The Cubs made a sequence of roster strikes forward of Tuesday’s deadline for safeguarding gamers from the Rule 5 draft. Per Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune on X, the membership has chosen outfielder Owen Caissie and infielder Ben Cowles. To open roster spots for these two, outfielder Brennen Davis and right-hander Adbert Alzolay have been designated for project. It was reported earlier Tuesday that Alzolay was more likely to be DFA’d. Kiley McDaniel reported on Caissie and Cowles (X
hyperlinks) previous to the complete slate of strikes being revealed.
Davis, 25, was as soon as one of many high prospects in baseball. A second-round choose of the Cubs in 2018, he tore by way of the minors and Baseball America ranked him the No. 16 prospect within the league going into 2022. He had slashed .260/.375/.494 throughout Excessive-A, Double-A and Triple-A in 2021 for a 140 wRC+ and appeared to be on the cusp of an thrilling debut.
Sadly, his inventory has fallen since then and he nonetheless hasn’t cracked the majors. He required again surgical procedure in the midst of 2022, which was adopted by core surgical procedure in 2023 after which a fractured ankle in 2024. By way of these illnesses, he has solely performed 179 video games over the previous three years, slashing a paltry .200/.319/.345 whereas on the sector.
The Cubs added him to their 40-man roster two years in the past to maintain him out of the 2022 Rule 5 draft, however the ongoing damage woes have nudged him off the roster. They’ll now have every week to determine what’s subsequent, whether or not that’s a commerce or placing him on waivers. The waiver course of takes 48 hours, so a commerce must come collectively within the subsequent 5 days. He does nonetheless have one choice yr remaining, so maybe some membership could be interested by taking a flier on him to see if he can keep wholesome and get again on monitor.
Caissie, 22, is now within the place Davis was in a couple of years in the past. A second-round choose from 2020, he’s now ranked as one of many high 100 prospects within the league. He has slashed .278/.383/.470 over the previous 4 years for a 129 wRC+. Given his prospect standing and the truth that he has already performed a full season on the Triple-A degree, he is among the most evident roster additions of Tuesday.
His path to the big-league membership isn’t clear proper now, because the Cubs have Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cody Bellinger, Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki and Mike Tauchman all within the combine for taking part in time within the outfield and the designated hitter slot. Maybe an offseason transfer will change that image or an damage will open some taking part in time, although time will inform on that.
Cowles, 25 in February, was a Yankee prospect till coming over to the Cubs a couple of months in the past within the deadline deal that despatched Mark Leiter Jr. to the Bronx. He produced a .077/.294/.077 line after that commerce however the Cubs can be banking on what he did beforehand. He slashed .294/.376/.472 in 88 Double-A video games earlier than switching golf equipment, additionally stealing 14 bases whereas taking part in the three infield spots to the left of first base. He’ll give the Cubs some depth across the filth however has simply three video games of Triple-A expertise, so is likely to be ticketed for extra time on the farm.
