Cubs fans know Jacob deGrom as the long-haired dude who helped the New York Mets sweep last year’s National League Championship Series. Cubs scouts look at deGrom as a prototype, an off-the-radar prospect who can evolve into a power pitcher for a World Series team.
That’s one way to balance out an organization so tilted toward young hitters, because the Cubs will be sitting out the amateur draft on Thursday night and won’t make their first pick until Friday afternoon at No. 104.
Theo Epstein’s front office is boxed in even tighter with the industry’s smallest bonus pool this year ($2,245,100), all part of the final invoice for taking big-game pitcher John Lackey and Gold Glove outfielder Jason Heyward away from the St.