The Cubs have added a pair of right-handers, Cory Abbott and Keegan Thompson, as well as infielder Christopher Morel to their 40-man roster, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune was among those to report. Their roster now includes 37 players.
Abbott, 25, was a second-round pick of the Cubs in 2017 who rose to the Double-A level in 2019 during the most recent minor league season. He impressed there with a 3.01 ERA/3.51 FIP and 10.19 K/9 against 3.19 BB/9 over 146 2/3 innings. Abbott now ranks as the Cubs’ 12th-best prospect at MLB.com, which writes that he could develop into a useful back-end starter in the majors.
Thompson, the Cubs’ 26th overall prospect at MLB.com, first joined the organization as a third-round pick in the same class as Abbott. The 25-year-old only threw 10 innings in the minors in 2019, but Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs wrote over the summer that Thompson’s “a very stable fifth starter/swingman piece” who’s almost ready for the majors.
Morel, whom the Cubs signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2015, grades as their 11th overall prospect at MLB.com. The 21-year-old made his Single-A debut in 2019 with a .284/.320/.467 line, eight home runs and nine stolen bases in 278 plate appearances. Although Morel has been a third baseman/shortstop in the pros so far, he could wind up as an outfielder if he makes it to the majors.
Next will be Bryant to Dodgers in a blockbuster trade…..
Just teasing
Nats
Jed’s League.
How predictable you are.
Wow, I just now realized I won’t have to see some idiot saying “Dumpster Divin’ Theo” anymore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Cubs wound up protecting 3 of the 4 players from their top 30-man prospect list who would have been eligible for the Rule 5 Draft on December 10th:
+ 11) Christopher Morel, 3B
+ 12) Cory Abbott, RHP
+ 26) Keegan Thompson, RHP
30) Brendon Little, LHP