{"id":22086,"date":"2024-12-29T22:40:39","date_gmt":"2024-12-29T22:40:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=22086"},"modified":"2024-12-29T22:40:39","modified_gmt":"2024-12-29T22:40:39","slug":"cubs-acquire-utilityman-brujan-in-trade-with-marlins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=22086","title":{"rendered":"Cubs acquire utilityman Bruj\u00e1n in trade with Marlins"},"content":{"rendered":"
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CHICAGO — Part of the Cubs\u2019 ongoing roster reorganization involves finding more potential options for the team\u2019s bench. Chicago is bringing utilityman\u00a0Vidal Bruj\u00e1n\u00a0into the fold as a candidate for that segment of the squad.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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On Sunday, the Cubs and Marlins agreed to a trade that would bring Bruj\u00e1n to the North Siders in exchange for first baseman\u00a0Matt Mervis\u00a0and cash considerations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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  • End of the Year Clearance: Save on Cubs gear<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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    In the wake of the\u00a0trade\u00a0to acquire star outfielder Kyle Tucker and the\u00a0deal\u00a0that shipped Cody Bellinger to the Yankees, the bulk of Chicago\u2019s starting lineup appears set. However, third base remains unsettled — MLB Pipeline\u2019s top Cubs prospect Matt Shaw (No. 22\u00a0in the overall Top 100) is currently the top contender — and the bench makeup is not yet in focus.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    Bruj\u00e1n, who will turn 27 on Feb. 9, is out of Minor League options, but he offers the Cubs a versatile bench piece to consider. The switch-hitting utility man logged time with the Marlins in \u201824 at shortstop (237 innings), second base (198), third (75), center field (73), right (35) and left (10). He made a brief appearance at first in one game and even took the mound twice.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    • Get Cubs tickets for the 2025 season<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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      In parts of four Major League seasons between stints with the Rays (2021-23) and Marlins (\u201824), Bruj\u00e1n has hit .189 with a .531 OPS in 201 games. Last season, he hit .222 with 18 extra-base hits, 16 RBIs and a .622 OPS in 102 games for Miami. Bruj\u00e1n also posted a 19.4% strikeout rate and 9.0% walk rate in \u201824.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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      Beyond Bruj\u00e1n, the Cubs\u2019 40-man roster also has bench contenders in infielders Miles Mastrobuoni, Luis Vazquez and Gage Workman (selected in the Rule 5 Draft). Outfielders outside the starting group on the roster include Alexander Canario (out of Minor League options), plus Top 100 prospects Owen Caissie (No. 34) and Kevin Alc\u00e1ntara (No. 67).<\/p>\n

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      The 26-year-old Mervis was a fast riser in the Cubs\u2019 system after being signed as an undrafted free-agent out of Duke following the abbreviated 2020 MLB Draft. He climbed to Triple-A Iowa in \u201821 and slashed .269\/.371\/.511 with 52 homers and 162 RBIs in 242 games at that level over the past four seasons.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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      Mervis\u2019 production in the Minor Leagues did not translate to Chicago, where he hit .155 with three homers, 14 RBIs and a .481 OPS in 36 games with the Cubs across the 2023-24 seasons. Last offseason, the North Siders landed Michael Busch from the Dodgers and he has since established himself as the Cubs\u2019 regular first baseman.<\/p>\n

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      CHICAGO — Part of the Cubs\u2019 ongoing roster reorganization involves finding more potential options for the team\u2019s bench. Chicago is bringing utilityman\u00a0Vidal Bruj\u00e1n\u00a0into the fold as a… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":22087,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22086","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\nCubs acquire utilityman Bruj\u00e1n in trade with Marlins - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=22086\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Cubs acquire utilityman Bruj\u00e1n in trade with Marlins - NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"CHICAGO — Part of the Cubs\u2019 ongoing roster reorganization involves finding more potential options for the team\u2019s bench. 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