![]() I know what I’m doing.’ But they came to me and showed me specific things we could target and get better at that (were) really attractive. “It’s an interesting way to recruit players,” he said. Taillon signed a four-year, $68 million deal this offseason, part of Hoyer’s roster reboot, though he felt the sale pitch was a bit overboard. He’s 31 years old now, and the best may still be yet to come. 2 overall pick in the 2010 draft but has been more dependable than great throughout his career. It was easy to see that in our meetings in the offseason when we were recruiting him. Everything he’s talking about or doing is either giving you a hard time about not being perfect or giving you a little bit of the knowledge that he’s learned in his time in other places. “He’s always thinking about how to get an edge,” Ross said. Swanson had a couple of private conversations with Ross and determined that Hoyer is building something great in Chicago. He certainly had several suitors and might have earned a bigger contract if teams were more aware of the injury history of Carlos Correa. Swanson had reservations about signing with the Cubs but is a big believer in the team’s future. I’m excited to get to learn from him and get to work together.” So there’s a lot of trust there in what he does. “Obviously, he brings a lot of experience and has had a lot of good seasons. “You’re trying to find ways we’re going to complement each other in every way that we can,” said Gomes. Gomes sees himself and Barnhart as co-starters, and any perceived pecking order appears to be a foreign concept. Mancini, Hosmer, Taillon, Yan Gomes, Tucker Barnhart, and Dansby Swanson all came to Chicago with the intent of competing with the Cardinals and Brewers for a division championship. The Cubs have some real gamers on this year’s roster, which is why the team’s new brand of baseball is so much more enjoyable. Imagine what it might do for Nico Hoerner! I’d love to see what WIN Reality could do for Christopher Morel. It sounds to me like the Cubs should embrace, if not lease that technology for the team’s younger players. PCA continued that improvement when he was promoted to South Bend. 354 with a 1.000 OPS in 158 plate appearances for the Pelicans. The outfielder started using the technology while he was with Myrtle Beach last season, and the results speak for themselves. The top prospect said an invitation by his agents led to a partnership with WIN Reality, a virtual-reality training company for baseball and softball players. ![]() He’ll often simulate at-bats against Aroldis Chapman from the confines of his hotel room in Mesa. Smyly looked much better in his start against the White Sox on Friday.Ĭrow-Armstrong has been eschewing traditional training methods in favor of a more technology-based approach.Trey Mancini and Eric Hosmer give the Cubs a veteran presence that has been lacking the last two seasons.Mike Tauchman and Tyler Duffey are two of six under-the-radar players who could start the season on the 26-man roster.Hendricks threw a 30-pitch bullpen Friday morning at Sloan Park and felt good the next day.Former Dodgers coaches Dustin Kelly and Johnny Washington have been a big hit with Cubs players.The three prospects give Cub fans a future outfield to dream on, though Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki aren’t anywhere near ready for pasture.The Cubs optioned or reassigned 10 players to minor league camp, including Crow-Armstrong, Brennen Davis, and Kevin Alcántara.Sampson could serve as a long reliever if Wesneski earns the fifth spot.With that in mind, Wesneski could still be sent to Iowa in favor of Adrian Sampson, who could transition to a swingman role once Hendricks is healthy. Justin Steele, Marcus Stroman, Jameson Taillon, and Drew Smyly have spots locked up. He’ll probably need to stay in the rotation all season to earn consideration and the Cubs will have a numbers crunch once Kyle Hendricks is ready to return. If he makes the squad, he has to be an early frontrunner for Rookie of the Year. He pitched to a 2.18 ERA in 33 innings with 33 strikeouts in 2022. It could be an even bigger fleecing, and that’s no offense to Effross because Wesneski could be truly special. We were all a little disappointed when Jed Hoyer traded Scott Effross to the Yankees to acquire Wesneski, and though it’s too early to tell, it might rival the deal that gave Chicago Pete Crow-Armstrong for Javier Báez. “It doesn’t feel like things speed up on him at times. “He’s definitely got that ‘it’ factor,” manager David Ross said. Hayden Wesneski, K'ing the Side…on all Swords.
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