Cubs sign former top pitching prospect |
Tony Crumpton
· · Monday, February 26 2018
The Chicago Cubs signed former top pitching prospect Danny Hultzen to a minor league deal according to multiple reports.
The tall lefty was drafted by the Seattle Mariners with the 2nd overall pick ($8.5 million) in the first round of the 2011 MLB Draft. Hultzen has had a tough go of it during the last few years with two major shoulder surgeries (2013, 2016) that have derailed any attempt of a successful big league career. He hasn't pitched since the 2016 season. In 2013, he had a 4-1 record with a 2.05 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 30 2/3 innings at Triple-A Tacoma. The 28-year old just recently was a volunteer baseball coach at Virginia and now will try to give it one more chance in the majors with the Cubs. This would be a Hollywood-type movie if he could resurrect his career and do well finally at the major league level. However, this is more than likely just another low-risk, high reward move by Theo Epstein and it will add depth to the minor league farm system.
