Duensing and Pedro Strop, to name a few, making it difficult for Bass to carve out a role. With this in mind, one could assume that unless he has a strong spring, that he will ultimately end up at Triple-A Iowa.
The right-hander is purely another depth move, as is signified by the minor league contract. The Cubs, however, see something in him to take a chance on him and that’s good enough for me.
Daniel Camarena, LHP
Next on this list is left-handed pitcher Daniel Camarena. Camarena is 25 and the former Yankees’ No. 31 overall prospect. The Cubs did extend a spring training invitation to him as well.
Camarena has a career 3.67 ERA in the minors. Most of his playing career is between Double-A and Triple-A. In 2017 while at Triple-A, the southpaw posted a respectable 3.28 ERA over 35 games.
The club can always use more left-handed depth, which is what Camarena could help to provide. The Yankees made him their 20th-round selection in the 2011 MLB first-year player draft.
Alberto Baldonado, LHP
Lastly, and maybe most intriguing on this list, is Alberto Baldonado. The Cubs announced the signing yesterday. He is a former prospect in the New York Mets organization before his release.
Baldonado carries a career 3.53 ERA over 191 games in the minor leagues. He originally signed as an international free-agent in 2009 and experienced his first professional season at just 17 years old.
Next: Chicago Cubs still hold an edge over St. Louis heading into 2018
One thing that should intrigue fans is his size. Baldonado stands at a burly 6-4/247. That is huge. According to his scouting report, he has a relatively standard delivery and does possess a nice mix of a fastball, changeup, and a hanging curve that drops. He has also been known to touch 96 on his fastball.
A guy like Alberto Baldonado definitely brings a level of intrigue with him. While he will not make a splash with the big league club it should be fun to watch him during spring training to see what he can possibly bring.