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The Cubs took the pitcher with the top-ranked change from Baseball America and third among college pitchers in the draft when they selected southpaw Jordan Wicks of Kansas State.
Wicks, who also has a fastball between the low and mid-90s, was the 10th pitcher taken in the draft – the seventh college pitcher.
“It’s amazing,” Wicks said. “Coming from an organization that has so much history, I couldn’t be more excited to be in this city and be in Chicago and get down to business. I’m super excited to be in an organization like this. I couldn’t be happier.
Wicks seems well aware of the transition / rebuilding the Cubs are going through this year.
“I am delighted to participate and compete. I feel like there are a lot of opportunities, ”he said. “I think it’s a team we can definitely compete with. I want to get in there and climb the organizational ladder and see what they want to do. And just work my butt.
He’s also particularly familiar with the history of the franchise, watching games and talking a lot about the Cubs with his two Cub-fan prep coaches in high school.
“Obviously you are aware of the drought in the World Series and his victory in ’16,” he said. “It’s something I’m going to go over there and we’re not going to wait that long. We’re going to fight and come back to these World Series, and we’re going to win. “
Wicks is the first Kansas state baseball player ever to be drafted in the first round.
It was the third time in four years that the Cubs had been drafted outside the top 20 overall, but only the 12th time since the draft began in 1965.
One of those picks, Stanford’s 24th overall pick Nico Hoerner in 2018, reached the majors the following season and was one of the Cubs’ best hitters when he was in good health this season.
The Cubs had the 21st overall pick in another draft: when they took on Rutgers right-hander Bobby Brownlie in 2002.
Brownlie, who was drafted four spots behind Cole Hamels and four spots ahead of Matt Cain, never made it to the majors.
What was for the last few years a 40-round major league draft was reduced in 2020 to five due to the pandemic (and the consequent cancellation of the minor league season) before this year’s edition. only reverted to 20 rounds as a result of an MLB player-development overhaul that involved a significant contraction of the minor leagues. MLB is discussing a return to 40 rounds next year.
Denver Contribution: Maddie Lee
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