Alexander

Vizcaino

Vizcaino, who was not yet arbitration-eligible, spent the entire 2022 season on the restricted list after failing to report to spring training. Now he’s been cut loose. The 25-year-old came over to the Cubs in the Anthony Rizzo deal with the Yankees in July of 2021 and was considered a promising prospect at the time. Now his future is legitimately in question.

Vizcaino is the first official cut from Cubs’ spring training. The 24-year-old righty, who was acquired from the Yankees in the Anthony Rizzo deal last summer, was limited to just 12 appearances last season in the lower minors.

Vizcaino immediately becomes one of the top pitching prospects in the Chicago system. The right-hander has two pitches that could be plus-plus in his fastball and change, and he’s making progress with his breaking ball. There’s some work to be done -- and it’s worth noting that Vizcaino is already 24 -- but he has the stuff to someday pitch in the middle of a rotation.

The last time we saw Vizcaino, the hard-throwing 23-year-old posted a 4.38 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 128/38 K/BB ratio over 115 innings between Class-A Charleston and High-A Tampa. He’s likely to open the 2021 campaign in the starting rotation at Double-A.