MESA, Ariz. — Brailyn Marquez’s winding road to get back on a baseball field continues to challenge the Chicago Cubs’ former top prospect.
The last two years certainly have tested Marquez. Two bouts with COVID-19 at the onset of spring training in 2021 and 2022 eventually led to both of his seasons being wiped out by ripple effects of the illness. He developed myocarditis and was sidelined for eight months until November 2021.
Then Marquez, who was double vaccinated, caught COVID again shortly before coming to spring training last season. Left shoulder fatigue also cropped up, and he didn’t get into a game before season-ending surgical debridement on his shoulder in June.
