Cubs agree to terms with remaining three picks from 2023 MLB draft |
CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs today announced they have agreed to terms with the three remaining selections from the 2023 First-Year Player Draft, second-round selection right-handed pitcher Jaxon Wiggins from the University of Arkansas, 11th-round selection outfielder Zyhir Hope from Colonial Forge High School (Va.) and 13th-round selection Sam Armstrong from Old Dominion University.
The Cubs have now agreed to terms with all 20 selections from the draft. Terms of the deals were not disclosed. Wiggins was recommended by area scout Ty Nichols and Hope and Armstrong were recommended by area scout Billy Swoope. Wiggins, 21, appeared in 34 games (19 starts) for the University of Arkansas in two seasons, striking out 110 batters in 89.0 innings, good for an 11.1 strikeout per 9.0 IP ratio. The right-handed pitcher went 9-4 with a 6.17 ERA (51 ER/89.0 IP) and four saves with the Razorbacks before he missed the 2023 season due to Tommy John surgery. The six-foot six-inch, 225-pound Wiggins was named a Preseason All-American by Baseball America prior to the 2022 campaign. During his freshman season in 2021, Wiggins tallied four saves, the second-most on the team. A native of Roland, Okla., Wiggins attended Roland High School, where he played both basketball and baseball. He was ranked as the No. 7 overall prospect and the No. 3 right-handed pitcher in the state of Oklahoma by Perfect Game in his senior year. Hope, 18, compiled a .530 average, to go along with nine home runs, 38 RBI, 29 stolen bases and a .663 on-base percentage in 24 games during his senior season at Colonial Forge High School in Stafford, Va. Hope was named the Commonwealth District and co-Class 6 Region B Player of the Year to go along with First Team All-State honors in 2023. He was previously committed to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Armstrong, 22, made 30 appearances (29 starts) in two seasons with Old Dominion, going 12-6 with a 4.36 ERA (68 ER/140.1 IP). The right-handed pitcher began his collegiate career at the County College of Morris in New Jersey, where he was named All-Conference and All-Region in 2021. A Wantage, N.J., native, Armstrong attended High Point Regional High School in Sussex, N.J., where he was the County Player of the Year in 2019 and a three-time All-County and All-Conference selection from 2017-19. Here is a look at Chicago’s 20 selections from the 2023 First-Year Player Draft (players in bold have agreed to terms with the club): Rd. (Pick) Player Pos. School Birthday B T Ht. Wt. 1 (13) Matt Shaw SS University of Maryland 11/6/01 R R 5-11 185 2C (68) Jaxon Wiggins RHP University of Arkansas 10/3/01 R R 6-6 225 3 (81) Josh Rivera SS University of Florida 10/10/00 R R 6-2 215 4 (113) Will Sanders RHP University of South Carolina 3/30/02 L R 6-6 230 5 (149) Michael Carico C Davidson College (N.C.) 9/4/02 L R 6-0 190 6 (176) Alfonsin Rosario OF P27 Academy (S.C.) 6/21/04 R R 6-6 210 7 (206) Yahil Melendez SS B You Academy (P.R.) 9/5/05 L R 6-3 165 8 (236) Brett Bateman OF University of Minnesota 3/19/02 L L 5-10 170 9 (266) Jonathon Long 1B Long Beach State University 1/20/02 R R 6-0 210 10 (296) Luis Martinez-Gomez RHP Temple College (Tex.) 5/27/03 R R 6-2 178 11 (326) Zyhir Hope OF Colonial Forge High School (Va.) 1/19/05 L L 6-0 193 12 (356) Carter Trice 2B North Carolina State University 8/23/02 R R 6-0 200 13 (386) Sam Armstrong RHP Old Dominion University 9/26/00 R R 6-2 245 14 (416) Grayson Moore RHP Vanderbilt University 7/9/01 S R 6-3 215 15 (446) Ty Johnson RHP Ball State University 9/25/01 R R 6-6 205 16 (476) Daniel Brown LHP Campbell University (N.C.) 10/22/02 L L 6-3 200 17 (506) Ethan Flanagan LHP University of California, Los Angeles 6/5/02 L L 6-3 205 18 (536) Brian Kalmer 3B Gonzaga University 8/17/00 R R 6-2 215 19 (566) Nick Dean RHP University of Maryland 12/26/00 R R 6-3 180 20 (596) Drew Bowser 3B Stanford University 10/2/01 R R 6-4 226
