The Cubs have claimed right-hander Gavin Hollowell off waivers from the Diamondbacks and optioned him to Triple-A Iowa. The Snakes had designated him for project a number of days in the past. To open a 40-man roster spot, the Cubs have designated infielder David Bote for project. Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune was amongst these to relay the information on X.
Hollowell, 26, was drafted by the Rockies and was with that group till not too long ago. The Diamondbacks claimed him off waivers in June and now he strikes by way of one other waiver declare, this time touchdown with the Cubs.
The curiosity from golf equipment probably stems from his large strikeout numbers within the minors, although he has additionally given out a lot of walks and hasn’t but transferred these punchouts to the main league degree.
The Rockies put him into 30 video games over the 2022 and 2023 seasons and he pitched 40 2/3 innings with a 6.20 earned run common. He struck out 21.5% of batters confronted in that point and gave out walks at an 11.8% price. However for the reason that begin of 2023, he has thrown 47 minor league innings and struck out 27.9% of batters confronted. That’s include an elevated 13% stroll price and a 4.60 ERA, however golf equipment are at all times keen on lacking bats.
He nonetheless has one possibility yr after this one, so the Cubs may give him a number of rope within the minors to see if he can rein in his stuff. If he does so, he has lower than a yr of service time and subsequently comes with a few years of membership management and continues to be far-off from qualifying for arbitration.
Bote, 31, signed an extension with the Cubs in April of 2019, a five-year pact that assured him over $15MM. He served in a multi-positional position for some time however his outcomes finally tailed off, at the least partially on account of some harm troubles.
He was outrighted off the roster on the finish of 2022 with two assured years nonetheless left on his deal. Since he had greater than three years of service time, he may have elected free company, however doing so would have meant strolling away from the remaining cash on his contract since he was shy of the five-year service mark. Naturally, he stayed with the membership and has been with them in a non-roster capability till they chose his contract once more in June.
He has a strong .304/.333/.391 batting line in his 48 plate appearances this yr however that’s being held up by an unsustainable .424 batting common on balls in play. He has no dwelling runs in that point and a 4.2% stroll price.
With the commerce deadline now handed, the Cubs should put Bote on waivers within the coming days. It’s unlikely that any membership would declare him and tackle the rest of his contract. He’s making $5.5MM this yr with nonetheless roughly $1.1MM left to be paid out. There’s additionally a $1MM buyout on a $7MM membership possibility for 2025.
Bote continues to be shy of 5 years of service time, that means he nonetheless doesn’t have the precise to reject an outright project and maintain all of his cash. Assuming he passes by waivers unclaimed, he’ll presumably settle for one other outright project and supply the Cubs with depth in a non-roster capability.
