The Cubs have selected left-hander Bailey Horn as well as right-handers Porter Hodge and Michael Arias to their 40-man roster, per Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times. Today is the deadline for adding players to protect them from being selected in the Rule 5 draft.
Horn, 26 in January, was a fifth round pick of the White Sox in 2020 but came to the Cubs in the 2021 Ryan Tepera trade. He has since climbed his way up the minor league ladder, generally running high strikeout rates but also high walk rates. He tossed 62 innings in 2023 between Double-A and Triple-A, posting an earned run average of 4.21. He punched out 28.7% of hitters but also gave out free passes at a 12.5% clip.
Hodge, 23 in February, was a 13th-round selection of the Cubs in 2019. He had been working as a starter, with a similar profile to Horn with plenty of strikeouts and walks, though he was moved to the bullpen midway through 2023. He had a 5.59 ERA through 12 starts in the middle of June but then a 4.45 ERA as a reliever the rest of the way. Working out of the bullpen, he struck out 29.3% of batters faced but still walked 14.3%.
Arias, who turns 22 tomorrow, originally signed with the Blue Jays as a shortstop but was released in 2020. He was signed by the Cubs, who converted him to a pitcher. Like the other two names on this list, he has struggled with control but has racked up his share of punchouts. In 2023, he made 22 starts between Single-A and High-A, posting an ERA of 4.09 in 81 1/3 innings. He struck out 31.3% of guys who came to the plate but gave 14.5% a free trip to first base.
Baseball America ranks Arias the #22 prospect in the Cubs’ system, has Hodge at #30, though Horn doesn’t crack the list. The three of them will give the Cubs some optionable depth to add to the pitching staff, though each of them have work to do in harnessing their respective stuff for better results.
I’m completely stunned that Aliendo isn’t on the 40 man. That’s a big mistake IMO. So Wisdom stays and Aliendo can be picked. That’s a joke. The others don’t bother me. Like Perlaza and Franklin. Perlaza is a nice player but blocked all over and Franklin has been all over the place.
Aliendo was striking out at 30% clip in AA. Nobody will be able to gamble on that bat being able to jump 2 levels.
There is absolutely zero way Wisdom doesn’t get non-tendered right?
If Wisdom gets tendered, everything we’ve been told about, “assembling the best opportunity to win” is Bull Butter.
Cannot say I disagree with you there. Dude has gotten worse every single year, now he’s a less talented version of Schwarber.
Wisdom may not be improving, but he has power and makes near MLB minimum so that’s got SOME value.
And he’s still overpaid.
There was an argument for Wisdom last season but since then it’s null and void. In part, thanks to Christopher Morel who does everything Wisdom does, plus more and better. The other reason is Wisdom has regressed so much defensively that he cannot even be considered a utility player. He isn’t a platoon player (thank god Ross got fired so we no longer have to see him every time we play a lefty), he isn’t a utility player, you cannot consider him a pinch hitter because he doesn’t make enough contact, can’t run the bases, he literally doesn’t do anything well except swing from his heels.
Just a matter of time
I don’t quite understand why today was the last day to add guys to the 40 man roster when the rule five is so far away?
Not totally in disagreement with you Uncle–BUT—somebody would have to select Aliendo and have him on the roster all year. It’s hard to “waste” a roster spot on a 22 year old catcher that is in AA for an entire season. It’s slightly easier to bury a 13th or 14th or 15th pitcher and shuttle around him and that’s probably some of the impetus behind protecting Horn. The protected pitchers are all kind of “wild” cards but I see the reasoning.
BTW–it’s probably a good problem to have when you have to expose talent. Although, and I agree, guys like Wisdom, unfortunately Heuer could easily be exposed.
Heuer is in the 40 man currently. I was kind of curious about him and Davis. Granted, Davis has been hurt but he also seems completely lost at the plate. I strongly doubt anyone would have risked snagging him in the rule five.
Aliendo also hit 16 HR’s and nobody in baseball seems to care anymore about how many times you strike out if you can hit the ball out of the park. Not to mention he is a lock to start out next year at AAA and is arguably the second best defensive C in the system behind Opitz who unfortunately is a SH who can’t hit either way. Ballesteros might never be able to play C unless he figures out how to stop eating. Aliendo and Amaya were the future, At least I thought they were. The fact that Heuer( Might never pitch again) and Wisdom are still here is a total waste of 2 roster spots. Nobody would pick up Heuer on waivers or rule 5 so why protect him? Either I’m missing something or Wisdom is Hoyers nephew.
At least he was a lock to start out there, because now I doubt he’ll be here at all. The bottom feeders will be able to keep him around all year and end up with a pretty good player for basically peanuts. Bad move.
Ss/p? The next ohtani?