WINTER LEAGUE REPORT: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Today's Winter League update focuses on former Iowa Cubs in the Dominican Winter League. Notable players in this league include 2015 PCL Pitcher of the Year RHP Carlos Pimentel, 2016 Iowa Cub OF Juan Perez and 14-year major league veteran RHP Rafael Soriano. 

AGUILAS CIBAENAS

JUAN PEREZ, OF (2016 w/ Iowa)

Stats: .250, 18G, 10R, 15H, 52B, 10RBI, 6BB, 13K, 1/1SB

Perez is in his fifth season playing Winter League ball in his native Dominican Republic. The outfielder collected five doubles and seven RBI through his first eight games with Aguilas and has an active three-game hitting streak. 

Background: Perez played his first season in the Cubs' organization in 2016 following eight seasons in the Giants' system. His tenure with the Giants included a World Series Championship in 2014. The outfielder hit .276 (105-for-381) for the I-Cubs with a team-leading 27 doubles. Perez elected to become a free agent at the conclusion of the season. 

 

ESTRELLAS DE ORIENTE

JIM ADDUCI, INF (2010, '12 w/ Iowa)

Stats: .133, 11G, 4H, 12B, 1RBI, 2BB, 7K, 1/1SB

Adduci is struggling to a .133 batting average for Estrellas this season. He is 0-for-6 in his last three games with one RBI and one strikeout. 

Background: Adduci got his cup of coffee in the bigs in 2013 and 2014, suiting up for Texas for 61 total games and hitting .189 (25-for-148). After receiving his release following the 2014 season, Adduci opted to play in the Korean Baseball Organization and played two seasons with Lotte (2015-16). 

JUNIOR LAKE, OF (2013-15 w/ Iowa)

Stats: .232, 19G, 9R, 16H, 32B, 13B, 8RBI, 8BB, 18K, 1/4SB

Lake got off to a slow start with Estrellas, but has seen an upturn in production. The outfielder has hit safely in eight of his last 10 games for a .286 average (10-for-35) - substantially better than his .176 average (6-for-34) through his first nine games. Last night, the outfielder went 2-for-4 with a triple. 

Background: Lake, 26, signed with the Cubs as an undrafted free agent in 2007. After spending his career in the Cub's system, a trade at the deadline in 2015 sent him to Baltimore and he was later claimed off waivers by the Blue Jays prior to the 2016 season. Lake moved back-and-forth between Toronto and Triple-A Buffalo in 2016, hitting to a .231 average with the Bisons and a .200 big league average.

STEPHEN FIFE, RHP (2016 w/ Iowa)

Stats: 1-1, 4.64 ERA, 5G, 5GS, 21.1IP, 26H, 14R, 11ER, 2HR, 4BB, 14K

Fife has struggled with consistency, allowing four or more earned runs in two starts and one or fewer three times. The righty took his first loss of the season on November 16 after allowing five runs, four earned, over 4.0 innings. 

Background: Fife's last few seasons were marred with injury as the righty was limited to 23 games from 2014-16 and also missed the entirety of 2015 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Looking for a comeback year with the I-Cubs in 2016, Fife was derailed by a persistent oblique strain that kept him out of the rotation for the better part of four months. Fife ended his season with an 0-2 record and a 4.50 ERA (14ER/35.1IP) through seven starts. 

STARLING PERALTA, RHP (2016 w/ Iowa)

Stats: 0-1, 13.50 ERA, 1G, 0.2IP, 2H, 1R, 1ER

Peralta has been limited to one game this winter and lasted just two-thirds of a inning on October 26. He remains on the active roster. 

Background: Peralta made a brief stop in Iowa in 2016, pitching to a 1-2 record with a 6.48 ERA in one start and three games. The 26-year-old was signed by the Cubs as a non drafted free agent in 2016 and is, once again, a free agent this offseason.

 

GIGANTES DEL CIBAO

FELIX PIE, OF (2006-08 w/ Iowa)

Stats: .278, 6G, 1R, 5H, 2RBI, 5BB, 3K

Pie just began his Winter League stint on October 28 and has hit safely in four of six games with Gigantes. He adds five walks to his hit total for a .435 on-base percentage. 

