Russell is latest Cubs prospect to get call

Infielder Addison Russell is the latest in a long line of Cubs prospects to reach the major leagues.

Reports surfaced late Monday night that the Cubs were promoting the 21-year-old Russell from Class AAA Iowa. Russell confirmed the promotion to the Des Moines Register.

“I'm pretty excited,” Russell told the paper. “I wasn't expecting the call at all today. I had no idea.”

Russell has come up as a shortstop, but the Cubs recently moved him to second base at Iowa. At the big-league level, the Cubs have had trouble getting production from the second-base spot.

The Cubs obtained Russell last July from the Oakland organization in a trade that sent ace pitcher Jeff Samardzija to the Athletics. Last week, the Cubs called up their top prospect, third baseman Kris Bryant. Russell was right behind Bryant in the Cubs' rankings, and he was the third-best prospect in baseball, according to Baseball America.

With three minor league teams last year, including the Cubs' Class AA Tennessee affiliate, Russell played in 68 games and had a line of .295/.350/.508 with 13 home runs and 45 RBI.

He joins a Cubs team that features a core of young players that includes Bryant, Jorge Soler, Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo.

• Bruce Miles will have more at dailyherald.com later in the day. Follow Bruce's baseball reports on Twitter @BruceMiles2112