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Trent Giambrone was the Cubs’ 25th-round draft pick in 2016 from Delta State (Mississippi).
He had some decent years in the system, including hitting .241/.314/.464 with 27 doubles and 23 home runs in 126 games at Triple-A Iowa in 2019.
He never got a callup, though, despite playing in quite a few Cubs spring training games in 2018, 2019 and 2020.
Now, he’s coming to the big leagues for the last five games of the 2021 season, first reported by Jon Heyman:
INF-OF Trent Giambrone is being called up to the Cubs for the first time. Late-round pick, Nice story.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) September 29, 2021
Third baseman Patrick Wisdom is being placed on the injured list:
Cubs place Patrick Wisdom on injured list (no injury listed by team). INF Trent Giambrone selected from Triple-A Iowa.
— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) September 29, 2021
The 40-man roster spot opened with Wisdom to general IL (not 10-day).
Wisdom to IL with no injury distinction listed by team.
— Gordon Wittenmyer (@GDubCub) September 29, 2021
That often signifies COVID but team not saying. Players and coaches wearing masks on field during pregame work. Not the norm in recent weeks/months.
Patrick Wisdom thus ends his season batting .231/.305/.518 (78-for-338) with 28 home runs, a Cubs rookie record. Through 2020, there had been just eight other seasons in MLB history where a player had 28 or more home runs in 338 or fewer AB:
| Rk | Player | Year ▼ |
HR | AB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mitch Garver | 2019 | 31 | 311 |
| 2 | Mark McGwire | 2001 | 29 | 299 |
| 3 | Mark McGwire | 2000 | 32 | 236 |
| 4 | Mark McGwire | 1995 | 39 | 317 |
| 5 | Kevin Mitchell | 1994 | 30 | 310 |
| 6 | Ted Williams | 1960 | 29 | 310 |
| 7 | Ted Williams | 1955 | 28 | 320 |
| 8 | Ted Williams | 1950 | 28 | 334 |
Note that I am certainly NOT saying Patrick Wisdom is as good a hitter as Ted Williams, that’s certainly not the case.
Giambrone has not had a good year at Iowa in 2021: .174/.274/.255 (41-for-235) with three home runs in 72 games. He’s 27 (turns 28 in December) so this callup is likely a reward for six years’ good service in the organization. He’s mostly a second baseman but can play short and third and has seen a bit of time in the outfield. I’d expect him to get some playing time over the final five games.
Giambrone will become the 65th man to play for the Cubs this year. That extends the franchise record for such things; the previous record of 56 was set in 2013. The MLB record is 67, set by the 2019 Mariners. Think the Cubs can get two more new guys on the team over the next five days to match that?