Background: Pie was a mainstay in Iowa for the better part of three seasons, but has since filtered through Baltimore, Atlanta and Pittsburgh's systems. His last season in affiliated ball was 2013 when he suited up for the Pirates and Triple-A Indianapolis. In 2014, the outfielder played a full season with Hanwha of the Korean Baseball Organization, his last season of summer ball. 

 

LEONES DEL ESCOGIDO

CARLOS PIMENTEL, RHP (2015-16 w/ Iowa)

Stats: 0-1, 2.16 ERA, 2G, 1GS, 8.1IP, 5H, 2R, 2ER, 1HR, 1BB, 4K

A career starter, Pimentel has made one start and one relief appearance for Leones but has not pitched since October 29. He is holding opponents to a .167 batting average. 

Background: Pimentel spent two full seasons with Iowa and arguably, had the best year of his career in 2015. His 12-6 record and 2.95 ERA as a starter propelled him to Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Year honors. He was the first I-Cub in history to claim the title. Pimentel signed with San Diego in the off season and spent 2016 with Triple-A El Paso. The righty matched his career-high of 12 wins with the Chihuahuas (12-8 overall), but spiked his ERA to 5.65 (91ER/145.0IP) for the season. 

 

TIGRES DEL LICEY

DIORY HERNANDEZ, INF, (2012 w/ Iowa)

Stats: .284, 20G, 7R, 23H, 42B, 10RBI, 5BB, 4K

Hernandez has been reliable for Licey, hitting .284 and improving his average to .348 (8-for-23) with runners in scoring position. He has had a huge game yesterday, going 4-for-6 with two runs and one RBI. Hernandez has three multi-hit contests in his last eight games.  

Background: Hernandez played his final 60 games in affiliated ball with the Iowa Cubs after signing with the Cubs as a free agent mid-season in 2012. The third baseman hit .241 with 13 RBI for the I-Cubs. Hernandez has played baseball internationally for the last four years, suiting up in the Mexican League and the Dominican Winter League. 

JAIRO ASENCIO, RHP (2012 w/ Iowa)

Stats: 0-0, 3.24, 9G, 8SV, 8.1IP, 9H, 3R, 3ER, 1HR, 3BB, 8K

Asencio has been used strictly in save situations as he has collected eight saves in nine games. He has held his opponents scoreless in seven of his appearances. Asencio has three walks on the season which were all issued in his first two games.  

Background: Asencio spent half of 2012 in the Cubs' system after he was claimed off waivers from Baltimore on July 19. He pitched 12 games for the Cubs and posted a 3.07 ERA (5ER/14.2IP) before getting designated for assignment and sent outright to Iowa on July 30. He dazzled with a 1.35 ERA (2ER/13.1IP) in with five saves in a short 13-game stint with the I-Cubs. He most recently appeared in affiliated ball with Triple-A Charlotte in 2015.

RAFAEL SORIANO, RHP (2015 w/ Iowa)

Stats: 1-0, 1.08 ERA, 8G, 8.1IP, 5H, 1R, 1ER, 9K

Soriano has held his opponents to a .172 batting average over 8.1 innings. He hasn't allowed a hit in five of eight outings and gave up more than one base knock once. 

Background: Soriano notched 591 big league games over 14 seasons with Seattle, Atlanta, Tampa Bay, New York (A.L.), Washington and, most recently,Chicago (N.L.). The righty appeared in six games for the Cubs in 2015 and racked up a 6.35 ERA though he managed a 2-0 record. It was his last season in the bigs and in affiliated ball overall. That season, he also appeared in five games for the I-Cubs and posted a 1.80 ERA. 

 

TOROS DEL ESTE

GONZALEZ GERMEN, RHP (2015 w/ Iowa)

Stats: 0-0. 0.00 ERA, 1G, 1GS, 4.1IP, 4H, 2K

Though he is still active on the Toros' roster, German has been limited to one start and hasn't thrown since October 25. 

Background: Germen spent his first seven seasons of professional ball in the Mets' system (2008-14). After a wild 2014 off-season that moved him to the Yankees and the Rangers before his eventual land with the Cubs. The right-hander appeared in 24 games for the I-Cubs and posted a 5-1 record with four saves and a 3.78 ERA (14ER/33.1IP) in 2015. Germen made a trip to Chicago in mid-April and through 6.0 innings over six games, was tagged with a 7.50 ERA. He signed with Colorado following this campaign and shuffled between the Rockies and Colorado Springs in 2016.