Cubs rumors: Cody Bellinger staredown, Another big international win after Shota, Stealing from White Sox
- The Cubs nabbed a player that was also offered to the White Sox.
- Shota Imanaga will rightfully earn the bigger celebration, but the Cubs have acquired more than just him in the international category
- Updates on Cody Bellinger's free agency
By Josh Wilson
Cubs land Fernando Cruz
The annual Cubs Convention in downtown Chicago got a great surprise appearance this year: Shota Imanaga, who signed with the Cubs after years of being scouted by the team. Chicago really put its international and Pacific scouts in particular to work on this acquisition and seem extremely confident in the starting pitchers ability to bring great stuff to the mound every five days in 2024 and beyond.
Imanaga gets all the hype, and that's earned. He's a huge get for the Cubs who weren't able to land any major free agents in the first several weeks of free agency. He's not all that they were able to secure on the international side of things, though.
Jesse Borek and Jesus Cano report that the Cubs have landed Fernando Cruz, a Dominican shortstop who ranked fourth among MLB.com's international prospects.
Cruz is just 17 years old but joins the Cubs farm system and stands a good chance of rising up the rankings there with the right body of work. The deal is for $4 million, and the Cubs had $5.125 million to spend.
Here's how Borek and Cano described the skillset Crus brings:
"An alert defender with a quick first step and an above-average arm, Cruz has the look and tools to hold down the shortstop position long-term. His 6-foot, 180-pound frame is muscular and lean with little body fat, enabling him to already grade out as a plus runner who can impact the game both with the glove and on the basepaths."
Clearly Chicago has no need at this point for a shortstop with Dansby Swanson in tow for the next six years, but at 17, Cruz does not figure to be ready for the pro level for several years yet anyway.