Cubs wrap up 2024 MLB Draft with a run on arms
After selecting just 2 pitchers in the first 10 picks of the 2024 MLB Draft, the Cubs finished with a run of arms on Tuesday.
Dan Kantrovitz and Co. drafted 7 pitches in their 10 picks from Rounds 11-20, all of which hailed from college ball.
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“Early on Day 1, I think it was based on a few players going in that we identified could be good fits,” said Kantrovitz, the Cubs vice president of scouting. “I think we had a pretty good idea that college bats might be the best fit. But right up until both picks, there were pitchers and high school players in the mix. But if you had said if I had to bet on the first couple picks, likely college bats.
“Then I think as Day 2 wore on, there were pitchers in our mix at nearly every pick and just for one reason or another, the best option ended up being a bat in most cases. So that was less of a plan and less of a strategy than on Day 1. And then on Day 3, our plans from the outset were to try to go pitcher-heavy.”
[READ: Day 2 Cubs Draft recap]
Here’s a complete rundown of the Cubs’ 10 selections on Day 3 of the Draft:
Round 11 (332nd overall): Eli Lovich, OF, Blue Valley West High School (Kansas)
The Cubs kicked off the final day of the 2024 MLB Draft by selecting a high school outfielder in Lovich.
Lovich is committed to Arkansas in the fall and is listed at 6-foot-4, 185 pounds. He throws and hits left-handed and was also a pitcher in high school who reportedly threw in the upper-80s but was drafted by the Cubs as an outfielder.
Round 12 (362): Daniel Avitia, RHP, Grand Canyon University
The 21-year-old is listed at 6-foot-4, 200 pounds and attended college in Phoenix, Ariz. – his hometown.
Avitia has worked mostly as a starter during his collegiate career but has also pitched out of the bullpen. In 2024, he made 6 starts and 5 appearances as a reliever, going 2-3 with a 4.63 ERA and 1.40 WHIP. He struck out 45 batters and walked just 9 in 35 innings.
Round 13 (392): Evan Aschenbeck, LHP, Texas A&M
The 23-year-old southpaw has excelled as a reliever for Texas A&M in recent seasons. After going 8-1 with 3 saves in 2023, Aschenbeck was even better during his 2024 campaign.
He went 6-1 with a sparkling 1.78 ERA and 0.89 WHIP in 32 outings spanning 75.2 innings. He struck out 87 and walked only 12 in that time while pitching in the SEC.
[WATCH: Analyzing the Cubs’ 1st and 2nd round picks]
Round 14 (422): Cameron Sisneros, 1B, East Tennessee State
Sisneros is a left-handed hitting slugger who absolutely raked for East Tennessee State this spring.
In 56 games, the 23-year-old hit 23 homers and drove in 86 runs while slashing .369/.493/.766 (1.259 OPS). He walked (49) more than twice as much as he struck out (20).
Round 15 (452): Hayden Frank, LHP, Lipscomb University
The 21-year-old left-hander made just 5 starts for Lipscomb during the 2024 campaign, going 2-0 with a 4.82 ERA and 1.29 WHIP.
He worked mostly as a reliever during his sophomore season in 2023, where he had more success (2.45 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 45 strikeouts in 40.1 innings).
Round 16 (482): Christian Gordon, LHP, VCU
Gordon is another left-handed arm the Cubs added to their pool of young pitchers. The 23-year-old was previously drafted by the Pirates in the 38th round in 2019 out of high school, but ended up attending college instead.
He transferred to VCU during his college career and went 8-2 with a 3.62 ERA as a starter in 2024. Gordon struck out a whopping 102 batters in 79.2 innings (11.5 K/9).
[READ: New Cubs prospect comes from a family of Cubs fans]
Round 17 (512): Ben Johnson, RHP, Georgia Southern
The right-handed pitcher wrapped up a 4-year career at Georgia Southern. He spent time as both a starter and reliever, going 16-13 with a 5.05 ERA in 79 career outings (29 starts).
Round 18 (542): Thomas Mangus, RHP, Navarro College (TX)
The Cubs selected the junior college product with the 542nd overall pick. Mangus is listed at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds.
Round 19 (572): Owen Ayers, C, Marshall
Ayers is a 6-foot-2, 185-pound native of Sarasota, Fla. He spent the 2023 season splitting time between first base and catcher for Marshall but was almost exclusively a catcher this spring.
He hit .292/.385/.519 (.903 OPS) during the 2024 campaign with 8 homers, 28 RBI and 39 runs scored.
Round 20 (602): Brayden Risedorph, RHP, Indiana
Risedorph is a 20-year-old right-handed pitcher who spent the last two seasons splitting time between the Indiana rotation and bullpen.
He was 4-7 with an 8.31 ERA and 1.74 WHIP this season between 7 starts and 14 relief appearances.