Cubs make several moves in MLB Rule 5 Draft |
CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs today selected right-handed pitcher Gray Fenter from the Baltimore Orioles in the Major League portion (first round, 22nd overall) of the Rule 5 Draft.
Fenter, 24, led Orioles minor league pitchers with a 1.81 ERA (19 ER/94.1 IP) in 2019, going 8-2 in 22 games, 17 starts, with Single-A Delmarva. He walked 43 and struck out 123, good for an average of 11.7 strikeouts per 9.0 innings, and limited hitters to a .185 average, a .287 on-base percentage and a .545 OPS. Selected by the Orioles in the seventh round of the 2015 draft out of West Memphis (Ark.) High School, Fenter is 16-9 with a complete game, a shutout and a 3.21 ERA (82 ER/230.0 IP) in 70 career minor league games, 49 starts. He has struck out 266 batters in 230.0 innings for an average of 10.4 strikeouts per 9.0 innings and has walked 97. The six-foot righty has allowed just 12 home runs in 944 batters faced and recorded a 1.15 WHIP. In the Triple-A phase of the Rule 5 draft, the Cubs selected right-handed pitcher Nicholas Padilla from Tampa Bay (first round) and right-handed pitcher Samuel Reyes from Pittsburgh (second round). Padilla, who turns 24 on December 24, was 7-2 with two saves and a 3.48 ERA (24 ER/62.0 IP) in 32 relief appearances for Single-A Bowling Green in 2019. He was selected by the Rays in the 13th round of the 2015 draft out of Grayson County College in Denison, Texas. Reyes, 24, posted a 2.29 ERA (18 ER/70.2 IP) with six saves in 35 games, all but three as a reliever, between Single-A Bradenton and Single-A Greensboro in 2019. He struck out 73, walked 23 and recorded a 1.06 WHIP. Reyes was signed by Pittsburgh as a non-drafted free agent in July of 2016. The Cubs lost right-handed pitcher Yunior Pérez when he was selected by Detroit in the first round of the Triple-A phase. Chicago also lost right-handed pitcher Jeffrey Passantino in the third round of the Triple-A phase when he was selected by Pittsburgh. The Cubs 40-man roster stands at 35 players. The #Cubs today selected RHP Gray Fenter from the Orioles in the Major League portion of the Rule 5 Draft. pic.twitter.com/Ya1cC44IgK
The Chicago Cubs have selected RHP Nicholas Padilla from the Rays in Triple-A phase of Rule 5 draft. #Cubs pic.twitter.com/ETshxBucDB
Good luck to former #SBCubs pitcher and Midwest League All-Star @Jeff_Pass22 who was picked up by the @Pirates in today’s Rule 5 Draft. pic.twitter.com/yvGfHyCIir
