Near the third-base line on a back field at the Chicago Cubs complex, president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer and most of the major-league coaching staff observed batting practice during a cool, breezy late morning workout Tuesday.
The field offered glimpses of the Cubs’ potential future: Top prospects Cristian Hernández and Owen Caissie took batting practice off a machine, their tall frames slicing the ball to the wall with smooth swings. As Major League Baseball’s lockout persists while the sides meet in Jupiter, Fla., the Cubs prospect minicamp created a modicum of spring training normalcy.
Vice president of player development Jared Banner was among the team personnel taking in Tuesday’s workouts. This time a year ago, Banner joined the Cubs as VP of special projects. He utilized his time learning different areas within the organization and getting to know the Cubs staff and players.
