Chicago Cubs opt for protecting contracts of four players – MLB News
Chicago Cubs made a few supposedly surprising moves on Tuesday, November 20, which involved designating Bryan LaHair as well. Other than that, it selected to the contracts of four players and added them to the 40-man roster.
Players with their contracts selected are right-handed pitcher Trey McNutt, Minor League Player of the Year Logan Watkins, pitcher Robert Whitenack and infielder Christian Villanueva.
The moves are aimed at protecting players as deadline was Tuesday 10:59 p.m. CT.
Chicago Cubs have also left unprotected one of the pitchers, who interestingly was their Minor League Pitcher of the Year, Nick Struck.
To be held on December 6 as the Winter Meetings in Nashville conclude, Chicago Cubs are to pay $50,000 to select a player in the Rule 5 Draft. The rules stipulate that if the player does not stay on the 25-man roster for full season, he must be offered back to his former team for $25,000.
This past season, he was leading the league in runs – scoring 93, Watkins hit .281 for Tennessee and finished second in walks and triples with a 13-game hitting streak back in June.
Villanueva, on the other hand, had .279 batting average for Class A Myrtle Beach and Daytona combined. His 14 homers, 68 RBIs and 24 doubles set him apart as the Cubs got his acquisition from the Texas Rangers with Ryan Dempster trade back in July.
Whitenack had an impressive 7-0 season in 2011 with a 1.93 ERA in 11 starts between Daytona and Tennessee, having Southern League All-Star honour. However, his elbow injury and the subsequent Tommy John surgery has somehow slowed him down.
McNutt, on the other hand, had 10-1 record with 2.48 ERA in 2010 that has made him a top prospect.
As to what the Chicago Cubs do from here onward about Bryan LaHair after designating him is something to be seen.
On the other hand, the Cubs have only recently added the likes of Scott Baker to the roster after signing a one-year contract with him. With the move to protect contract players, it seems all is set to include some Minor Leaguers to the Cubs.
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