Apodaca rejoins Smokies roster Thursday

KODAK, Tenn. - The Tennessee Smokies, Class AA minor league affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, announce today that C Juan Apodaca will rejoin the team in advance of tonight's game against the Birmingham Barons. Additionally, RHP Alberto Cabrera has been promoted to the Class AAA Iowa Cubs, and C Luis Flores has announced his retirement from baseball.

Apodaca, 25, started the 2012 campaign with the Smokies before being promoted to Triple-A Iowa on April 28. While with the Smokies, he hit .207 (6 H/29 AB) with three doubles and one RBI in 11 games behind the plate. In 38 games with the I-Cubs, Apodaca hit .337 (32 H/95 AB) with one home run and 16 RBIs. The Caracas, Venezuela native signed with the Cubs as a minor league free agent on January 5, 2012.

Cabrera, 23, is promoted to the I-Cubs for the first time in 2012. In 23 relief appearances with the Smokies he was 2-1 with five saves and a 2.52 ERA (10 ER/35.2 IP) allowing 30 hits, 10 walks and striking out 45. A member of the Cubs' 40-man roster, Cabrera signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2005.

Flores, 25, finishes his career with a .204 (139 H/682 AB) batting average, 16 home runs and 82 RBIs in five seasons with the Cubs organization. The Del Rio, Texas native was drafted by the Cubs in the seventh round of the 2008 MLB First-Year Player Draft.

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.