CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs filled some needs on Day 2 of the amateur draft Friday as they selected a catcher and seven pitchers in Rounds 3 through 10. Including Day 1, they've addressed only two positions. It's not a secret the Cubs are thin in quality catchers in their system and still have a need for pitching, especially starters.
Here are their Day 2 selections:
Round 3: C Mark Zagunis, Virginia Tech
Round 4: LHP Carson Sands, North Florida Christian High School
Round 5: LHP Justin Steele, George County (Mississippi) High School
Round 6: RHP Dylan Cease, Milton (Georgia) High School
Round 7: RHP James Norwood, St. Louis University
Round 8: LHP Tommy Thorpe, University of Oregon
Round 9: RHP James Farris, University of Arizona
Round 10: RHP Ryan Williams, East Carolina University
The most intriguing player from the later rounds might be sixth-round pick Cease. He suffered an elbow injury in the spring that resulted in his dropping from the top couple of rounds, but when healthy he can light up a radar gun. ESPN.com already dubbed him the player with the highest upside of any drafted in the Central Division on Friday. Sands was 11-1 with a 0.58 ERA his senior year of high school.
Some of the younger pitchers -- particularly Cease -- might forego college if the Cubs can pay them a little more than slotted, which seemed to be the strategy coming out of Day 1, where their first two picks should save them money. The Cubs were transparent about their strategy -- and it might have paid off as they collected an intriguing list of arms Friday.