Cubs' Baez to skip Arizona Fall League

Top Cubs prospect Javier Baez will miss the Arizona Fall League in order to rest and prepare for the 2014 season, Chicago general manager Jed Hoyer told MLB.com on Thursday.

The organization's Minor League Player of the Year was scheduled to be one of four Cubs suiting up for the Mesa Solar Sox. There are six teams in the prospect-laden offseason league, considered a finishing school of sorts for the game's top talent.

"He's emotionally and physically drained after the season," Hoyer said. "We have no problem with [him missing the AFL].

"The last thing we want him to do is go there and risk injury. He had a full season, he had a great season, and I feel we'll see him in Arizona working out."

Selected ninth overall by the Cubs in the 2011 Draft out of Arlington Country Day School in Jacksonville, Fla., Baez set career highs in virtually every offensive category.

The 20-year-old shortstop batted .282 with 37 homers and 111 RBIs across two levels between Class A Advanced Daytona and Double-A Tennessee, where he finished the 2013 season as a Southern League postseason All-Star.

A native of Puerto Rico, the right-hander also scored 98 runs and swipes 20 bases in 24 attempts.

Fellow Cubs Albert Almora, Jorge Soler and Kris Bryant -- ranked second, third and fourth among the Cubs' Top 20 prospects, are expected to play for Mesa next month, but Arodys Vizcaino will head to the team's instructional league complex to continue his rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery, MLB.com reported.