The Chicago Cubs announced their minor leaguers of the year.
To no one's surprise, Javier Baez was Player of the Year, and right-hander Kyle Hendricks was the Pitcher of
the Year.
Baez, 20, combined to bat .282 with 34 doubles, four
triples, 37 home runs and 111 RBIs in 130 games between Class A Daytona
and Double-A Tennessee in his second full professional season. His 111
RBIs and 75 extra-base hits led Minor League baseball, and he ranked
second in home runs.
Baez began the year with Daytona and hit .274 with 19 doubles, four
triples, 17 home runs and 57 RBIs in 76 games. He became the second
player in the 94-year history of the Florida State League to hit four
home runs in a game.
Promoted to Class AA Tennessee on July 6, Baez batted .294 with 15 doubles, 20
home runs and 54 RBIs in 54 games. Even though he played in less than
half of the Southern League's schedule, he ranked fourth in the league
in home runs.
Baez has recorded a .934 fielding percentage in 203 games at shortstop.
Hendricks, 23, combined to go 13-4 with a 2.00 ERA and a
complete-game shutout in 27 starts between Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa.
He struck out 128 batters and walked 34 over 166 1/3 innings pitched.
The right-hander limited opponents to a .229 batting average.
In 21 starts at Tennessee, Hendricks was 10-3 with a 1.85 ERA and
earned Southern League midseason All-Star honors. He gave up four earned
runs over 43 innings in his final seven starts with the Smokies.
Hendricks went 3-1 with a 2.48 ERA in six starts for Iowa, and he held
opponents to a .235 batting average.
The right-hander was acquired from the Rangers, along with infielder Christian Villanueva, for pitcher Ryan Dempster in July 2012.
It is expected that both Baez and Hendricks will start 2014 in Class AAA Iowa. Baez position may still be at shortstop since Iowa's regular shortstop, Donnie Murphy, could be the Cubs starting third baseman in 2014. Depending on what the Cubs do in the off season in regard to signing free agent starting pitchers (with the intent to flip them at the trade deadline), Hendricks could be the Cubs #6 or #7 starter, on call for promotion if a major league starter goes down or is traded. Just like Chris Rusin this season, Hendrick is coming up to the age of either making it to the majors or falling short. One would expect he would get an opportunity by mid-2014 with the Cubs.
