The Cubs announced they’ve designated catcher Brian Serven for assignment. The move clears the necessary opening on the 40-man roster for the two players acquired in this afternoon’s trade with the Dodgers: Michael Busch and Yency Almonte.
Serven is a newcomer to the Chicago organization in his own right. The Cubs claimed him off waivers from Colorado six days ago. They’ll now trade him or, more likely, put him back on waivers within the next week.
Until that claim, Serven had spent his whole career with the Rockies. Colorado selected him in the fifth round of the 2016 draft out of Arizona State. He reached the majors six years later and worked as their backup catcher for a good portion of the ’22 campaign. The right-handed hitter posted a .203/.261/.332 batting line over 62 contests as a rookie.
Colorado went with a catching tandem of Elias Díaz and Austin Wynns for the bulk of last season. Serven only appeared at the MLB level 11 times. He got into 38 contests with their Triple-A team in Albuquerque. Despite an extremely favorable environment for hitters, he managed only a .199/.241/.331 slash over 162 plate appearances.
Serven had turned in better offensive results earlier in his minor league career. He’s a .240/.310/.418 hitter in a little under 1500 minor league plate appearances. That’s still fairly tepid work at the dish, but the Cubs placed a claim a week ago on the strength of his defensive reputation. Serven received solid marks for his pitch framing in 2022 and has strong caught stealing numbers throughout his minor league tenure.
I for one am shocked
Hopefully Wisdom and Brennen Davis are next out the door. I volunteered to pay for Wisdom’s plane ticket to Korea ( 1 Way) so he can find his next baseball team. Unfortunately for Nicky 2 Strike- Crow Hop Step, The Cubs adding LH IF bats doesn’t scream security for him or Mastrobuoni.
No need to designate Davis. I thought the Cubs should have dealt him and Marquez a long long time ago but Davis still has some potential. At least it’s kind of hard to judge a guy who’s sparsely played over the past couple years.
I’m kind of anticipating another, bigger trade.
I hope the Convention is a ( ” Working Weekend) For Hoyer and Hawkins. Or whatever it is Hawkins does.
I’ve don’t have any clue about what position the Cubs have in mind, to try to play Busch. Initially I thought 3B. But after letting this trade sink in awhile, now it seems more likely he’ll be getting first shot, at 1B.
What do you think?
Dogbone- I really think right now Hoyer is throwing stuff at the wall and letting Counsell figure it out. I have no clue what’s going to happen and it’s kind of exciting. I’ve decided I want Hoskins over Bellinger and use the saved money on relievers. Almonte and Ryan Brasier are guys Hoyer covets- Relievers coming off injury or off years he can get cheap and hope for a turnaround. But I would still get a high profile arm like Stephenson or Hicks for Counsell to go to and I would be cool with that.
Well Dogbone, try, try again—that 3b the Cubs snagged from the Dodgers last year—Rios—didn’t work out too well.
Perhaps Busch becomes the Wisdom replacement, only left handed hitting.
mike- At this point I don’t care who Wisdom’s replacement is, As long as he’s here already.
G’men, I’m hoping the Cubs moves will make Mastro, Wisdom and Madrigal all expendable. Maybe one of them is kept around. Busch being LH hitter is the important upside to this trade. He has to fit somewhere in the lineup from day 1, IMO.
This year could really spin our heads with the way Counsell might end up using these guys, in the lineup and batting order.
Busch might give Counsell the opportunity to move Happ down the order a few spots. He shouldn’t be hitting 3rd unless he really takes a few steps forward.
If just one of Canario or Mervis (I haven’t given up yet) also show they belong – the possibilities really get interesting.
Nicky Stix can stay, he’s valuable as a utility INF. But Miles, even though he had a decent last month of 23, can go. Sorry Mastro, there’s no room at the inn for you.
Cubsare..- I doubt it. Mastro is more valuable for me. 1 and most important he is LH where the Cubs are lacking. If Busch goes to Iowa he’s making the team plain and simple. Cubs are way to RH’ed unless more deals are on the way. Like Drascoo said, I hope the Cubs have more trades on the way. But Mervis, Caissie should be close to untouchable because they are the only LH power they have.
Mastrobuoni and Madrigal are very similar, Madrigal has better contact but Mastrobuoni has better speed on the bases. To me, they are a wash but I don’t see them everyday like coaches and scouts do.
It seems the Cubs are planning on Busch to play first but that is to be taken with a grain of salt given the success they had transitioning Madrigal to third. Cubs still could be in play for Haskins or Bellinger.
Unfortunately, if Busch is playing third, that keeps Wisdom on the roster as the back up there.
I expect another trade coming down the pipes, for who I don’t know. This one came out of nowhere and I could see another similarly out of nowhere move.
The rest of baseball making moves. The Padres have well mailed it in
Hey Brian, we hardly new ya. Then again, we might see you as a depth piece at AAA Iowa after your DFA window expires and potentially as a callup in 2024 if Yan Gomez or Miguel Amaya hit the IL.
Bingo
Looks like they are Serven Brian for assignment….
Its gonna happen.
Again. Making moves.
Dodgers are going to have to make some more moves?
They only have 17 batters on their 40 player roster. And I don’t see much they can bring up in case of injuries
They have 2 extra catchers, Fedducia who’s the third catcher and Cartaya who’s not ready.
Then Vargas for the IF
Pages for the OF
And that’s it
Have to make some trades or sign some veterans to AAA.
From serven up dingers to serven up dinners. It’s what’s good in the neighborhood.