| The Chicago Cubs today announced that they
selected the contracts of eight players from the minor league
system - infielders Brian Dopirak and Scott Moore,
outfielder Felix Pie, catcher Jose Reyes and
pitchers Carlos Marmol, Sean Marshall, Ricky Nolasco and
Jae Kuk Ryu - and added them to the 40-man roster. In
addition, infielders Mike Fontenot, Richard Lewis and
pitcher Russ Rohlicek were outrighted to Iowa (AAA) and
outfielder Adam Greenberg was designated for assignment.
Pie, a 20-year-old outfielder, spent his first season at
Double-A, where he hit .304 with 33 extra-base hits and 25 RBI. He
was named to both the Southern League's midseason all-star team
and to the World Team for the All-Star Futures Game. Pie was
originally signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Cubs in 2001.
Moore, 22, hit .281 with 31 doubles, 20 homers and 82
RBI in 128 games for Daytona (A). He was a midseason all-star and
finished the season tied for second in the Florida State League in
doubles and ranked third in extra-base hits (53). In addition, he
was selected to play for the U.S. Team in the All-Star Futures
Game. The infielder was acquired from Detroit as part of a
four-player deal on February 9, 2005, and was originally selected
with the eighth overall pick in the 2002 draft.
Nolasco recorded his second career double-digit wins
season in 2005, going 14-3 with a 2.89 ERA in 27 starts for West
Tenn (AA). The 22-year-old led the Southern League in strikeouts
(173) and ranked third in ERA - and established career marks in
wins, strikeouts, starts and innings pitched (161.2). He was a
midseason all-star for the North Division and was named the
Diamond Jaxx pitcher of the year. Nolasco was selected by the Cubs
in the fourth round of the 2001 draft.
Teammate Jae Kuk Ryu led the Southern League in innings
pitched (169.2) as he reached the double-digit wins column for the
first time in his career, going 11-8. The 22-year-old right-hander
recorded a 3.34 ERA and struck out a career-high 133 batters -
while issuing just 49 walks. The Korean native ranked seventh in
the league in ERA and worked 6.0 or more innings in 20 of his 27
starts.
Marmol, 23, saw Double-A action for the first time in
his career, receiving a midseason promotion to West Tenn (AA). The
right-handed pitcher opened the season at Daytona (A), going 6-2
with a 2.99 ERA while holding opponents to a .227 batting average.
After 13 starts, Marmol moved up to West Tenn (AA), where he
closed out the season - going 3-4 with a 3.65 ERA in 14 starts. He
surrendered just 130 hits in 153.2 combined innings while fanning
141 batters and was a midseason all-star for the Florida State
League.
Dopirak batted .235 with 26 doubles, 16 homers and 76
RBI in 132 games for Daytona (A). The 21-year-old infielder ranked
second on the club in RBI and total bases (196). He was selected
by the Cubs in the second round of the 2002 draft.
Marshall, 23, made a combined 16 starts for Daytona (A)
and West Tenn (AA), going 4-5 with a 2.68 ERA. The southpaw - who
was named a Florida State League midseason all-star - struck out
85 batters in his 94.0 innings of work while issuing just 8 home
runs. Marshall was originally selected by the Cubs in the sixth
round of the 2003 draft.
Reyes spent his first full season at Double-A, hitting
.257 with 50 RBI in 97 games for West Tenn (AA). The 22-year-old
switch-hitter had his greatest success at the plate against
southpaws, posting a .272 average in that situation. In addition,
the catcher set career highs in both RBI and games played. Reyes
was signed by the Cubs as a non-drafted free agent in July 1999.
Fontenot, 25, batted .272 with 38 extra-base hits and 39
RBI in 111 games at Iowa (AAA). He also saw big league action for
the first time in his career, making his major league debut on
April 13. The infielder was acquired from Baltimore on February 2,
2005, as part of a four-player deal.
Lewis saw action at Daytona (A), West Tenn (AA) and Iowa
(AAA), hitting .222 with 30 RBI in 118 combined games. The
25-year-old infielder was acquired by the Cubs from Atlanta on
March 25, 2004, as part of a four-player deal.
Rohlicek saw Triple-A action for the first time in his
career, appearing in 55 games for Iowa (AAA). The left-hander went
3-1 with a 4.33 ERA in 62.1 innings on the mound. He joined the
Cub organization in 2002 after being acquired from Houston.
Greenberg, a 24-year-old outfielder, spent the majority
of the season at West Tenn (AA), where he hit .269 with 25
extra-base hits and 33 RBI in 95 games. The left-handed hitter
also made his major league debut July 9 - but was hit by a pitch
in his only plate appearance. The Cubs selected Greenberg in the
ninth round of the 2002 draft.
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