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Lopez Promoted, Chiefs Add 2nd Rounder

July 21, 2018

The Peoria Chiefs and St. Louis Cardinals have announced that Midwest League All-Star second baseman Irving Lopez has been promoted to Advanced-A Palm Beach

The Peoria Chiefs and St. Louis Cardinals have announced that Midwest League All-Star second baseman Irving Lopez has been promoted to Advanced-A Palm Beach

. Taking his place on the Chiefs roster is 2018 2nd round pick Luken Baker who joins the Midwest League from the Gulf Coast League Cardinals. Baker is the highest draft pick to join the Chiefs in the same season as being drafted since 2009.
     Lopez, who started the MWL All-Star Game at second base, played in 76 games for the Chiefs this season with 70 of them coming at second base. He hit .271 with 19 doubles, four homers, one triple, 44 runs scored and 26 RBI. Lopez stole two bases and drew 20 walks while ranking among the MWL leaders in hit by pitches with 13. The Florida International product had just six errors on the season and was second on the Chiefs in doubles, runs scored and walks while ranking third with a .362 OBP. He batted first or second in 69 of his 76 games played and hit .293 at Dozer Park in 41 home games.
     Baker, 21, is the first 2018 Cardinals draftee to join the Chiefs roster. A native of Spring, Texas, Baker appeared in eight games for the GCL Cardinals batting .500 (12-for-24) with a home run, two doubles, 10 runs scored and seven RBI. He drew three walks and has hit safely in seven straight games after going 0-for-1 with a walk in his pro debut on July 11. Baker homered for his first pro hit on July 12 and has driven in three runs in a game twice this season.
     A 6'4 first baseman, Baker played in 31 games for Texas Christian this season before breaking his left fibula on April 17. He hit .319 with nine homers, two doubles, 23 runs scored and 26 RBI. In 2017 as a sophomore he hit .317 with eight homers, 41 RBI, eight doubles and 38 runs scored in 47 games. Baker injured his left arm May 12 and surgery left him unavailable for the Horned Frogs in the College World Series. Baker had one of the best freshman seasons in TCU history in 2016 when he hit .379 with 11 homers, 16 doubles, 62 RBI and 59 runs scored in 67 games. He also pitched in 2016 going 3-1 with a 1.70 ERA in 10 starts while striking out 41 and walking 16 over 47 2/3 innings. As a freshman he was named First team College Freshman All-American, big 12 All-Conference, Big 12 Freshman of the Year and was selected to the College World Series All Tournament Team. For his college career Baker drew 109 walks to just 93 strikeouts while batting .347 with 28 home runs and 129 RBI in 145 games.
    Born in Spring, Texas, Baker attended Oak Ridge High School in Conroe, TX before playing at TCU. He was drafted by the Astros in the 37th round of the 2015 draft after being ranked as the sixth best recruit in Texas but he attended college instead. Baker was the 2015 Gatorade National Player of the Year and attended the 2015 ESPN Awards. He was named the Greater Houston Player of the Year and Baseball America selected him as a First-Team All-American. He won the 2014 Under Armour high school home run derby at Wrigley Field and the MLB Junior Select home run derby at the 2014 MLB All-Star Game at Target Field in Minnesota.
     The last time the Chiefs received a second round draft pick in-season was as a Chicago Cubs affiliate in 2009 when second round pick DJ LeMahieu joined the team July 28. Three days later 2009 Cubs first round pick Brett Jackson also joined the Chiefs. As a Cardinals affiliate the last six seasons the Chiefs received in-season third round picks Mike Mayers in 2013 and Harrison Bader in 2015. In addition fourth rounder Paul DeJong joined the Chiefs in 2015 and fourth rounder Kramer Robertson debuted with the Chiefs last year.