Alzolay, De La Cruz Among First Cuts as Cubs Trim Spring Roster to 54
The Cubs made their first cuts of the spring season as they pare down the roster to the 25 who will eventually break camp for Chicago. These are really just procedural moves at this point, but things will start to cement themselves in the next couple weeks.
Among the most notable moves were Adbert Alzolay and Jen-Ho Tseng being optioned to Iowa, with Oscar De La Cruz and Justin Steele heading to Tennessee. None of this comes as a surprise, though all the players mentioned could see time with the Cubs this season. Alzolay was ticketed for a promotion to Chicago last year, but an injury shut him down and new issues delayed his start this season.
Steele is one to watch as he opens in Double-A following an abbreviated 2018 season that saw him come back from Tommy John surgery after less than a year of recovery. The soft-spoken southpaw from Mississippi has really embraced the teachings of the Cubs’ mental skills program and has been visualizing his path to the big leagues for some time now.
Alzolay, Tseng optioned to Iowa, De La Cruz, Steele optioned to Tennessee; Duncan Robinson, Ian Clarkin, Alberto Baldonado, Craig Brooks, Carlos Ramirez, Colin Rea, Ian Rice, Charcer Burks, Evan Marzilli, Jacob Hannemann assigned to minor league camp. Scahill granted release.
— Mark Gonzales (@MDGonzales) March 9, 2019
The Cubs also assigned 10 players to minor league camp and granted pitcher Rob Scahill his release Saturday. Alberto Baldonado, Craig Brooks, Charcer Burks, Ian Clarkin, Jacob Hannemann, Evan Marzilli, Carlos Ramirez, Colin Rea, Ian Rice, and Duncan Robinson will continue to ply their trades in the organization and some could really show out.
Robinson is particularly intriguing and Clarkin is looking to earn himself a trip to Chicago for the first time. Despite bouncing back and forth between the Cubs and White Sox this winter, the lefty has never visited the city.
