Major League Phase
HOU: Patrick Schuster, LHP, Reno (ARI) -- Sent to SD to complete trade for Anthony Bass
CWS: Adrian Nieto, C, Syracuse (WAS)
PHI: Kevin Munson, RHP, Reno (ARI)
COL: Thomas Kahnle, RHP, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (NYY)
TOR: Brian Moran, LHP, Tacoma (SEA) -- Traded to LAA for $244,000 of international cap space
NYM: Seth Rosin, RHP, Lehigh Valley (PHI) -- Traded to LAD for cash
MIL: Wei-Chung Wang, LHP, Indianapolis (PIT)
ARI: Marcos Mateo, RHP, Iowa (CHC)
BAL: Michael Almanzar, 3B, Pawtucket (BOS)
Triple-A Phase
HOU: Ravel Santana, OF, Trenton (NYY)
FLA: Justin Bour, 1B, Tennessee (CHC)
CWS: Evan Crawford, LHP, New Hampshire (TOR)
CHC: Charles Cutler, C, Altoona (PIT)
MIN: Kevin Thomas, RHP, Springfield (STL)
TOR: Roberto Espinosa, RHP, Altoona (PIT)
NYM: Jonathan Velasquez, RHP, New Britain (MIN)
MIL: Kevin Mattison, OF, Jacksonville (MIA)
SD: Jacob Lemmerman, SS, Springfield (STL)
LAA: Jose Valdivia, RHP, Jackson (SEA)
ARI: Michael Lee, RHP, Mississippi (ATL)
BAL: Julio Borbon, OF, Tennessee (CHC)
WAS: Theodis Bowe, OF, Pensacola (CIN)
CIN: Michael O'Brien, RHP, Trenton (NYY)
TEX: Russell Wilson, 2B, Tulsa (COL)
TB: Enderson Franco, RHP, Corpus Christi (HOU)
PIT: Tyler Sample, RHP, Northwest Arkansas (KC)
OAK: Tim Atherton, RHP, New Britain (MIN)
BOS: Jonathan Roof, SS, Reading (PHI)
STL: Gregory Miclat, SS, Frisco (TEX)
HOU: Carlos Vazquez, LHP, Binghamton (NYM)
MIA: Brady Shoemaker, OF, Birmingham (CWS)
CWS: Omar Narvaez, C, Montgomery (TB)
MIN: James Fuller, LHP, Binghamton (NYM)
TOR: Richard Bleier, LHP, Frisco (TEX)
MIL: Vincent Catricala, 3B, Midland (OAK)
SD: Adolfo Reina, C, Erie (DET)
ARI: Hector Hernandez, LHP, Springfield (STL)
WAS: Martires Arias, RHP, Binghamton (NYM)
PIT: A.J. Morris, RHP, Tennessee (CHC)
STL: Jesus Ustariz, 3B, Erie (DET)
MIA: Tony Thompson, 3B, Midland (OAK)
TOR: Scott Shuman, RHP, Richmond (SF)
PIT: Felipe Gonzalez, RHP, Trenton (NYY)
Double-A Phase
HOU: Blaine Sims, LHP, Lynchburg (ATL)
MIA: Kelvin Castro, RHP, Charleston (NYY)
Of note, both Chicago teams selected catchers. Nieto has played 6 seasons in the Nationals system, but has only progressed to High A ball. He has a career minor league average of .254. Catching is a need for the White Sox, but this may be a reach to keep him. The White Sox also added another catcher in the AAA phase of the draft.
The Cubs took a AAA catcher in Cutler, who has played 6 seasons in the Cardinals and Pirates organization. He has made it only to Class AA, with a career batting average of .303 and good defensive skills. The Cubs entire system is thin on catching so this move fills an organizational need.
The Cubs lost two players in the selection process. Mateo had 44 games played with the Cubs over two seasons, but battled injuries the last two years. However Mateo has had a huge comeback winter ball season, according to Baseball America:
Cubs righthanded reliever Marcos Mateo is emerging as maybe the most fascinating name because of what he’s doing in the Dominican League this offseason. Mateo, who ranked three different times among the Cubs’ top 30 prospects, pitched reasonably well in the big leagues with Chicago in 2011. He then missed all of 2012 and a significant part of 2013 recovering from an elbow injury.
Mateo, now 29, has been absolutely electric in the Dominican Republic, featuring a high-90s fastball and a filthy slider that sits in the upper 80s. He’s got results to back up the stuff, having gone 3-0, 0.98 for Estrellas de Oriente, with 22 strikeouts, seven walks and 11 hits allowed in 19 innings. In his last six appearances as teams finalize their Rule 5 pref lists, Mateo has struck out 12, walked none, allowed five hits and no runs in six innings over six appearances.
Bour was a Cub first base prospect who has hit 74 HR 386 RBI .273 BA in 5 seasons in the minors (A and AA). Clearly, his path was blocked by Rizzo's long term deal. This does not seem to be much of a reach for the Marlins to promote him to AAA.
The Cubs also lost OF Julio Borbon, who was a dud during his tenure with the Cubs. The Cubs also lost AA pitcher A.J. Morris to Pittsburgh in the AAA draft. Morris, 27, went 4-2, 4.75 ERA last season in the minors.
