Cub Tracks feels a draft

Welcome to today’s episode of Cub Tracks news and notes™, a greatest-hits collection of Chicago-style beat writers and bloggers, ground from #Cubs, #MiLB, and #MLB baseball, overheated, steeped in writers’ tears, and then cold-brewed overnight for maximum flavor.

No Cubs baseball Monday. The Home Run Derby took place — I’m not a big fan and skipped it. I would have watched had Christopher Morel been in it. The Cubs’ draftees look pretty good, I think. It’s hard not to like Matt Shaw, who sounds like Nico Hoerner with a power bat. Jaxon Wiggins has stuff to burn, or will when he heals from TJS. Josh Rivera has some upside. Big power. Will Sanders looks all right. Michael Carico can catch. And hit.

Jared Young has commenced leveling out and is hitting right at the Mendoza line. Matt Mervis is raking in Triple-A. It’s complicated. We might see Mervis after the break. Or after the deadline, depending on the team’s record.

Zac Gallen is scheduled to start the All-Star Game. Pfui.

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• Bill Ledson (MLB.com*): Cubs’ comeback boosts belief in a big second half. “One thing can be said about the Cubs under manager David Ross: They don’t give up easily.” Sahadev Sharma has similar sentiments {$}.
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Cubs’ top pick Shaw gets greeting from fellow shortstop Swanson. Greg Zumach has more. He was clearly not a reach, says Brett Taylor. Bryan Smith takes a deep dive into Shaw’s data. Here’s the local coverage by Josh. Patrick Mooney also digs deep {$}.

In his junior year with Maryland this season, all Shaw did was slash .341/.445/.697 with 24 home runs, 20 doubles and 69 RBIs in 62 games. He finished with more walks (43) than strikeouts (42), stole 18 bases and scored 80 runs. He was named the Big Ten Player of the Year and given the Brooks Wallace Award (nation’s top shortstop).

• Todd Johnson (North Side Bound*): Jaxon Wiggins pick was a surprise but that arm Is real. “... the talent is definitely there, but he will require some fine tuning when he is healthy to control and command his pitches for strikes.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Cubs VP of Scouting Dan Kantrovitz on top two Cubs picks, Matt Shaw and Jaxon Wiggins. “Kantrovitz is very much the face of the draft.” Evan Altman has more.
• Maddie Lee (Chicago Sun-Times*): How Dansby Swanson’s leadership evolved through his first half-season with the Cubs. “The impact he’s making around the diamond and in the clubhouse has been really evident,” said David Ross.
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): Whether or not Cubs get back in the race, Cody Bellinger’s hot bat will be a focus in July. “I understand the circumstances,” Bellinger said about the possibility of being traded. “I don’t think about it, I try not to think about it. It’s all out of my control.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Seiya Suzuki caps a hot week and believes it can continue into the second half. “But this past week, I kind of changed it up and I just wanted to have a competitive at-bat, and the results followed. So I want to make sure I have the same mindset going into the second half.”
• Austin Hough (South Bend Tribune*): How patience is helping ‘The Jaguar’ become a top prospect for the Chicago Cubs. “Kevin Alcántara, a.k.a. “The Jaguar,” has been on a tear since June 1 for the South Bend Cubs.”
• NBC Chicago*: All the Chicago Cubs giveaways, special ticket offers through the 2023 summer season. “A full list of Chicago Cubs promotions, Bud Bleacher giveaways and special offers during the 2023 season can be found on the Chicago Cubs MLB website.”

Song of the Day:

Food For Thought:

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