The Cubs have selected the contract of infielder Robel Garcia from Triple-A Iowa and optioned righty Dillon Maples to open a spot on the 25-man roster, president of baseball operations Theo Epstein announced today in a radio appearance on 670 The Score (Twitter link). Chicago has open space on the 40-man roster, so the Cubs won’t need to designate anyone for assignment or move a player to the 60-day IL.
Garcia’s path to the Majors is an interesting one, to say the least. Signed by the Indians out of the Dominican Republic back in 2010, the now-26-year-old Garcia was released at the end of Spring Training in 2014. He was out of affiliated ball from 2014-18 before the Cubs rediscovered him playing for a professional team in Italy. Garcia obviously didn’t enter the season considered to be anywhere near the Cubs’ upper echelon of prospects, but he’s rapidly put himself on the team’s radar and now finds himself ticketed for the big leagues.
“He’s completely exceeding everybody’s expectations,” Cubs director of international scouting Alex Suarez told Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register in late June. “Obviously, it’s a surprise to the organization that he’s been able to make the adjustment as quickly as he has.”
To say that Garcia has made adjustments is an understatement. In a combined 291 plate appearances between Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa, Garcia has posted an eye-opening .285/.364/.594 batting line with 21 home runs, 14 doubles and a triple. He’s punched out an alarming 31 percent of the time thus far, including 34.2 percent in Iowa, but Garcia’s power is clearly a source of genuine intrigue — particularly with Addison Russell once again underwhelming at the plate and offseason pickup Daniel Descalso struggling to a similar extent. Garcia has played all four infield slots with the Cubs this season and is a switch-hitter, making him a particularly interesting and versatile asset for the Cubs.
Didn’t take a genius to see Maples as gonna be optioned, he allowed 3 runs in 2/3 of an inning on Sunday
When is Zobrist coming back? The Cubs miss him.
The outlook for that is not good but they need his veteran presence in the clubhouse at least..
Yes! What a great story for Robel!
+1
Good luck to Robel. I hope this guy succeeds. The Cubs need a boost and some help at 2nd base. Maples just can’t throw strikes.Same with Edwards jr. Both of these guys have the “Lively”” arm but just can’t put it together. Don’t know how much longer the Cubs can keep giving these guys opportunities. Aditionally, I know it’s likely not really feasible, but I wish the Cubs would clean house big time. Get rid of Russell, Descalso and Brach.
I wouldn’t call getting rid of a bunch of backups “cleaning house.”
Ok. Then I’ll call it cleaning the scraps of the dinner plate Priggs89.
I hope he does well even to get Russell off the Cubs. Like most of the Cubs position players. He can probably play anywhere in the infield. 1B will be always for Rizzo.
Garcia is a great story but a Mark Reynolds clone is not what they need. They need contact hitting badly
he’s hit .285 so far this year.
Won’t help
The Cubs have scouts in Italy!?
Wow Thorough Theo!
i think a lot of clubs do. i know Philly has one, but i dong think he’s signed anyone but a Russian and a Frech kid in recent years.
The Cubs had scouts at a spring training exhibition between the A’s and Team Italy.
Eh, Mark Reynolds has spent over 13 years in the majors… Not sure Robel is ready for that comparison… I get your point with all or nothing power, but probably more accurate at this point to compare him to Micah Hoffpauir(and it works even better since he was a Cub). If the baseball Gods would turn me into a Mark Reynolds clone, I’d certainly not complain.
Dont forget Baez struck out more than anyone and look at him now
Baez is by far the best SS in the NL and only behind his brother Lindor overall.
I hope this guy pans out for the Cubs! There is not much in the Cubs’ farm system right now for a significant movement to make the Cubs better this year.