Smokies add Szczur to roster Friday

Cubs' third-best prospect promoted from Daytona; OF Ha placed on disabled list

By Adam Kline

July 27, 2012

KODAK, Tenn. - The Tennessee Smokies, Class AA minor league affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, announce today that OF Matt Szczur will join the team in advance of today's game against the Jacksonville Suns. In a corresponding roster move, OF Jae-Hoon Ha has been placed on the disabled list. Both moves are immediate, with Szczur being available for the team's 7:05 p.m. game in Jacksonville, Fla.

Tennessee's roster is at 25 active players, which is the Southern League maximum.

Szczur (CESAR), 23, joins the Smokies for the first time in his professional career. His 38 stolen bases and 68 runs scored led the Florida State League and his .295 batting average (87 H/295 AB) ranks third with the D-Cubs. In 78 games, he collected 19 doubles, four triples, two home runs and 34 RBIs. Last month, Szczur was named to the FSL All-Star team, but did not participate due to an injury.

The right-handed outfielder was named to the Cubs' 40-man roster on November 18, 2011 and tabbed by Baseball America as the third-best prospect in the Cubs minor league system prior to the 2012 season. In 2011, Szczur was selected to the Team USA roster in the XM Satellite Radio All-Star Futures Game at Chase Field in Arizona.

A two-sport (baseball and football) star at Villanova University, Szczur was selected by the Cubs in the fifth round of the 2010 MLB First-Year Player Draft.

Ha, 21, held a .266 batting average (99-for-372) with 21 doubles, two triples, four home runs and 33 RBIs in 96 games with the Smokies in 2012. The Heweongu, South Korea native was selected to the World Team roster in the XM Satellite Radio All-Star Futures Game at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo, earlier this month.

ABOUT THE TENNESSEE SMOKIES

The Tennessee Smokies are the minor league Class AA affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. Members of the 10-team Southern League, Smokies baseball has been entertaining families and fans of America's national pastime in the East Tennessee region for over 100 years. To learn more about the Tennessee Smokies, visit www.smokiesbaseball.com.