Three Pelicans promoted, Rakkar returns with gold medal
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (JULY 21, 2015) - The Chicago Cubs announced on Tuesday that the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, have promoted third baseman Jeimer Candelario, first baseman Jacob Rogers, and right-handed pitcher Juan Paniagua to Double-A Tennessee. In a corresponding roster move, infielder Jason Vosler will join the Pelicans from Class-A South Bend. Pitcher Jasvir Rakkar also returns to the Pelicans from the temporary inactive list after winning a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto.
Candelario, 21, was named a 2015 Carolina League All-Star and was 2-for-4 at the plate in the midsummer contest. A switch-hitting native of Manhattan, New York, Candelario has played in 82 of the Pelicans 94 games this year, and 77 of those at third base. He carries a .270 batting average, with five home runs, and three triples. His 39 RBI rank third-most on the team behind Rogers and Mark Zagunis, and his 25 doubles are tied for the third-most in the Carolina League and lead the Cubs minor league organization. Overall, his 33 extra-base hits are also tied for the third-most in the circuit. The Chicago Cubs drafted Candelario as a non-drafted free agent out of San Pedro de Macorís in the Dominican Republic on Sept. 29, 2010. Of the Top 30 Cubs prospects according to Baseball America, Candelario ranks 24th, and MLBPipeline.com ranks him 12th. This will be his first trip to the Double-A level.
Rogers, 25, leads the Pelicans with 11 home runs this year, which is also ties him for the second-highest total in the Carolina League alongside Lynchburg's Luigi Rodriguez. His 61 RBI lead the team and all Cubs minor leaguers and are the second-most in the circuit. A left-handed hitter and native of Clearwater, Fla., Rogers will make his first trip to the Double-A level after batting .257 in 90 games with the Pelicans. With 48 walks, he is second on the team to Zagunis, and ranks third in the league. The Cubs selected Rogers in the 40th round of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft out of Mt. Olive College.
Paniagua, 25, is a hard-throwing right-hander who will also earn his first call-up to the Double-A ranks. Signed by the Chicago Cubs as a non-drafted free agent out of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, on July 9, 2012, Paniagua was originally signed by the Arizona Diamondback in 2009. In 20 games with Myrtle Beach this season he has accumulated a 3-2 record with no saves in 20 games out of the bullpen. With 11 walks and 35 strikeouts in 38 1/3 innings pitched, he holds the fifth-highest ratio of strikeouts per nine innings in the league. His 0.94 WHIP is the best among all Carolina League relievers, he has allowed the second-fewest walks-per-nine innings total, and has allowed the fewest baserunners among qualifying relievers in the circuit.
Vosler, 21, is a left-handed batter who comes to the Pelicans from Class-A South Bend where he batted .235 in 69 games with the Cubs. Defensively this year, Vosler has played 38 games at third base, seven games at second, five games at shortstop, and five at first. At the plate he has hit four home runs along with 11 doubles and two triples. He has also struck out 34 times and walked on 15 occasions while successfully stealing three bases in seven attempts this year. A native of West Nyack, New York, and former high school varsity hockey player, the Cubs selected Vosler in the 16th round of the 2014 Amateur Player Draft out of Northeastern University.
Rakkar, 24, returns to the Pelicans bullpen after appearing in two games for Team Canada. The right-hander, whose 10 saves are tied for the third-most in the Carolina League, combined for two shutout innings on four hits allowed and one strikeout. A native of North York, Ontario, Canada, Rakkar pitched one shutout inning to close the team's second game, a 10-4 win over Colombia on July 12, surrendering a hit while also striking out one batter. In Canada's fifth game of the tournament, Rakkar again pitched the ninth inning, and despite allowing three hits, he did not allow a run to score, as he closed out an 11-4 win against Puerto Rico on July 16.
In the Gold Medal Game on Sunday, Team USA took a two-run lead in the top of the 10th. However, Team Canada won 7-6 for the second straight Pan American Games Gold Medal in dramatic fashion after rallying for three runs in the bottom of the inning, scoring the tying and winning runs on an errant pickoff throw to first base.
In his fourth professional season, Rakkar carries a 1-1 record along with a 2.40 ERA in 30.0 innings pitched. His 10 saves are also the second-most among all Cubs minor leaguers. The Cubs selected Rakkar in the 26th round of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft out of Stony Brook University.
With Candelario, Rogers, and Paniagua moving up, the Pelicans have now had 13 players earn promotions this year, and 12 of them have been to Double-A. Starling Peralta, Matt Brazis, Jacob Hannemann, Gerardo Concepcion, Wes Darvill, Billy McKinney, Tayler Scott, Zach Cates, and Cael Brockmeyer have all been promoted to Tennessee this season, and Michael Heesch is the only Pelicans player to skip Double-A and make a stop in Triple-A Iowa.
With the moves, the Pelicans roster is now at 24 active players (13 pitchers, 11 position players), which is one below the Carolina League limit, and includes seven players on the disabled list.
The Pelicans will wrap up their three-game series with the Salem Red Sox on Tuesday night. The first pitch from TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET.
The 2015 season marks the 17th season for the Pelicans franchise and first as the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. For information on tickets to see the Pelicans in 2015, please call (843) 918-6000, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.MyrtleBeachPelicans.com.