Getting to Know Cubs Draft Pick: Eli Lovich |
Anytime you get to day three of an MLB Draft, the players become less likely to make an impact and are more likely to be organizational depth pieces. That has been the case for years, but every now and then, you have a situation where a Day 3 pick turns out to be a steal.
The Cubs hope that can happen this season. They invested a lot of time scouting both college-level and prep players and made it a point to target arms on day three rather than bats. However, that wasn't the case in round 11, as the Cubs went back to the positional route with their first pick on day three and grabbed OF Eli Lovich. A left-handed hitter from Blue Valley West High (KS), Lovich has an MLB-ready frame at 6-4, but at just 185 pounds, he does need to put on some weight before he can start becoming the player the Cubs hope he can be. Similar to when the Cubs drafted Zyhir Hope last year before trading him to the Dodgers as part of the Michael Busch deal, Lovich is seen as an over-slot high school guy as the Cubs are going to do what it takes to keep him in the system. An outfielder by trade, Lovich has a natural left-handed swing that makes scouts drool, but his overall potential on the mound has most people talking. Although he isn't considered a two-way player, Lovich has one of those arms that is projectable to be successful as a pitcher, but he will need to add plenty of strength and velocity to get to that point. That alone was enough to keep him out of the draft's first two days, but the Cubs were more than happy to select him when they did on Day 3. This is one of those picks where it could take four or five years to know the type of player you have, but the Cubs are known for being patient with their picks, so this is a move that makes sense for both sides. Before we dig into what he can bring to the table offensively, Lovich has continued to show improvement as a pitcher. He currently uses an effortless delivery and sits in the 87-88 MPH range with his fastball. He uses a low 3/4 delivery to create deception and a cross-body release to change the hitter's viewpoint while generating tons of RPM spin on his pitches. That spin comes in handy with his curveball, as that has a tendency to sit around 72 MPH but has been clocked at 75 MPH at times. Mix in an 83 MPH change-up and a seldom-used knuckleball, and Lovich has a nice four-pitch mix to build around should the Cubs want to see him more as a pitcher, but with an Arkansas Commitment, it will take a lot of negotiating to get a contract done. What makes this pick intriguing is that the Cubs announced him as an OF when they drafted him, leading many to believe that Chicago wants him to focus on hitting first and figure out the rest later. The 19-year-old is a bit older than most high school prospects and isn't a top 250 guy, but he is still worth the selection. He has a great left-handed swing, is extremely athletic, and has the potential to post plus tools across the board once he physically matures as a player. Lovic signed a $650,000 bonus with the Cubs on Wednesday to start his pro career. The Cubs have a player with the tools to be a good player once he matures into the type of player he wants to be. Eli Lovich | OF | 2024 | KS
Swing on an oppo gap triple. Multiple hits today with gap to gap power & speed to get around the bases. Toolsy/athletic 6-4 outfielder.
4-year: @NDBaseball @PG_Scouting @RoyalsScoutTeam https://t.co/swxzPTzr0r pic.twitter.com/DYLz50PQYR
