Javier Assad
Javier Assad | |||||||||||||||
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Assad with the Chicago Cubs in 2023 | |||||||||||||||
Chicago Cubs – No. 72 | |||||||||||||||
Pitcher | |||||||||||||||
Born: (1997-07-30) July 30, 1997 (age 26) Tijuana, Mexico | |||||||||||||||
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |||||||||||||||
MLB debut | |||||||||||||||
August 23, 2022, for the Chicago Cubs | |||||||||||||||
MLB statistics (through May 31, 2024) | |||||||||||||||
Win–loss record | 11–6 | ||||||||||||||
Earned run average | 2.82 | ||||||||||||||
Strikeouts | 185 | ||||||||||||||
Teams | |||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Javier Eduardo Assad Ramírez (born July 30, 1997) is a Mexican professional baseball pitcher for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Early life, family and education
Assad was born and raised in Tijuana, Mexico. While playing Little League Baseball as a youth, he was teammates with future professional baseball player Alfonso Rivas. (Assad and Rivas became teammates on the Chicago Cubs following Assad's promotion in 2022.[1])
Career
Assad signed with the Chicago Cubs as an international free agent on July 27, 2015.[2] He made his professional debut with the rookie-level Arizona League Cubs in 2016, pitching to a 2.87 ERA in 10 games. He spent the 2017 season with the Low-A Eugene Emeralds, logging a 5–6 record and 4.23 ERA with 72 strikeouts in 13 starts.[3] He pitched in 23 games (21 starts) for the Single-A South Bend Cubs in 2018, registering a 5–7 record and 4.40 ERA with 89 strikeouts in 106+1⁄3 innings of work.
On May 3, 2019, while playing for the High-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans, Assad attempted to field a push bunt from Marco Hernández of the Salem Red Sox, but dropped the ball on the transfer. In an attempt to save the play, Assad kicked the ball towards first base, where first baseman Cam Balego caught it to record an out. A video of the play would go viral on Twitter.[4] In 22 starts for Myrtle Beach in 2019, Assad posted a 4–10 record and 3.87 ERA with 91 strikeouts in 116+1⁄3 innings pitched.[5] He did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[6]
Assad spent the 2021 season with the Double-A Tennessee Smokies, recording a 4–8 record and 5.32 ERA with 74 strikeouts in 93 innings pitched. He began the 2022 season with Tennessee before being promoted to the Triple-A Iowa Cubs. In 23 combined appearances (21 starts) Assad excelled to the tune of a 5–3 record and 2.66 ERA with 111 strikeouts in 108+1⁄3 innings of work.[7]
On August 23, 2022, Assad was promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[8] He made his MLB debut that night in a spot start against the St. Louis Cardinals.[9] On September 12, Assad earned his first career victory after allowing 1 run on 5 hits and 3 walks across 6 innings of work against the New York Mets.[10]
In 2024, the Marquee Sports Network considered him to have "developed into" a "crucial piece" for the Chicago Cubs, after previously being an overlooked pitcher.[11]
International career
Assad played for Team Mexico in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. In the Quarterfinal Game against Puerto Rico on March 12, 2023, Assad threw 2+2⁄3 scoreless innings in relief.[12]
References
- ^ "From Little League teammates to Cubs teammates: Everything has come full circle for Alfonso Rivas and Javier Assad". marqueesportsnetwork.com. 20 September 2022. Retrieved 2023-04-21.
- ^ "Another Cubs pitching prospect set for MLB debut". RSN. 22 August 2022.
- ^ "Chicago Cubs Top 20 prospects for 2018". minorleagueball.com. 18 December 2017. Retrieved 2023-04-21.
- ^ "You won't believe how he got the out at 1st". mlb.com. Retrieved 2023-04-21.
- ^ "Pelicans' Assad maintains marvelous May". milb.com. Retrieved 2023-04-21.
- ^ "2020 Minor League Baseball season cancelled". mlb.com. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
- ^ "Chicago Cubs and Miami Marlins Prospect Notes (Double-A)". justbaseball.com. 21 June 2022. Retrieved 2023-04-21.
- ^ "Cubs prospect notes: Javier Assad's debut, Brennen Davis is back and more". theathletic.com. Retrieved 2023-04-21.
- ^ "Cubs: Javier Assad to make debut in Game 1 of Cardinals doubleheader". sports.yahoo.com. 22 August 2022.
- ^ "Javier Assad Picks Up First Career Win in Cubs 5–2 Victory over Mets". si.com. 13 September 2022. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
- ^ Martinez, Andy (2024-05-10). "'Who is this guy?': Once overlooked, Javier Assad has developed into crucial piece for Cubs | Chicago Cubs News". Marquee Sports Network - Television Home of the Chicago Cubs and Sky. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
- ^ "Javier Assad's Cubs teammates not surprised by his WBC success: 'That's just how he is'". Chicago Sun-Times. 2023-03-18. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
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- 72 Javier Assad
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- 20 Miles Mastrobuoni
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- 48 Daniel Palencia
- 71 Keegan Thompson
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- 94 Brennen Davis
- 25 Yency Almonte
- 45 Caleb Kilian
- 54 Colten Brewer
- 66 Julian Merryweather
- 73 Adbert Alzolay
- Manager 30 Craig Counsell
- Bench 84 Ryan Flaherty
- Pitching 68 Tommy Hottovy
- Hitting 76 Dustin Kelly
- First base 55 Mike Napoli
- Third base 33 Willie Harris
- Assistant pitching 53 Daniel Moskos
- Assistant hitting/Game planning 96 Jim Adduci
- Assistant hitting 63 Juan Cabreja
- Assistant hitting 80 John Mallee
- Bullpen 79 Darren Holmes
- Coach 90 Jonathan Mota
- Coach/Development 97 Alex Smith
- Bullpen catcher 85 Garrett Lloyd