Cubs select eight on second day on MLB 2024 Draft |
CHICAGO, Ill. – The Chicago Cubs today selected eight players in rounds 3-10 of the 2024 First-Year Player Draft, five position players and two pitchers and one catcher, including six college players and two out of high school. The 2024 Major League Baseball Draft concludes tomorrow with rounds 11-20.
The Cubs began the day by selecting two high school shortstops, Ronny Cruz out of Miami Christian School in Miami, Fla. in the third round (90th overall) and Ty Southisene out of Basic High School in Henderson, Nev. in the fourth round (120th overall). They then followed with catcher Ariel Armas out of the University of San Diego (Calif.) in the fifth round (153rd overall), before selecting two-straight players from the University of California, Santa Barbara, right-handed pitcher Ryan Gallagher in the sixth round (182nd overall) and outfielder Ivan Brethowr in the seventh round (212th overall). Cruz was recommended by area scout Ralph Reyes, Southisene was recommended by area scout Steve McFarland, Armas was recommended by area scout Evan Kauffman and Gallagher and Brethowr were recommended by area scout Jim Woodward. Cruz, 17, batted .397 and posted a .479 on-base percentage and a 1.050 OPS in 75 plate appearances in 2024. The right-handed hitter tallied five doubles and two home runs in 21 games. Cruz is ranked by Perfect Game as the No. 12 shortstop prospect in Florida and is committed to the University of Miami (Fla.). Round 3 Southisene, 19, slashed .495/.560/.705 in 116 plate appearances during his senior season at Basic High School in Nevada, tallying 11 doubles, three triples, one home run and 20 stolen bases. Southisene participated in the All-American Classic this season and was named the MVP. The Henderson, Nev. native is ranked by Perfect Game as the No. 1 overall prospect in Nevada and is committed to the University of Tennessee. The @Cubs 4th round pick is high school shortstop @tysouthisene! Steady fielder with high energy! pic.twitter.com/at1kcjcn3w Armas, 21, was recognized as the nation’s top defensive catcher in 2024, as he was named to the ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove Team. The catcher was named the 2024 West Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year, All-WCC First Team and was one of the 16 semifinalists for the Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year. He started 55 of the Toreros’ 56 games at catcher, posting a .998 fielding percentage and throwing out 15 runners. A native of Chula Vista, Calif., Armas has played in 116 games across three seasons at the University of San Diego, batting a combined .266 (103-for-388) with nine home runs and 52 RBI. He was named All-WCC Honorable mention in 2023, after hitting .292 (21-for-72) with three home runs and 51 RBI in 23 WCC games. The right-handed hitter graduated from St. Augustine High School in San Diego and played in the 2015 Little League World Series. Cubs 5th rounder, C Ariel Armas Gallagher, 21, was the first pitcher selected by the Cubs in the 2024 draft. The right-handed pitcher has attended the University of California, Santa Barbara for three years, but missed the 2023 season due to Tommy John surgery. Gallagher has pitched in 30 games (29 starts), going 18-1 with a 2.72 ERA (52 ER/172.0 IP), including 10-1 with a 2.22 ERA (22 ER/89.0 IP) in 2024. Following the 2024 campaign, the six-foot four-inch, 250-pound Gallagher was named a First Team All-American by the NCBWA, a Second Team All-American by ABCA/Rawlings and a Third Team All-American by Perfect Game, while also taking home Big West Pitcher of the Year honors. He graduated from Granite Bay High School in California, lettering in both baseball and football. Chicago Cubs 6th rounder, Ryan Gallagher boasts a projectable frame. Brethowr, 21, was named First Team All-Big West in 2024, after leading the conference with a career-high 15 home runs. A teammate of Gallagher’s at the University of California, Santa Barbara, Brethowr tallied 26 home runs in 96 games over the last two seasons with the Gauchos, after beginning his collegiate career at Arizona State University in 2022. With their pick in the 7th round, the @cubs select OF @IvanBrethowr! #Cubs #CubsProspects pic.twitter.com/xRnmMheWAh Chicago concluded the second day of the draft by taking three players from college in rounds 8-10: First Baseman Edgar Alvarez out of Nicholls State University (242nd overall), right-handed pitcher Brooks Caple out of Lamar University (272nd overall) and Matt Halbach out of the University of California, San Diego (302nd overall). Round 8 Here is a look at Chicago’s first 10 selections from the 2024 First-Year Player Draft: Rd. (Pick) Player Pos. School Birthday B T Ht. Wt. 1 (14) Cam Smith 3B Florida State University 2/22/03 R R 6-3 229 2 (54) Cole Mathis 3B College of Charleston (S.C.) 7/25/03 R R 6-1 210 3 (90) Ronny Cruz SS Miami Christian School (Fla.) 8/24/06 R R 6-2 170 4 (120) Ty Southisene SS Basic High School (Nev.) 7/8/05 R R 5-9 170 5 (153) Ariel Armas C University of San Diego 11/29/02 R R 6-0 185 6 (182) Ryan Gallagher RHP University of California, Santa Barbara 1/19/03 L R 6-4 220 7 (212) Ivan Brethowr OF University of California, Santa Barbara 2/27/03 R R 6-6 250 8 (242) Edgar Alvarez 1B Nicholls State University (La.) 2/19/01 L R 6-4 230 9 (272) Brooks Caple RHP Lamar University (Tex.) 8/23/02 R R 6-6 230 10 (302) Matt Halbach 3B University of California, San Diego 1/17/03 R R 6-3 215
Cubs take SS Ronny Cruz out of Miami Christian HS
Definitely an underslot guy. Not in Pipeline's top 250 but made a name for himself at the combine. pic.twitter.com/uRhfwtMeA7
IZ-whiff% 10%
Chase% 19%
90th% EV 105 mph
Early comments suggest he’s a good catcher behind the plate
pic.twitter.com/HZrhjDSTG4
FB avg 90 mph, could be a velo improvement in pro ball. Big carry at top of zone (> 20 in of induced vert break)
Has a SL and changeup. Prior TJS
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Senior Sign
Edgar Alvarez - 1B - Nicholls State pic.twitter.com/e9F15rxLBq
