The Chicago Cubs added pitching depth Thursday by selecting right-hander Gray Fenter from the Baltimore Orioles organization in the major-league phase of the Rule 5 draft.
The 24-year-old has a 16-9 record with a 3.21 ERA in 70 games in the Orioles organization. Fenter, who received a $1 million signing bonus as a seventh-round pick out of West Memphis High School in Arkansas, missed all of 2016 because of Tommy John surgery but reportedly has regained the mid-90-mph velocity.
Fenter has started in 49 of his 70 professional appearances and posted a 1.81 ERA with 123 strikeouts in 94? innings for Class A Delmarva in 2019. He limited opponents to a .185 average in 22 games, including 17 starts. Fenter has allowed only 12 home runs in 944 batters faced.
More Top Picks Dewalt Dcf815s2 12v
“(Fenter) pitched in low A, but we really liked the stuff,” Cubs President Jed Hoyer said. “We’ve had consistently good reports on him throughout his minor-league career. And we like the fact he’s got an explosive fastball, has the ability to throw two different breaking balls with a slider and a curveball, and all the makeup stuff we got on him was really positive.”
Hoyer said Fenter was one of five players under consideration.
The Cubs selected Fenter for the $100,000 draft price. If Fenter doesn’t make the major-league roster, he must be placed on outright waivers. If he clears waivers, he must be offered back to the Orioles for $50,000.
Fenter then can be outrighted to the minor leagues if the Orioles pass on reacquiring him.
A Rule 5 pick must be active on the major-league roster for 90 days to avoid being placed on waivers.
The Chicago White Sox didn’t make a selection in the major-league phase.
In the Triple-A phase, the Cubs selected pitcher Nicholas Padilla from the Tampa Bay Rays organization, while the White Sox took pitcher Martin Carrasco from the San Diego Padres organization.
Pitcher Yunior Perez, who pitched for the Cubs’ short-season Class A Eugene affiliate in 2019, went to the Detroit Tigers.
Pitcher A.J. Puckett, who last pitched for the Sox’s Class A Winston-Salem affiliate in 2017, was picked by the Atlanta Braves. Puckett missed the 2018-19 seasons because of an arm injury and didn’t play in 2020 because of the pandemic.
More Top Picks Best Matcha Powder Storage Containers
The Pittsburgh Pirates selected Jeffrey Passantino, who last pitched for the Cubs’ Class A Myrtle Beach affiliate in 2019.