A pair of Chicago Cubs prospects will hope to bring their team a title on Saturday as the Mesa Solar Sox try to win their second consecutive Arizona Fall League crown.
The Solar Sox, who have some of the top prospects in all of baseball, will send Cubs prospect Alec Mills to the mound as he looks to help the team to victory. Mills, who posted a 2.57 ERA in seven starts at the minor league level this season, has a 1-3 record and a 3.91 ERA in six starts for the Solar Sox this fall.
Mills will be joined on the field by left fielder Charcer Burks, who will bat eighth for the Solar Sox on Saturday. Burks has seven doubles and seven RBI for the Solar Sox this fall, but has also struck out 19 times in 72 at-bats for the team.
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nArguably the best pitching free agent on the market, Arrieta is going to command a big salary when he becomes available. The 2015 Cy Young winner doesn’t have the innings on his arm that most other pitchers of his age do, and he has made it clear that he won’t accept much, if any, of a discount from the Cubs, so it seems unlikely that he will return.
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nThe Cubs were forced to make moves to replace Miguel Montero before the trade deadline, and Avila proved to be a valuable piece, playing strong defense and bringing surprising pop from the catcher’s spot. The team may prefer to use Taylor Davis or Victor Caratini as a back-up to Willson Contreras this season, but it’s possible that they could sign a veteran instead.
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nThe Cubs’ bullpen had some serious issues in 2017, but Davis was far from the problem, as he converted all but one save attempt and was a lockdown reliever for the team. With the struggles of the team’s bullpen in the postseason, it’s possible that Theo Epstein and company could open their checkbooks for Davis, but it seems unlikely given their track record of not shelling out big bucks for bullpen arms.
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nDuensing had a strong season for the Cubs after a rocky start to the campaign, and he’ll be looking to get some extra coin in free agency. It’s unclear at this point if he’ll remain with the team, or if another club will offer him a significant raise, but the Cubs should be interested if he stays within their price range.
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nWith Kyle Schwarber struggling at the plate and Albert Almora struggling to hit against right-handed pitching this season, Jay became a valuable tool for Joe Maddon, batting lead-off and playing center field frequently. The team may opt to go for a more reliable lead-off option for next season, but Jay can’t be ruled out as a possible returning outfielder.
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nAfter a lengthy career, Lackey is likely done as a big league pitcher, but there’s always an outside shot that he could return on a cheap deal. That being said, if he does ride off into the sunset, the Cubs are likely going to be looking to replace two-fifths of their rotation for next season, and it won’t be an interesting task.
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nThe other catcher the Cubs brought in before the playoffs, Rivera was a solid option after being claimed on waivers from the Mets. He could be an attractive buy-low option if the Cubs want to have a veteran backstop behind Contreras.
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nUehara certainly will not command as high a salary next season if he decides to continue pitching for the Cubs after injuries derailed him late in the year. Uehara may choose to retire or play overseas instead, but it seems a reunion with Chicago is unlikely.
The duo will be joined by other top prospects like Washington Nationals phenom Victor Robles, who will bat lead-off and play center field for Mesa.
Last season, the Solar Sox beat the Surprise Saguaros in the title game thanks to the exploits of Ian Happ. The dynamic slugger homered from both sides of the plate in the game, leading Mesa to a 6-1 triumph in the contest.
The Solar Sox, who won the league’s East Division for the second straight year, will take on the Peoria Javelinas in the championship game, which will air on MLB Network beginning at 2 p.m.
