Report: Cubs Calling Up Alcantara For 2-Day Stint
(CBS) At long last, one of the Cubs' heralded prospects has received a call-up to the big show.
Second baseman/outfielder Arismendy Alcantara has been promoted from Triple-A Iowa to the Cubs for a two-day stint as they close out their series Wednesday and Thursday against the Reds in Cincinnati, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. He'll fill in for second baseman Darwin Barney, who's taking paternity leave and returning to Chicago for scheduled birth of his daughter.
Barney's expected back for Friday's home game against the Braves, the Sun-Times reported.
Alcantara's name isn't as flashy as some of the higher-rated Cubs prospects like Kris Bryant and Javier Baez, but he's performed well at Triple-A this season and is one of the organization's more seasoned minor leaguers. Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer called him "underappreciated" recently.
Alcantara is hitting .307 with 10 homers and 41 RBIs in 89 games at Triple-A this season.
"He's having a great year," Hoyer said. "I'm glad people are starting to talk about him more."
Alcantara has primarily been an infielder, but he's also been playing center field about once per series for Iowa, Hoyer said. Because the Cubs have an excess of infield talent in the minor leagues, Alcantara's future in the big leagues could be in the outfield.