Getting to Know Cubs Draft Pick: Daniel Avitia |
Well, this isn't a story you hear every day, and it is a fun one worth noting. If the last name Avitia sounds familiar, that would be because the Cubs already have an Avitia in their system by the name of David. He is the older brother of their 12th-round pick, Daniel Avitia, whom the Cubs selected this season in the 12th round.
Going a bit further than that, this is the second time in three years that Avitia was technically part of the Cubs roster, as the Cubs drafted him in the 19th round of the 2021 MLB draft. He was one of their only draft picks not to sign his contract and ultimately chose to attend the Grand Canyon University. At the time, the Cubs understood that decision as he was trying to improve his draft status and do the best thing for him and his family. Well, here we are three years later, and it does appear going back to college did help with Avitia's development because he was selected seven rounds sooner this time around, and it was by the same team that drafted him initially in 2021. His addition to the team and pairing him with his brother in the organization is a common theme, as the Cubs now have three brother combos. Christopher and Rafael Morel are the most well-known brothers in the system, but you also have Cristian and Alexis Hernandez in Myrtle Beach. Daniel and David Avitia now make it three brotherly pairings in one organization. Unlike his brother David, a catcher in the Cubs system, Daniel is a right-handed pitcher who struggled this past season. Grand Canyon State University is part of a conference known for high offensive numbers, so his overall success there and his ability to translate that into the Cape Cod League are encouraging signs for the Cubs. However, with a career-worst 4.63 ERA this past season with the Antelopes, there are some concerns about his long-term outlook as a pitcher and what type of role he can fill. While his ERA numbers weren't great, there were plenty of things to like about his game, in particular his overall command on the mound, as he had just nine walks to 45 strikeouts in 35 innings pitched. Avitia also had to endure an injury this season, which did shorten his season, so you have to wonder if some of that played a role in his overall struggles. Still, this is a guy the Cubs have liked for a while (2021), and he is still just 21 years old. This is a guy who went 17-9 across his entire college career while posting a 4.09 ERA. Another player who wasn't listed in the top 250 on the big board, Avitia, did fall into several top-500 lists, which goes to show what scouts think of his game. He is far from a polished product, but he has been getting plenty of love for a while now, and the Cubs are hoping that can continue as this is a selection made more for 2025 than this season. His 6-4 and 215-pound frame give him the ideal size you look for in an MLB pitcher, and his pristine command on the mound had him as a borderline day-one guy entering the spring. Once that injury set him back over a month this season, Avitia started to see his draft stock plummet while most scouts and teams were still waiting for him to take that next step in his game. With a 5.6 percent walk rate, you can see how good his command is, but there are times when you would like the strikeout rate to be a bit higher. Avitia brings with him a fastball that sits in the 93-95 MPH range, but it mostly sits around 91-92, making his command much more critical. To offset a hitter's timing, Avitia mixes in a slurve-type breaking ball that sits at 77 MPH and can offer different breaks at different points in the count. Ideally, you would like him to have a third pitch, but both were swing-and-miss pitches in college, which is why he has primarily been a two-pitch guy. With neither one of those pitches projecting to be anything more than average at the next level, it will be imperative that he adds a third pitch to his repertoire for him to have the success the Cubs are hoping for.
