Cubs add three minor leaguers to 40-man roster |
The Chicago Cubs announced on Friday that they have selected three minor leaguers to be added to their 40-man roster.
Righty pitcher from the Tennessee Smokies Cory Abbott (Cubs' 12th overall prospect) and Single-A Myrtle Beach pitcher Keegan Thompson and infielder Christopher Morel (Cubs' 26th overall prospect) from Class A South Bend have been protected from the Rule 5 Draft on December 10. Both pitchers look to be impactful starting pitchers going forward for the Cubs in 2021 and beyond. Look for both to start next season at Iowa but could be one of the first call-ups with injuries to the big league club's starting rotation. In 2019, Abbot was 8-8 with a 3.01 ERA (49 ER/146.2 IP) in 26 starts. He was selected by the Cubs in the second round of the 2017 draft out of Loyola Marymount University. Thompson made seven starts in 2019 and had a 4.62 ERA in 25.1 innings pitched. In 35 career minor league games, he is 10-10 with a 3.46 ERA and 151 strikeouts. He was selected by the Cubs in the third round of the 2017 draft out of Cullman High School. Morel is a high-upside prospect ranked 11th best in the organization. Obviously, they had to protect because of his talent level because he is only 21-years old and hit .284 with 15 doubles, seven triples, six homers, nine stolen bases, and 31 RBI in his Single-A debut in 73 games in 2019. He was signed by the Cubs out of the Dominican Republic in August of 2015. The 40-man roster is now set at 37 players.
