Chicago Cubs prospect Alexander Canario is being promoted to the Majors, per a report from ESPN.com.
Canario, 23, is the Cubs’ No. 14 overall prospect and is currently playing at Triple-A Iowa.
The Cubs have not announced the move officially.
The Cubs were off on Thursday and begin a four-game series with the Cincinnati Reds on Friday, which leads off with a doubleheader. That is also the day that Major League rosters expand to 28 players.
Canario is on the Cubs’ 40-man roster, so the Cubs don’t necessarily need to release or option someone to make room.
Canario, an outfielder, would join a position group that includes one of the hottest hitters in baseball, Cody Bellinger, along with Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki and Mike Tauchman.
Whenever Canario plays he will be making his MLB debut.
Of late, he has been tearing up Triple-A pitching. Last week against Indianapolis, he went 11-for-24 with four home runs, three doubles and eight RBI.
In August, Canario batted .305 with 10 doubles, seven home runs and 25 RBI.
Canario started the season on the injured list and wasn’t activated until June 28. He was sent to High Class-A South Bend after an Arizona Complex League rehab assignment. Canario needed surgery on a broken left ankle and a dislocated left shoulder after a baserunning injury in the Dominican Winter League.
With South Bend he slashed .256/.370/.282/.652 but didn’t show off any power and only drove in seven runs. In 36 games with Iowa he’s slashed .276/.342/.524/.866 with 12 doubles, eight home runs and 35 RBI.
That’s much closer to the power numbers he produced in 2022 with three different minor leagues teams as he smashed 37 home runs and 97 RBI, both career bests.
The 23-year-old Dominican Republic native is closing in on making the Cubs’ decision-making difficult in the outfield in 2024. The former Giants signee in 2016 didn’t get to play a full season of pro ball until 2021 and joined the Cubs that season in a trade that sent Kris Bryant to San Francisco for Canario and another top prospect, pitcher Caleb Kilian.
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