Roster Moves: Cubs recall outfielder Nelson Velazquez, option pitcher Javier Assad |
CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs today recalled outfielder Nelson Velázquez from Triple-A Iowa and optioned right-handed pitcher Javier Assad to Iowa.
Velázquez, 24, opened the season with Iowa and batted .364 (12-for-33) with two doubles, three home runs, seven RBI and three walks, contributing to a .432 on-base percentage and a 1.129 OPS in eight games. The right-handed hitting Velázquez made his major league debut with Chicago in 2022, appearing in 77 games for the Cubs and batting .205 (38-for-185) with seven doubles, three triples, six home runs and 26 RBI while appearing at all three outfield positions. In 2021, Velázquez led Cubs minor leaguers with 73 RBI, 45 extra-base hits and 191 total bases between High-A South Bend and Double-A Tennessee. Later that year, he was named the Arizona Fall League MVP after leading the league with nine home runs, 40 hits, a .712 slugging mark and a 1.191 OPS in 26 games for the Mesa Solar Sox. Selected in the fifth round of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft out of PJ Education School in Puerto Rico, Velázquez owns a .259 batting average (359-for-1,388) with 77 doubles, 11 triples, 63 home runs, 208 RBI and 55 stolen bases in 380 career minor league contests. Assad, 25, is 0-1 with a 12.46 ERA (6 ER/4.1 IP) in two relief appearances for Chicago after making the Opening Day roster. He pitched for Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic, and threw 5.2 scoreless innings spanning two games.
